I agree the practice bid aren't accurate but it is not too bad. Of the 40 people awarded HKG or CDG FO, if your name is in the top 25 (in the practice) you can be confident your name will be there when it closes. This is particularly important since these people will go training first.

What is the reason for having an extended bid? IMO it is so you get more warning before being slammed for training, then moving. One practice bid closing right before the real close does no good. Of course no one from the MEC is affected so don't expect any action on their part.

FWIW,

During the road shows I asked about those STV things, since I am so close to the bottom on the bus. The words I got from it were that if you volunteer for an STV it is three months, if they can't get someone to bid that vacancy, then they nonvol it for one month blocks. As for the bidding, that would be contractual. Your seniority will let you hold whatever it is you can hold. Now I got the deer in the headlights for travel and training, as they had no answers for me....and as you can tell by these boards, there still is no clear answer.

Only time will tell, I hope that it will go senior.

HJB

Not a slam on you, I think I know all the answers (ha ha, laughing in advance at all the slams) to my questions. I just like to see things in writing.

I was told something different by a member of the MEC. He said it would be seniority violation to have a one month STV that someone senior couldn't bid on. He was right that it would be a seniority violation but was wrong because the convulted side letter language allows the company to do just that. Either way, why not post an answer?

Still not sure if that means STV lines and FDA lines will be the same thing. And I don't see how this would be possible with a one month STV.

Me too, but STV language will affect my seat choices; hope time tells before the bid closes.

Yes they aren't too bad. If you're on the bubble, it could change a good amount.

It seems to me with all the moving parts, new domiciles (FDA), new a/c, excess, LOA, etc. that for some folks an extra practice bid would be helpful. I wrote my LEC today and they responded within an hour that the MEC is asking PC for an extra one. It's up to him if he wants to do it since they only have to do one. We'll see what happens.

I hope they do another one too; I mean how much can it cost? My point is the heart of the envelope guys can get a pretty good feel for where and when they are going. But the bubble guys are will still be guessing.

I could be, and often am, wrong.
But, my understanding of the STV re-write is that-if needed- the man will put out a voluntary bid for a 3 month stay.....and if it doesn't fill, they will invol 3 junior freight dawgs to fill the 3 month obligation at 1 month each.

another question is.....can a jr guy "trade" the months to manage the pain better? I'd sure like to think the company could do it, question is, will they

Bid should be interesting

I agree that is what the side letter allows them to do, I was just told I was reading way to much into it when I posted that ("everytime you post something like this it doubles my workload"). Either way the company should make an effort to answer the questions they have before soliciting more. I mean if I get travel hours to HK plus BLG for an invol STV, I might risk it and bid the bus. But if they weasle the travel hours and make it some sort of substitution gig forget it.

LAG...I'm just behind you in seniority. I think you need to avoid the Bus at all costs....

Seriously...do you think being 150 or so from the bottom you'd still be vunerable? It will be interesting to see just how many vacancies are created and how many STVs might be necessary...or how many new hires we'll bring on.

Personally--I dont' think the practice bid will show d!ck. If there are vacancies in HKG and CDG, there is NO way of knowing how the company will choose to fill them, and if they do use the STV club how many pilots will volunteer verses how many will be non-vol'd. And no slam on JL, OR, or any of the management guys---I don't think they know yet either. I think that will be a bean counter decision that will then get discussed by Mgt and potentially grieved or wrestled with by the MEC. How will it turn out? Geez--who knows? But I'd bet that the bottom 50 MEM bus FOs might get a little Cantonese/Mandarin exposure before two years is up...

Albie,

Don't know how many will be vulnerable, I think from scheduled vacations, scheduled training, sick leaves, Mil leaves, or my wife dosen't want me to go, it could reach pretty high. And the phone call could come pretty late. I personally have a hip pocket emergency bunion surgery worked out with my Doc if the call comes for an invol in any December.

I am sure they are going to have some STVs early, they must have some sort of travel plan. I wont state the obvious and say this should have been explained prior to the vote. Whoops I just did.

I'm only thinking bus cause I can't hold your seat.

Well, your favorite city (classified) is now a 'bus town, so if we can keep you from going STV too much it might work out pretty well.

If you do go to the 727, you won't believe how much less you'll work. I remember thinking that a bad trip in the middle of the night on the right seat was more fun that about anything in the back....but hey...that was just me. I don't have a hometown city in the bidpack, so in your shoes I'd likely have done the same thing.