December 4, 2018

Vacancy Bid 19-05V, NPDM 18-03 DEN 787, and Information for Pilots Interested in Bidding the DEN 787 Categories


The following update is from the System Schedule Committee’s Manpower Sub Committee

With NPDM 18-03 DEN 787 complete, the company is posting Vacancy Bid 19-05V which includes new Categories. An initial rollout plan was developed with collaborative attention to manpower requirements, seeking to minimize fleetwide staffing balance disruptions on the 787. This communication and the company’s Crew Resource update provide full details.
We would like to review important information regarding the new DEN 787 Categories for those considering a bid. All pilots considering these Categories should understand that the current planned flying, consisting of DEN-FRA, DEN-NRT, and limited “W’s” will be constraining on monthly schedules. Future company considerations to DEN-LHR being flown by DEN-787 crews will help this situation; however, this plan is still under review as to when and if this transition will occur.


Staffing

What we would stress to all pilots considering this Category, is that the current planned flying will be very constraining on monthly schedules.This Category will not have QWL (Quality of Work Life) benefits seen in other more mature 787 categories that have the greater trip mix which is required to optimize monthly schedules. While this may change over time, until it does, schedules will be highly constrained in each Bid Period. In other words, the ability to hold criteria such as desired days, holidays, high credit, low credit, etc., as one can in the aforementioned mature 787 categories, will not be a reasonable expectation. Due to the limited schedule options, pilots could also work themselves into an award pattern which could be challenging to break away from and further impact desired bid criteria.
A few notable items for consideration:
· The company will likely only award vacation over contractual minimums during the Nov-Mar time period
· “W” flying will be utilized to the minimum extent necessary to ensure legal schedules for all pilots
· PBS LPAs will likely be lower initially and during winter bid periods
· PBS Line and Reserve awards will likely be highly constrained for several bid periods

8-D-2 Bidding Freeze (Hard Freeze)

We are still seeing a lot of confusion regarding the UPA 8-D-2 Bidding Freeze (Hard Freeze). If you have a Bidding Freeze from a previously awarded sideways (787 FO to 777 FO) or downward (737 CAP to 777 FO) move in freeze bands, you are not eligible to be awarded a position in a new category. The only “frozen” pilots which can bid a New Category are those with a UPA 8-D-1 Equipment Training Freeze. Please note the DEN 787 will be a New Category not a New Base. You can check your freeze type and status in the most current base roster found on the Flying Together/ Flight Ops/Crew Resources landing page. Additionally, please keep in mind that if you receive an award from bidding sideways (777 FO to 787 FO) or downward (737 CAP to 787 FO) in freeze bands on this Vacancy bid, you will receive an 8-D-2 Bidding Freeze, even if you received this award under the New Category provisions of an 8-D-1 Equipment Training Freeze.
The SSC recently published three very informative articles which should be considered required reading for all pilots participating in vacancy bidding. Please find below links to these three resources for your review which are located on the SSC E-Library landing page of the MEC website.
· SSC Sept 17thUpdate on Vacancy Bidding may be found here
· SSC UPA 8-F Activation of Assignment may be found here
· SSC UPA 8-D Freezes Explained may be found here

Training

Due to the size of this vacancy bid, the company is targeting the February and March timeframe, and possibly beyond for training assignments. However, always be aware that the company has the right to schedule training without concurrence with as little as 14 days’ notice. Additionally, please note the company may cancel any vacation that conflicts with its training plan, including conflicts with IOE and Consolidation (11-F-4). Training assignments are normally planned leading up to each bid period, and this plan is finalized just before the corresponding PBS Bid Window opens.

As always only bid what you want, and save your final time stamped vacancy bid inputs or changes!

If you have any questions, please contact your LEC Representatives or file a PDRusing the System Schedule-Manpower/Staffing drop-down menu.

My bold prediction is since this is the final “large” bid before summer everyone will jump to get their seat. those who don’t jump now will be waiting until next winter.

I predict the junior CA will remain the junior CA and the junior WB FO will remain the junior WB FO. The good news is those on the NB will get a lot more senior just in time to bid for summer vacation.

Fairly safe prediction

Vacancy page updated and it is ludicrous. 3 yrs to Capt at SFO

Detroit and CLE suck? Have you stayed in downtown DEN lately?

It is a combination of a Millennial Utopian Social experiment, and a Mad Max movie. I think the Mad Max side is winning.

My bold prediction is since there are 107 vacancies in Denver, when the dust settles we will have "unfilled" vacancies in Denver for the first time in I can't remember how many years! (maybe pre-9/11)

We all know what happens. Peeps just sit on the sidelines and pull/place a bid at the last second of the vacancy bidding window.

And why do pilots do that??
Whats the point??
Its all seniority based right??

“It’s fun to screw with everyone and the company!” That’s what one of the many displaced 400 ORD guys told me about why huge group bid GUM FO on snapshots. Wow so whacky. Golly u guys are silly.

Exactly, looking at the first snapshot is like looking at a standby list a week out. Sure seats now, but by the last day...