I thought "Award work L--" meant I get paid to not have to come to work. No wonder i keep getting "completion mode".

While the "+"s and "-"s are most often used to prioritize trips into (up to) 7 different pool priorities, they also perform this function. It can get complicated. From the PBS Guide,

"When you put trips into any of the three High pools, you are instructing PBS to use as many of those trips as possible to build your line. Conversely, when you put trips into any of the three Low pools, you are instructing PBS to use as few of those trips as is necessary to build your line."

What APC said

Let's say you want MCO and ATL layovers.

MCO H++
ATL H+

Tells PBS give me as many of these as you can, but prioritize MCO over ATL.

The inverse is also true. L-- vs L- tells PBS give me as few as possible, but if you have to give me the L- over the L--.

Set max length work block 4
Set min days off between work blocks to 1.
Award work H (if you want day trips)
Award work L (if you want long trips)

Let's say some knucklehead was tweaking all his bids...and forgot to submit anything because he believed it was the 11th...and he even had all his standing bids open. what happens? above the g line.

You'll get Thanksgiving Day and weekend off, all other weekends off, 18 days off, no international trips, no early shows, no redeyes, and great long layovers with wild and crazy fun crews.

OR, go to CCS, Bidding, PBS, MyReports, and look at the first PDF under Oct 16_Uxxxxxx Bid Award Report.

That's the last thing submitted and should be what PBS sees when it runs your solution. If that file is from last month then it may just run a Completion Mode.

You'll get a constant reminder to get your bids in early next month.
:)

We will need to know if you are you a Capt or FO?
Not that the answer will be any different.. you just may have to wait a lot longer for one of us to give it to you ;)

AWARD Work (30 Oct-29 Nov)

Guaranteed to get a line though

Why do pilots come to these boards to ask PBS questions during the bidding window and wait/hope for a timely answer?

There is a resource run by the union and staffed by PBS trainers/volunteers to assist with bidding questions during the bidding window:

Untitled Document

This site is posted each and every month in the PBS Committee newsletter blastmailed to all pilots around the time bidding opens. They have a live chat window to have a conversation with an expert to help you figure out a bid strategy.

Not trying to be a **** at all. Just saying there is a better (official) option than the pilot forums to get the most accurate answer.