2.01.21 – Primary Round of Annual Vacation Bidding Now Open

Vacation Bidding Guide 2021-2022 – 2.09.21

Monday, February 1, 2021

Primary Round of Annual Vacation Bidding Now Open

The Primary Round of Vacation Bidding opened today, February 1 at 1200 (CST). The Primary Round of bidding will close March 3rd at 1200 (CST).

If you have any questions regarding your vacation accrual, please email [email protected] for assistance.

Q1: My summary page in AVBA shows an accrual of 35 days and 6 max filler days. Does this mean I have a total of 41 vacation days?
A: No, you have a total of 35 days. The number of max filler days displayed on the summary page is based on your total days accrued.

Q2: What is a filler day and why would I want to designate filler days?
A: A filler day is an accrued vacation day that you decide to set aside during the annual vacation bid. You may set aside up to 20% (or a maximum of six (6) days) of your vacation days as filler days. These days are subtracted from your accrued vacation days. If you designate filler days during the annual vacation bid, you will bid to schedule the days during the monthly filler day bids throughout the year. You may want to utilize filler days to bid to have a holiday off that you can’t hold in the annual bid or to add one more days to an existing vacation block.

Q3: I am supposed to have carry-forward days. Why are they not included in my accrual total?
A: Carry-forward days from the prior fiscal year will not appear in your accrual until the secondary round for vacation bidding opens on March 9th.

Q4: Why would I use a descending date range?
A: A descending date range allows you to prioritize your bid starting with a later date going in reverse chronological order. For example, if you want to prioritize the end of December over the beginning of December for a seven day block, you would enter 12/31/2021 as your start date and 12/02/2021 as your end date. The system would look at 12/31 going backwards for seven days, then 12/30 for seven days, until it can award you a seven day block.

Q5: Can I split my vacation as many times as I would like throughout the fiscal year?
A: A Flight Attendant must bid vacation in periods of four (4) or more consecutive days, provided that a Flight Attendant may bid one (1) block of either one (1), two (2) or three (3) consecutive days per year. There shall be no limit on the number of vacation days a Flight Attendant may bid in a month.

Q6: I am on an EVLOA. Do I participate in vacation bidding?
A: Yes. EVLOA/STLOA participants will be included in the annual AVBA bidding during their leave in the event their EVLOA/STLOA may be canceled. Any vacation awarded or assigned in the AVBA and falls within a leave footprint, and not monthly rebid, will be cancelled and become unscheduled vacation days that will carry forward. Cancelled days will be added to the monthly rebid process for active Flight Attendants to bid.

Q7: Where can I find more information on how to bid for vacation?
A: The Flight Attendant Vacation User Guide contains detailed information on the annual vacation bid and award process.

Due to the limited number of vacation buybacks awarded this year, you may want to bid more selections that you normally would bid. For general questions about vacation bidding, you may email an APFA Contract and Scheduling Rep. on duty at [email protected].

In Solidarity,

Marti McMillan
APFA National Scheduling Chair
[email protected]