12.03.21 – APFA LAX Base Brief – Update for Friday, December 3, 2021

Friday, December 3, 2021

APFA LAX Base Brief

Hey All,

This update will cover 3 topics:

January 2022 Staffing Report
January 2022 Allocations Report
Other Updates

The January 2022 Staffing and Allocations call was held earlier today.

January 2022 Staffing Report

LAX Reserve Numbers

January 2022: 522 (25.5%)
December 2021: 585 (27.9%)
November 2021: 297 (14.8%)
October 2021: 264 (15.1%)
September 2021: 256 (14.8%)
August 2021: 332 (19.1%)
July 2021: 383 (22.0%)
June 2021: 340 (19.7%)

System Reserve Average

January 2022: 27.2%*
December 2021: 26.0%
November 2021: 16.2%
October 2021: 16.2%
September 2021: 21.1%
August 2021: 19.6%
July 2021: 21.8%
June 2021: 21.1%

*Reserve percentages across all bases for January 2022 range from a high of 32.3% to a low of 22.3%

System Reserve Seniority – January 2022

LAX Headcount – January 2022

Total Headcount: 2,264
Inactive/PPO: 220
Lineholders: 1,522
Reserves: 522

LAX Headcount – December 2021

Total Headcount: 2,279
Inactive/PPO: 64
Lineholders: 1,511
Reserves: 585

System Headcount – January 2022

Total Headcount: 23,723
Inactive/PPO: 1,946
Lineholders: 15,845
Reserves: 5,932

System Headcount – December 2021

Total Headcount: 23,164
Inactive/PPO: 1,595
Lineholders: 15,968
Reserves: 5,601

LAX Targeted Line Average: 82.2 Hours

System Targeted Line Average: 82.0 Hours

Targeted line average range from a high of 82.8 to a low of 81.1

Zero VLOAs systemwide

Analysis

RESERVE NUMBERS REMAIN EXCESSIVE AT ALL BASES. The refusal of the company to consider creative options…such as my repeated comprehensive proposal for a form of availability…continue to feed this growing problem.
The company’s answer to every problem is to put more of us on reserve, rather than admitting to the endemic problems such as flight attendant mask and pandemic fatigue; passenger misconduct; the overall exhaustion of the workforce; inhumane trip construction and the abuse of reserves.
The staffing numbers and block hours for JANUARY 2022 are very similar to DECEMBER 2021. When PBS ran for DECEMBER, it imposed a 70 hour minimum at seniority number 1786, and a 78 hour minimum at seniority number 14864. We are likely to see minimums imposed for JANUARY 2022.
During the call, most of us expressed how unacceptable the excessive reserve numbers are. I added p, and argued, that the refusal by the company to acknowledge that reserve itself is broken; that, as a workforce, we are exhausted and pushed beyond our limits; and that simply putting ever-increasing numbers on reserve is clearly not the answer. I enjoined the company and the union to find creative ways to fix reserve to make it humane and palatable. We have hundreds of flight attendants systemwide forced into a commuting situation by virtue of displacement. We have hundreds of people forced onto reserve who carried beepers when they last served reserve. The situation that the company has created, and refuses to acknowledge, is NOT a senior issue and NOT s junior issue. Its tentacles extend throughout our workforce. I ended my comments with a warning that we CANNOT wait for a ratified contract. We need relief NOW. I have already provided my own proposals multiple times since late 2018.

January 2022 Allocations Report

LAX Total Block Hours

January 2022: 115,198
December 2021: 114,848
November 2021: 122,878
October 2021: 110,101
September 2021: 102,229
August 2021: 106,746
July 2021: 107,921
June 2021: 107,923

Co-Terminal and Satellite Block Hours – January 2022

LAS: 1,436
ONT: 4,706
SAN: 1,876
SNA: 6,014

Co-Terminal and Satellite Block Hours – December 2021

LAS: 1,484
ONT: 4,718
SAN: 1,994
SNA: 5,918

System Block Hours

January 2022: 1,205,731
December 2021: 1,223,645
November 2021: 1,249,726
October 2021: 1,191,749
September 2021: 1,109,917
August 2021: 1,173,936
July 2021: 1,208,391
June 2021: 1,035,572

