December '11 Bid's Nuts and Bolts

Rather than doing three posts this month as was my custom (Nuts and Bolts, Strategy, and Award), I'm going to combine the Nuts and Strategy and all that into one post. Hopefully, for the one person that might read this besides myself, this will create an easier flow of things. Of course, this is purely educational for me since a good bid and award can easily make or break my sanity.

We start off bidding for December coming off a great November. Lots of good flying, solid hours, and not too many trips on or over Thanksgiving. I imagine at least 75% of the FAs in COS will be enjoying turkey-day at home.



When the bidding opened for December last week, I was shocked at the drastic change COS experienced. No kidding, we went from solid hours and good flying to shady trips with terrible hours. Please understand that is my opinion and if one likes 36 hour overnights in London, Ontario and 14 hour three-day trips, then COS in December is the place for you! That is not my style. I like high credit, efficient trips. For example, I just completed a 19 hour three day trip that had 6 legs and at most, an hour turn in the entire trip. That is efficiency and that gives me more money and more time at home.

December will be rather ugly, compared to November. Something like 28 trips that go on or over Christmas day. For the FAs in COS (which has 67 bidding FAs in December) that is outrageous. So 1/3 of the FAs will be working ridiculously poor trips out of the country, perhaps, on a day that is very dear to so many people. Sorry for the rant. All I can do is shake my head and wish everyone a Merry Christmas, no matter where you will rest your head on the most holy of nights.

Having done the math, I believe I will be just lucky enough to have Christmas off. Although, it could come too close for comfort. We had eight or nine junior FAs awarded transfers out of COS for December. While I am happy for them, it sucks having been 38% in the domicile to 47%. So one can imagine once you subtract the reserve lines and master vacations and then add the 28 trips to the seniority list, I am right there in the proximity for coverage awarded trips.

I am hoping my bidding strategy will save me though, we shall see. Last year, I bid a little more conservative than I am this year and failed miserably, but I was 63% in the domicile last year. I guess I have learned a lot even since last year, but it all comes down to the seniority and luck of the draw. Last year sucked! Hopefully, this December will close and provide a positive punctuation to my improving quality of life.

Here is my PBS Christmas tree and Bid info: