WN or UA for MCO NH?
11-06-2025 | 03:39 PM
#131
Line Holder
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 840
Likes: 24
I have never held a summer week on a bid, even as a lance captain.
If everybody could get what they can hold initially, this wouldn't be near as bad an issue. Senior daddies and mamas get Christmas, thanksgiving, and 3 other weeks of their choosing. I know I personally am on the cusp of being in a season of my life where I no longer want summer vacations. If I had my choice in 2027, it would probably be alternating December and April weeks so I could go to Europe with the family and enjoy my holidays. Summer vacations suck. They are for people who have no other choice. Besides, I never am wanting for time off.
If everybody could get what they can hold initially, this wouldn't be near as bad an issue. Senior daddies and mamas get Christmas, thanksgiving, and 3 other weeks of their choosing. I know I personally am on the cusp of being in a season of my life where I no longer want summer vacations. If I had my choice in 2027, it would probably be alternating December and April weeks so I could go to Europe with the family and enjoy my holidays. Summer vacations suck. They are for people who have no other choice. Besides, I never am wanting for time off.
11-06-2025 | 04:51 PM
#132
At your mom's house
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,611
Likes: 394
From: cpt 737
my last bid as an FO i got some summer. I was under 10% in base to get it.
11-06-2025 | 05:15 PM
#133
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 278
From: DOWNGRADE COMPLETE: Thanks Gary. Thanks SWAPA.
I wanted one week at a time in seniority order. Don’t really care what anyone thinks about that opinion. It isn’t happening anyways. I’m 15% and still couldn’t get a summer week. Personally, I don’t have to have one. I’m happy with spring and fall vacations but the fact that I still can’t get one and will probably upgrade without ever getting summer vacation is a sign of something sick going on here. SWAPA is kinda like your favorite political party. They say they love you. They’re suppose to love you. You pay them to love you and they do love you, when it’s convenient for them to do so.
You know, a wise man once told me to use vacation weeks for max pay and sick time for actual vacations. That was a very wise man indeed.
For *******s sake! Stop stressing yourselves out!
11-06-2025 | 06:34 PM
#135
Line Holder
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,362
Likes: 141
I'm senior enough that a couple years ago I shifted from using vacation to get time off to using schedule bidding to get time off. Vacation isn't completely just a money grab for me, but I need far more than 3 weeks off to fully participate in family stuff and training keeps trying to move my training up into my vacation month every single year. So I've shifted to aiming for 50+ TFP per vacation week and just trade/drop/whatever to get time off for my family.
if/when I upgrade it'll be a slightly different story for a while. If it sucks more than I'm willing to accept or they try to displace me, I'll probably just bid back to right seat and wait it out.
if/when I upgrade it'll be a slightly different story for a while. If it sucks more than I'm willing to accept or they try to displace me, I'll probably just bid back to right seat and wait it out.
11-07-2025 | 06:37 AM
#136
Gets Weekend Reserve
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,233
Likes: 197
From: B737CA
Absolutely. We have many great scheduling “things” at SWA, but vacation bidding isn’t one of them.
You know, a wise man once told me to use vacation weeks for max pay and sick time for actual vacations. That was a very wise man indeed.
For *******s sake! Stop stressing yourselves out!
You know, a wise man once told me to use vacation weeks for max pay and sick time for actual vacations. That was a very wise man indeed.
For *******s sake! Stop stressing yourselves out!
I stopped giving a sh!t about vacation weeks and became a much happier man in the process.
11-07-2025 | 07:04 AM
#137
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,530
Likes: 370
Once you embrace this concept, you really stop giving a sh!t about the big green bar. That big green bar is only the big bonus bar and when you choose to take it and whether or not you're an OT wh0re who can't function without 300 TFP per month.
I stopped giving a sh!t about vacation weeks and became a much happier man in the process.
I stopped giving a sh!t about vacation weeks and became a much happier man in the process.
is going to be scrutinized. I flew with a certain pilot who lived in Costa Rica and he was on that special program. It was max harassment.
11-07-2025 | 07:24 AM
#138
At your mom's house
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,611
Likes: 394
From: cpt 737
I don't sweat vacations as in if I don't get a week I want, I am just going to use sick time to get the time off. It is nice, however, not to have to get creative and worry if someone is peeking over your shoulder when you call out repeatedly for a long trip. I stopped caring about my sick usage a decade ago, but I am also not going to put a target on my back by being extra stupid about it. Certain career minded chief pilots still do things like wellness calls and meetings. Ask around. It happens. Once that scarlet letter is on your chest, you aren't going to get left alone about it. Every call
is going to be scrutinized. I flew with a certain pilot who lived in Costa Rica and he was on that special program. It was max harassment.
is going to be scrutinized. I flew with a certain pilot who lived in Costa Rica and he was on that special program. It was max harassment.
11-07-2025 | 08:24 AM
#139
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 278
From: DOWNGRADE COMPLETE: Thanks Gary. Thanks SWAPA.
I don't sweat vacations as in if I don't get a week I want, I am just going to use sick time to get the time off. It is nice, however, not to have to get creative and worry if someone is peeking over your shoulder when you call out repeatedly for a long trip. I stopped caring about my sick usage a decade ago, but I am also not going to put a target on my back by being extra stupid about it. Certain career minded chief pilots still do things like wellness calls and meetings. Ask around. It happens. Once that scarlet letter is on your chest, you aren't going to get left alone about it. Every call
is going to be scrutinized. I flew with a certain pilot who lived in Costa Rica and he was on that special program. It was max harassment.
is going to be scrutinized. I flew with a certain pilot who lived in Costa Rica and he was on that special program. It was max harassment.
They pull that bu!!$h!t with me and I’m not gonna take it lying down.
11-07-2025 | 08:30 AM
#140
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,530
Likes: 370
Life down there isn't my cup of tea. Cool place to go on vacation for a couple of weeks, maybe. If you could take the people and the food and put them in a more temperate climate? That's perfection. I grew up in FL and lived in coastal GA for a while, so I am good on beaches and large insects for the rest of my life.
