I'm hoping people can highlight the positives of which they want. Vx FO bidding 75% ish and work 12 days a month. If I need four particular days off in a month there is almost no way I won't get it. You can decide what mix of trips you feel like flying... you always have the potential of getting a dream schedule. Also, our schedules are posted by the 10th. I'm hoping we get something like this as far as scheduling goes

Oh boy, this gon' be good.

There are a bunch of considerations here.

1. Long flights and work days make productive pairings.
2. 70 (75 flex) line minimum
3. PBS algorithm/implementation... particularly with respect to days when staff will run out (unstacking)
4. Having sufficient staffing to cover scheduled flying with a reasonable minimum credit value

If ANY of the above are changed in a negative way, your cush line is potentially history. Its not a question of PBS vs. line bidding: The entire scheduling and staffing equation and its input variables must be looked at as a whole.

I think the right course is to proceed incrementally, and with caution. I say this coming to VX from a regional that used PBS where the results were quite painful. A situation that resulted in "unstacking" allowed the software to violate seniority. If staffing ran short, there were instances where every day of the month was an 'unstack' day, because the software started to choke and its prime objective is to cover flying! "Here's your line, enjoy!"

We as VX and AS pilots all ought to roll up our sleeves and carefully study what's on the other side of the fence before making demands or selling the farm.

Unstacking is supposed to done according to senoirity, and is done that way at vx. Also, if every day was unstacked then it would still just award as usual (trips awarded in senoirity) as long as you have an unstack bid sheet. I've done both line bidding at two companies and pbs at two companies - in my experience there is no comparison for control over schedule/flexibility... pbs has been far better

I wish that were the case. Middle seniority lineholders usually get the shaft over the holidays while junior line holders get them off. Big problem with our pbs if you ask me. Regardless of what system we get, it will not matter if the pairings are garbage.

PBS is terrible unless you got some sweet language built in.

The same is true for any system

Given the current upper management, middle management (crew planning & scheduling), pairings, work rules (Sec. 25), manning, and the "fly then grieve policy", the company is eyeing huge gains with PBS. If we can clean house (good luck with that btw), PBS can and will work but in this dysfunctional organization, the pilots will once again get the shaft. Think 10-15% efficiency=less pilots required! Alaska has never been properly manned, they do not care much about what our CBA says when push comes to shove, and sure as h*** don't care about how we feel. Spend some time working for the man and you'll see what I'm saying.

Virgin here: bid 50%-ish in base. 17 to 18 days off a month, typically get my first or so preferences entered into the computer. PBS does suck.

Enjoy being Virgin while it lasts because the Eskimo will pop your cherry.