DAL73n

Scoop and Buzzpat,

I'm LAX 73 also - need to catch up with you guys some time - I dropped 3 slots (I think - I'll wait until the new combined list comes out to confirm).

tonyviv

I was disappointed when I looked up the amount of weeks that Delta has made available during the summer months. Every third week during the summer has a very low number which prevents taking more than two weeks of vacation in that month. One week in July has only 13 days, which means only the top 13 A320 Capts can expect to be awarded more than two weeks of vacation during July. 13 out of 265 pilots is a very low number. More even distribution of vacation should be issued. Delta is forcing us to take a majority of our vacation outside of the summer weeks. One of the most important reasons to stay senior on an a/c has been taken away!

buzzpat

We need to have our own little LAX 73 APC annual convention. The three of us could hang out with Patti and swap some lies.

On a serious note, I was pretty happy with how the MOAB went down. I figured I'd be lucky to barely hang onto LA but its much better than that (I think).

buzzpat

Tony, I think it portends that we'll be flying our asses off this summer. The winter months availability actually looks better than it did last year, the summer looks down a little. Again, I'm pretty sure its based on the strategic plan.

satchip

ROTFLMAO!!!!

tonyviv

Thanks Buzz, still trying to digest this new way of doing business. Some good, some bad.

buzzpat

You bet. Also, you can try to move your weeks around once you get them. I've never tried that but a buddy of mine has pretty good success in linking his weeks together after the fact. Some of the guys on here should have a better handle on that. I like having my weeks separate so I've never tried.

satchip

Buzz, your wife is obviously not in the room, is she....

buzzpat

Yep, but she's a hottie too....and she's not looking over my shoulder.

sailingfun

The company started doing this about 10 years ago. It was a huge issue at the time. The contract does not require them to offer equal weeks. The furor has died down since then however the split of vacation weeks has not changed. You actually can however normally get summer vacations even if you are fairly junior on the first round.
Here is how you should bid. If you want two weeks off together in the summer then bid everything you want and put a 2 in the weeks block. That means you are asking for 2 weeks starting on that date. Both weeks have to be available for you to get that. If you junior that may not happen. As a backup plan go back and rebid asking for only 1 week in the summer. You are more likely to get that then two. If after the bids are run you got the one week bid then go into the bank system and buy additional vacation days and add then to that one week to get the desired time off. If you buy the days prior to 1 Apr the company must allow the purchase and where you place them. After 1 Apr its at their discreation.