I have flown the WBB position here, and while I liked it, I'm not on it now. It's not *that* good a position if it's going to new-hires right now. Yeah, I know, seat-locks, but that's not as big an issue as everyone makes it out to be I think.

Plenty of people don't want to work 6-7 day trips on a line. There are ways around that, but not straight off the bat and need some luck to make it happen.

I know it's anecdotal but I have flown with quite a few burned out NBA's in the 25%-50% seniority range who feel that with the new rates they are willing to take the hit monetarily for the QoL and want to go WBB ASAP. Most feel they can make up the difference with the occasional GS.

More anecdotes…WB is infinitely more commutable than NB, and with 18 hr long call I suspect NYC becomes an option for people hadn’t entertained it under the old rules. I will be left speechless if NYC330 keeps going to new hires in the year following the next AE. Folks are figuring out that all the NB redeyes to NB deadheads with short layovers take a toll on the body, so they might as well have a meal, a nap and 24 hours to netflix and chill every other leg to offset circadian disruption.

Preach.

Filler.

Counterpoint, we are taking over a dozen WBs a year, still have healthy retirements, and commuting to NYC is still commuting to NYC (and getting EDCTs on go home day). Since Feb 2022 AE we’ve heard “this won’t last” and it has so far. Maybe not the next AE or two, but it’s worth remembering that the most recent AE happened after we already knew contract details, and for those talking about seat locks, many have already been waived, or taken an upgrade since. There is a constant desire on here to see WB B go senior again.

The last AE bidding closed on January 16. I think it was January 19th that the MEC voted to forward the contract for ratification. Sure, people read tea leaves before bidding on the last AE, but contractual details were far from certain. Folks now know and understand the landscape for the next four years. They’ve had a very brief peek at what min day might do to the optimizer. Many pilots may also be positioning to hedge against global financial stagnation or collapse -smartly or otherwise.

Time will tell. Heck, we might not even have an AE this summer. Stranger things have happened.

NB A will trend junior again. WB B will be a little more senior but not as senior as pre Covid historical levels IMO.

It’s is going to be interesting to say the least! I for one am excited but as someone mentioned above, at this point it who knows when we will even see another AE lol.

I agree. I think June bid awards are gonna scare a few guys away from ****ing all their QoL away to become left seat cannon fodder

so much better than 350