Jack, it sounds as though you have your leave allocated and any spare days left over are bid for in small amounts on an adhoc basis. Sounds good if that is what works for you. That technique, if if that is indeed something like what you do, does not work for me. I want two leave allocations, three weeks each, allocated at the initial and secondary phases of the bid. In all my years at EK this has never happened. Also when I do take a vacation during each of those periods, I want my contractual travel benefits, zero exceptions.