Lostboys97

How's that newbie gonna know the super senior FO is under the cap when you super secret ******s have your board blocked!? They can bid how they want.

hoover

true but if you bid it premium and the senior FO also bids premium and he happens to be over the cap you get it. If not he does. If they assign it to a reserve you extra fly it. If he really wanted it at straight there's nothing that can be done.
but you're right bid what you want. Just dont think you only have to bid straight to get something.

e6bpilot

I think this whole premise of telling new hires how to bid is kind of funny.

Yes, they should absolutely know that they can and will get awarded premium and the rules involved. Other than that...bid like you want to! If there isn't enough open time to go around, you probably aren't getting premium anyway!

If you are a new hire, don't think you can get premium based on the bidders, and want to bid straight, do it! Don't let some senior dude with "expert advice" come between you and your paycheck.

WHACKMASTER

Pfffft. Just wait until the end of next year when they add 2000 more to the seniority list without the commensurate number of airplanes. It’ll be 2018 all over again.

RJSAviator76

I personally would have found it useful had someone taught me when I was a new hire. I also remember the instructors telling us to bid straight to get premium. Even captains who thought they were being helpful.

I managed to learn a few things the hard way, share what I’ve learned with those coming behind and backed it up with references in the contract. I’ve seen far too many new guys bidding straight over me bidding premium and me being over the cap and they being under the cap. They get the trip and Uncle Gary gets to save 8 TFP towards the stock buybacks. You may be OK with it, but someone else may appreciate a few extra TFP’s at second year rate, and two… this directs them to learn the contract sooner rather than later and that benefits everyone.

BTW… chances are that board blockers are either on vacation or over the cap and they want to hide that.

And WHACK, I liked 2018… I made a killing and didn’t work nearly as hard. Ignorance of our contract and work rules can be expensive for some and lucrative for others.

e6bpilot

Fortunately that will also give me the option to upgrade, so....pay raise?

flyguy81

For sure...30% more in the bank per tfp before a new CBA. I can live like a king on 8yr CA pay.

at6d

You will if you bid it. I will.

bobble

I mean, what’s the point of bidding POT if I’m not going to get the trip? First FO on the list senior to me is under cap— I’m not getting it. I’m over original line value— I’m going straight pay.

RJSAviator76

First question... how many reserves are there? If there are many legal reserves, Scheduling is most likely gonna award the trip to a reserve unless you bid straight. Our scheduling is dumb like that. They'll blow their wad early and run out of reserves so subsequent trips will likely get covered under premium or they'll STC the trip and that's a separate opportunity to make money. If there are not many reserves or no reserves and there are senior bidders under the cap, is this the only trip in OT that you're legal for, and you really want it, i.e. family traveling with you and layover where you want to, then bid straight. If there are multiple trips in OT and you don't care where you go, did you look to see if that senior dude is also bidding on multiple trips? Sure, he's outbidding you everywhere, but does that mean you're not gonna get a premium trip if there are multiple trips? Nope. He falls off after he's awarded what he's bidding. Also, how important is that specific trip at 0900 the day prior? Do you live in base or do you need to commute in? The 0900 DOT close the day prior is awfully early to be bidding straight if you live in base - you'll have 2 more DOT closings later that day, and multiple HOT as people call sick or Scheduling chops up trips and imports trips from elsewhere.

Remember, as a first year pilot, you also have an ace in the hole for the 2nd year pay - you can always look at Open Time Awards, see the trips awarded to a reserve - they are under the code AR, call Scheduling and tell them you want to extra fly that trip - it will be paid at 2nd year rates as well because the trip will have gone through the open time process.