A pairing is a connected sequence of sectors that starts and ends at your homebase. Instead of bidding individual flights, you take the whole pairing as one commitment.
Examples:
- Day-turn pairing: BER → FRA → BER (2 sectors, home in the evening)
- Out-and-back: BER → JFK [layover 18h] JFK → BER (long-haul with overnight)
- Triangle: BER → FRA → MUC → BER (3 sectors, one day)
Advantages over single-sector bidding:
- You plan your evening, not the usual "I hope there is a way back later"
- One click = full day-trip. No bid micromanagement.
- Pairings always end at your homebase — you never strand at an outstation.
Where do I find pairings? In Crew Dispatch there is a "Pairings" tab next to "Sectors". Default is Sectors (classic view), Pairings is optional.
Can I still bid single sectors? Yes — the Sectors tab works as before. If you only want one flight, no problem. But if the sector belongs to a multi-leg pairing, you take the whole pairing (otherwise the rest would be orphaned).
What is a layover? An overnight at the outstation, typically 12+ hours between arrival and the next departure. Long-haul pairings almost always have a layover in between. It is clearly marked in the pairing plan.