SWA Bidding

[ATA For Now!]

Do you Guys/Gals have perferential bidding or do you choose from lines out of a published bid package?

Thanks!

 

[ivauir]

It is a published bid package. Most guys use a bid sorting program, although I didn't need it for the first year - pretty easy to bid when your 14 from the bottom. Now with ELITT (enhance line improvement tripd trade) trip trade giveway, etc I usually end up flying what I want (weekday PM 3 days) after much fiddling. ot bad after only 2 years. Our scheduling process allows alot of flexibility, they continue to tweek it, but I think you'll be happy with how much freedom you have.

Good luck!

 

[ATA For Now!]

Thanks!

 

[canyonblue737]

it is a published packet but between bid sorting, trip trading, monthly open time, daily open time, elective flying, and the best... enhanced line trip trading (ie. instant trip trading with the company without regard to seniority) it is quite possible, and common, to rebuild your schedule into a thing of beauty long after you are assigned your line.

 

[luvfan]

canyon is spot on. there is a ton of flexibility inherent in the system. don't want to work? trade down your line and put stuff in give away.

want to pick up extra? you can fly all the way to 99+ hours per month...get paid extra at second year trip rate as a new hire for anything you pick up from the company in open time/extra fly. post-probation pays 150% of your hourly trip rate if you fly "volunteer junior available."

moving trips to juggle days off is also easy. some guys just fly their lines...others rarely fly a trip from their line because they trade (ELITT) for better overnights, am for pm, more pay/day away, to have certain days off etc. it's great.

 

[Mr Hat]

While we're on the subject...out of say BWI...(where I hope to be someday) what kinds of trips are you seeing on the bid packet? Mostly 1,2,3 or 4 days? Are they usually productive? Example, because "productive" can be a relative word
Our company used to have really productive pairings...3 days worth 20 hours 4 days worth a min of 24 hours. This was good because you went to work and busted your butt but when you were done, you could look forward to more days off. So even with low seniority, you could do 3 on 4 off and still have a high time line!
Since Sept 11th, they started to slack...now 3 days are worth 10 or 15 hours, 4 days are worth 15 to 20 hours. You'll do one leg to the overNIGHT on the first day at 7:00 am (meaning, your having eggs at your overnight at 7:00am). Total waste of time.....

Anyway, I have heard that SWA is really productive with their crews and thats part of the allure for me. (Besides the 123 rule) (and the treating employees with respect thing)

 

[luvfan]

mr hat

there is a huge variety as far as how many block hours our lines pay. some of the three days might pay ~ 19 trips and block less than 14. other three days might pay ~ 25 trips and block over 20.

four days might pay 32 and block over 25 hours...and there are four days that pay 25 with a block around 20...it just depends.

since you asked about productivity...the other thing that seems to go pretty well here is the percentage of time you're on duty that you're working...seems pretty high. in general...not a lot of dead time during the duty day...helps the day go faster and more time at the hotel/go home when you're done your legs.

 

[psysicx]

How many legs are typical a day?

 

[PTinbound]

3 or 4 legs per day on average perhaps. 2 or 5 aren't terribly uncommon. I've even had a day or two with 1 or 6, but never more than that personally. I hear the Texas guys get slammed with the "Texas two step" and might get 7-8 legs per day sometimes. There's really a lot of variety. Last week I did a 3 day:
Day 1: MDW-SEA
Day 2: SEA - SJC-SAN-ABQ-MCI
Day 3: MCI-MCO-BUF-BWI-MDW
Hit all 4 corners of the country in 3 days and went to the Boeing Museum in SEA and went in the Concorde. Not a bad gig.