10.12.21 – APFA PHX Base Brief – Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Minimum Reserve Call Out Time

It has come to our attention that the Company is, once again, reviewing all late sick calls and missed trips to verify if Reserve Flight Attendants are in base or able to report within the contractually required time for any sequence assigned in their RAPs. While you are not required to be “in base” for your RAP, you are required to be able to report within 2 hours of call out. (JCBA Section 12.H.1.) Several Flight Attendants at other bases have been terminated for not being able to meet their contractual obligation. And with the staffing issues due to weather, sick calls due to COVID, and staffing cancellations, the Company is very serious about ensuring we can meet the two (2) hour call out requirements.

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PBS and Holiday Bidding

Please be mindful of the upcoming holidays when bidding for November and December, especially if you are on Reserve. If you have any questions, please reach out to:

APFA Contract & Scheduling Desk
Call or text 817-540-0108
Monday – Friday, 0700 – 1900 (CDT)

APFA Live Messaging
Monday – Friday: 1500 – 2300 (CDT)
Weekends and Holidays: 0900 – 1700 (CDT)
(Link may be found on homepage of APFA.org)

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Allocations and Staffing

On Sunday, October 3rd at 0700, we had the monthly staffing call with the Company. In attendance for PHX were members of the APFA PHX Scheduling Committee:

• Robin Agee – [email protected]
• Secorra Flowers – [email protected]
• Scott Barnes – [email protected]

As we do each month, we discussed the available headcount, and number/percentage of reserves deemed necessary.For November, the preliminary numbers for the allocations call for PHX were:

• 917 Total Active Flight Attendants
• 739 Lineholders
• 178 Reserves (19.4%)

 

During the staffing call, a request was made to give each base a breakdown of the number of Flight Attendants returning in November from the Extended Voluntary Leave of Absence (EVLOA), as well as the number of Flight Attendants that were officially retired on 9/30/2021 from the Voluntary Early Out Program (VEOP).  PHX had 105 Flight Attendants removed from the seniority list due to the VEOP, and 81 Flight Attendants return to the line from the EVLOA for November. We have not yet received the numbers returning for December. The Company, when asked, said that no VLOAs were being considered for the November bid month.

On October 4th, the allocations call took place to discuss the sequence construction, type of trips (i.e. number of 1, 2, 3 and 4-day sequences, ODANs, red eyes, etc.), any contractual violations, the length of duty day and overnights.  For November, we see an increase of 2% in 2-day sequences; an increase of 3% in 3-day sequences with a 4% decrease in 1-day sequences. ODANs were increased from 1 to 6.1, and 4-day sequences had a 1% decrease to 4%. We also have an increase in over 1,956 hours for November.

As for the quality of the sequences, we are pleased that there are no 5-leg days, and the overnights are predominantly longer than the duty days we are working. While the sequences are not what we consider perfect, as there are still 4-leg days; we are still seeing a willingness by the Planning Department to work with APFA to build better quality of life sequences. However, as a reminder, the Company uses one solution when building the sequences, which means that most of the bases must be requesting the same type of flying, if the majority don’t have a problem with 4 leg days, and it’s not a contractual violation, then we will continue to see sequences with 4-leg days.  We are pleased to see wide body flying in PHX for the next few months. No definitive date has been given to the return of PHX-LHR. We are still being told that the projection is March of 2022.

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Remaining November Bidding Timelines

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Frequently Asked Contract Questions

Reserve Assignment

We are still receiving quite a few questions regarding when you can be contacted/assigned a sequence. Per JCBA Section 12.G.3. – “Flight Attendants may be assigned sequences or Standby shifts that report within a RAP prior to the start of the RAP. At the commencement of a RAP, Flight Attendants are responsible for reviewing and acknowledging all assignments through the automated system.“

What this means is you can receive a One Alert prior to the start of your RAP, but you are not required to acknowledge the assignment till your RAP begins.

Which brings us to JCBA Section 12.H.1. – “A Reserve shall be required to report within two(2) hours from the time she/he is notified of a sequence by Crew Schedule.”

What this means is if you are sent a One Alert at 9:25 for a sequence that checks in at 12:05, and your RAP C (11:00 till 23:00) you do not have to acknowledge the assignment till the beginning of your RAP, or 11:00. That makes the latest you can check in at the airport 13:00.

If you have any questions, please call APFA PHX at 800-595-1471. You can also call the Contract/Scheduling desk at APFA National 817-540-0108, or utilize the Live Chat feature on APFA.org.

Airport Standby Assignment

JCBA Section 11.E. is the table used to determine the length of day. The report time of the sequence determines your duty day max, not the report time of the standby shift.

L. ON-DUTY ALL-NIGHTER DUTY PERIODS (ODAN) – (Domestic and International)

As an exception to Paragraphs E., ODAN sequences consist of a single, stand-alone duty period which shall not be incorporated with any other duty period. An ODAN sequence includes all of the on-duty hours between 0100 and 0500 HBT. The Company may schedule ODAN duty periods subject to the following restrictions:

1. The ODAN duty period shall be scheduled for a maximum of fourteen (14) hours of duty however, the Flight Attendant may be required to remain on duty up to fifteen (15) hours to complete an ODAN sequence.

