Policy Change: Introducing Automated Bids

[mlegein]

Effective immediately, pilots now have the option to either submit a bid during the monthly bidding process or let the system assign an automated bid after the session closes. To place a bid, follow the same procedure as before: wait for your time slot on the roster then choose the desired flights and confirm the selection at the bottom of the page. To receive an automated bid, simply let the bidding process elapse without making any selection. Upon closing of the process, if you did not bid, you will receive an automated email with a random assignment picked from the remaining available flights.

We strongly encourage pilots to look at the available flights and submit a manual bid, although this is no longer mandatory. Submitting a manual bid does have the advantage that you can look for flights that you want to fly, and have those flights assigned to you. The automated bids are selected from the remaining flights, i.e. the flights that nobody else wants. Therefore there is a strong possibility that the automated flight which is assigned to you is less desirable.

Regardless of whether you entered a manual bid, or received an automated random bid, you MUST fly your assigned flight during the following calendar month. Atlas and DHL charters, and open board flights, are in addition to, but never a substitute for flying your monthly bids. Pilots who are on a Leave of Absence (LOA) are exempt from bidding and will not receive an automated bid.

The change in policy is reflected in the new revision of the Pilot Manual, which will be published shortly.