7.19.16 – (LUS) – August 2016 PBS Bid Award Summary/September VEX Requests/VLOA Openings

     

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

 

• August 2016 PBS Bid Award Summary – LUS
• Vacation Extension (VEX) Requests for September 2016 – LUS
• VLOA Openings – September 2016 – LUS

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August 2016 PBS Bid Award Summary – LUS

The August 2016 PBS Bid is available for viewing in the Crew Portal and CATCREW. Any Flight Attendant who has a question about his/her award or believes he/she may have received a mis-award should notify the Flight Attendant Bidding Resource Center (FABRC) at (480) 693-8232.

Below, you will find the August 2016 PBS Award Summary for CLT, DCA, PHL and PHX. Here are a few definitions for some of the key terms to help you better understand the award summary chart:

1. Shadow Bid/Pay Purpose Only Bid – Crew Scheduling shall run PPO bids during the regular PBS award process. PPO bids are run with the same bids and settings as the regular bid with the addition of the bids (standing or actual) of any Flight Attendant, including Flight Attendants on a Voluntary Leave of Absence (VLOA), who is off the entire bid period to determine what she/he could have held for shadow bid/pay purposes only. Such PPO awards shall only be used for this pay determination and shall not change in any way pairing/sequence awards as published in the final line awards.
 
2. “Line of Time” shall mean a monthly unit of Flight Attendant flying containing a minimum of seventy (70) credit hours and a maximum of ninety (90) credit hours per bid period. The Company may flex the maximum line value by an annual amount of twenty-five (25) hours, but in no case more than five (5) hours during any given month. As an exception, a Flight Attendant may indicate a bid choice which may allow the bid award to exceed the bounds specified by bidding a High or Low bidding option. 

3. The Company may set a targeted line average between seventy-five (75) and eighty-five (85) hours. In months the Company flexes the maximum to ninety-five (95) hours, the targeted line average may be set to no more than eighty-eight (88) hours. The targeted line average is a global parameter which will be respected while awarding Flight Attendant sequences pursuant to her/his seniority.

4. Low Lines Option – For the August 2016 Award, lines constructed in accordance with this bid option shall be constructed to no less than forty (40.00) hours, and no more than 69.59 credit hours.
 
5. High Lines Option – For the August 2016 Award, lines constructed in accordance with this bid option shall be constructed to no more than one hundred and ten (110.00) hours and no less than 90.01 hours.
 
6. Flight Attendants who select the Low Option during a given bid month and also hold at least seven (7) days or more of vacation during that month, shall be given priority to achieve a PBS result below the minimum line value ahead of other Flight Attendants who may be more senior but do not hold vacation.

Vacation Extension (VEX) Requests for September 2016 – LUS

• July 19 – 31 submit via VEX Form on Wings – Flight Service – Lines & Pairings (Bidding) page

When submitting for VEX Days you must have a continuous vacation block of at least seven (7) days. The days off will act as a pre-planned absence, and will carry NO pay or credit. Such days off will be counted toward the Reserve’s scheduled Golden Days. Such block of four (4) days, or portion thereof, may be extended into the next bid period.

 Vacation Extension Timeline, Rules and Useful Tips

VLOA Openings – September 2016 – LUS

The Company is projecting an opportunity to award Voluntary Leaves of Absences (VLOAs) for the month of September 2016. These VLOAs may be available for the September 2016 bid month (effective August 31, 2016) in the following LUS domiciles:  

• The VLOA will be without pay
• To be awarded the VLOA, you must be in an available status as of August 31 on the date of the award
• Any scheduled vacation will be paid
• Required training scheduled for the month must be attended and will be compensated accordingly
• Benefits will remain active for the duration of the leave 
• Benefit premiums will continue at the active flight attendant rate. While on VLOA, Aon Hewitt will send a bill for your upcoming benefit premiums. If benefit premiums were deducted from your paycheck for any portion of the VLOA period, contact Aon Hewitt at 888-860-6178 to ask that these amounts be credited to your account. Any remaining balance due must be paid to Aon Hewitt to maintain coverage 
• Failure to make payments past 60 days while on VLOA may result in the termination of coverage (please call the Benefits Center at 888-860-6178 with questions)
• HR Benefits will do an audit of your benefit premiums upon your return to work. If any premiums are outstanding or have been overpaid, they will be processed within two pay periods 
• Accruals for both sick and vacation will continue during the period of the leave 
• You must coordinate directly with the vendor or Credit Union if any loan payments are being deducted from your paycheck
• This is a voluntary leave and you will remain on active status.
• As a Lineholder, if you have a carry-over trip into the VLOA month and are unable to adjust your schedule via ISAP or ETB, you are responsible for flying that entire trip
• Picking up trips via ETB is not permissible while on the VLOA

All VLOA requests for September 2016 must be submitted electronically via the VLOA Request Form on WINGS prior to the deadline of 12:00 Noon (EST) and 09:00 (MST), Friday, July 29, 2016. Awards will be posted no later than Monday, August 1, 2016.