Buyer beware indeed. Pretty sure LCAs are allowed to drop and swap trips just like any other pilot as long as there is no training actually assigned to the trip. My understanding is that if training is assigned, they have to jump through a hoop or two with Training Scheduling when doing a swap/drop. They also get pulled off the do line checks and the like. And after all that, there's no guarantee you'll get pulled off the trip for training anyway.

hmmmmm. Bank secrets, you say? Do tell, do tell

In my experience, the schedulers like to get FOs experience in red eyes, and LCAs often swap into them after initial PBS awards. Just leave off the LCA parameter and use "Award Trips if Red Eye on any leg".

It was a joke because I explained that one awhile ago.

https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/d...ml#post2729803

I think this is where we discussed it. Vacation bank time can cover APD, PD, IVD. Then you can use full service bank time over a vacation month. The result is an extra vacation period using full service bank hours over any APD, PD, IVD. You don’t lose credit for a GS month and you get a week of your choice.

Makes sense. Thank you, Enuf. The smart ones I know tried to max out their bank when they were on year one pay. Me, not so much. But that is all moot meow.

I did the bidding with LCA’s thing years ago when I was riding shotgun on the ER. I was mid seniority, based in ATL so I could hold weekends off as a normal bidder. I would bid trips with LCA that started on Thursday or Friday because if I got released from the trip, the only way I’d get a GS was on the weekend. It worked great in May and June but by July, they had caught up with staffing and weren’t using my trips for OE, so I was stuck flying domestic trips over the weekend in July and August vs. flying weekday trips to SA and Europe (occasionally). At that point, I started bidding 5 day trips to CDG or LHR that started and ended with DH to and from PIT/PHL/RDU/BOS. It wasn’t as lucrative but still, getting paid 5 days for a 3 day trip was kind of nice too.

Have they gone back to releasing FO the evening prior? Now that NYC short call is back on and commuting positive space is gone, seems like night prior release should be back too. If not we need to start hounding our reps to make it an issue of concern.

This. Best strategy there is for gaming the system.

it has definitely worked for me in the past.

There is a risk here though; if you don’t get bought off, then you’re stuck flying the red eye. I wouldn’t recommend bidding for anything that one wouldn’t want to fly themselves if they don’t get bought off. Some people don’t mind red eyes, others can’t stand them. Just something to consider.