2027 Primary Vacation Bid
AB-CD-BC
For Max OCV
The Pattern
Bid Pairs in This Order:
Same effect either way: CD-AB-BC in that order maximizes the pairings identically.
The Rule: Outside Pairs Before The Center Pair
Why The Order Matters
Why the Order Matters
Bid Smart (AB & CD first)
- A pairs with B, and C pairs with D. No single weeks left stranded for the crewmembers bidding behind you.
- Maximizes two-week pairings for the whole group: the highest total the bid structure allows.
If Center Is Bid First (BC bid too early)
- Weeks A and D are left unpaired, and no one junior can join them for a 14-day OCV.
- Worst case, pairings fall sharply across the bid: roughly 40% fewer.
The Math
Estimated
AB-CD-BC Pattern
If center is bid first (worst case)
≅60% More Two-Week Awards When We Bid Smart
Versus unstructured bidding, this pattern could add up to roughly 60% more successful two-week opportunities. Applies across all fleets, all seniority levels.
Once a "BC" bid is cast:
the weeks left on the sides cannot be paired together by anyone junior to you. One early center bid removes 14-day OCV opportunities for every member bidding after you in that pay period.
Heads Up
Does Not Apply
This pattern is only for two weeks together in one pay period. It does not apply when:
- 3, 4, or 5 weeks in a row. Longer consecutive blocks follow their own logic.
- 1-Week OCV Slide. This has nothing to do with 1-week OCV slide opportunities.
Tip Of The Iceberg
Three Plays Worth Knowing
If you can bid and hold longer block trips, the slide may give you an entire PP off using only a single week of VAC.
- The senior play
- Roll five weeks of VAC into five full pay periods off. Bid your VAC as 7-day blocks in five different bid periods.
- Then
- Bid to conflict a long trip with each awarded week, opt in to OCV, and elect 11.G.2.b.
- If 4 or 5 weeks must be bid together
- Bid the last week of one bid period and the first week of the next.
- How it works
- Slide a 7-day VAC week onto a long trip and the whole trip drops. Full coverage means no deficit. If the trip is longer, cover the remainder with Banked Vacation days or absorb it. Worked examples: 2016 Meaning & Intent document, example #11.
- Note
- The deficit debit does not post until the “plus” paycheck four pay periods later, and all accruals (SIK, VAC, longevity) are maintained even if a large deficit is not restored. See 11.G.5.h.(5).
Your Call
Pick The Option That Fits
Art 11G1b · The PP Off
Simple and popular. Take the pay period off with at least two weeks of vacation in it.
Art 11G1a · Sell It Back
Sell the vacation back, because, for example, they are retiring in a specific timeframe.
Sell Back Later
Hold and sell back later for more money.
Bid To Conflict
Stay under traditional rules and bid to conflict.
Plan B
Only one week awarded in the primary? Pick up the second week in the same pay period during the secondary or tertiary bid.
The PP Off Option Is A Great Option, But...
it is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. In all cases, AB-CD-BC simply maximizes the number of two-week vacation awards possible on the first bid.
Red marks what does not apply. Green marks what to bid first.
OCV Scenarios
What Drops, What Pays
Tap any row for the explanation.
Carry-in trips dropped due to a previous bid period conflict or a direct conflict with scheduled vacation do not generate a credit deficit in the vacation PP when the 2-week option is selected (ex. 2, 6, 7).
Trips that carry over to the vacation PP are truncated if they transit the domicile. If the remaining deficit (D or d) is less than one day, no restoration is required and the deficit is pay protected.
Elect the PP Off option for PP1 and all trips carrying over to the next PP are dropped, and you are fully responsible for the deficit in the next PP (ex. 3). TRIP can be replaced by RSV or HOT blocks; a pure Reserve line never has a "D" deficit. Not eligible with long term training or TDY, during the 35-day bid period, or for a Reserve Move-Up Line.
OCV Quick Rules
Elections, Timing, Banked Vacation
Pay Period Off
- At least 2 weeks of VAC in the pay period.
- Take the pay period off, or fly and be paid 5 hours per VAC day on top.
- The weeks can sit anywhere in the pay period and need not be consecutive.
- Pay is the greater of line credit or guarantee.
- Anything over two weeks pays out at 5 hours per day.
- Open to Lineholders, Airport Standby and Reserves, including VTO.
Slide
- 7 to 13 VAC days.
- Slide to the beginning or end of a trip, or a block of Reserve, LCO, Standby or Turn Trips.
- Must already conflict or fall within 48 hours.
- Must fully cover the trip or block, or top up with Banked Vacation days.
- No slide with Long Term Training, over a holiday trip, or parts of December.
Pay-Out
- Sell back ALL vacation in the pay period at 5 hours per day above guarantee or bid line credit.
- Then fly as if the vacation never existed.
Decision Times
Banked Vacation Essentials
- Bank up to 14 days, up to 21 for military-leave coverage.
- BV erases OCV deficit automatically, day for day.
- BV days needed to drop a trip = (TAFB − 4 hrs) ÷ 24, rounded up.
- Reserve and Standby drop 1:1.
- Auto-approval slots: 1, 2 or 3 per day for 1-99, 100-199 and 200+ bidders.
- Only original line trips, and only OCV-related deficit.
- Unused BV pays out at 5 credit hours each.
Deficit Safety Net
Restoration is pay protected within 5 credit hours. Any unrestored deficit shows as a pay hit on the "plus" paycheck four pay periods later. Accruals stay intact.
Glossary
Terms
- BP
- Bid period
- BV
- Banked Vacation
- F/S/D
- Fleet, seat, domicile
- GTY
- Guarantee
- HSBY
- Hot standby
- LTT
- Long term training
- MPDP
- Minimum pay per duty period
- OCV
- Optional Crewmember Vacation
- PP
- Pay period
- RSV
- Reserve
- STT
- Short term training
- TAFB
- Time away from base
- VAC
- Vacation