If all we're talking about is getting a drop request, WTF is the ZERO for? If it's a race, no one person will be able to drop everything before 20 other pilots each make 1 drop each, and the grids go red. Still no one gets to zero. In the seniority drop windows, the first couple of guys get to drop to zero in small bases, and in big bases maybe 10 dudes can, before the grid goes red FOR EVERYONE ELSE! So we spend our negotiating capital to get these great red/green grid rules, hoping the majority of JB pilots finally get some relief in FLICA to be able to drop something or trade trips that might uncover a day, and not get hard denied. But instead of us getting to finally have a green grid, the grids are red because 3-10 guys dropped their entire schedules to sit VDA/Xlist/Ylist or work their non-aviation side job. Or for the dream that someday, maybe, I'm planning to possibly, drop a month and tour Europe on the Pig and a Poke Grand Prize package, once.

We can all take a month or two off, using a little PTO, for a vacation IF THE GRID IS GREEN. We NEED the red/green rules, but 100% pure no compromise DTZ is the way to ruin those red/green gains for the majority.

My opinion, obviously.

 

I’ll add again, we already HAVE drop to zero. Just gotta have a pilot pick it up off your schedule. I get junk trips all the time that people grab. One man’s trash is another’s treasure.

 

Bluedriver you don’t fully yet understand the red/green system.

Here we are April 8th and there’s only 2 red days in LAS on the captain grid the rest of April. Tomorrow, Easter is one of them.
Initial open time (seniority based) long ago ended in mid-March. Daily open time (first come first served) continues throughout the month. Anyone who truly wanted DTZ has already achieved that and the grid is still almost completely green allowing nearly complete flexibility for anyone who needs to adjust their schedule.
However, open time pairings are mostly the less desirable trips but there is still churn as pilots drop and swap with open time or as sick calls and broken pairings due to a variety of reasons end up in open time.
If I spontaneously decided to DTZ today well into the bid month I still could.
Your above mentioned scenario of just the top few pilots able to take advantage of DTZ is inaccurate. I’m ~55% in base and I could DTZ today if desired.
So just because we can DTZ that does NOT mean the grid the remains red the rest of the month. Pilots who drop trips have those trips swap into by others who prefer those dropped trips creating this mixing and matching of trips throughout the month.
Equilibrium is the ultimate goal of the Red/Green system. Some pilots drop. Other pilots pick up.

 

Hate to state the obvious, but it was one of YOUR pilots, just a page or two ago, who said in the small bases the grid is red after the first 3 dudes.

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Exactly, though are you not aware of how the Spirit guys want to change our DTZ to their DTZ? Ours "isn't good enough".

 

Atlantic City is an anomaly by every stretch of the imagination. The CA grid for April right now in my base has 5 total red days for the month, and 3 of those are red by only 1 number. So, if somebody picks up an open trip touching one of those 3 days, it'll no longer be red, and someone else would be able to drop a trip on that day in first come first serve priority. I myself wanted to drop a trip this month that touched a red day earlier in the month. Waited a couple days until it wasn't red anymore, and voila, now I'm off next week.

 

That’s true. It isn’t good enough.

 

Spirits red/green and drop to zero has been explained here ad nauseaum.. Some on here are just too dense or ignorant to understand it. Thank goodness this JCBA will be hashed out by more than a few einsteins on the interweb...

I bid 70% in base in the right seat. Every month I am able to drop the trips I don't want to fly (sometimes all of them) and list for x/y or pick up quality, straight time trips on days that I choose to work. The ability to drop all the way down to "0" and build back up is invaluable.

 

It has been explained, but those of in blue shirts have seen many examples of language written clearly in the CBA that the company twists and interprets a completely different way. I’m glad it’s working out for you guys, and hope we can lock down some even better language in a JCBA to ensure it stays effective for everyone.

 

Well, I would have to rely on the spirit pilot who gave the input to ad the caveats...