Scoop

Your hypothetical leaves out the point that a lot of 737 Pilots in LAX are also going to bid over to the Bus. With that said, if I would not be surprised if some junior folks in different categories get displaced even though systemwide the Bid is positive.

Scoop

Peoloto

You mean can elect to increse size right?

FL370esq

Nope....I'm pretty sure I mean they cannot elect. They need to first post vacancies before they can grow a category size.

tennisguru

There are also probably senior people from other bases who want in on the LAX 320 action...

Gunfighter

There will certainly be some 717As that will move to 73N. There will undoubtedly be numerous qualifiers across LAX. The SEA 330 expansion could pull some 7ER pilots out of LAX, making room for the displacements. The 320 will probably pull in a few SLC 320 pilots.

There is some uncertainty regarding expanding a category via MD without contingent displacements. Nobody (myself included) has provided a contract reference or evidence from previous AEs. FL370esq is generally VERY GOOD about providing contract references and neither of us have found one for this particular topic. It's just fun to discuss it without facts, rather than actually look it up. Originally I was confident it could be done, now I'm not as sure. If they grow a category via MD, they could have denied a senior pilot the option for an AE. Right now if there is a vacancy posted a senior AE will go ahead of the MD to fill it and the MD will get a subsequent choice. Expanding via MD is benefiting the junior pilots and not strictly honoring seniority. A corollary to this argument is that the company can shrink a category without an MD by not backfilling. Why are they allowed to arbitrarily reduce staffing in a category without providing MD rights?

We will know in a few weeks once the results are out.

ShyGuy

You guys are displacing 717 pilots? Yikes, from where to where?

Peoloto

I’m still convinced they can grow it if they want to and avoid displacing. I can’t find anything saying they cannot. I would imagine the AE pilot will get the category if they want and then throw the MDs in and evaluate the end size.

Big E 757

We are closing the LAX 717 category and moving the aircraft to ATL. We/they are opening an A320 category in LAX though which should absorb most or all of the 717 pilots so it shouldn’t cause too much pain out west.

FL370esq

Good points, sir. As to your corollary, I cannot find anything in the PWA that expressly permits the company to "unfill" posted vacancies much less contingent vacancies. The initial A350 AE being a case-in-point where 160 vacancies were posted but only 125 or so filled. Perhaps if the company reasonably determines they could not train all of the vacancies to comply with the posted conversion window they can minimize the number of filled vacancies. Or maybe it is another "historical practice" agreed upon between the company and DALPA.

This isn't correct based upon the exception to 22.E.1 which is further discussed in the middle of page 107 of the Scheduling Reference Handbook. "In other words, a pilot's MD [or VD] assignment...into a category will supersede a more senior pilot's AE bid to that category.

Yup, no doubt that it will be an interesting (and long) read of the AE/VD/MD results. Gonna need lots of James Bond's popcorn.

askdanny

Just to check... because the LAX 320 category is a new category, anyone can bid it, even those who are currently seat locked. Did I get that right? Thanks!