Today I'm heading to the airport to sit "On Premises Reserve". Some airlines call it "sitting hot" or the "hot seat" but we just call in OPR at my base. Regardless of what it's called, the concept is the same. You go to the airport, bags packed and uniform on, to wait for Crew Scheduling to call you and tell you to RUN to Gate A45 to go work a flight to anywhere in the world.
Normally we have to have a minimum of two hours notice before we work a flight, but when you're sitting OPR it can be as little as ten minutes.
Sometimes when they call I feel a lot like Amy Pond.
The thing that annoys me the most about OPR is that you just have absolutely NO idea where you're going. None.
So what do you pack for a 3-4 day trip with no set destination?
My Work Packing List
Uniform dress
Uniform sweater
Uniform skirt
Two uniform tops
Uniform scarf
Six pairs of hose (they shred like Tony Hawk)
Socks
Sports bra
Toiletries kit
(I never bring "real" jewelry with me when I fly)
Additional Weather Dependent Items
These essentials should get the job done, no matter where they send me, and no matter what kind of social event I end up participating in (unless it's black tie, but a surprise gala hasn't happened to me yet).
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