I don’t know what that means… I’m pretty sure that not enough FOs are bidding BNA to fill it so NHs will end up filling up the bottom. Why is there a question of seniority?

 

The numbers they published showed more FOs than CAs with BNA as their top choice. They followed it up with a chart that shows over 100 newhires will get BNA in May when it opens. Confusing to say the least, apparently the chart showing newhires going to BNA in May is inaccurate. Not everyone who wants it will get BNA in May, but everyone should have it by June.

 

According to the video posted yesterday by Planning there are plenty of FOs with bids in for BNA, but they are sending 114 NHs there in May. Why are more senior FOs not given the opportunity first?

I guess I will see if I am awarded it before complaining but the numbers they talked about indicate a different story.

 

Vacancy awards are done by seniority order. If you have BNA higher than your current domicile and don't get it but someone junior to you does, then contact SWAPA so they can protest it during the protest period. If it isn't corrected then it's an easy winnable grievance....

 

I think the 114 new hires is the number the company is guessing based on current numbers of FOs that are bidding BNA. If more bid in, then that "new hire" number will go down.

 

Thanks both of you for the explanations. The math had thrown me off but you got me back on track.

 

I am really happy for the BNA folks who no longer have to commute, but growing a base like this without any hiring is going to be painful. Not sure if they put any foresight into that. I think that the captain side will be alright for the most part, but FOs are going to get displaced out of their current bases for sure. Not sure if they will land in BNA, but in order to grow it to that size, they are going to have to shrink surrounding bases accordingly.

That being said, I put a contingency bid in there to get the move. Plenty of places that meet the move criteria are great places to relocate to.

 

First off new hires will be entering the vancancy for the next several months.

Secondly there are 245 FO bidders, and 114 new hires for the May vacancy. They are bidding for 200ish positions. Please explain how there will be displacements?

They company is accelerating the growth specifically to avoid the cost of displacing pilots.

 

Those are simply new hires entering the vacancy, not those bidding BNA.

 

It isn't the opening I am worried about, it is the rapid growth.

They are going to shrink surrounding bases to staff BNA. Some of those bases have captains and first officers hanging on to the bottom of the list. Yes, there are plenty who want to go there, but it isn't like they take a systemwide survey and pull those people from whatever bases they are in. They do it based on the flying they are moving to the new base.
This accelerated ramp up means that they will be cutting those bases rapidly vs slowly. I don't think the captain side will see many (if any) displacements, but it's possible if they cut from the wrong places. They could cut places like ATL and MCO in big chunks which would have a drastic effect. There is a ripple effect as displaced pilots start hopscotching and displacing other pilots junior to them. LAX was small (still is really) and it resulted in a lot of churn and displacements.

Again, I appreciate that we are getting a new big base in the south. I think it's great. I just don't like that they are staffing it the way they are when there is limited hiring. It is bound to create some negative consequences. Not all the potential BNA pilots are going to be from the bases where staffing is reduced. Also, it is a fun discussion to have, but when the rubber meets the road, a lot of those pilots with BNA bids may change their minds based on reality.