Thread: Nov07 Bidpack
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Old 10-13-2007 | 08:17 PM
  #5  
TonyM
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Originally Posted by Tuck
How's everyone's bidpack for Nov looking? This was supposed to be the big one with lots of changes. In LA, we seem to have a lot more day flight multi-day trips with new, better (anything's better than MEM) layovers - a lot less one day out and backs. Not sure yet if that's a good thing or bad thing. They've definitely optimized the schedules with many days of 7+ block hour flying.
Tuck,

The true effects of the changes probably won’t be known until well into the November bid month, but my initial take is that it is not an improvement. Hard-time Memphis hub turning is not my idea of a change for the better, even if they are day turns.

My guess is they are cooking the frog by slowly turning up the heat and those days will eventually turn to nights or at least get less palatable. What caught my attention were lots of 11 to 13 hour layovers during the pairings. If you tag on the 11.5 to 12.5 hour duty days with only a Breakfast Snack and that looks tiring, at best.

Many pairings show at 5-6AM…plus a 1-2 hour drive to the airport and the first day resembles more of an AM out and back day for the body. That was doable when the layover came at about 1030LBT after the first leg (on most pairings). Now you will turn in MEM and fly back to LAS, PHX, SEA or OAK and arrive around 1800LBT. That sounds brutal to me. I’m interested to read what the SIG e-mail has in it, but I’m guessing they don’t see this as an improvement either.

I didn’t see the normal Lax-Oak out and backs, but I did see ONT-MEM out and backs(really a night MEM hub turn) for the first time…yuk!

Again, this is only my first impression, but since November’s bid-packs contain false data on number of days off, pairing construction and BLG, it is hard to make an accurate judgment. Perhaps it won’t be as bad as it looks after all.


BTW, Occasional Memphis layovers are fine by me. I always catch up with old friends who like to go out downtown, which is where I wish our layover hotel was located.

Best Wishes!
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