They need to address this ASAP before a max exodus that they can’t recover from begins.

A guy in my class got assigned an 8/6 off of IOE. Saturday to Saturday.

Not a good retention plan. I don't even know why a weekend start to a rotation like that would even be necessary on the domestic side.

ETA: Another guy in my indoc class has already left for a 91 job that pays ILC pay...for SIC.

Senior FO, working Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years. #1 "preference" was Thanksgiving day and Friday after off. For December, #1 preference was Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off. Yep, system is working great. It doesnt appear the system really looks at your prefrences. Still a good company but they either need to figure this "PBS" out or just convert everyone to 8/6 or 7/7.

You can avoid all that crap by upgrading to DRL midsize cabin like most pilots in your seniority level and make your own schedules with the two other captains on your team.

If it was just that easy! Eventually that will happen but that just solves MY problem, doesnt solve the problem of the so called PBS system. If I leave the company (or stay), its one pilot, a difference is not made. If they correct the PBS they may stop a lot of pilots from leaving, that makes a difference! PBS is a great idea, something NJ doesnt have and fixing it to where it is some sort of true PBS could be a game changer for FLEX in their recruiting/retention

yea tell that to every new hire. “It’s great bro. In a year and a half you’ll actually have a life”

At least it's not in 6 years you'll have a life like it used to be... silver lining?

I think it's pretty obvious that they've royally screwed up on this and hopefully they'll address it sooner rather than later.

I really don't understand have a three pilot team can "avoid all that crap". Suppose two pilots want a holiday off? Suppose one on the team wants to take a three week vacation? I can imagine it maybe working out between 4 pilots, but 3? Am I missing something?

Yes, you're missing the fact that the three of you are only responsible for keeping one half of the aircraft crewed. The SICs all come from the company's currently shambolic PBS bid system and rotate through while the PICs remain (in theory) with their aircraft. Two PICs want Christmas off? Cool, the third takes it. One PIC wants 21 days off in a row? The other two work a 8/6 or 7/5 or whatever they want to during that time to keep the aircraft covered and you throw them a bone as a thank you.

lol they don't. Every other corporate weekly email is a mass reminder to the Red Label crews to get their **** together and keep the airplane covered. Some phenom captains I talk to stay in the Phenom because they don't want the burden of keeping an airplane covered at all costs (among other reasons).