Current system: good
PBS: sucks

No, seriously, PBS is a management tool that eliminates the inefficiencies of lines of flying. Some airlines have/had good systems (DAL, TWA) while others got shafted (CAL, UAL.) It all has to do with how much of a hand the union has in it. In a nutshell, PBS builds trip pairings out of seniority preferences whereas lines of flying are just that. PBS eliminates conflicts such as vacation drops and monthly fly-through conflicts. It is so efficient that it's been said to eliminate 5-10% of the seniority list.

AA pilots are dead set against it mainly because we simply don't trust our management. Even though the APA would supposedly have to have a hand in it, we know how our management works - empty bag promises, manipulation of high/low reserve coverage days, that sort of thing. When we got TTOT (Trip trade w/ open time) in the '97 contract, we were promised that we would have complete control of our monthly schedule trades and drops. The reality is the exact opposite - the company controls our trades and drops based on THEIR interpretation of reserve coverage, which probably varies according to how much they feel like screwing with the pilots on a day to day basis. Not exactly what we signed for. And if we end up with PBS, the same exact thing will happen.

PBS is a non-issue for us. We like our lines of flying and our trip conflicts just fine. It also helps our furloughees come back that much sooner.

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