4.10.26 – Contract Implementation Update #56: Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft | Informational Session Today

Thursday, April 9, 2026

Contract Implementation Update #56:
Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft
(CBA 10.D.13.d.30)

Building on last week’s hotline, this update provides additional examples and further clarification on the PBS property Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft. This property will be available for May bidding when PBS opens today at 12 PM (CT).

• Examples
• Additional Information
• FAQs
• Join Us for an Informational Session Today!

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Reminder: You should not bid a position order preference more than once for the same aircraft in the same layer. Within a layer, your position order preferences for each aircraft should be input only once.

If you bid a position order more than once for the same aircraft in the same layer, PBS will choose between the multiple position order preferences when awarding. There is no guarantee which position order the system will choose.

Here are some examples of how this property works in a layer

Example 1:

This Flight Attendant is bidding Layover at City: BCN and Layover at City: MAD in layer 1. BCN operates on the 787-8, while MAD operates on the 777-200. They prefer to work main cabin on the 787-8, so they bid those positions before bidding business class. On the other hand, they like working in business class on the 777, so they bid those positions before bidding main cabin.

When PBS processes their layer 1 bid, the system will attempt to award BCN and/or MAD trips that they can hold at their seniority. When awarding BCN trips, PBS would read the position order preferences input for the 787-8. Similarly for MAD trips, PBS would read the position order preferences input for the 777-200.

Example 2:

This Flight Attendant is bidding four specific trips: DEL on April 1st on the 787-9, LAX on April 7th with the originating leg on the A321-XLR, LHR on April 15th on the 777-300, and CDG on April 23rd on the 777-200. Because they have a different position order preference for each aircraft, they input separate position order preferences corresponding to the aircraft in that layer.

Just like in Example 1, PBS will attempt to award trips they can hold at their seniority using the position order preferences input for the aircraft corresponding to the trips.

Example 3:

This Flight Attendant is bidding Prefer Pairing Type: IPD in layer 1. They have also input a position order preference for the 787-9.

Since IPD trips operate on multiple aircraft, PBS will attempt to award IPD trips they can hold at their seniority. Because they have only bid for positions 5 and 2 on the 787-9, PBS will only consider awarding those two positions when awarding a trip that’s first working leg is on that aircraft. Otherwise, since no other position order preferences were input using either the Prefer Positions Order or Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft properties, if PBS is able to award trips that operate on aircraft other than the 787-9, it will use the default position order (e.g. in numerical order starting with position 1).

Example 4:

This Flight Attendant is bidding for domestic turns that report between 0900 and 1600. Domestic turns at their base operate on Airbus and 737 aircraft. They input a bid for position order per aircraft for the two types of A321 that operate on turns. Because they are ok with a single position order preference that would apply to all other narrowbody aircraft, they use the Prefer Positions Order property to bid their preferred position order for all other aircraft in that layer.

PBS will attempt to award as many trips from their layer 1 as possible. When awarding trips that originated working on the A321, PBS will use the preferences bid with the Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft property. When awarding trips that originate working on other aircraft types, PBS will use the preferences bid with the Prefer Positions Order property.

Remember: When a sequence contains multiple aircraft types, the first working leg of the sequence determines the position order that will be used to award the sequence. Since A321 and 737 aircraft are often flown within the same sequence, keep this in mind as you are bidding and using the new Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft property. Also keep in mind the different subfleet. If you only enter a Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft for the 321, this will not be used for the 321XLR as this is a different subfleet.

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Additional Information

It is important to note what the Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft property does and does not do.

What it does:

• When used in a layer, it tells PBS which positions to consider when awarding on a particular aircraft.
• As an example, if you bid position 2 using Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft for the 787-9, you are telling PBS: “If I am awarded a sequence originating on a 787-9, I only want position 2”.
• You should use other pairing properties to create your pairing pools (e.g. Prefer Pairing Type, Layover at City, specific bids, etc.).
• The property functions similar to the way the Prefer Positions Order property: it simply gives direction for PBS on what position order to award for trips you can hold at your seniority in a given layer. This new property simply allows you to give this same direction on a per aircraft basis.

What it does NOT do:

• When used in a layer, this new property does not filter (e.g. add or remove) sequences to/from your pairing pools by aircraft. However, it may reduce the total number of pairings in your pairing pool if you do not include every position in your bid.
• It does not function in the same way as the Prefer Aircraft property, which acts as a filter by removing pairings that do not have at least one leg on the specified aircraft. The Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft property will not filter out pairings or sequences that do not operate on the aircraft for which you are bidding position order preferences.
• If you bid position 2 using Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft for the 787-9, you are not telling PBS: “I only want PBS to consider trips or sequences that originate on the 787-9”. You would need to use additional properties, (e.g. Prefer Pairing Type, Prefer Aircraft, Layover at City, specific bids, etc.) to ensure the types of trips you want to bid are captured in your layers.

Always make sure to use the View Pairing Set button on the Layer tab to review your pairing pools in each layer to ensure that the properties you are using are generating the sequences you intend to bid.

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Q1. What is the difference between Prefer Positions Order and Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft?
A1. The Prefer Positions Order property is a broad property that applies the same position order to multiple aircraft types in a layer. The new Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft property allows you to apply a position order preference for individual aircraft types in a layer.

Q2. If I bid Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft and the generic Prefer Positions Order in the same layer, which position order will PBS use?
A2. At each layer PBS looks at the trips in your pairing pool and attempts to award the trip(s) you are able to hold at your seniority. It then uses your position order preference to award your position on the awarded trip(s). If you are awarded a sequence with the first working leg on the aircraft specified using the Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft property, PBS will use the per aircraft position order. If the sequence awarded does not have the first working leg on the aircraft specified using the Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft property, it will use the “generic” Prefer Positions Order.

Q3. If I bid Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft twice with different position orders in the same layer on the same aircraft, which position order will PBS use?
A3. Just like Prefer Positions Order, it is not recommended that you input separate bids for Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft positions more than once in the same layer. There is no guarantee which position order PBS will use to award you in that layer. You can use the property multiple times in the same layer, just make sure you are using the property for different aircraft and not repeating the same aircraft in a layer.

Q4. If I bid Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft for the 737 position 1, and in the same layer bid” Prefer Positions Order position 2, will PBS award me position 2 on a 737 if I cannot hold position 1 in that layer?
A4. No. If you use the Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft property in the same layer as Prefer Positions Order, PBS will only consider the position order bid using the per aircraft property when awarding sequences that have the first working leg on the specified aircraft type. It will not consider the generic position order if you are unable to hold the position bid using the per aircraft property. If you want to bid both positions 1 and 2 on the 737, you should input a single bid for Prefer Positions Order per Aircraft for the 737 specifying both positions.

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Join Us for an Informational Session Today!

The APFA CIC will be hosting an informational session today at 12:30 PM (CT). Join us as we review using the new property in PBS. We are available to answer any questions you may have!

This session will be recorded for those who cannot view live and posted to APFA.org.

Click Here to Join the Microsoft Teams Meeting
Meeting ID: 215 040 179 236 46
Passcode: FM3K5xn9

In Unity,

Ashleigh Harbison
LAX

Hunter Meredith
PHL

Mike Sosa
DFW

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