June bidding advice
Most survived the changes for May bidding but not everyone was happy with the results of their May schedule. There were not only changes in the pairings but also in the steps you might have needed to take in order to hold the trips you wanted. We did our best to communicate these changes, with the PBS Info Page devoting a lot of real estate at the top of the page to help you. That information is still there for you to read if you missed it earlier.
Confusion about some new ‘Waive’ options was a factor for some people…with people being unsure if they needed to use one of the new ‘waives’ or even where to find them. Waives are entered like any other bid line – by clicking on the ‘Add’ button to the right when looking at your Current or Default bid. The ‘Waive’ tab is on the far right of the list on the ‘Add bid preference’ page. AFA was not consulted as to the terminology used to describe the new ‘waive’ options.
Definitions of Lineholder Waives:
Allow Charters – Necessary to bid for charters in PBS (ANC-RDB is the only current charter bid in PBS).
Allow Redeye Long Duty Period Pairings – Must be added in order to be awarded redeye ‘4k’ pairings (there are currently none offered).
Allow Non-Redeye Long Duty Period Pairings – Must be added to your bid to be awarded day-time ‘4k’ pairings, both as turns and as part of a multiday trip.
48 Hours Off In 7 Days – To allow the program to build six days in a row of flying…with a 24 hour minimum rest at base in any seven day period.
48 Hours Off In 7 Days If Training – To allow the program to build six days working in a row but only the week of training (RT or any other company-scheduled training event) with then a 24 hour break at your base.
No Same Day Pairings – This must be entered in your bid if you want to fly two pairings on the same calendar day. Those needing to enter this ‘waive’ are people wanting back-to-back SEA-ANC/FAI all-nighter turns, back-to-back LAX-GDL/MEX redeye pairings, HNL-ANC then ANC-ORD the same day, etc.
Rest After Training – Used to waive rest after training down to 9:00 (nine hours) after release from training.
Rest Before TV – Using this allows rest before travel to a training event to be waived down to 2:00 (two hours) after check-out.
Co-Terminal – LAX base only…to allow PBS to award LAX check-ins and more than one co-terminal check-in.
Definition of Reserve Waives:
Maximum Days On 5 – To allow PBS to build you six days of on-call in a row.
Maximum Days On 5 If Training – To allow PBS to have you working six days in a row but only when a training event such as RT falls in that week.
Coming soon! The ability for Reserves to waive to one calendar day rest per week instead of the contractually required two consecutive days.
FYI –
- Waive bids will automatically go the top of your bid…they cannot be moved.
- Layover rest is NOT the same as rest at your base. During bidding, you must have at least 48 hours off at your base in any seven day period. If you ‘waive’ that rule, then you must have at least 24 hours off at your base in any seven day period. Rest on a layover does not count towards contractual rest during bid awards.
Changes in Flying out of your Base
While there might have been some changes in the pairings in all bases, the biggest impact was felt in the SEA base. Those particularly impacted were people bidding only for two-day trips that were now unable to hold them. They had previously needed to be awarded two-day AUS, DTW, IAH, ORD, SAT or STL pairings as those were the only two-day trips they generally held. With all of those cities listed above now being turns, there were very few two-day trips available other than east coast, Hawaii or Mexico.
Consequently, a significant number of people’s bids went into ‘Denial Mode’. This was because they did not have any ‘backup plan’ if they couldn’t hold two-day trips. These people will have to make adjustments to their bid to be willing to fly, at minimum, multi-leg two-day trips or very likely other trip lengths…turns, three or four-day trips,
Long Duty Period (‘4k’) pairings contractually are to be offered to every base. SEA and PDX only fly ‘4k’ trips as turns but in all other bases the ‘4k’ day is mid-pairing after laying over in SEA or PDX the night before and after. A maximum of 90% of the total 4k departures may be built in any single domicile and a minimum of 10% of the total 4k domicile departures will be built and distributed on an approximately equitable basis throughout the remaining domiciles each bid month. In May, some ‘4k’ pairings out of SAN were not bid for and fell into Open Time.
Upcoming PBS Base Sits
Representatives from the PBS Committee will be holding base sits in early May. The focus of these base sits is to reach out to the many new-hire FA’s in ANC and SEA but anyone is most welcome to drop in for help with their bid. Feedback on pairings can be addressed to the representatives from Crew Planning at the base sits. Comments regarding pairings can also be sent via Outlook email to your LEC Scheduling Committee Chairs or your LEC President. The Scheduling Committee will be meeting on June 25th, 2015 in Seattle with management to discuss any concerns you bring forward to your local committee.
ANC PBS base sit
Inflight
May 5th 9am-3pm
May 6th 5am-1pm
Sabrina Blevins-Crew Planning
Rebecca Asbell- PDXFA
Steve Poynter – SEAFA
SEA PBS base sit
Inflight-Mezzanine
May 7th 9am-4pm
May 8th 5am-1pm
Kelly Yeager-Crew Planning
Rebecca Asbell-PDXFA
Steve Poynter-SEAFA
Contact the PBS Committee anytime by email to PBS Q&A via Outlook.
