March Vacancy Bid Thread
02-13-2026 | 10:10 PM
#311
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,699
Likes: 326
Changing our entire vacancy in reaction to the company’s vacancy process, while borne out of good intentions, is not the solution to pursue, in my opinion.
Does it suck to be displaced? Absolutely.
Is it massively impactful to our quality of life? Yes.
Is the language 93% of us voted for being adhered to? Yes.
Our negotiating committee failed to foresee the company doing what it is going to do and now we bear the brunt of it. Changing the vacancy bid to make it “more fair” right now is the wrong tack.
Negotiating for language closer to AA’s TDY lines, positive space deadheads, paid hotels for the duration of a displacement based on percentage of a base or the pilot group displaced (or more than X% of the list displaced, you’re paying for hotels/positive space until the percentage drops below X%) are all better ways to force the company to think longer about screwing with vacancies.
Diluting our seniority in the attempt to fix something we voted for won’t cost the company enough to do anything differently in the future and we’ll all end up with less flexibility. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I don’t trust SWAPA not to punt this one into the stands.
Does it suck to be displaced? Absolutely.
Is it massively impactful to our quality of life? Yes.
Is the language 93% of us voted for being adhered to? Yes.
Our negotiating committee failed to foresee the company doing what it is going to do and now we bear the brunt of it. Changing the vacancy bid to make it “more fair” right now is the wrong tack.
Negotiating for language closer to AA’s TDY lines, positive space deadheads, paid hotels for the duration of a displacement based on percentage of a base or the pilot group displaced (or more than X% of the list displaced, you’re paying for hotels/positive space until the percentage drops below X%) are all better ways to force the company to think longer about screwing with vacancies.
Diluting our seniority in the attempt to fix something we voted for won’t cost the company enough to do anything differently in the future and we’ll all end up with less flexibility. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I don’t trust SWAPA not to punt this one into the stands.
Based on the email today…even paid hotels means nothing to the company. Open grievance because they’re refusing to even adhere to that.
3 mos of paid hotels is what they agreed to. If they don’t even want to honor that then commuting for the next 3 mos isn’t going to happen if I have to pay a penny of hotel costs.
02-14-2026 | 04:13 AM
#312
On Reserve
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 134
Likes: 31
Changing our entire vacancy in reaction to the company’s vacancy process, while borne out of good intentions, is not the solution to pursue, in my opinion.
Does it suck to be displaced? Absolutely.
Is it massively impactful to our quality of life? Yes.
Is the language 93% of us voted for being adhered to? Yes.
Our negotiating committee failed to foresee the company doing what it is going to do and now we bear the brunt of it. Changing the vacancy bid to make it “more fair” right now is the wrong tack.
Negotiating for language closer to AA’s TDY lines, positive space deadheads, paid hotels for the duration of a displacement based on percentage of a base or the pilot group displaced (or more than X% of the list displaced, you’re paying for hotels/positive space until the percentage drops below X%) are all better ways to force the company to think longer about screwing with vacancies.
Diluting our seniority in the attempt to fix something we voted for won’t cost the company enough to do anything differently in the future and we’ll all end up with less flexibility. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I don’t trust SWAPA not to punt this one into the stands.
Does it suck to be displaced? Absolutely.
Is it massively impactful to our quality of life? Yes.
Is the language 93% of us voted for being adhered to? Yes.
Our negotiating committee failed to foresee the company doing what it is going to do and now we bear the brunt of it. Changing the vacancy bid to make it “more fair” right now is the wrong tack.
Negotiating for language closer to AA’s TDY lines, positive space deadheads, paid hotels for the duration of a displacement based on percentage of a base or the pilot group displaced (or more than X% of the list displaced, you’re paying for hotels/positive space until the percentage drops below X%) are all better ways to force the company to think longer about screwing with vacancies.
Diluting our seniority in the attempt to fix something we voted for won’t cost the company enough to do anything differently in the future and we’ll all end up with less flexibility. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I don’t trust SWAPA not to punt this one into the stands.
02-14-2026 | 06:10 AM
#313
On Reserve
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 186
Likes: 15
I agree that blowing up the whole seniority process is a good idea. With that said, I really don’t think positive space is enough of a hammer, but it is a start.
Any company, not just SW, will adjust their staffing models to the least pain. If we had:
1. Positive space
2. $1,000 a month pain bonus (adjusted for inflation annually)
3. Provided hotels (if required at the discretion of the pilot) for both the front end and back end of any trip.
if we had that right now, I guarantee you we would have at least 200 more pilots left in their original base.
This still will not cover the pain associated with unexpectedly having to commute, but it would greatly leases the blow. It will never make up for the missed games, dance recitals and movie nights, or sleeping next to your loved one 5-8 nights a month.
Like people, companies take the path of least resistance. This would simply keep a lot of folks in the base of their choice.
Any company, not just SW, will adjust their staffing models to the least pain. If we had:
1. Positive space
2. $1,000 a month pain bonus (adjusted for inflation annually)
3. Provided hotels (if required at the discretion of the pilot) for both the front end and back end of any trip.
if we had that right now, I guarantee you we would have at least 200 more pilots left in their original base.
