I thought so, thanks!

All I can say about all of this is what a wise man once said to me.

Bid what you want.
Want what you bid.
Careful what you bid for because you just might get it!

A year after I was hired (a long time ago) the 767 was 1500 seniority numbers senior to me on a bid that closed in Mar. I decided I would hang out on the panel on the 727 until I could hold the 767, so I put in the bid and figured I would get it sometime way down the road. On the vacancy bid that closed in April with no 767 FO positions advertised in my base, I got the 767!

We are blessed to live in interesting times, so just like those folks that got the WB bids a few years ago, if you put the bid in you better really want the bid.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Years ago we had "paper bids". Signature required on the bid sheet.

A less than beloved JFK based Captain was awarded a 727 Cap bid to Miami. He almost fell over backwards when he strolled into dispatch and the crew scheduler says "Hey ...... I see you were awarded a Miami 727 Cap bid."

Someone spent a great deal of effort and time to forge his signature that looked like the real thing. He fought tooth and nail with the company to get out of the awarded vacancy. Ultimately he prevailed, much to the dismay of many co-pilots.

It was great while it lasted! :D

I was based in MIA. Sounds like he would have fit right in.

You don't, by chance, live in Jersey and dabble in magic???

This statement has me a little concerned. I've run all the scenarios to try to make sure that going to United is in my best interests, and part of that equation is finances. My worst (reasonable) case scenario had me making captain money after 12 years, but I thought I was being conservative.

I only have 20ish years left under the current rules, so I need to maximize as much as I can. Any guess of an upgrade time for a new hire? I've considered that I might need to be a fo for my whole career for QOL, but I had at least hoped to have the option.

Must have either got totally screwed in the merger or been a ramper. You will hold captain or wide body fo in the next 3 years for sure. Lots of retirements and new aircraft coming. Provided no 9/11 event or such.

This is a little deceiving because he likely got hosed in the last part of the lost decade. By way of example there were 2 guys...2001 and a 2008 U hires in my summer 2013 class. The 2001 hire is less than 1,000 numbers above me and the 2008 maybe 250.

Heard of similar event when a quite senior captain didn’t sign out of an FPA computer and later saw he had bid Guam. Another who found he had bid "Award Work" over Christmas. Maybe just urban legend but I used to pretty frequently run across computers that hadn’t been signed out of CCS or FT.