5.03.22 – June 2022 Reserve Percentages and Line Averages

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

June 2022 Reserve Percentages and Line Averages

This morning, manpower planning presented APFA Leadership with the projected line averages and reserve percentages for the June 2022 bid month.

The numbers are alarming: the percentage of Flight Attendants serving reserve in every base is unacceptable, and the line averages are higher than we have seen in any recent memory. Judging by the reaction of the manpower planning and flight service departments to the questions and comments from your APFA Leadership on our allocations call, Flight Attendant staffing is spread too thinly compared to the block hours American plans to fly in June.

Manpower planning continues to communicate that they are basing the monthly staffing numbers on 2019 data, even though 2019 average reserve utilization in every base did not come close to the reserve guarantee of 75 hours. Manpower planning laid the blame squarely on the Flight Attendants for the inflated reserve numbers and was silent when APFA challenged the inhumane sequence construction.

Alert: June 2022- Flex Month

Manpower planning has advised us that they intend to flex the hours by two (2) hours per JCBA 10.D.13.d. This flex allows manpower planning to build lines of flying between 72 and 92 hours instead of the non-flex parameters of 70 to 90 hours. The flex will notaffect reserve flight attendants; reserve flight attendants will still be able to call out of time at 85:01 for June 2022. The reserve monthly max will remain at 90 hours.

What does this mean for you when bidding in PBS?

When bidding your Target Credit Range (TCR), you want to make sure that at least one of your layers incorporates a TCR with a minimum of 72 hours. We have seen a required minimum in PBS for most bases for the past several months and expect to see the minimum go all the way to the most senior Flight Attendant in the base. Many bases have had two different minimum hourly requirements for several months, with even the most senior Flight Attendants in the base awarded 78 hours.

Could American offer vacation buyback to help lower the reserve numbers and line averages?

APFA Leadership asked for vacation buyback to be offered to help lower the line averages, reduce the number of reserves, and increase the number of lineholders. The company was unwilling to offer the vacation buyback or to reduce the number of reserves. Manpower planning was clear on this morning’s call: there is no staffing issue for June 2022, and they do not foresee a need to offer vacation buyback.

Sequence Construction: When will American acknowledge the problem?

APFA Leadership repeatedly brought up the issue of inhumane sequence construction across the system. The problem is obvious- sequences with duty days built close to maximum legalities, coupled with excessive sits, create too many undesirable sequences that cannot be completed when a storm moves through a hub. These sequences quickly fall apart during irregular operations, and consequently, crew scheduling blows through all available reserves while covering pieces of broken sequences.

Even with the company violating our contract and using lineholders as reserves when they are desperate, they still deplete reserve pools in most bases.

During irregular operations, crew tracking, crew scheduling, and the hotel/ limo desk continue to fail many of our crew members. Management has told us that we will see relief from contractual violations, lack of hotels and transportation, and inhumane trip construction. We have yet to see real improvements in all of these areas, and management’s assurances continue to fall short.

Skyrocketing reserve percentages and inflated line averages are not the answer. Enough is enough.

In Solidarity,

Julie Hedrick, National President
Larry Salas, National Vice President
Josh Black, National Secretary
Erik Harris, National Treasurer

Amy Milenkovic, BOS Base President
Scott Hazelwood, CLT Base President
John Pennel, DCA Base President
Amber De Roxtra, DFW Base President
John Nikides, LAX Base President
Christian Santana, LGA Base President
Randy Trautman, MIA Base President
Susan Wroble, ORD Base President
Kim Kaswinkel, PHL Base President
Robin Agee, PHX Base President
Tim Schwartz, SFO Base President