8.26.15 – (LUS) – JIRC Weekly Update – PBS Award Questions, Multiple Pairing vs Double Up, Specific Pairing ID and Avoid Aircraft, VEX Window Extension, DCA Co-Terminal Clarification

 

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JIRC Weekly Update

• PBS Award Questions 
• Multiple Pairing vs Double Up
• Specific Pairing ID and Avoid Aircraft
• VEX Window Extension
• DCA Co-Terminal Clarification

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PBS Award Questions

Every month, there are questions related to the PBS Awards and why it awarded one pairing versus another pairing. There has been a decrease in these questions over the last few months, which leads us to believe that the knowledge and understanding of how/why is growing. It is inevitable that there will continue to be questions for a long time. 

The topic of mis-awards comes up every month and as we have pointed out in previous Weekly Updates, there are generally a few mis-awards each month due to a variety of reasons. The number of actual mis-awards has decreased each month as the errors that cause a mis-award are found and corrected. With every mis-award, the vendor finds what caused the problem and they create a fix that means the problem will not happen in the future. So, mis-awards are very valuable in bringing errors to light and ensure they do not happen again.

In the end, this month there were less than 20 legitimate mis-awards out of a total of 7,766 bids, which represents 0.0026%. Ultimately, it would be wonderful to see zero mis-awards but as with any technology, it is probably unrealistic to think that is possible.

If you do suspect a mis-award, the proper procedure to follow is to call the FARC (480) 693-8232 no later than 23rd at 0900 PHX/1200 EDT or if on vacation, within 24hrs of return from vacation.

If you would like to make sure that you are not awarded any co-terminal pairings, you can include the Co-Terminal Airport Pairing Property-DCA in all layers of your bid to prevent PBS from considering the IAD pairings.

Tip of the Week: Multiple Pairing vs Double Up

These two terms both mean that there are two pairings that touch the same calendar day BUT they describe two very different instances.

Multiple Pairing

Two pairings that touch the same calendar day are Multiple Pairings IF there is legal rest plus 45 minutes in between Release from the first pairing and Report for the second pairing. One minute less than legal rest plus 45 minutes means it is no longer a Multiple Pairing and PBS cannot award it even with this waiver included. Duty day limitations do not apply to a Multiple Pairing because legal rest exists between the two pairings.

It is a cumulative property in PBS. This means that if it is included in Layer 1 but not in your subsequent layers, PBS still awards based on being allowed to award Multiple Pairings in all layers. If you only want Multiple Pairings to be considered as a last choice, only include it in Layer 7.

It can be bid for the whole month (Multiple Pairing) or just for specific days (Multiple Pairing on date).

Double-up 

Two pairings that touch the same calendar day are a Double-Up IF there is not legal rest between the two pairings. A double-up with two pairings can have 0 minutes between Release from the first pairing and Report for the second pairing. Duty day limitations must be honored because there is no legal rest between the two pairings.
It is NOT a cumulative property. 

It can ONLY be bid for specific days (Double-up on date). It is possible to bid for double-ups on every day of the month, if you so choose.

Specific Pairing ID and Avoid Aircraft

Pairing ID on Date is a Specific Property and cannot be bid in the same Layer as a Generic Property. Avoid Aircraft is a Generic Property and cannot be bid in the same Layer as a Specific Pairing Property.

When bidding both in the same Layer, Avoid Aircraft ADDS in all Pairings that do not have that aircraft in it, which means your Specific Pairing bid for 12345/15Sep is now in a pairing pool of 1500 other pairings that “Avoid Aircraft 330”. There is no priority for 12345/15Sep versus any other pairing in that pairing pool.

VEX Submission Window Extended for October

There was an issue with the filler days for October, so they are not being awarded until 28AUG. Due to this delay the VEX submission window for October will be extended until 03SEP. This may affect some display issues with the TBS award, but will not affect the bid results. 

If you have 7 or more consecutive days of Vacation in October, you may elect to choose 4 days before, after or split on either side of your vacation days. VEX days hold no pay or credit and basically are just a pre-planned day OFF. This is a contractually allowed benefit and is not subject to denial or seniority.

Clarification-DCA: Co-Terminal Pairing Award

The PBS logic allows the awarding of pairings from both IAD and DCA domiciles in the same award if a calendar day exists between the respective report times at each airport unless the waiver is included in the bid. What this means is if you did not bid pairings at both airports, you may still be assigned both IAD and DCA pairings due to seniority or necessary coverage. 

If you would like to make sure that you are not awarded any co-terminal pairings, you can include the Co-Terminal Airport Pairing Property-DCA in all layers of your bid to prevent PBS from considering the IAD pairings. If PBS has to go outside your layers to finish your award, IAD pairings may be assigned due to coverage needs. As with any other pairing type, if the coverage is necessary, you may be assigned that pairing type. The best way to avoid this, is to ensure that you have an substantial number of pairings and available days in your bid so that PBS does not have to go outside your layers.

Being Added to the Facebook Page

If you have not been added to the Tips from the JIRC Facebook page and would like to be, please email [email protected] with the Subject Line “Add to Facebook” and we will send you an invitation. 

In Solidarity,

Laura Albert – PHL and DCA
Scott Barnes – PHX and the FARC (Flight Attendant Resource Center)
Emily Arner-Brown – CLT

About the JIRC:
The Joint Implementation Resolution Committee (JIRC) is a committee that was created by the current contract (the Redbook) to oversee the implementation of PBS.