4.15.19 – Non-Purser Qualified Speaker in the Purser Position

Monday, April 15, 2019

 

What to do when there is a Non-Purser qualified speaker in the Purser position.

Recently, there has been some confusion regarding the correct process when a speaker is awarded or assigned the Purser position and there is a Purser-qualified Flight Attendant on the Crew.

Please refer to the “Clarification of Purser Position Move-Up Procedures” letter dated September 27, 2018.

Below are some recently asked questions:

I am purser qualified, however, not in the Purser position on my sequence. How do I increase my chances of getting the Purser position before report time, should it become open?

If you are Purser-qualified on a sequence that requires a Purser qualification, and you are holding a non-Purser position, you may submit a persistent bid in TTS and pass to UBL up to 2 hours prior to report. (JCBA Section 10.F.6)

How are Purser positions covered without a speaker requirement?

This order must be followed to cover open Purser positions in TTS/UBL:

1. Award through TTS for a Purser
2. Award through UBL for a Purser
3. Award through UBL for a non-Purser
4. Award/assign without a Purser qualification to a reserve as a lead (#1) position.

How are purser positions covered with a speaker requirement?

The following steps are used to cover an open Purser/Speaker or Purser only position:

1. Award through TTS for a Purser/Speaker
2. Award through UBL for a Purser/Speaker
3. Award through UBL for a Purser
4. Award through UBL for a Speaker
5. Award/Assign through ROTA/D for a Speaker
6. Award through UBL for a non-Speaker
7. Award/Assign through ROTA/D for a non-Speaker

What happens when a non-Purser Flight Attendant is awarded or assigned the lead position?

In accordance with JCBA Section 14.L.5.b., a Purser-qualified Flight Attendant must always fill the open purser position.

1. If the speaker or non-speaker is not Purser-qualified and there is no other Purser-qualified Flight Attendant on the flight that can swap into the position, the speaker or non-speaker will receive lead (#1) pay.
2. If the speaker or non-speaker is not Purser-qualified, any Purser Flight Attendant on the flight is required to move up to the Purser position. If there is more than 1, it will be offered in seniority order first, then assigned in inverse seniority order.

How do I go about swapping positions? 

Position swaps must be processed via the position swap app after both flight attendants has reported for duty. If the sequence carried a red-flag premium, the premium will remain with the flight attendant, not the position.

Flight Service Management should meet all flights requiring a purser to move up to help facilitate the swap.

What happens if the Purser move-up results in no speaker in a premium cabin?

The requirement of the Purser moving to the Purser position may result in an imbalance of Speakers with additional Speakers in one cabin and no Speakers in another.

What happens if the swap results in a speaker being moved to a galley position?

The swap may result in a speaker being moved to a galley position. Although it is important to have speakers in the aisle positions, this would be an exception as described in JCBA Section 15.A.3.

While it is not required for any Flight Attendant to trade positions; the Purser does have the option to request a speaker, who is in a galley position due to a Purser position swap, to trade to an aisle position. Speakers who remain in galley positions will retain speaker pay.

What happens when a Reserve receives the lead position through ROTA/ROTD? 

1. If the Reserve speaker or Non-Speaker is Purser qualified, the Reserve will remain in the position and receive Purser pay.
2. If the Reserve speaker or Non-speaker is not Purser qualified and there is no other Purser qualified Flight Attendant on the flight that can swap into the position, the reserve will receive lead (#1).
3. If the Reserve speaker or non-speaker is not Purser qualified any Purser Flight Attendant on the flight is required to move up to the Purser position. If there is more than 1, it will be offered seniority first, then assigned in inverse order.

In Unity,