The merger and SLI has everything to do with the December vacancy award.

Twenty former LUS guys got G4 CA awards that by pure seniority would have gone to more senior LAA pilots. But the SLI has a minimum number of G4 CA jobs (183) protected for the LUS guys until the end of 2020. The trigger was met which meant the 20 LUS guys, regardless of their overall ability to hold G4 CA, were awarded a G4 slot. The junior guy is #4600, or 1200+ below the junior G4 CA company wide and 2300 numbers junior to the current junior guy in his new bid status.

 

Actually it's not LAA guys bidding the 330 that creates the opening. It's LUS guys retiring off of the 330. LAA guys took about 33 (?) of the first retirements before the floor was reached. Now that the floor has been reached each LUS G4 retirement (mostly 330's but perhaps some have gone to the 777/787) will generate another LUS guy getting a G4 CA award. Their overall seniority number doesn't matter, it's only a bidding war among LUS guys competing among themselves with their seniority numbers for the G4 CA jobs. The floor protection expires at the end of 2020.

 

It was the LAA merger committee that was the most gung-ho for fences. LUS proposed some minor fences, and LAW obviously didn't want any.

LUS has the most retirements percentage wise for the next few years. Blame the LAA merger committee...

 

Whole thing is pure bologna.

 

So they can switch to group 4, But then sit at the bottom of the respective list as LAA guys do eventually get upgrade slots? Makes sense and sounds messy all at the same time. I’ll stick to my current simplicity of being a FNG haha. No more mergers please

 

Fair enough. Thanks for the clarification.

 

Yes, they're the plugs until their seniority advances to the point that guys junior to them start to hold the job.

Don't cry for guys sitting reserve on a G4 airplane. For all the bases, excluding PHL, it's a fantastic deal. You rarely break reserve guarantee and for that you get 89/93 hrs of G2 pay that a guy slogging the domestic system has to hustle for. And in good months you fly 6-12 days. Great months are 3-6 days.

PHL is a great deal in the off season but the kicker is that PHL has turns and two day trips. Except for one two day trip out of JFK, that rarely goes to reserve, the other flying is all 3-4 day trips. So excluding PHL if you wake up on the morning of your 3rd to last day on call, and you don't have a trip, there's huge probability that you're off for the next three days because there are no regular trips you can fly. Rescue trips, ferry, maintenance, etc can tag you but those are low probability events.

 

No problem. Sometimes understanding the past is like trying to get an octopus out of a hair ball, especially with mergers and SLI's.

 

So anyone have intel, insight or thoughts on if the next awards are going to keep pace with this last one? Of course, I’m sure we all hope so... I’m wondering if we’re approaching the DL super junior NB captains and jr WB FOs (I think UAL is a few yrs to WB??)... Before the awards, they mentioned 229 new captains. If I look at things right, from the jr guy from last bid to the jr guy this bid, there are 592 numbers... so for 229 upgrades they went through 592 pilots!

I’m thinking things might back off a bit, but I sure hope not!

 

Depending what your concern is.... You can always get out of a lock with your initial upgrade..... Something to keep in mind.....