4.17.15b – (LAA) Purser and Lead Pay and Requirements

April 17, 2015

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LAA
Beginning May 2, 2015, the parameters for flights requiring a Purser will change in accordance with the JCBA. Below are the general rules defining a Purser-qualified flight vs a non-Purser required flights.

Purser required on:

• Flights to IPD cities
• All A321T flights when sold as a 3-class service

Purser no longer required on:

• Domestic widebody flights
• Flights to Hawaii, the Caribbean, Central America and northern-rim and mid-South America

On the flights where a Purser is no longer required, the F/A #1 position will become the Lead position and will receive premium pay according to the chart below.

NOTE: Rates shown are per hour. All Purser positions require a Purser qualification.

Rates are shown per hour.  All Purser positions require a Purser qualification.

*3-class Transcon only (if non-qualified Purser, premium rate is $3.75/hr)

**One (1) Galley position per class of service, i.e. (three (3) classes of service – three (3) Galley positions, two (2) classes of service – two (2) Galley positions

IMPORTANT EXCEPTIONS:
During the monthly bid award process, selections with pure Domestic and/or NIPD flying will be awarded without regard to the Purser qualification. However, aircraft that fly both IPD and NIPD markets (i.e. the 757-EL (BA) and 767) present some unique I.T. challenges from a trip trading and “assignment in actual operations” (i.e. Reserve assignments, Make-Up, Critical Coverage, etc.) perspective.

Temporary limitations & restrictions in actual operations
There are certain trip sequences that contain legs on the 757-EL (equipment code “BA”), which is the aircraft used in some IPD markets; as well as the 767-300 which also serves both IPD and NIPD markets. If you are awarded or assigned of these sequences, you will not be able to trade or drop to a non-qualified Purser on your own. This is because once the divisions are combined on May 2, Sabre will only recognize 757-EL (BA) and 767-300 trip sequences as requiring a Purser.

APFA has asked the company to input these trades and drops manually and the company has agreed. If you are attempting to trade or drop a sequence on the 757-EL (BA) or the 767-300 and one of you is not a Purser, please call the Senior On Duty at Crew Schedule between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Central Time. Tell the crew scheduler that you are calling about a “Purser-restricted trade” and ask for the Senior on Duty.

NOTE: The Company is in the process of adding a setting in FOS to eliminate the Purser requirement in the above-described cases. By adding this setting, FOS will only require a Purser on IPD flights and 3-Class Transcons. They have informed us that it will a take a few months to complete this programming project.

Therefore, even though all Flight Attendants will be eligible to bid the number 1 position on a line that consists of sequences with 757-BA or 767 flying, only Purser qualified Flight Attendants will be eligible to pick up the number 1 position on those aircrafts from open time, including HIPLOT for AVBL and HVBL as well as trading with open time. Additionally, only Purser-qualified Flight Attendants will be allowed to pick up the number 1 position on the 757-BA or the 767 aircraft via proffered flying, i.e., Make-Up (MU), Option II (II), Voluntary Purser (VP), etc, as there is no viable solution to circumvent the FOS Purser requirement with trips from open time.
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Q: I am a qualified Purser. Will I be restricted on bidding and/or trip trading sequences containing the 757-EL (BA) and 767-300 equipment?
A: You will not be restricted from receiving a bid award containing the 757-EL (BA) and 767-300.  You will encounter restrictions if attempting to trade with or drop a trip to a non-qualified Purser.

Q: I am not a qualified Purser. Am I eligible to bid for and be awarded the #1 position on domestic or NIPD selections containing the 757-EL (BA) and 767-300 equipment during the monthly bid run?
A: Yes.

Q: I am not a qualified Purser and wish to trade a sequence containing a leg or legs on the 757-EL (BA) and 767-300. Will I be able to do so?
A: It depends. You will not be able to trade or drop a trip to a non-qualified Purser. You should not encounter a restriction when trading with a qualified Purser.

Q: I am not a qualified Purser.  Am I eligible to bid for and be awarded the #1 position on IPD selections containing the 757-EL (BA) and 767-300 equipment?
A: No. IPD selections require a Purser qualification.

Q: What if I encounter a restriction when trying to do a trip trade with another Flight Attendant due to IT limitations?
A: Contact the Senior-on-Duty at Crew Schedule between the hours of 0700 and 2100 Central at 800-VIP-CREW. Follow the prompts to reach Crew Schedule for “today’s operation”. When a Scheduler answers, tell them you’re calling about a Purser-restricted trip trade and ask for the Senior-on-Duty.