To: All Pilots
I’m pleased to announce that we are issuing System Bid 12-08 today, which will allow us to
hire up to 200 furloughed United pilots. We issued System Bid 12-08 based on updated
information regarding the anticipated needs of the 2012 Business Plan. This bid will generate
new-hire vacancies that we will fill in accordance with the Transition and Process Agreement
Part 7-B, in which Continental will hire pilots currently furloughed from the United Airlines
subsidiary.
System Bid 12-08 reflects several items that are important changes to the previous 12-05
System Bid and I encourage you to read about these changes before submitting your bids.
While the 787 delivery dates remain subject to change, we have received a recent update of the
anticipated 787 delivery schedule from Boeing. We will add crews to the 787 to meet this
revised schedule. Training for the 787 will commence as early as November 2011 and initial
training assignments will be primarily available to current 777 qualified pilots. This initial
cadre of pilots will be trained on the 787 and then will return to the 777 until the initial 787
start-up bid month, which is currently planned for May 2012.
As we accept delivery of new 737 aircraft, we are also adding additional 737 flying for the
summer of 2012. Accordingly, we’re adding additional 737 crews to Houston and Newark
This bid also replaces retirements and other attrition in other Base/Equipment/Status’. The
award of this System Bid will be the basis for the 2012 Vacation Awards.
The 787 remains New Equipment for this System Bid award, as defined in the CBA, Section
24, Part 5.J.4. The LAX base is considered a New Base as defined in the CBA, Section 24, Part
5.J.4 and will be for any system bid published prior to Jan 28, 2012.
In accordance with the Transition and Process Agreement Part 7-H, all contractual training
freeze limitations pursuant to Section 24, Part 5.J incurred as a result of System Bid 11-05 or
earlier will not be in effect for this System Bid. Additionally, the Company is waiving the hard
period restrictions in Section 24 and these will not be in effect on this System Bid. However,
should you be scheduled for training/advancement prior to September of 2011 and receive an
award different than that to which you are scheduled, staffing requirements will determine the
necessity of your being trained and/or advanced to your previous award.
You can find information regarding the specifics of System Bid 12-08, including the number of
vacancies, reductions, etc., on the Flight Operations Web Site under Bid Notification
