Snapshots
 

I’ve been told the snapshots are not reliable. Why do people wait until the last day or two to change their bid? Not trying to flame. Just trying to understand. Thanks.

Any number of reasons, but the snapshots get better as time goes on. Usually the first couple are unreliable, but they tend not to change too much after that.

They are the same ones that use ccs to snipe a trip instead of using crew companion where everyone can see who wants what. They block their schedules and block their trade requests. Ask them why secrecy is so important. You probably won't get an answer.

16000 pilots with 16000 different reasons.

You figure out an answer to your question you'll win a Nobel prize in psychology.


Crew companion is purely a CCS interface that doesn’t suck… not sure what you’re trying to infer. The blocking schedule crap? Yeah that’s annoying.

It's a 3-dimensional chess game theory thing. Like if people see you want something then they might take it. IDK how much is perception, how much is reality and how much is reality driven by perception.

How is using CCS to pick up a trip sniping since it uses the same seniority system as crew companion? Most of them probably don’t even know about blocking schedules or trip trades. They’re not trying to hide things, they’re just not tech savvy.

To be honest, I don’t know if my schedule is blocked or open, and I don’t even know how to check.

Allow me to assist you.

Crew Companion Desktop
Account
Misc
Check “Share my calendar with other pilots.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

BTW, the default for schedules to “blocked”. Most people don’t know that and end up “inadvertently” blocking their schedule.

Thanks. Either that’s the default setting or I just don’t remember checking that box before. I just fly my line and don’t look at crew companion that often.

The ole vacancy bid ninjas. Truly annoying…..

I think mine is shared but I haven’t checked lately, either way why is that a thing to ding someone about? I don’t think I’ve ever checked another pilots schedule a single time.

Allow me to retort. Any pilots wanting to pick up a trip and not have it public business is well within his or her right to do so. You only want it to be public so you can gripe and moan about how it’s not fair and how younger pilots have no respect for their elders. Hell, you probably then email people who make trades you don’t like and lecture them. If I want a trip, I’m putting in for it, without regard for your sensibilities.

The way it has been explained to me is people wait until the last day because they want a better idea of what the seniority will look like, and are concerned that if they bid X and then the seniority isn’t what they wanted, they might not be able to or remember to cancel the bid. I think it’s more likely they are just indecisive and decide to jump in before the clock hits midnight.

As is your right, absolutely. Doesn’t excuse you from being a douche about it. Don’t worry, 67 will pass soon and you can harangue us for another couple years.

Then you can put it in with a % qualifier.

Yeah but that requires the most basic level of learning/effort.

Say what again

No need to ask, I'll tell you why I used to hide NB pickups. When it comes to trip trading I am 99% self taught, and for years I missed out on good deals because I simply didn't know how the system worked and I didn't have any friends/relatives looking out for me. I remember one day sitting in my crashpad as a LH during a weather event after 4+ years on property, ready to go and hoping to pick up my first ever 100% PPU trip. I was dumbfounded as four trips came open and marched up to 75% PPU... and then never came open at 100% for me to grab. And yet, when I checked they had all been awarded at 100% (and guys junior to me got some of them too). And of course many of their pickups were hidden to boot. Tough lesson, but I soon figured out how to put in pickups in advance so that I'd get a fair shot commensurate with my seniority (I'm sure you can too if you put in the time or asked the right person).

In observing the pickup behaviors of other pilots, I also noticed how I could pick up good deal trips with DHs to/from where I live in the real time pickup window. These were the sorts of trips that other local pilots, especially senior ones, would jump on the same as me. Considering that no one held my hand to teach me trip trading in my early years, I can't say I feel the need to advertise to those who hosed me for years what I've since learned how to do. None of my pickups or trades were remotely "nefarious". Meanwhile, I've been contacted more than once by pilots who innocently ask if I want to trade away the trip I'm quietly sitting on with no trades submitted whatsoever... but that happen to be with an LCA CA. What a personal foul. Those guys get put on my Wagon List (as in, if I get the chance I'd like to fix their wagons). These days I explain trip trading to a very steady stream of new hires, I figure it gives them a massive head start over what I began with and will protect them from being taken advantage of.

That all said, I'd just as soon have the ability to select whether to hide individual pickups/trades rather than a blanket selection. I'd prefer that my trip trades be visible at least, really as a form of advertising. And in fact, I've helped guys who leave their trades visible by picking up the open trip they want and then trading with them. I'm on the 777 now, and don't bother hiding my pickups/trades. Why? Because there are no DHs to/from where I live and it is a far less dynamic environment for pickups. If I bite the bullet and go NB CA after a new contract, I'll probably go back to cloaking mode just for my pickups. My calendar in CCS and Crew Companion is always visible.

The good old "people were mean to me so I'm going to be mean to everybody else" argument. Classic. I love flying with those guys.

My word. The nerve to dare contact about a trip trade! Who do these pilots think they are! 🙄. What’s even funnier about this quote is the phrasing you’ve used doubles down on making you the *******.

Most pilots that are willing to take any premium trip will submit multiple smart pickup requests with varying criteria (days, Airport, etc) so they don’t miss out… so when the scheduler changes a 75 to 100% as soon as they hit enter it’s assigned to the smart pickup pilot who is most senior. If you wait for a notification to be sent to you by text then you are losing out. Senior pilots who wait for 100% to drop will sometimes get edged out by a more junior pilot who would accept at 75% who would have otherwise lost out.

II don't mind receiving trade requests, and when I do decline I try to do so quickly and sometimes with the courtesy of an explanation. What I do take offense at is being lied to about the motives of the other pilot. For example, a few months ago I received a request out of the blue from a senior WB FO who I happened to know gets bought off a couple of times a month. He pleaded with me to trade him my unadvertised and otherwise crappy EWR turn (with an LCA) because he 'needed to get back into base earlier' than his existing HI trip. Of course, there were other trips similar to mine actually advertised on the trade boards that would get him home early as well. He only had a trade out for a single one of them... the other one with an LCA. Not the first time someone has tried this sort of Scabesque thing with me. I have the screenshots saved in case I see it enough from him to send it to Pro Stans. Make you nervous?

I guess you skipped right over the part where I mentioned helping new hires avoid being taken advantage of. Hours and hours spent explaining things to dozens of them so far. I'm even going to leave a nice tip for you and everyone here... make sure you know who the LCAs are in your base/fleet (they are posted on a wall in my base at least).