So when we call and ask them to process the request, is it done in order or do they skip to your request and process it before someone else who might have submitted a request for the same trip?

I hope it is done in order.

So supposedly they can't go out of order, however, I have seen some shenanigans as far as the sick time release.

For example, holding a trip back and not putting it into open time, that someone called in sick on until I called and asked (20 min after the other sick trips went into open time). And then magically earlier time stamped, because perhaps they released the trip and input someone immediately in for it from the scheduling desk? Same pilot, both times. And one time it was during a sick footprint for him, so he had to have put it in makeup sick, not priority makeup, which I don't think gets you any priority over regular makeup.

The latest.....removing someone from a trip early (before 7am Memphis the morning prior) after they had called in sick, to assign the trip to an R24. Unless the last contract changed, I didn't think they could do that unless it was over 120 hours TAFB.

But I don't call scheduling and harass them about it. I doubt it would change the trip assignment in any way. However, it does give me something to complain about.

Was it a long trip? More than three day trips go in two days prior. If what you said was true what if you called in well before 7 and said where is my trip?

The other method to process trips trades is to have a set time each day that trades are processed, like every 4 hours....6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm, etc... That way you know or at least you've got an idea of when trips would be processed. Date/time stamp would start over after a period is processed. And another option would be to process PMU requests immediately upon receipt but, as we currently see and practice, that's left up to the individual scheduler.

I'M NOT ADVOCATING THIS METHOD, I'm merely saying that this is an option.

That is the way DL does it. If you’re senior it’s great, if you’re junior then it isn’t so great.

-UA

Negotiate and eliminate SUB and I’m all for more timely trip trading.

Would suck to lose the ability to turn a 6 hour trip into a 7.5 hour trip, but hey, a vocal minority on the Internet wants it so what the heck.

It’s been my experience that processing is rapid during Sick Window bazar and Timely if there are trips in the Assignment window, less so for BLA’s days/weeks in the future...but do I Really need to know if my M/U request for next Monday was approved within 5 minutes?

Life Moves pretty fast. Put down BidX or FxCal for awhile or you might miss it

And, once again surprised that the thinking is different.

That our NC could easily fix the OTP conundrum with simple contract language yet there’s no way the NC could write language to create the VB plan.

No bare bones..VB will be a 5% hurdle rate, 2% floor, based on the same IRS limits the B plan is, similar language to continue accruals if the IRS limit is ever modified

That would be a vocal majority who want real time trip trading, not a vocal minority. It would be a simple fix to get real time trip trading, and keep 125% pay for your OTP trips, just without the priority. I'd be happy to get rid of the priority in the first place....nothing like scheduling sitting on your makeup request for hours when you saw you put in for it first, and still getting earlier time stamped by a PMU.

No, it was not a long trip. And it's trips more than 120 TAFB that go in two days prior, not three day trips or more.

And yeah, if they took it from you early, what would happen if you called and said "where's my trip"? I'm assuming you would get it back, however, they should not assign trips before they are supposed to be available, just because they want to utilize R24's.