Avoidance bid
 

Never used it before. If I add someone to my avoidance bid, can they ever know it? Just curious if that info is ever displayed on SWALife or somewhere else

No. But telling them can be cathartic!

The only down side is that you might miss out on a line that you wanted if it was awarded to someone on your list.


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I figured with the way Elitt usually is, it’s not hard to swap trips unless you’re real firm on days off and score a good line.

You can’t leaves us hanging! No names, but what happened?

I doubt anyone but maybe the Chief pilots see it.

Believe me, if somebody was such a prick that I added him to the list, I don't want that line if he's on it!

There's always pro standards...https://media2.giphy.com/media/l2Sqe...EkiA/giphy.gif


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I filled my three slots just because I can. One took VSP so I'll have to check again whenever I start bidding again.

One I expect to be on the list is a guy who, when I announced I'd rather not talk about politics, decided he would antagonize me with politics for days. I should have just called off the trip. Carries a lot of **** and vinegar with him from his last airline that was merged with Southwest. That's not a generalization, but he's the kind of guy who creates the animosity that exists with some folks regarding that merger. I got hired after that, so his moaning about it doesn't interest me.

The one who took VSP was on many lists and I only flew with him once. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either and since I could avoid him, why wouldn't I?

Another is on my list because he's pretty much universally reviled and my buddies who flew with him said, "Never Again". So I am preemptively avoiding him.

My bidding is simple and so if I miss a line to avoid these pilots it's better. I'd rather avoid those pilots than get those lines.

Three in one domicile? I hope it’s not at the Lukewaffe Base.

Perhaps it’s YOU!! I kid, I kid.

As it was said before. Speak up, be direct. Don’t avoid a good trip, line because someone is a tool. I actually enjoy calling out the tools, then it’s ME they avoid.

It's certain that I'm part of it. I don't think I'm disagreeable but I won't deny that after 25 years in the business it's hard to start over. Maybe the guys I'm avoiding are too much like myself!

Actually, the guys I plan to have on my list when I go back aren't horrible guys at all. But why not just make life easier for all of us and not fly together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2rVcxkbIQc

:D

I added one during Covid because there was nothing in ELITT. But now I change my line so much that I guess it doesn’t really matter.

Haha. It’s actually nothing very specific or terrible. Just a chronic complainer and wound a little too tight.

I was just curious if anyone else could see I avoided them. I’ve never used it before

I actually didn’t even do it this bid. I think I’d just rather take my chances then use ELITT or other means to change it.

Skyward,
I thought we had a GREAT pairing! Couldn’t have been better! You were such a nice captive audience.

When I FO’d, I didn’t use the A-Bid. I figured a strong offense was the best defense. Kind of a challenge.

On occasion, I sat with someone who raised flags, and I watched more closely. If my concerns were validated, I would start calling them out on their shenanigans. Because attitudes often go hand in hand with deviations. Make them avoid me.

I flew 1/2 of a 3-day with a Reserve-by-Choice captain who called out sick for a day-prior assignment because the FO was “a real jerk”. I knew the other FO, and he was a great guy, and a professional unwilling to tolerate stupidity. Forewarned. Sure enough, this CA did stupid things. I called him out, he got angry. I never flew with him again. His choice, maybe.

So Skyward, if you still feel you must, my employee number is I-P-D-A-N-N-O.

I always thought we made made a great team.

I’ve flown with many of the top of the avoidance listers, and was able to confirm the rumors. That being said, now that ELITT is populated again, I’ll bid what I want and take a chance.

The positive side is that most of those guys have now retired—a handful of tools in the tool shed I suppose but I’ve never used the avoidance bid yet. Hopefully won’t have to!

No. The pilot cannot see it. The front office knows who the high avoidance plots are. They are able to see how many avoidance bids a pilot has against him. .

Ha. I had the same guy listed 3 times on my AB before he retired. Figured that I’d give him two extra asterisks for Dallas to tally.

I dunno how much y'all care about your schedule or layovers, but I do. A dirtbag doesn't get affected by your avoidance bid, but you do... you lose out on quite possibly the fantastic line because you don't want to tell the guy to his face that he's making easy hard. I don't have a problem with that. Uncomfortable discussion for a few minutes, but usually a great trip and never another issue afterwards. It's all about your priorities.

