Originally Posted by TED74

ATL73NB, for the rest of July, there's not a single day available to PD, much less several in a row to PD a 3- or 4-day trip. There are also 8 Q trips in open time despite the mantra that you can always just throw stuff on the swap board and it evaporates.

Yes, coverage is good enough to APD, assuming one didn't already burn that to make their daughter's graduation, or their 20th anniversary, or to help their sick family member, etc. Many folks have multiple important engagements a year and I think improving our mechanisms to get to them is reasonable and achievable. PD’s appear to be a viable option pre month often and some availability even 5 days out.
I do have a expectation of working during my employers most profitable and busy season. I get that others don’t have that expectation.

I'll study up on IVDs, which I've never used myself.

I understand you have low expectations, and everything is much better than it ever was. So are our profits. Me? I'd like to turn some of our profits (and negotiating capital) into schedule control tools to improve (my) qol. Sounds like you have different priorities, and that's fine with me.

Until something changes, pilots will just use sick leave where required, and CPOs everywhere will keep reminding folks in double speak that they always have that option.