So here is another reserve question that I am not sure about after reading the above. Lets say I bid reserve in Dec and ask for the last 10 days of the month off. A one line bid. Then I put else start next. I know as a regular line holder I will be working the holidays but I can manage my schedule. Can they unstack me and force me into reserve without the days off I requested or if my request is not honored will pbs go to else start next and give me a regular line???

If you put in a prefer off bid to get the last 10 days off with an "else start next" qualification on it, you should either get all those days off or it should go to the next bid group. If you end up being unstacked and do not get the requested days off, that would trigger the "else start next" qualification. That's my understanding.

Denny

I am in the School house through the 28th of Dec for initial qual on the 320. I convert on Dec. 1. How do I bid for December even though I will not be qualified on the airplane? Is this the kind of situation where a shadow bid will come into play?

Thanks

You have to be "bid qualified" to bid for the month of Dec. According to the definition of "bid qualified," I don't think you need to worry about bidding. You should be paid a pro rata portion of the ALV for Dec. 1 thru 28. (Reference previous posts today) I'm not sure what you will be paid for the last 3 days but you should be able to bid for Jan. 2011. Here is the contract definition of "bid qualified."

24. “Bid-qualified pilot” means a pilot who has completed or is projected to complete all

training, except for OE, prior to the first day of the bid period.

Denny

Its been exactly that long for me as well. It was fun while it lasted.

From the Deltanet:

November 5, 2010





The Associated Press reported Thursday that American Airlines said it was considering removing its inventory for sale on the popular online travel site Orbitz. American said it prefers to delve out inventory directly from its system than by global distribution systems, where Orbitz and others access inventory, according to the article.

American said in the article that travel agencies could “get more information tailored to individual consumers by connecting directly to American’s reservations system.”

The AP said that American flights could be missing from Orbitz by Dec. 1.This could be the beginning of bringing back price inelasticity and stability to the market place, if the other carriers follow suit. Could be very good for us.

I've been hoping that consolidation would lead to the elimination of these ticket "clearinghouses". SWA never participated and they did just fine.....Oddly enough, I think Orbitz was initially created by an investment from a couple of the legacy carriers.

I bet AA settles the dispute somehow, but it could be signaling a shift in the future of ticket sales.

If they stick with it, I could see DAL and UAL eventually following suit.

IIRC they were started by the airlines to bypass travel agents who were taking a cut of ticket sales or something like that. SWA's new ad campaign focuses on the fact that they are only on their in-house web site.

It will take aa/delta/ual in order for it to work. With the rise of the lcc I think the time is ripe.

We must have talked to the same dispatcher in NRT

He described it as, "the company has opened up the checkbook". Says they are getting new computers (HP I believe he said) so they can run something really powerful. I asked if it was a Jeppersen product and he said he didn't know, which tracks with your comment about multiple vendors.

So, sounds like something much nicer than either group is used to is on it's way.

Also, one of the LCAs on the DALPA forum said there was a new and more advanced (once again better than either group is used to) ACARS coming this summer? Anyone else heard that? Is it a whole new head or just new software?

Homie loves rumors

Ferd

Haven't we been telling you this stuff is coming all along?