For the most part, West FAs are against PBS.
Admittedly, there are many junior folks on reserve who aren't familiar even with the line(block)holder workrules let alone the mythical PBS; but for those of us who have mastered the current sytem, we are not willing to give up the flexibility that "conflict bidding" gives us.
"Conflict bidding" would disappear with PBS.
In conjuntion with scheduling workrules in our contract, bidding something for the first week of May that conflicts with what you carry over from the last week of April can give you some play.
Reserves actually have been able to use the carry-in/carry-over trips to their advantage.
ALSO, if you choose not to fly over 90cr, you can use some carry-in credit from the previous month which when added to the line value for the following month will force the low credit trip to drop.
I have used this for the past several years to be finished for the year by December 21st.
Or any other time you need a particular group of days off this works well.
This would be lost with PBS, which benefits the company only.
We have the option to "Buddy Bid" also, which could be lost with PBS.
West FAs are primarily all about FLEXIBILITY with YIELD being a close second.
Which brings us to the great debate here about what East calls Me Too.
Someone posted that West has never known Me Too which is not true.
Prior to our first contract, we flew the same pairings as the pilots.
Making the Change was a hard sell at first, change is normally feared, but for higher yield and more flexibility we went for it.
Its not all about 10cr turn days.
There's also 21credit 3days, and 24cr 4days.
Occasionlly there is high yield 2days as well.
Or a 3day that is not much higher than average, but reports late on day one w/one leg to the East then back to PHX and out East again on day2, with one leg home on the last day finishing up relatively early.
3 days of credit in 48hrs or less on an easy trip. Perfect for a commuter like me.
I am not saying that all trips are better than what pilots fly, some are still crap.
But not being stuck with their restrictions allows for some really good and desireable trips.
Senior folks know that the one day turns will be gone from their line within five mins of posting on the trade board.
So they actually are considered part of the flexibility. Bid for them cuz you want flexibility, not because you actually want to work them. Plenty out there LOVE the yield and will load their line with all they can beg.
THERE IS NO CAP ON HOURS in the West contract.
Someone took a stab at explaining how the longer duty days are protected with scheduling parameter provisions in the contract, and actually I also tried to explain it a few months back.
I read a memo from Mike Flores a little while ago in which he states that the East has more flexibility with their system.
I am educated but not fluent with the East workrules and bidding, but from everything I've been able to glean since the merger, I believe he is mistaken and actually the West has the most flexibility.
PS, In 20 years I had never heard the term "Jungle Rules" used until Mike FLores' memo.
Not sure where he picked that up or exactly what he was refering to.
