Originally Posted by
FLYBOYMATTHEW
Being locked into a base a year at a time is hot garbage, and has no place at a 8,000+ pilot combined airline with potentially 10 crew bases. Type and qual locks, I get it, but limiting vacancy bids to an annual event is a huge concession in flexibility and QOL, particularly for commuters that have no control over fluctuating frequency between cities. If one is willing to give up his annual bid vacation slots to switch bases, he should have that option more than once a year if the company is taking deliveries, hiring, and upgrading. Name another airline that size that only does annual pilot vacancy bids. It certainly isn't industry standard.
We would have the option more than once a year if the result would be "lose vacation slot". That's how it was before, quarterly bid and lose vacation. Union was trying to protect vacation and company says "ok but then we need to switch from quarterly bid to annual bid for better staffing plans" (of course not in those words but it's the reason why it's where it's at today). Not saying I agree with that once a year bidding though. I think Bluedriver suggestion earlier in the thread is a happy medium.