Maybe they're trying out Mini bases ? But I'm guessing there will be another bid for NOV and DEC to get it around 100 crew.

When mco opened it was 25ish. What did you guys expect, 100 of the start?

Anyone have thoughts on how junior/senior the initial bid might go?

I have talked to a number of west coast captain commuters (SEA,PHX LAX). And all of them say they're gonna wait a bid or 2 to see what the schedules are like. But then there's the ORD and MCO captains that live in Denver, They will most likely take LAS since its such an easier commute. There's only about 10 or so pilots that live in Vegas that I know of.

So I'm thinking middle of the road seniority for Captains and Junior for FO's - probably new hire classes is my take.

Anyone else getting nothing but "please try again later" out of the what if function for the VDSA on FLICA?

Yep I'm getting that same message today. When I tried yesterday I got a response of "you wouldn't be awarded" when I put in a LAS FO vacancy bid. Not sure what to make of that. Either it isn't working, or LAS FO is going to go senior.

How long you been here ?

I'm somewhere around 80-90% globally.

I've been trying for the past two days and the what if award keeps resulting in "error try again later"

Looks like flica is on MEL too

It's working now, for me and the guy I was flying with as well

Do we have to fill out vacancy, voluntary, involuntary for it to work? I keep getting would not be awarded? Unless this really convinced a lot of FOs that were bypassing to upgrade.

I don't think the voluntary and invol columns matter. I assumed that a lot of bypassing FOs that didn't want to commute to ORD or MCO would upgrade to a closer base like Vegas. Last time I counted there were around 80-90 FOs that could've held captain somewhere in the system but bypassed

Any idea how long it takes for the bid award to be posted after the VSA closed today at noon ?

It's out now. No displacements.

LAS went surprisingly senior for FOs.

It did for this first bid , but the most junior guy is a 427 number so 2017 hire . I think it will go junior FO in next bids.

Lastest VDSA is out. LAS +14CA, +16FO.

DEN -2CA, -8FO
CHI -2CA, -2FO

Interesting that DEN keeps shrinking while they talk about expansion.

DEN has to shrink if we are going to keep following Spirits model. My guess multiple bases w ~100 crews per base.

Anybody have a clue what the LAS schedules are going to look like? Commutable or turns? Red eyes or a civilized schedule? I haven't heard a peep from anyone.

Multiple higher ups have said the eventual plan is to have 2 bases in each time zone. A northern and a southern.
If you look at spirit that's pretty much what they have.

VSA
 

Looks like another VSA is out.

20 captains and 28 FO's for Vegas with denver displacements.

That will bring LAS up to about 65 crew by Dec 1