Return to Crew Base

Many still ask if the Company has to return us to base within 4 hours of our originally scheduled release time?

No. The language from the 1999 AWA Contract changed with the implementation of the 2013 US Airways Red Book Contract.

If you look at JCBA 10.J.7. it reads “at the time of rescheduling, the Company shall make every effort to schedule such Flight Attendant crew to arrive back in their crew base no later than the time she/he was originally scheduled to return. In no event will the Flight Attendant(s) be rescheduled beyond her/his originally scheduled return time unless the Company has unsuccessfully made every effort to provide Reserve coverage to continue the sequence from that point without causing a delay or cancellation…”

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Contract Reminders with the Holidays Approaching

JCBA Section 10.J.4 states that once a crew has originated their sequence, the Company may reschedule such crew to maintain schedule or substitute another crew on a part of the sequence to maintain scheduled operations in accordance with published timetables.  This is a mid-sequence reschedule and is legal. However, JCBA Section 10.J.7. states that at the time of the reschedule, the Company shall make every effort to schedule such Flight Attendant crew to arrive back in their crew base no later than the time she/he was originally scheduled to return.  In NO EVENT will the FA(s) be rescheduled beyond her/his originally scheduled return unless the Company has unsuccessfully made every effort to provide Reserve coverage to continue the sequence from that point without causing a delay or cancellation.  What this means is that if there are Reserves available, whether RAP or Standby, and the Company has sufficient time to put the Reserve on that sequence without further delaying the sequence, then you should not be rescheduled from your original sequence.

JCBA Section 8.G.1. “A Flight Attendant will not be required to work during a vacation.”
JCBA Section 8.J.4. “Once awarded, vacation shall not be cancelled by the Company”.
These two sections of the Contract are important to note. Within the last two weeks, we have successfully kept three Flight Attendants from being scheduled into their vacation due to flying added to the end of their sequence.

If you are on Reserve and get back from an assigned/awarded sequence later than originally scheduled, check your assignment for the next day. If it provides less than your contractual 12 hours rest, it is your responsibility to call scheduling.

If your last leg is a deadhead, please refer to JCBA Section 16.H. “A Lineholder scheduled to deadhead on the last live leg of her/his trip sequence may choose not to take the deadhead. The Lineholder shall notify Crew Schedule of her/his election prior to the scheduled deadhead.” This does not mean you have to ask permission to be released from your scheduled deadhead as a Lineholder. It simply means you call and say, “Hi this is FA Robin and I’m not taking my scheduled deadhead. Thank you, have a nice day.”

JCBA Section 16.H.1. “With Crew Schedule’s consent, a Reserve scheduled to deadhead on the last live leg of her/his sequence may choose not to take the scheduled deadhead, provided that she/he is available for her/his subsequent Reserve assignment.”
This does mean as a Reserve you must have Crew Scheduling’s permission to be released from your deadhead.

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Airport Standby

As a reminder, per JCBA Section 12.F.17.:

“A Standby must be available for immediate contact and assignment while on Standby duty but is not required to be in the Standby room.”

Flight Attendants sitting Airport Standby do not have 15 minutes to call Crew Scheduling back  as we do on a RAP.  Not answering your phone, or immediately calling back, could lead to a missed trip.

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Flight Service Quarterly Wed-Based Training
The third quarter combined Flight Service and Corporate web-based training (WBT) program has been loaded into Learning Hub. This training is required of all active Flight Attendants, including those returning from EVLOA.

Modules include:

• Basic Data Security
• Preventing Sexual Harassment
• The Inclusion Series
• What are Microaggressions?
• Welcome Back (EVLOA returns only)

 

You will receive $25 Training Pay for the completion of the modules. (JCBA Section 29.E.3.)

If you have any questions regarding the assigned WBT, please contact the Training Support Desk at 1-800-VIP-CREW Option 6 and then 1.

The deadline to complete this training is Monday, November 15, 2021, at 2359 (CST).

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2022 Annual Enrollment Begins October 14
2022 Annual Enrollment runs from October 14 to November 5, 2021. You will have until 11:59pm (CT) on Friday, November 5 to elect your 2022 benefits. This year, a printed guide will not be mailed to your home. You will find all your benefits information and several resources at my.aa.com/enrollment. Starting October 14, go to myenrollment.aa.com and click on Enroll at the top of the page to enroll in your 2022 benefits.
Click Here for the 2022 Annual Enrollment Cheat Sheet

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APFA PHX Phone Number
800-595-1471

• Ext. 1 – National Office and Contract & Scheduling Desk
• Ext. 2 – PHX Base President Robin Agee
• Ext. 3 – PHX Base Vice President Secorra Flowers
• Ext. 4 – Mandatory Meeting Representation
• Ext. 5 – Medical and Injury on Duty
• Ext. 6 – Reserves
• Ext. 0 – General Questions

 

Save the image below, for when you do not have access to the internet:

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

In Solidarity,

Robin Agee
APFA PHX Base President
480-238-2303
[email protected]

Secorra Flowers
APFA PHX Base Vice President
602-551-8116
[email protected]