12 years of avoidance bidding, and I never lost my line to the AB process. So, theoretically, I never had to even AB a guy, but I got to smile each month sending Dallas the guys number.

Do you check? If you really haven't, you got lucky.

In previous life, I lost a fantastic schedule one month due to me putting a guy on an AB, so it went to a junior pilot. Ever since then, I won't punish myself for some asshat making easy hard. I'll take him/her head on, settle it right then and there, and enjoy my trip or layover I wanted. If the asshat can't handle being called on their behavior, they're more than welcome to trade out or call in sick.

Worked well for me ever since.

Guess I got lucky, but then again I was bidding near the top and the AB guy was not. He also bid AM lines, where I did not. The only fantastic schedules I’ve ever had here required a lot of giveaway and a little bit of elitt.

Wait.

If I put myself on the avoidance bid will I have no flying?

I was in the Crew Lounge one day when I heard an FO tell a Captain that it was great flying with him and the Captain replied "Please put me on your avoidance bid". So it's not always the Captain being the DB.

Amen. There’s just as many douche nozzles in the right seat.

When I upgraded the check airman warned me that as an FO I had only flown half the a-holes at this company. He was right…

When I upgraded at my last company I was told I’d always get to fly with my favorite captain. I learned that wasn’t always true. There’s always room for improvement and lots of good pilots and past experiences to emulate and learn from.

Was he ever. Agreed.

Not sure what I'm doing wrong, but in my >15 yrs on the left side at this airline, I've had WAY less interpersonal differences with my co-stars than when I was an FO. :confused:

....oh, and I'm a civilian based at the Squadron.

Other than the typical frequent flyers, if you have frequent problems with coworkers, it might not be them. Just saying.

Only a couple capts I’ve flown with have been abrasive, but not ‘pro standards call’ worthy… otherwise, I’d say most are rockstars. Some less capable, some less personal, but an overwhelming majority are really solid humans and pilots. I appreciate the occasional grumpy captain that doesn’t want to converse; save me having to tell my story again…

I think too many FOs get emotional with the job… your cohort is being an ass, don’t take it personally…

Now watch, my next Left-seat’r is going to be a real peach.

definitely .....

Just a side question from the outside, but I constantly read on here about the AF subculture from what I assume is the PHX base. Is it really that bad? My outfit has a good mix of civis and mil guys and girls, but the "kernel" attitude doesn't seem to follow the mil guys into the airliner cockpit.

It varies. Best guy I ever flew with was a Harrier pilot. Worst guy I ever flew with was a Navy S-3 pilot. At another airline, best guy was a civilian and worst guy was a civilian.

The kernel jokes have zero to do with their flying abilities.


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I think in the last few years those primarily responsible for the Kernel Toolbox have left the property. It’s gotten better from my experience.

As stated above it isn’t the flying skills.

This is just one long-time squadron-dweller's opinion (sorry, there I go again!), but it really isn't that bad...or at least as bad as it once was. I love to make good-natured digs about the PHX domicile demographics as much or more than the next SWA pilot, but it is well on it's way to being a dated stereotype. Back in the 90's, however, The Luke Mafia was no joke and it's members accounted for an out-sized % of the domicile. They produced a few real winners that gave the whole base a bad rep that unfortunately persists among many to this day. I think the company's hiring methods have gotten better over the years at filtering out the 'was a good $hit back at the Unit' types who used to be able to come aboard largely based on the stack of LORs from their fellow Luke alums. Just like at every airline, every SWA domicile has their % of problem children....the PHX % continues to shrink, IMO.

This is truth. I’ve flown with more than a few I’d rather maybe not work with again. But almost without exception they knew their job and did it very well.

We all need to be pros and do what they pay us to do. Find common ground. Be nice. It’ll come.

Start and finish your trips with a handshake and a smile, not dumb paperwork. We all have different paths to our workplace. Don’t worry about it. Just do your work, have fun, learn from each other, stay off the news, avoid paperwork and stay out of the Chief Pilot’s office. It ain’t hard.

Thanks, Dad:rolleyes:

Yup. I don't need to make friends when I come to work. If we hit it off and become BFFs, great. If not, no skin off of my back, I'm sure they're a great person. I already have enough friends that I don't have time for, and I'm sure they're the same way.