4.08.23 – APFA DFW Base Brief – May 2023 Staffing and Allocations

Saturday, April 8, 2023

May 2023 Staffing and Allocations
***Staffing Information is Preliminary and Subject to Change***

Manning Information:

• Total headcount: 6,877
• Available headcount: 6,363
• Lineholders: 4,971
• Reserves: 1,392 (21.9%)
• System Reserve: 20.3%
• Initial Reserve Seniority: 15362 (12AUG13)
• New Hires reporting to DFW in MAY: 127
• Vacancy transfers reporting on 02 JUN: 61 (25 NH)
• Expected opening line average: 82.0 hours
• Expected system line average: 81.3 hours

Important Timelines:

May Schedule Highlights:

Key Dates:

• Schedule change: Friday, May 05 and Thursday, June 01
• Contractual Month: Tuesday, May 02 thru Thursday, June 01
• Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 14
• Memorial Day: Monday, May 29

Holidays/Special Events:

• 33 Charters systemwide.
• Kentucky Derby (SDF) added frequencies and up gauged equipment 03MAY-07MAY.
• Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting (OMA) added frequencies and up gauged equipment 05MAY-07MAY.
• Walmart Shareholders Meeting (XNA) added frequencies and up gauged equipment 29MAY-30MAY.
• PGA Championship (ROC) up-gauged equipment 14MAY-22MAY.
• Indy 500 (IND) added frequencies and up-gauged equipment 25MAY-29MAY.

Bank Structure:

• DFW remains at eight banks operating on peak days with B9 narrow-body cuts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
• Memorial Day weekend B9 cancellations on Saturday and Sunday 27MAY-28MAY.

Allocations Information:

As summer approaches, the airline schedule expands with international and domestic markets returning. May has two schedule changes that add flying for the summer. With the increase in block time, line averages have increased for May. The company has indicated they expect higher line averages for the summer schedule. The base may also see double minimum constraints, as we have had before, so check your Target Credit Range (TCR) in PBS. The default TCR is 70-90 hours.Trip construction for May is similar to April, with a few improvements. Layover lengths on many two-day trips are shorter, allowing flexibility and commutability. Last month we asked the company to build two-day pairings with a 3-1 or 1-3 flying pattern to lessen time away from base (TAFB) and allow for more double-up opportunities. Overall, layover durations remain high, with layovers 12 hours and longer accounting for 96% of all domestic and NIPD pairings. We continue to ask for more productive trips, working fewer legs, and worth more time. Base leadership stressed to the company that improvements in trip construction are needed. Building desirable, productive pairings utilizing high value flying this summer is critical to improved quality of life for our members. DFW continues to push hard that NIPD trips be more pure, to utilize speakers productively and more humanely.

The company advised us on the allocations call that they did not have Chinese governmental approval for May’s third and fourth flights to PVG. Shanghai will operate weekly on Monday and Thursday until permission is granted. The base asked for a company communication to be sent out with detailed information regarding these changes and procedures for if/when the flights will be reinstated.

Special event flying for sporting events and conferences will increase frequencies and up-gauge equipment in select markets throughout the month. Additionally, narrowbody flying will be trimmed for B9 on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday. Bank cancellations on Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend may affect flying patterns and layover lengths.

DFW pushed back on reserve percentages for May. We asked crew planning to substantiate their monthly numbers and provide documentation on the determining factors driving reserve higher each month. APFA national has asked planning to track “system trips” to determine why some bases (DFW, CLT, ORD and MIA) have more than others and why pairings are breaking down, causing a need to build “repair” trips. We will continue to monitor these critical issues and hold the company accountable.

DFW received 382,137 block hours for May, an increase of 7,623 hours from April. STL satellite has 4,437 hours, whereas AUS will have 1,492 hours for May.

3FA and 4FA Sequence Durations:

• 1-Day: 29.4%
• 2-Day: 35.3%
• 3-Day: 30.5%
• 4-Day: 4.8%

3FA and 4FA Overnight Rest Distribution:

• Overnight Rest 11-12 hours: 3.8%
• Overnight Rest 12-14 hours: 30.9%
• Overnight Rest 14-16 hours: 26.2%
• Overnight Rest 16-24 hours: 31.6%
• Overnight Rest 24-34 hours: 7.3%
• Overnight Rest greater than 34 hours: 0.2%

3FA & 4FA Productivity:

• Credit Hours per Calendar Day: 5:02 hours
• Schedule Block Hours per Calendar Day: 4:30 hours
• Credit Hours per Duty Period: 5.31 hours

3FA & 4FA Sit Times:

• 2 Hours: 18.9%
• 2.5 Hours: 9.8%
• 3 Hours: 2.8%

3FA & 4FA Leg Distribution:

• 1-Leg: 30.2%
• 2-Leg: 47.4%
• 3-Leg: 21.1%
• 4-Legs: 1.2%

3FA & 4FA Duty Distribution:
Duty length is calculated including sign-in and release time.

• 3 hours or less of duty: 1.2%
• 3 to 4 hours of duty: 8.1%
• 4 to 5 hours of duty: 14.6%
• 5 to 6 hours of duty: 6.9%
• 6 to 7 hours of duty: 5.2%
• 7 to 8 hours of duty: 10.5%
• 8 to 9 hours of duty: 15.2%
• 9 to 10 hours of duty: 13.0%
• 10 to 11 hours of duty: 12.0%
• 11 to 12 hours of duty: 12.3%
• Greater than 12 hours: 1.0%

3FA & 4FA Block Distribution:

• 3 hours or less: 15.8%
• 3 to 4 hours: 18.8%
• 4 to 5 hours: 13.7%
• 5 to 6 hours: 18.9%
• 6 to 7 hours: 17.9%
• 7 to 8 hours: 11.4%
• 8 to 9 hours: 3.3%
• 9 hours or greater: 0.1%

DFW Combined Operation Percentage of Sequences:
All equipment – All positions

• 1-Day: 24.3%
• 2-Day: 29.9%
• 3-Day: 39.0%
• 4-Day: 5.0%
• 5-Day: 1.6%
• 6-Day: 0.3%

Designated email for Allocations and Manning questions and concerns:
[email protected]

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In Solidarity,

Amber De Roxtra
APFA DFW Base President
(682) 422-7179
[email protected]

Amy Knox Green
APFA DFW Base Vice President
(972) 696-9766
[email protected]