I understand W/J Pilots can bid 1,2 or 3 months blocks and that there is no seniority used in the construction of these blocks.
Any chance on a "coles note" version of your what appears to be a far superior monthly bidding system. Is it being used by any other airlines?
Pilot Monthly Bidding System
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister, North Shore, I WAS Birddog
There isn't seniority but the higher you score, the less you'll get for next month. The score under the Adopt/Kronos bidding can get quite high depending on how you bid. I made the mistake of making single days my highest priority last year and it did just that; found as many single days as possible. I was given a score of over 20,000, whick translated to 99% satisfaction, and the next month I was left without any bidding power.
If I ask for 16 days off, I will usually get all of them, and it keeps the score around 5300 points, which apparently translates to 50% on the scale and I consistantly get a 'descent' sked.
The system isn't without problems. Some of our low credit crap has hindered the sked quality but seems to be improving with the YVR 'port' flying on the constant increase, and soon YYZ/YEG. This month I did 12 days of work, with 2 days of overlapped vacation, and two pairings were three dayers worth over 28 hours each.
If I ask for 16 days off, I will usually get all of them, and it keeps the score around 5300 points, which apparently translates to 50% on the scale and I consistantly get a 'descent' sked.
The system isn't without problems. Some of our low credit crap has hindered the sked quality but seems to be improving with the YVR 'port' flying on the constant increase, and soon YYZ/YEG. This month I did 12 days of work, with 2 days of overlapped vacation, and two pairings were three dayers worth over 28 hours each.
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Fred Flinstone
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Ryan Coke2
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WJ700, perhaps there are parts of this system I am not aware of that you are, but from my somewhat in depth understanding of it you are a little off. It isn't about how high the score is, but the percentage satisfaction. It tries to give you the most number of points it can---what that number ends up being is totally irrelevant. The limit is in how you bid. Nut it does not decide to screw you the next month based on the number it comes up with.
The equalizer portion of it (the part that tries to eliminate seniority) had some issues before, but it seems to have been mostly rectified. It was tending to find a way to NOT achieve one of your requests to bring your satisfaction percentage down below 100%, if that is what you had been getting (even if it was possible for it to give you everything again). That seems to have been rectified.
The crew planners are getting a much better handle on it, and the biggest weakness, how complicated it is from a users standpoint, is also improving as the pilots and FA's get better at bidding. Also, as you said, the port system is working very well so far at improving things on all sides; the commuters using the port, the overall company efficiency, and the skeds for everyone else.
As for the original question--you still only get a schedule month to month (it just allows you to bid 3 months in advance). The system itself has been used by Canadian Regional, and I believe AC, among other airlines. It is tailored to each airline, with different options and features over the base framework. The no seniority system at WestJet was a new one for this software and that is part of what caused some 'growing pains'.
Overall most people are very happy with the schedules now, with most people getting almost everything they ask for, especially when it comes to getting your top choices.
The equalizer portion of it (the part that tries to eliminate seniority) had some issues before, but it seems to have been mostly rectified. It was tending to find a way to NOT achieve one of your requests to bring your satisfaction percentage down below 100%, if that is what you had been getting (even if it was possible for it to give you everything again). That seems to have been rectified.
The crew planners are getting a much better handle on it, and the biggest weakness, how complicated it is from a users standpoint, is also improving as the pilots and FA's get better at bidding. Also, as you said, the port system is working very well so far at improving things on all sides; the commuters using the port, the overall company efficiency, and the skeds for everyone else.
As for the original question--you still only get a schedule month to month (it just allows you to bid 3 months in advance). The system itself has been used by Canadian Regional, and I believe AC, among other airlines. It is tailored to each airline, with different options and features over the base framework. The no seniority system at WestJet was a new one for this software and that is part of what caused some 'growing pains'.
Overall most people are very happy with the schedules now, with most people getting almost everything they ask for, especially when it comes to getting your top choices.
I don't think I'm off at all. The point number relates directly to your 'satisafaction' for the most part. There is 'some' hidden factor but for the most part you will see the direct relationship when you see the guts of the program. I had the pleasure of working in a union position that dealt with the 200 plus grievences delt by Adopt at CRA and found out quite a bit on this system.
The WestJet system has some serious limitations with out having the 'occurance' feature. IE "Over night CUN, occur once" and we don't have the 'avoid' function which solves a lot of issues. IE 'Avoid redeyes'.
I find the system is only good for maxing days off but for the rest, WestJet paid full price to use 50% of the features.
Cheers.
The WestJet system has some serious limitations with out having the 'occurance' feature. IE "Over night CUN, occur once" and we don't have the 'avoid' function which solves a lot of issues. IE 'Avoid redeyes'.
I find the system is only good for maxing days off but for the rest, WestJet paid full price to use 50% of the features.
Cheers.
Ryan Coke2 wrote:WJ700, perhaps there are parts of this system I am not aware of that you are, but from my somewhat in depth understanding of it you are a little off. It isn't about how high the score is, but the percentage satisfaction. It tries to give you the most number of points it can---what that number ends up being is totally irrelevant. The limit is in how you bid. Nut it does not decide to screw you the next month based on the number it comes up with.
The equalizer portion of it (the part that tries to eliminate seniority) had some issues before, but it seems to have been mostly rectified. It was tending to find a way to NOT achieve one of your requests to bring your satisfaction percentage down below 100%, if that is what you had been getting (even if it was possible for it to give you everything again). That seems to have been rectified.
The crew planners are getting a much better handle on it, and the biggest weakness, how complicated it is from a users standpoint, is also improving as the pilots and FA's get better at bidding. Also, as you said, the port system is working very well so far at improving things on all sides; the commuters using the port, the overall company efficiency, and the skeds for everyone else.
As for the original question--you still only get a schedule month to month (it just allows you to bid 3 months in advance). The system itself has been used by Canadian Regional, and I believe AC, among other airlines. It is tailored to each airline, with different options and features over the base framework. The no seniority system at WestJet was a new one for this software and that is part of what caused some 'growing pains'.
Overall most people are very happy with the schedules now, with most people getting almost everything they ask for, especially when it comes to getting your top choices.
