British Airways Bid system
02-09-2016 | 09:24 AM
#11
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We're being balloted between an updated Bidline process and a Jeppesen preferential bidding system (strict seniority).
In europe all airlines have to conform to EASA scheduling regs now so our previous bid system has been made redundant.
The union (Balpa) and the company are pushing for JSS , and some modest inducements are being offered.
Does anyone have any experience / thoughts / advice?
Thanks
In europe all airlines have to conform to EASA scheduling regs now so our previous bid system has been made redundant.
The union (Balpa) and the company are pushing for JSS , and some modest inducements are being offered.
Does anyone have any experience / thoughts / advice?
Thanks
02-09-2016 | 09:59 AM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: 88 Gunner
I like Crew Solution's SmartPref. It's sort of like having live PBS bidding. So you basically see what you're getting instantly. But just like others have said, your CBA is still going to govern how the company utilizes the software. SmartPref uses globalization, instead of unstacking, and if your CBA language for the bidding process is weak, then at the end of the day it doesn't really matter what PBS or SmartPref system you use.
02-09-2016 | 10:47 AM
#13
Line Holder
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,299
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From: CA
Indeed. Be it line bidding or different variations of PBS, all are just pairing delivery systems.
02-09-2016 | 01:19 PM
#15
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Anyone know if AirTran had a PBS system?
+1 on PBS.
Vacation conflict stuff sounds great, but at the end of the day vacation isn't every month. But every month, I do need specific things (days off, kinds of trips, etc) and there is no guarantee that any one published hard line will have all the things I want. With PBS, even mid-level to somewhat junior, you can still "build" a schedule that works good.
Just a word of warning though, any airline that has paper line bidding that switches to PBS will instantly be overstaffed. An example would be Spirit that has ~1300 pilots for 80ish airplanes with paper line bidding.
Vacation conflict stuff sounds great, but at the end of the day vacation isn't every month. But every month, I do need specific things (days off, kinds of trips, etc) and there is no guarantee that any one published hard line will have all the things I want. With PBS, even mid-level to somewhat junior, you can still "build" a schedule that works good.
Just a word of warning though, any airline that has paper line bidding that switches to PBS will instantly be overstaffed. An example would be Spirit that has ~1300 pilots for 80ish airplanes with paper line bidding.
02-10-2016 | 10:09 AM
#16
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Hey since there are BA people on this thread, can I ask an unrelated question? I saw a picture recently of a "Comair" 737 (not the US comair obviously) with a British Airways paint scheme. Are these British Airways seniority list pilots flying these airplanes? Either way, what kind of job scope protection do you have in your contract?
02-10-2016 | 12:21 PM
#17
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No matter what rules you negotiate with the PBS system, and rock solid rules are a MUST, you definitely have to have a "kill switch". You need language that gives the pilots the unconditional right to revert back to the previous bidding system.
If you get 8-10 months down the road, and the result is not what you wanted or expected, you're going to need the Sword of Damocles to hold over their heads to get the system to work the way it should.
Otherwise, you'll get a never ending parade of excuses as to why the messed up system can't be fixed.
Nu
If you get 8-10 months down the road, and the result is not what you wanted or expected, you're going to need the Sword of Damocles to hold over their heads to get the system to work the way it should.
Otherwise, you'll get a never ending parade of excuses as to why the messed up system can't be fixed.
Nu
In the end, there's 2 basic facts:
1) no US airline that has gotten PBS has ever successfully gotten rid of it
2) no current US mainline carrier (the kind of airline you'd want to work for for a career, like BA) has ever voluntarily chosen PBS - it's either forced on them in bankruptcy (the pilots had no choice), or the company instituted it when the airline was non-Union, so the pilots ... had no choice.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't. BA will always want PBS, so, if you ever want to dance with the devil later, the BA pilots will always know they have a willing dance partner in BA.
02-10-2016 | 06:21 PM
#18
On Reserve
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: 30W
Hey since there are BA people on this thread, can I ask an unrelated question? I saw a picture recently of a "Comair" 737 (not the US comair obviously) with a British Airways paint scheme. Are these British Airways seniority list pilots flying these airplanes? Either way, what kind of job scope protection do you have in your contract?
The now defunct cargo arm, GSS, and the Open Skies operation out of Paris are the only places that seniority list pilots flew outside of BA mainline.
The BA scope clause is worth very little now since IAG can play around with planes, slots, etc., as much as their little hearts desire. Depending on who you wish to believe, scope is either dead or nearly as strong as it ever was.
Cheers
Buter
02-12-2016 | 12:16 PM
#19
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Joined: Jan 2014
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2) no current US mainline carrier (the kind of airline you'd want to work for for a career, like BA) has ever voluntarily chosen PBS - it's either forced on them in bankruptcy (the pilots had no choice), or the company instituted it when the airline was non-Union, so the pilots ... had no choice.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't. BA will always want PBS, so, if you ever want to dance with the devil later, the BA pilots will always know they have a willing dance partner in BA.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't. BA will always want PBS, so, if you ever want to dance with the devil later, the BA pilots will always know they have a willing dance partner in BA.
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