Shep is right. Gallantry in this regard is misplaced. It only serves the Company. CX builds holiday rosters with even more slop than normal. There is plenty of manning to cover the task, and those working might just get out of the hotels and find some EFP come their way of enough pilots book off.
Not sure if the heroes among you have noticed, but we do NOT have an agreed rostering agreement. Seniority is not honored. Fairness is not to be assumed. Transparency is most assuredly lacking. CX does what it wants, how it wants, and when it wants. For those without previous airline experience, this is not the way it is supposed to work. This type of rostering has no place in the 21st century. We often fly right to FTL maximums with minimum legal rest. While this may be safe and ok on occasion, it is not supposed to be like this month in and month out.
We get very little of our leave entitlements when we choose. We instead get a week here and there imposed with work stacking front and back. Often, a week's leave is little more than what would have been achieved via table X. Roster instability is constant, holidays or not. There is very little planning rest because a split duty may turn into an ULRO or vice versa. In short, the system is beyond broken. The AOA has been telling the Company this for years, but it falls on deaf ears. Instead, we get working groups to give the appearance of collaboration. Rest assured, there is NONE. The rosters will not be fixed with the new computerized system. The A350 will not fix Airbus rosters, and the freighter is permanently stuffed. The 777 will see more and more three man.
And some of you guys want to avoid roster adjustments over the holidays... Why? You are not helping anyone, yourself included.