Originally Posted by Albief15

Well...I can hold 35% at ANC...and fly around the world. I can hold LAX at 65%...and commute like a dog to get there. I can hold some nice lines NOW in the MD10/11 at MEM, but after upteen guys get excessed into it I'm not sure how good 65% at MEM will really be. You and I both like day/domestic, but there is only so much to go around. Years ago...30% in the 727 was SWEET! Now...I'm close to that and I cannot consistently hold R-24, a west coast line, or even a day line. Sometimes I can, sometimes I cannot--but the point is the bid back is shriniking.

I'd like to fly to ANC, CDG, VCP, and STN once in a while, when not going to SEA, DEN, LAX, and MCO. I got a feeling if I go to the MD11 I won't get getting much of what I want.

So--pony up--upgrade--and go make some money. Its a 14 hour flight from ATL to HKG, about $850 on Cathay. Two weeks gone, two weeks home, and a lot more money. Lots to stew on...but to answer your question...yeah...I'm serious. It is still a practice bid. And currently there are dudes junior to me there, which could have passover ramifications between now and training. I'm still researching and stewing. But I got a lot of contacts over there that know what the lay of the land, and it might be fun (for a while). Another point--another bid is around the corner, which will have some vacancies. If I bite off more than I can chew I could bid back stateside, and a 2 year seatlock to down-bid wouldn't really hurt--I'm more than 2 years away from a domestic upgrade anyway.

Not trying to share too much personal information, but there are a lot of opportunities in the this bid. The only guys I see get hurt on the junior captains on the 727 and DC-10 that cannot hold a similar seat. I'm sorry it is hurting them, but there are some winners coming out of this too.

And I won't take the FDA LOA package--section 6 is all I want. My family and horses will stay put.