9.03.21 – APFA MIA Base Brief – October 2021 Allocations

Friday, September 3, 2021

October 2021 Staffing and Allocations

All,

In October, we will see a 12.2% pulldown in MIA flying compared to September. This is typical for this time of the year. The system flying is down 21.6% from pre-COVID levels, and Miami is down 32.5%. We expect the winter flying to increase significantly with the return of IPD flying, and the increased headcount with the returning EVLOAs. We are optimistic that we will see movement around the system as the flying ramps up. Ultimately our goal is seeing all displaced Flight Attendants return to Miami.

I’m pleased that the reserve percentages are trending downward. For October, the plan is to have 334 reserves which represents 14.1%. This is down from 14.5% in September. Finally, it appears the Company is using historical data for more realistic percentages. I encouraged the Company to continue using the historical data as we move ahead to the holiday months.

The line averages for October will increase to 82.3 hours up from 77.3 hours in September. This is largely due to the Company adding more synthetic time into the allocations.

The total block hours will be 133,808 down from 150,144 last month. The available headcount is up slightly, and there will be no planned VLOAs. We did ask for a small number, and the Company is evaluating the numbers.

For the past year, APFA has insisted that the Company change the parameters of how the sequences are optimized. We have stressed the importance of reducing the length of the duty day, along with the number of legs contained in each duty period. Starting in October, the Company has agreed to add 2% more synthetic time, and shorten the duty day anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours and reduce the number of legs in each duty period. I will continue to address the 4-leg turns, as I have stressed to the Company, they drive up the lost time. They have agreed to split apart a couple of those sequences in October, but unfortunately, they will operate on certain days. While you will see an improvement overall, we still have a long way to go in reducing fatigue and creating more desirable sequences.

Daily 787 service to CDG is planned to return starting on October 30. The second EZE is also planned to startup on October 30. It will operate daily on the 787 with a 40-hour layover. APFA has exclusivity on the second roundtrip to EZE. All other IPD flying will remain the same for October except for some minor changes in departure times.

• There will be daily NIPD turns on the 787 to GYE, CLO, UIO, and PAP.
• 777 Domestic turns will include LAX, CLT, DFW, LAS, JFK, and PHL.
• LAX will operate a daily roundtrip on the 777 with a 15-hour layover.
• JFK will operate a 1/1 daily on the 777 which can be doubled up.
• BOS will operate two daily 1/1 sequences on the 777. (The early one can also be doubled up.)
• There will be an increase turns and a decrease in 3-day trips.
• 2-day and 4-day trips will be about the same as last month.
• ODANs will increase slightly.

 

Here are the staffing numbers and trip composition numbers:

Total block hours for October 2021: 133,808

• MIA: 120,535
• FLL: 5,963
• PBI: 2,961
• MCO: 2,429
• ATL: 1,920

 

In Solidarity,

Randy Trautman
APFA MIA Base President
[email protected]

Heidi Morgan
APFA MIA Base Vice President
[email protected]