Northwest Airlines, signs agreement with Carmen Systems on preferential bidding (PBS) for pilots

Carmen Systems AB announces that Northwest Airlines, the world's fourth largest airline, has signed a long-term agreement for the use of Carmen’s preferential bidding system (PBS) initially for 5,300 pilots and the ability to also add 10,000 flight attendants.

This agreement is Northwest Airlines’ second major deal with Carmen since 2003, when Carmen Crew Pairing was implemented for over 15,000 crew members assisting in increasing productivity and achieving tangible cost savings for the airline. Tim Campbell, Vice President Flight Operations/SOC Administration at Northwest Airlines, said that choosing another Carmen solution is a natural step for Northwest. “We are the most seasoned North American carrier in terms of using the PBS and we know all the pitfalls and deficiencies of classic PBS systems,” Mr Campbell said. “With Carmen’s software we are taking the step into the next generation of preferential bidding, with strong support from both Northwest’s pilot community and Northwest’s management.” SØren Boje Mortensen, SVP Airline Solutions at Carmen Systems, said that the Northwest Airlines agreement further establishes Carmen’s position in the North American airline industry as well as the leading global provider of Crew Management Solutions. “Northwest’s pilots are amongst the most experienced PBS users in the airline industry and the fact that they have chosen Carmen proves to us that our software is delivering what both the industry and crew desire,” he said. “With Carmen’s preferential bidding Northwest will have joint benefits of traditional PBS features such as bid groups and reasoning reports coupled with state-of-the-art optimization ensuring that the best possible rosters are awarded throughout all seniority categories.”