Oh dear, you believed me. Crap.

Well, to answer question 1 from DALPA:
Q-6. I am not sure I understand how to use the bid qualifiers. Can you explain how they work?

A-6. You may specify a minimum position by entering either a number or percentage. For example, by entering a “Low Nbr” of 80, you would only be awarded a category if you would be number 80 or higher in the category. If you entered a Low % of 80, you would only be awarded the position if you would be in the top 80 percent of the category.

And question 2 from DALPA:
Q-7. What information is actually available on the “Count Pilots Holding A Preference For A Specific Category” page?

A-7. This page only counts pilots senior to you that have an AE bid preference in for that specific category. It does not look at VD or MD bids into that category, and it also does not indicate whether pilots senior to you have used bid qualifiers (number, percentage, or regular line only) with their AE bid preferences. Further, it also does not recognize whether a pilot senior to you is a pre-merger Northwest pilot or pre-merger Delta pilot bidding for a category that is only available to him if there are insufficient bidders to that category. (See question # 2 above).

Anotherwords new, when it comes to bid qualifiers don't be concerned about what you see because you don't know what they've bid really and more importantly you don't know what someone might have put on a MD or VD from that site. What we're finding is that option to see what senior pilots have bid works "okay" or "good" when we have an AE with vacancies and hiring. With surpluses abounding on the DC9, 767s, 765s and a whole fleet swap between bases then that thing is rather worthless. You don't know how many guys are bidding "choice 2) DC9 A ">" 50% 3) 330 B 80%..." you can't tell.

I did however find this question interesting:
Q-8. It looks like I may be mandatorily displaced (MD) as a result of this Advanced Entitlement Bid, and I am interested in bidding one of the new categories (DTW 777 A/B, MSP M88 A/B, NYC 765 A/B, and SLC 320 A/B). Do I have to bid an AE to be awarded one of these positions or can I use my MD to get the award?

A-8. If mandatorily displaced, you can be awarded one of these categories if your seniority will allow you to hold the position. You need not place an AE bid to get the award. These new category vacancies will be awarded in seniority order regardless of the award type (AE, VD, or MD).

There seems to be a misunderstanding about a new category and MDs as in you can't MD yourself into a new category but the way I read that above you can. So new, if you can MD then you don't know what the cascading effect of 744 B pilots being MD'd and then MD'd others til someone MD's into the 9 A spot above you. Not to say that is happening, just saying that "count pilots above you" thing isn't considering that and therefore can be tossed on this AE.

And one I ran into the other day with a DALN pilot was about the 777 DTW in that its not a fenced aircraft if its a new category. I'm 90% positive that a 744 and 777 are fenced until the fences are dropped regardless of there being new categories like DTW 777 or say 747 NYC. But I'm already past my bed time and won't look it up, but I think I am right about it. I can't stay up tonight and wait for 80, he doesn't usually show up until midnight.

New, keep that seat warm next to you, you're about to get a guy who doesn't know how to handle the lack of a magenta line but no worries, I'm fine with descents, I'm a VS kind of guy.