It's a tad bit amusing people are actually griping about the 500/1000hr and off probation stipulations. The way they're flying us on the narrowbodies most newhires should be well above 500 hours before they finish the first year. The movement is incredible atm.

Probably 11,000 pilots on property that meet upgrade minimums and there's significantly fewer captains than FOs needed to staff flying. If the company can't fill captain vacancies (and widebody vacancies) that points more to the shortcomings of our contractual reserve rules and lack of incentive to upgrade seat and/or aircraft. Hopefully it will be ammunition to help us in contract negotiations. Getting rid of experience requirements only lowers the bar, and doesn't put pressure on management at the negotiating table.

I'm guessing allot of us that can hold captain are putting it off because of there vacation loss...Im one! Not bidding it because I haven't had a vacation with my family in over a year and a half got a great trip planned in February and I'm not missing it for anything...they'll be plenty of vacancy bids in the future I'll wait.

Just looking at the vacancy bid right now there's around 200 open captain seats...wow!

YONITED got a big problem!

I don’t see that on the snap 🧐

I see 37 un filled cap slots on the the last snap shot. All in EWR and SFO, that’s like 200 in pilot talk but in ways of math and science it’s actually different.

Bingo. Full stop. Read it again

Yeah your right I read it wrong that's where I would be...still to have any is amazing

I think you’re on to something though, between vacation loss and reserve rules it keeps people from bidding these positions. Outside of being a new hire I’ve commuted reserve twice in my career, once was forced the other voluntary. The first time was as a 777 FO holding a line initially and the second was as a narrow body captain. Forum rules don’t allow me to truly express my feelings of commuting reserve but let’s just say that I’ll never do it again. I’d walk if ever forced to do so again.

We’ve got to fix the reserve rules.

not only vacation loss of what you already hold, but for annual vacation bidding that is coming as well. Late December is the cut off for the company to determine your planned position effective May 1, 2022. So be a senior FO now and get the vacations you want in 2022, or be a junior NB Captain and get the leftovers.

On the other hand, how much would you pay for those vacation days? Delay upgrade 6 months to lock in your vacation slot & you forfeit tens of thousands in lost wages. Is it worth it? Depends on the individual. Bid what you want, when you want it & know what you’re getting yourself into.

Many of our pilots have spent decades on deployments away from their families. Being in control of their schedules, getting better vacation awards, and knowing that they’ll be home for Christmas is worth a bunch of money. Being a first officer around here pays pretty well and I can totally see why people would pass on giving all of that up for a few more dollars. I missed out on a bunch of money by staying a very senior FO, but I wouldn’t change a thing if I could.