The number of FOUR-DAYS is still way too high. It is apparent that the company refuses to track individual trips when it comes to sick calls. If they did, they would see the high number of four-days that end up in Open Time and on ETB.
LGA is at 19% four-days, ironically, CLT, the base which a few years ago fought for four-days is sitting at 6%. There is just no rhyme or reason to this, or virtually all the company’s decisions.
The high number of three- and four-day trips drive higher reserve numbers. They are more difficult to cover with reserves, and often end up being being broken up for coverage.

ODANs – 0 Positions per Day

Analysis

Not enough turns. Not enough high-time turns.
Too many four-days.
Too much unproductive time in sequences. Too much sit time.
SYD returning for January 2022.
HND – Japan has imposed restrictions on foreign inbound travelers. This could potentially delay the return to HND, which we all hoped would occur by March 2022.
LHR – Second LHR anticipated by Summer 2022.
AKL/CHC – A return to NZ is based on a lifting of travel restrictions and aircraft availability.
787 deliveries delayed by Boeing. Only one of an order or 18 has been delivered.
No word on SEA.

SYD Flying Information

All crew will be treated as if they are unvaccinated
COVID testing prior to departure from LAX is voluntary, not mandatory
COVID testing upon arrival is no longer required
All crew will ride in the same transport to the layover hotel
The layover hotel will be back at the Marriott Sydney Harbour
All crew will be required to self-isolate in their individual rooms during their entire layover at the Marriott
In-room dining (discount will be provided) and food delivery services are allowed
All crew will ride in the same transport from the hotel back to the airport

Staffing and the Return of Services are Huge Problems

With absolutely no consideration given to the challenges we are all facing on a daily basis, the company restored (and, in some cases, exceeded pre-pandemic levels of service, drastically increasing workload while refusing to return staffing. The on-board situation the company has created is untenable and unsustainable.

While we like having a nice product to present, we need the staffing to do it. Staffing reductions imposed in the darkest days of the pandemic…with a reduced product…were difficult even then, and are virtually impossible now.

In some cases, AA HDQ cubicle dwellers have added more service than was provided prior to the pandemic. For example, the AFS Dine-and-Rest now includes a choice of three desserts including made-to-order sundaes…components which were not part of the pre-pandemic service. In many cases, it would take almost entire flight to do the service…which is particularly ironic with a service called “Dine and Rest”…a service which was originally conceived to provide passengers with maximum sleep time.

Please continue to report these excessive services and burdensome workloads to:

There is also a Staffing Presidential Grievance filed by the APFA National VP. Larry Salas, due to go forward to arbitration the first quarter of 2022.

Please keep the reports coming on the excessive and burdensome workload imposed upon us. Do not be dissuaded by the company’s convenient excuses.

This is one of my many letters to the company disputing their arguments. In this case, it is a response to Brady Byrnes’ contention that the staffing reduction on AFS 3-class flights puts AA in line with UA and DL. Do they really think we don’t know about other airlines and what they offer?

Many of you have written extremely compelling letters detailing just how unsustainable this situation really is.

The current staffing on aircraft and on services where reductions were unilaterally made by the company is a safety issue; is a disservice to us; and unfair to the passengers.

Social Media

The company is pursuing social media complaints more aggressively than ever. Please be aware when posting. On a related note, please do not post crew names when posting sequences for trip trade requests. We have had a number of complaints relative to this issue, and the company has on occasion called people in for similar posts.

Holiday Peak Day and Perfect Attendance

Each base in the system has filed a Base Grievance disputing the company’s decision to eliminate flight attendants with such removals as Bereavement; etc. from eligibility for the 300 percent. These were filed to support APFA VP Larry Salas’ efforts to get the company to change its position. Please stay tuned to the Hotline for any developments.

Click Here for the Company’s revised FAQs

January 2022 Bidding Timelines