Originally Posted by BeatNavy

Each month, anyone who wants to trade bases can email crew planning/staffing with their current and desired base. The list is published close to real time so you can see who wants to trade where. You cannot trade seats/equipment, just bases. In seniority order, opposite requests are matched, so that the end result is the same number of people remain in each BES, and no training events are generated (except any special qual associated with the new base). If you base trade, all remaining vacation you have is dumped into open time. Also, if you’re holding a bid award ( even if it is for say a 12 month out transfer date)…you aren’t permitted to trade. So let’s say tomorrow the award comes out for the annual bid, and I get awarded LAX effective 12/1/2022, I can’t trade between now and then to LAX. I have to stay put until my transfer date. Meanwhile, someone junior to me could base trade in there if there was an opposite trade request in.

So seniority is honored since the base trade occurs in seniority order on a monthly basis, but only with regards to opposite trade requests. If only one person wants to trade MCO-JFK, but 3 people want JFK-MCO, the senior one gets it. So, it is definitely possible to trade into a base you can’t hold depending on the trading. A guy in LGB traded into LGB long before he could hold it, and a guy senior to him had forgotten to put his trade request in that month (it’s a monthly email you have to send in for each month’s trade, and he forgot the one month an opposite request came in), causing some consternation. But regardless, there is some seniority required to make to work.

Where it doesn’t honor seniority is say the senior LGB FO who could hold CA in another base but not in LGB, but a more junior guy goes to JFK to upgrade, then he base trades in before the more senior guy takes it on a bid. The guys who risked upgrade/commute to JFK for an undetermined amount of time got in, while he (more senior) who stayed put as an FO didn’t. Another scenario, say a more senior guy is a BOS 320 CA and wants MCO 320 CA, and there’s a more junior JFK 320 CA who wants MCO 320 CA, if there’s a MCO 320 CA who wants JFK 320 CA, the seniority doesn’t matter for the JFK/BOS guys—only the guy with the opposite trade request can get it.

Originally Posted by DWC CAP10 USAF

Thanks for the explanation...much appreciated!

While I can see the company position that it is a one-for-one body swap, so results in same number of bodies in that base / seat, I am not a fan of how the seniority is abrograted as in your last example of the BOS/JFK/MCO Capt. From the jetBlue pilot perspective (I know you don't speak for all pilots) is the base trade clause viewed as favorable contract item?

Originally Posted by DWC CAP10 USAF

Thanks for the explanation...much appreciated!

While I can see the company position that it is a one-for-one body swap, so results in same number of bodies in that base / seat, I am not a fan of how the seniority is abrograted as in your last example of the BOS/JFK/MCO Capt. From the jetBlue pilot perspective (I know you don't speak for all pilots) is the base trade clause viewed as favorable contract item?

Originally Posted by Maverick714

As a new hire, what would be the likelihood of getting a BOS base? Is it a pretty senior base?

Originally Posted by Maverick714

As a new hire, what would be the likelihood of getting a BOS base? Is it a pretty senior base?

Originally Posted by Maverick714

As a new hire, what would be the likelihood of getting a BOS base? Is it a pretty senior base?

Originally Posted by RJDriver900

I went through old threads and I know everything is probably different with the new bid coming out. I've read up a little bit about the being able to base trade etc. (although if I am being honest it confuses me) but what is it like seniority wise to hold MCO and FLL? I know new hires typically get BOS and JFK but I couldn't really find out too much info about how long to hold either of the Florida bases etc.

I'm a central Florida person and I know I've seen people make comments about don't come here for MCO, its a small base on the 190 and people can see it closing etc. but I'd be lying if I said it wouldn't be nice to live near base vs commuting my whole career. Wouldn't mind having to commute knowing at some point I could very well get MCO or even FLL which would be an easier commute than I have at the regionals.

Appreciate yall who post the good info. Helps us make decisions.

Originally Posted by BeatNavy

Some real junior people just got MCO 190 FO. FLL 320 FO has vacancies available to newhires. Base trade is possible if someone wants a reciprocal trade, and requires you being in the base/equipment/seat (ie to get FLL 320 FO you’d have to be JFK 320 FO and someone would have to want to trade). If you’re a 190 guy you can’t trade to FLL because it isn’t a 190 base. If you didn’t get it out of training you’d have to hope for a supplemental bid or wait until next august bid for 2022 and hope to hold it then. If you’re a 190 guy you’d have to try to base trade down to MCO. If you’re a 320 guy and don’t get fll out of training, you’d have to try to base trade each month until a bid came out and you could hold it. Though I will say, at least in the past, there were a bunch of FLL 190 overnights, so you would trade commuting for better seniority and possibly overnighting at home a bunch. Also, if you are in south Florida and on the 190, there’s tons of premium for broken pairings down there since theres only a small MCO 190 base. Guys I know who live down there get called all the time for VDAs (200%) for uncovered stuff down there. So, even if you’re not based there, it can be lucrative as a 190 guy. As for holding either on a bid, you’re looking at 0-1.5 years, probably. Just some random thoughts relating to your situation. Hope that makes sense.