Jughead135

Smart move under this new policy will be to bid for what you actually want (of course), but, if you can't get it: bid for the airplane with the fewest bases (currently 717, I believe?), particularly if your base-of-preference does not have that airplane. First AE, bid for the airplane you actually want, even if not the right base. Next AE, bid to your base.

Hillbilly

If you can hold the same position (seat and equipment) at a different base, you can bid that immediately and get it. No training involved, just a base swap. No different from today and the rest of your 2 year freeze applies. The "after a year" part is what would allow you to switch bases to another piece of equipment because you still can't hold what you're currently on at the desired base (your desired base may not even fly your current equipment). Training is involved and the remainder of your freeze gets tacked onto the new freeze.

At least that's my take on it so far.

Machnumber

When are new hires eligible for health benefits? is its from day 1?

Falcon20

Yes 60 days (I believe) to make elections before they become permanent and are retro to day one of indoc.

Machnumber

Does anyone have any information about the 2017 heath benefits? Plans and pricing?

Thank you.

overspeed

I don't see the logic in this. If you want to move after a year, you can. The way I understand it, example: you get NYC88 out of training, and you want Atlanta, the first AE you get after a year in ATL is yours, even if its a different aircraft. You aren't forced to wait for ATL88.

Jughead135

Close--in your scenario, you needn't even wait a year. There is no category lock, it's a seat lock. You can move an unlimited number of times with no minimum time between bases in the same seat--the only requirements being that (a) there's an opening; (b) your seniority can hold it; and (c) you bid for it. The key is whether training is required.

My point is if you can't get the airplane you want out of training, either because it's not in the drop or they're all gone by the time you get to choose. Under today's contract, you have to wait a year (in practice, 1+ years, just for timing reasons) until the first AE with an earliest training date at or after your 1-year point to bid for different equipment. Under the TA, you have to wait that same year to change equipment, but can only do so if the new equipment is not located at the new base. (Changing bases in the same seat is unaffected by the TA, it remains unlimited.)

The "giveaway" here is that 1st year pay is the same on all aircraft. On the other hand, 2nd year pay varies. With this new policy, new hires will potentially end up "stuck" on a lower-paying aircraft than they might otherwise want & be able to hold for that additional year. IMO, they should have worked out a policy for a "shadow" bid during year 2 with commensurate pay protection....

If your goal is to get to your base-of-choice first, worry about equipment later: then bid for something that's in your base, then bid over ASAP (no need to wait a year). If your goal is to get to your equipment-of-choice first, and/or if you can't get anything that's in your base, then bid as I suggest.

TED74

Where the company really wins is the remainder of one's extended new hire freeze is tacked on to a subsequent new aircraft freeze. Hiring 1200/yr gives the company an annual 1200 "freeze-year" increase over C12. That is industry-leading training efficiency.

rbigred300

Since pay is retro if the TA passes I'm guessing that anyone who has started or finished training will get an extra 700 a month in retro? (Training pay is 3900 and proposed TA is 4600)

overspeed

I get that you're not stuck in a base if you can switch with the same equipment. So if you get ATL88B and want ATL73N, you'd have to bid to a different base to switch airplanes after a year, i.e. NYC73N, then bid back to ATL. Is that allowed? So, you're saying bid the 717 because you'd get the earliest "bid to another base opportunity?"