Jetjockey737, perhaps you should go on a flexible roster and try to make a deal with rostering?
The problem is that some people like earlies, some people prefer lates, while others prefer the old 6/3.
It´s impossible for rostering to accommodate all those requests on an individual basis, but why not let a computer ´listen´ to the inputs from the ´number one asset?´
With the current CAA alleviation allowing more earlies, everybody should be able to create their own lifestyle, according to their own ´scientific study´ and needs. Personally, I love earlies and in my old company I always requested earlies through a preferential bidding system. If I needed a particular day off, I would also bid for that. If I liked a 6/3 lifestyle I could bit accordingly, or bid for weekends off.
The system would give every crew member a fixed amount of ´credit points´ and you could distribute those points, depending on the importance you give to a particular request. For example, suppose it’s your best mate´s wedding and you really really really need to have that day off. In that case you would allocate a lot of points for that particular day. Of course the downside is that that particular month, you have less points available to create other preferences, but at least you have more control over your schedule instead of the current or past ´written in stone´ schedules of 5-2-5-4 or 6/3.
Most people in my old company were very happy with this system and it creates a substantial savings as the company can save money on people in the rostering department.
The current 5-2-5-4 is again a ´quick fix´ solution which does nothing about the fundamental problem: lot´s of people in this industry have lot´s of different lifestyles. It´s NOT a 9 to 5 job.
With an airline with more than 100 aircraft and big Pan-European ambitions, maybe it’s about time to step into the 21st century and automate the rostering?