Curtain,
Yes, it does matter, and pilots have been warned and risk their benefits and/or membership by non-compliance with our democratically determined actions. That 10 (or 12, or 15, or 25, or 45 minutes - depending on the non-compliant member wearing his red lanyard) provides flexibility: Either to send you on another flight, or to send you home earlier for your min rest (and no credit for showing up) for something else.
From AFTL
Actual Reporting Times
For all duties, the Scheduled Reporting Time or the time at which the crew member actually reports for duty, whichever is the later.
If you want to sound intelligent at least know your AFTL.
The requirement for not signing on early has a lot more to do with being called out of reserve. In that scenario, yes, I use the full 2 hours 15 minutes because the actual reporting time does count.
I am not a minion, I am a free thinking man, go ahead let the GC kick me out because I signed on 10 minutes early for my published flight..I dare them! You'll find the membership numbers dwindling pretty fast.
