Pole,
I do appreciate that all the flights must be covered and that includes all the night awfuls. Some people don't actually mind night flights and so do bid for them because then they have more chances of being awarded their OFF days. I can understand that low seniority pilots sometimes must feel they just get whats left but that is exactly what the highest senior pilots got even in September last year. We had no control over what we were rostered and the amounts of all nighters and 0120 four sector trips I did doesn't even bear thinking about. And yes, I've done all those you write about (before PBS
)
You got an R under your TBS because something in your bid came under that schedule. I operated that trip some months ago even with my seniority before PBS so don't worry, the senior guys have done all these trips too.
If you can put up with a few flights that you may not like then I can be willing to bet that after only even one year, your seniority will have risen by enough with all the new joiners etc that you would see a noticeable difference in what you are awarded. I would suggest that you be far more flexible about where you go and a greater spread of times you are willing to depart in. If you are very rigid and the computer can not schedule your trip then it will bin off any other conflicting bids you have and then you WILL end up with whats left.
I saw the roster of one recently joined FO. He said he did some flexible bidding but ended up with a roster that he said he couldn't have written better himself. I'm not saying that will be the case for everyone every month but the feeling I get is that most people are happier with PBS than without it, at least you have MORE control than before!
Upstairs have decided it will be a seniority driven schedule and so live with the not so good for now, it will get better for you.
