I assume trips touching vacation were previously dropped, so, while you would lose the credit for the trips you could end up with 2 weeks off by using a single "week" of vacation.

With PBS the potential exists for it to just build a line around your vacation, meaning that taking 7 days of vacation (whatever that costs per day) will likely give you only 7 or 8 days off wi trips on either end, instead of the potential 14+ off that was possible.

 

Yep, got it. I went off on a tangent. My point, as insignificant as it was, was that to wipe out two weeks would likely come at a greater cost to the vacation bank. One could also do a straight drop and lose guarantee. No biggie

 

When a 7 day VAC drops two trips, we have the option of using Vac bank hrs to be fully paid for trips dropped, or paid 28hrs and save some vacation hrs.
The above great benefit is GONE under PBS.
By strategically placing my VAC last summer, I was able to be off for 42 days in a row, only using two 7 day Vac periods, while getting full pay!
This summer will be the same.
Next summer... will *&^%

 

You only used 14 days of vacation pay to have 42 days off in a row with pay? I call bull sht, that is unless you didn't understand that vacation conflicts didn't pay like transaction conflicts.

 

Did you use the red/green system to further manipulate your schedule to get that many days off in a row? If so then you will still be able to do that under PBS. I was able to get 24 consecutive days off with one week of vacation under the current system but that was done via the red/green grid in concert with a vacation drop. My initial line award only had 14 consecutive days off which has been pretty typical of my experience here. It’s quite difficult to get more than 14 days off in a row with one vacation week in the initial schedule award. After it was all said and done it cost me about 40 hours of vacation time to get 24 days off and losing only a minimal amount of credit. I’ll also add that I had to work 6 day stretches on either side of my 24 days off in order to get my credit close to line value and not burn through my entire vacation bank. I can’t imagine it will be very difficult to get 12-14 consecutive days off (vacation week plus bid for days off on either side) with a week of vacation under PBS, then utilize the red/green grid to increase consecutive days off if that’s what you want. As it is now, your rate of success will depend on seniority. Same results just a slightly different method of getting there. I just think there has been way too much “the sky is falling” rhetoric regarding the loss of vacation conflict. Under PBS, the number of consecutive paid days off you’ll be able to get will be based on your seniority, how much vacation time you have in your bank, and the red/green grid. Very similar to how it is now.

 

Many lines have a stretch of 4-6 consecutive days off followed by a weak 4-day, followed by 4-6 off. You bid the right line to get the 4-day to drop, and it's relatively easy to string together 2 consecutive weeks off with minimal impact to your vacation bank, and you still get line guarantee. I don't agree that this is an outlier, I've been able to consistently do it at different levels of seniority. I just don't see this happening with PBS. It will either cost you more vacation time, or you'll have to drop trips, thereby reducing your monthly credit, or you'll have to actively drop/swap/pick up trips dependent upon the availability of open time and the red/green grid. The PBS package should have included more bid weeks off, a higher vacation bank build rate, or an increase in min days off in a vacation month to even put it in the same ballpark as the current system.

 

But we secured industry standard scope.........oh wait.

 

You get it my friend !

 

Got a few Q’s for you current NK guys. I tried using the search function but no luck. Thanks!

1. Do you use an intercom or just normal talking in the flight deck?

2. Airbus only have airbus headset plugs or will twin GA plugs work?Considering a new headset so 1 and 2 will help me get the right one.

3. Whats Jr ORD Capt lineholder? Curious of the difference between Jr capt and Jr capt lineholder in ORD. Iv been told 3-4 years for CA upgrade for this years new hires, that realistic? (Sorry for the crystal ball question, just want ur opinion)


4. New hires getting ORD out of training or shortly there after?

5.Is there still some decent movement from folks moving onto legacies or big 6? Or has the new contract slowed that down? Are retirements even a factor or is that negligible on movement right now?

 

1-2 All planes have crappy telex with dual plug, no one uses headset above F180.

2-3-4 For August bid, most junior captain line holder February 14, Captain July 15, FO May 18.
Currently at 120 planes, my guess is you will upgrade when we hit 210 planes, based on upgrades at 55%, and a few people leaving. The fleet plan is 177 by 2021, so not even close to 3year. Right now the only thing we have is a forward looking statement from management (so no guarantees whatsoever) that they plan to grow at 15%, so 6 year upgrade. Retirements less than 10/year. Most people who leave are in bottom of seniority, so won’t help you upgrading.