Topic:

Reserve Preferencing

March 2006

Q: I submitted four different preferences for next day trips and I’m the most senior flight attendant on Reserve in my base. Why didn’t I get my first choice preference?

A: Seniority only plays a role in the assignment of trips on the first day of each bid period. For the remaining days in each bid period, Reserve Flight Attendants in each domicile will be placed on one list in the inverse order of accumulated credited hour for the month, i.e., least time flown is first on the list. (reference Section 9.C.1. & 2.) This is known as time balancing.

Q: I proffered for several different trips and didn’t receive any of them. Why not?

A: The first thing to remember is that we do not have a proffer system of assigning trips. Instead, we operate under a system in which Reserve Flight Attendants may submit a list of trips from open time that they would prefer. Crew Scheduling will process reserve assignments in least time accrued order assigning trips based on Flight Attendant preferences while also taking your days of availability into account.

Example: If you have preferenced for all three-day trips and you only have two days of availability left, your preference will be passed over.

While the contract does not require the Company to absolutely grant each Flight Attendant’s preference it does require them to use their best efforts.

Example: If you are the Flight Attendant with the least time accrued, thereby placing you first on the time balancing list, and you preference for three different trips all of which you are legal and available for, and do not receive any of them, you may be able to show that crew scheduling did not use their best efforts to honor your preference. You should also note that if you are the only Flight Attendant with 4 days of Reserve availability and there is a 4 day trip open, you may be assigned to that trip, even if you did not preference for it.

Q: I don’t think that crew scheduling used their best efforts to honor my preference. How can I prove this?

A: Start by printing a copy of the HI33 for the day in question. This will show each Flight Attendant’s credited hours. Next print a copy of the open time that has been processed for that day. The DECS entry is; N3D/base/date. This list will show who was actually awarded the trip(s) you preferenced. If the trip(s) were given to someone with more hours, and you were legal, available and had at least the same amount of days of availability for the trip(s), you should have the proof you need to show that crew scheduling did not use their best efforts to honor your requested preference.