highfarfast

The transition option has to do with how they deal with conflicts. The scenario I answered had no conflicts so it didn't matter.

But to get to the 'Transition' option. Please read the contract on this one. Mainly because it's often misrepresented on this issue when you ask someone. It's not as simple as "you get paid for both trips", like I've heard from almost everyone. It's still pretty simple but I'll go overboard on the examples:

Let's say, on next month's schedule, you are awarded a line that has a four day trip starting on the 1st and you select NO for the transition. You will finish flying your trip from this month that carries over into next month, then fly what's left of the first trip of next month. Essentially, a five day trip where the first month's schedule has priority. You will not be paid for what's dropped due to direct conflict (think flights at the same time).

Let's say, on next month's schedule, you are awarded a line that has a four day trip starting on the 1st and you select YES for the transition. Crew Scheduling will drop the least amount of flying that will make it work and there is no preference to this month's schedule vs next months schedule. The dropped flying can come from either month and from either trip. You will not be paid for what's dropped due to direct conflict here either.

Let's say, on next month's schedule, you are awarded a line that has a four day trip starting on the 3rd and you select NO for the transition. You will fly the trip that starts this month until it's completion, then Crew Scheduling will drop from your schedule the least amount of flying from next month's trip that will make it legal. Due to 7 day legalities, you WILL lose a day of flying on the trip next month. You will also lose some flying due to direct conflict on the 3rd. You will not be paid for either flying dropped to direct conflict, nor flying dropped due to legalities.

Let's say, on next month's schedule, you are awarded a line that has a four day trip starting on the 3rd and you select YES for the transition. Crew Scheduling will drop the least amount of flying that will make it work and there is no preference to this month's schedule vs next months schedule. This will include some flying lost on the 3rd due to direct conflict, as well as some other flying in the 7 days that is due to 7 day conflict (due to legalities of working 7 straight days). The flying you lose to direct conflict, you will still not be paid for. The flying you lose to the 7 day conflict will be coded "TL" on your HI1 and you will be paid for.

Those are basic, but most common, example types. The gist is that neither transition option pays for direct conflict (like flights at the same time). Selecting NO gives preference to the first month's scheduled trip but you are not paid for flights dropped due to legalities. Selecting YES gives Crew Scheduling more leeway in working out a legal solution and you are paid for the flights dropped due to legality.

MOST people just select YES each month just in case there is a legality issue that they can get paid for. But selecting NO can be useful too (think something like adding 2 days of OT just prior to your four day on the 31st BEFORE the bid for next month is closed and select NO on your bid for next month, you can now count on having the 4th off next month if that's important).