Originally Posted by
CBrF3
CJO holder here eagerly looking forward to starting and trying to figure out my plan for bidding while I wait. Looking for advice.
I live near MSP and want to be there as fast as I can, but I'm also interested in the ability to gain seniority as I'm a bit older than most new hires and opportunity to gain seniority is more limited. So my general thought is bid 220 since that is the most jr fleet at MSP and therefore represents the best chance for seniority growth. (I have been looking at widget seniority to try to get more detailed than that, but it makes my head hurt. Correct me if I'm wrong.)
I've read previous posts and think I understand that I can bid a fleet and then transfer to MSP if MSP isn't offered during indoc and its offered in a subsequent AE. But these two class drops represent a situation I've been concerned about. Let's say I was in 4/7 class and there is no 220 AND no MSP, so I can't bid 220 somewhere else and then transfer to MSP. In that case it sounds like bidding 73N/320 would be best and trying to get to MSP afterwards. But is there any other way to get MSP 220 faster since it was offered in the next class? Or is that just how the cookie crumbles and I'd be seat locked for 1-2 years on the 73N/320?
There's obviously a longer conversation about the ability to gain seniority among the NB fleets at MSP, especially after upgrading if/when that time came. And fwiw, I'm currently on the 73 so there's an allure there for ease of transition. But the 320 has a draw for increased comfort. Really anything is on the table.
Can anyone recommend what a good approach would be for the near term? Thanks!!
If your goal is to get to MSP as quickly as possible and no MSP position is offered in your drop (or your SSN is low and you think you're not going to get it) then bid for 73N, 320, and 220 in any other base. You'll probably be able to transfer to MSP by the first AE, before you're even done with training.
If your goal is to get MSP 220 specifically as quickly as possible, then bid any 220 slot in another base first, then any airplane that's not currently based in MSP, which would be 717 and 7ER. That way you can break the seat lock after 1 year to go to MSP 220 instead of 2 years if you're on another aircraft that is based in MSP.