PBS bidding strategy
04-03-2022, 05:01 PM
#41
Line Holder
Joined APC: Nov 2021
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by FlyWhite
Jan is far enough out that you should be able to hold a senior reserve (not necessarily LCR) schedule and get the days off. Also you will have the ability to bid for vacation at the end of the year and can bid for that week. I'm guessing you'd be able to get that week since it's not a holiday.
Last resort is working with your cheif pilot to get some personal days. I don't recommend banking on this option.
Best of luck. Call PBS when it's time to bid they are also super helpful.
Last resort is working with your cheif pilot to get some personal days. I don't recommend banking on this option.
Best of luck. Call PBS when it's time to bid they are also super helpful.
Thanks a lot for the help!
04-09-2022, 04:59 PM
#42
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Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FO
Posts: 60
Originally Posted by mountainsky9
Hey guys. I’m a new hire still in training. My sister is getting married in Jan 2023 and I have no idea how I will obtain the days off to go to wedding. What are the options available for events like that?
1. Structure your January PBS bid to get those dates off. If you put lots of points onto asking for those days off, it will probably work. NOTE: be sure to call your pilot mentor or the union PBS hotline a couple days prior to December 14, when the January bid closes. Have them help you make sure your bid is correctly structured using "period of dates off" and "string of dates off" (one string going forward, another going backward). I would also put points on a partial day off the afternoon that you need to travel to the wedding... otherwise you could get a schedule that ends at 10pm the night before the wedding. You need to make sure the point values are such that you don't have some other bid ("weekends off" or something) that trumps those dates in points.
If your bid is unsuccessful, there are still two ways you can arrange to get those dates off.
2. As soon as January schedules are posted (Dec 18 at 6pm eastern, I believe), go into FLiCA and submit a request to DROP the trip that interferes with the wedding. At the same time, post the trip on the Tradeboard (As a Trade/Drop) in hopes that another pilot will pick it up, or will offer to trade you another trip for the interfering trip. Then make a second post on the tradeboard, requesting to trade/drop a PARTIAL trip (just the days that interfere with the wedding).
3. As soon as January schedules have been posted, subscribe to FLiCA Alerts, and set an alert to text you whenever a trip appears in Open Time that doesn't conflict with the wedding dates and is on days you have off. As soon as you see an OT trip like that, immediately submit a SWAP request to swap the conflicting trip with the other trip.
If none of the above work, there are still two other options.
4. You can ask your domicile chief pilot for a personal day. No harm in asking.
5. Finally: You have sick days. If you call out sick prior to a trip, the trip gets removed from your schedule. Caveat: check with your mentor or your union FO rep to find out how to stay out of trouble. For instance, you cannot nonrev (or KCM) on any days that you have called out sick for. This might mean you drive to the wedding; or buy a ticket and not use KCM; or nonrev a day before you call out sick.
Note: If you do end up sick at the beginning of the trip, you can always "call in well" the evening after the wedding. The company will positive space you to work the next morning, and you get to resume your trip.
04-09-2022, 07:13 PM
#43
Line Holder
Joined APC: Nov 2021
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by ComanchePilot
There are three ways you can to arrange to get those days off... and two ways to deal with it if the first three ways don't succeed.
1. Structure your January PBS bid to get those dates off. If you put lots of points onto asking for those days off, it will probably work. NOTE: be sure to call your pilot mentor or the union PBS hotline a couple days prior to December 14, when the January bid closes. Have them help you make sure your bid is correctly structured using "period of dates off" and "string of dates off" (one string going forward, another going backward). I would also put points on a partial day off the afternoon that you need to travel to the wedding... otherwise you could get a schedule that ends at 10pm the night before the wedding. You need to make sure the point values are such that you don't have some other bid ("weekends off" or something) that trumps those dates in points.
If your bid is unsuccessful, there are still two ways you can arrange to get those dates off.
2. As soon as January schedules are posted (Dec 18 at 6pm eastern, I believe), go into FLiCA and submit a request to DROP the trip that interferes with the wedding. At the same time, post the trip on the Tradeboard (As a Trade/Drop) in hopes that another pilot will pick it up, or will offer to trade you another trip for the interfering trip. Then make a second post on the tradeboard, requesting to trade/drop a PARTIAL trip (just the days that interfere with the wedding).
3. As soon as January schedules have been posted, subscribe to FLiCA Alerts, and set an alert to text you whenever a trip appears in Open Time that doesn't conflict with the wedding dates and is on days you have off. As soon as you see an OT trip like that, immediately submit a SWAP request to swap the conflicting trip with the other trip.
If none of the above work, there are still two other options.
4. You can ask your domicile chief pilot for a personal day. No harm in asking.
5. Finally: You have sick days. If you call out sick prior to a trip, the trip gets removed from your schedule. Caveat: check with your mentor or your union FO rep to find out how to stay out of trouble. For instance, you cannot nonrev (or KCM) on any days that you have called out sick for. This might mean you drive to the wedding; or buy a ticket and not use KCM; or nonrev a day before you call out sick.
Note: If you do end up sick at the beginning of the trip, you can always "call in well" the evening after the wedding. The company will positive space you to work the next morning, and you get to resume your trip.
1. Structure your January PBS bid to get those dates off. If you put lots of points onto asking for those days off, it will probably work. NOTE: be sure to call your pilot mentor or the union PBS hotline a couple days prior to December 14, when the January bid closes. Have them help you make sure your bid is correctly structured using "period of dates off" and "string of dates off" (one string going forward, another going backward). I would also put points on a partial day off the afternoon that you need to travel to the wedding... otherwise you could get a schedule that ends at 10pm the night before the wedding. You need to make sure the point values are such that you don't have some other bid ("weekends off" or something) that trumps those dates in points.
If your bid is unsuccessful, there are still two ways you can arrange to get those dates off.
2. As soon as January schedules are posted (Dec 18 at 6pm eastern, I believe), go into FLiCA and submit a request to DROP the trip that interferes with the wedding. At the same time, post the trip on the Tradeboard (As a Trade/Drop) in hopes that another pilot will pick it up, or will offer to trade you another trip for the interfering trip. Then make a second post on the tradeboard, requesting to trade/drop a PARTIAL trip (just the days that interfere with the wedding).
3. As soon as January schedules have been posted, subscribe to FLiCA Alerts, and set an alert to text you whenever a trip appears in Open Time that doesn't conflict with the wedding dates and is on days you have off. As soon as you see an OT trip like that, immediately submit a SWAP request to swap the conflicting trip with the other trip.
If none of the above work, there are still two other options.
4. You can ask your domicile chief pilot for a personal day. No harm in asking.
5. Finally: You have sick days. If you call out sick prior to a trip, the trip gets removed from your schedule. Caveat: check with your mentor or your union FO rep to find out how to stay out of trouble. For instance, you cannot nonrev (or KCM) on any days that you have called out sick for. This might mean you drive to the wedding; or buy a ticket and not use KCM; or nonrev a day before you call out sick.
Note: If you do end up sick at the beginning of the trip, you can always "call in well" the evening after the wedding. The company will positive space you to work the next morning, and you get to resume your trip.
I am thanking you a lot right now but I will certainly thank you more when I do understand the PBS part after training haha. Much appreciated
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