This still will not cover the pain associated with unexpectedly having to commute, but it would greatly leases the blow. It will never make up for the missed games, dance recitals and movie nights, or sleeping next to your loved one 5-8 nights a month.
Like people, companies take the path of least resistance. This would simply keep a lot of folks in the base of their choice.
02-14-2026 | 08:01 AM
#314
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,591
Likes: 434
The problem isn't in the seniority situation or in the various ways to fix being displaced. The problem is that the company has no incentive NOT to displace pilots at a whim. 3 months of hotels isn't even couch change.
Make it painful for them and they will stop. Either outright don't allow it with TDY or make it cost so much that it isn't worth it.
This isn't something that is going to get fixed in this cycle. Also, blaming swapa is easy, but honestly this is the first time we have seen displacements of this scale for this long. I will cut them a little slack and maybe give them some grace. They screwed a lot of things up in the new contract, but it was a massive task and they got it mostly right.
The company doesn't see displacements as an issue. Ask around in Dallas if you don't believe me. They don't care. We need to make them care.
Make it painful for them and they will stop. Either outright don't allow it with TDY or make it cost so much that it isn't worth it.
This isn't something that is going to get fixed in this cycle. Also, blaming swapa is easy, but honestly this is the first time we have seen displacements of this scale for this long. I will cut them a little slack and maybe give them some grace. They screwed a lot of things up in the new contract, but it was a massive task and they got it mostly right.
The company doesn't see displacements as an issue. Ask around in Dallas if you don't believe me. They don't care. We need to make them care.
02-14-2026 | 09:01 AM
#315
Line Holder
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 768
Likes: 221
The problem isn't in the seniority situation or in the various ways to fix being displaced. The problem is that the company has no incentive NOT to displace pilots at a whim. 3 months of hotels isn't even couch change.
Make it painful for them and they will stop. Either outright don't allow it with TDY or make it cost so much that it isn't worth it.
This isn't something that is going to get fixed in this cycle. Also, blaming swapa is easy, but honestly this is the first time we have seen displacements of this scale for this long. I will cut them a little slack and maybe give them some grace. They screwed a lot of things up in the new contract, but it was a massive task and they got it mostly right.
The company doesn't see displacements as an issue. Ask around in Dallas if you don't believe me. They don't care. We need to make them care.
Make it painful for them and they will stop. Either outright don't allow it with TDY or make it cost so much that it isn't worth it.
This isn't something that is going to get fixed in this cycle. Also, blaming swapa is easy, but honestly this is the first time we have seen displacements of this scale for this long. I will cut them a little slack and maybe give them some grace. They screwed a lot of things up in the new contract, but it was a massive task and they got it mostly right.
The company doesn't see displacements as an issue. Ask around in Dallas if you don't believe me. They don't care. We need to make them care.
02-14-2026 | 09:54 AM
#316
At your mom's house
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,719
Likes: 486
From: cpt 737
The problem isn't in the seniority situation or in the various ways to fix being displaced. The problem is that the company has no incentive NOT to displace pilots at a whim. 3 months of hotels isn't even couch change.
Make it painful for them and they will stop. Either outright don't allow it with TDY or make it cost so much that it isn't worth it.
This isn't something that is going to get fixed in this cycle. Also, blaming swapa is easy, but honestly this is the first time we have seen displacements of this scale for this long. I will cut them a little slack and maybe give them some grace. They screwed a lot of things up in the new contract, but it was a massive task and they got it mostly right.
The company doesn't see displacements as an issue. Ask around in Dallas if you don't believe me. They don't care. We need to make them care.
Make it painful for them and they will stop. Either outright don't allow it with TDY or make it cost so much that it isn't worth it.
This isn't something that is going to get fixed in this cycle. Also, blaming swapa is easy, but honestly this is the first time we have seen displacements of this scale for this long. I will cut them a little slack and maybe give them some grace. They screwed a lot of things up in the new contract, but it was a massive task and they got it mostly right.
The company doesn't see displacements as an issue. Ask around in Dallas if you don't believe me. They don't care. We need to make them care.
02-14-2026 | 10:10 AM
#317
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,699
Likes: 326
company doesn’t care either….they’re refusing to pay hotels for displaced pilots. No idea if it’s base specific or company wide….I’ll have to call the LAS office and see what they’re approving and not approving. I’m not spending thousands out of pocket on hotels that company is contractually on the hook for.
02-14-2026 | 10:56 AM
#318
At your mom's house
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,719
Likes: 486
From: cpt 737
company doesn’t care either….they’re refusing to pay hotels for displaced pilots. No idea if it’s base specific or company wide….I’ll have to call the LAS office and see what they’re approving and not approving. I’m not spending thousands out of pocket on hotels that company is contractually on the hook for.
I was once denied breakfast reimbursement and that sent it below zero and it was only $6.81.
02-14-2026 | 06:45 PM
#319
gets time off
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,516
Likes: 98
02-15-2026 | 08:35 AM
#320
Line Holder
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,131
Likes: 103
From: 737 FO
Correct. There’s not much extra I will do to fix the operation running off the rails. Shrug my shoulders and go back to sending my friends memes.
Unless it’s go-home day. Then I’m hustling people down in wheelbarrows.
If the company were smart, they’d build more go home days into every line.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
