Originally Posted by Jughead135

Close--in your scenario, you needn't even wait a year. There is no category lock, it's a seat lock. You can move an unlimited number of times with no minimum time between bases in the same seat--the only requirements being that (a) there's an opening; (b) your seniority can hold it; and (c) you bid for it. The key is whether training is required.

My point is if you can't get the airplane you want out of training, either because it's not in the drop or they're all gone by the time you get to choose. Under today's contract, you have to wait a year (in practice, 1+ years, just for timing reasons) until the first AE with an earliest training date at or after your 1-year point to bid for different equipment. Under the TA, you have to wait that same year to change equipment, but can only do so if the new equipment is not located at the new base. (Changing bases in the same seat is unaffected by the TA, it remains unlimited.)

The "giveaway" here is that 1st year pay is the same on all aircraft. On the other hand, 2nd year pay varies. With this new policy, new hires will potentially end up "stuck" on a lower-paying aircraft than they might otherwise want & be able to hold for that additional year. IMO, they should have worked out a policy for a "shadow" bid during year 2 with commensurate pay protection....

If your goal is to get to your base-of-choice first, worry about equipment later: then bid for something that's in your base, then bid over ASAP (no need to wait a year). If your goal is to get to your equipment-of-choice first, and/or if you can't get anything that's in your base, then bid as I suggest.