Reserve Information Packet

Prepared by: Debora Sutor (MEC Grievance Chair) & Armando Ramos (System Board member). Updated (Sept, 2006) by Armando Ramos (System Board Member)

QFirst, it’s very important that you Read and Understand your contract new AFA-AE 2005!

QKnowing your contract will allow you to challenge Crew Scheduling whenever you believe they’re doing something wrong and it’s a violation of your contractual rights.

QRemember; when you talk to Crew Scheduling there are certain guidelines you must follow:

·         Always, always, always get the name of the person you talk to and the time and date of the call.

·         Avoid being disrespectful to the Scheduler. Sometimes they may be disrespectful to you, but remember that all calls are recorded. If they say you were rude and you weren’t, we can always go back and listen to the tape to see who disrespected whom.

·         If you’re told to go to the aircraft to do a flight, while on the phone with a Scheduler, ensure it’s in your HI1 & HI3 before proceeding to the aircraft. That is the only proof and documentation you’ll have, in the event you have to defend yourself if something goes wrong. Ex. (pay credit, etc.) 

·         Print and save a new copy of your HI3 each time your schedule is changed. Again, this will serve as proof of the history of your schedule in the event something goes wrong.

QNow, I’ll give you some definitions and examples of different situations.

1.“Check out time” means the time a F/A is released from duty as set for the in Section 7.B. of the Agreement, which normally will be fifteen minutes (:15) after block-in of a flight or thirty minutes (:30) after block-in of a flight where customs clearance is required.

Ex. If your flight blocked-in at 15:25, your actual release time is 15:40. If your flight blocked-in at 20:11 and you have to clear customs and immigration, then your actual release time will be 20:41. You must also remember to call crew scheduling to be released.

2. “Schedule on Duty” means that you will not be scheduled to be on duty more than 14 hours per duty period. However, you can be required to remain on duty up to 16 hours if you experience weather or mechanical problems or assigned new flying. (Section 7 paragraph C.1.)

Ex. This means that your schedule, on paper can never exceed 14 hours however, you may need to exceed the 14 hours in actual practice to accommodate unforeseen circumstances such as weather or mechanical. You cannot be on duty for more than 16 hours in actual practice. If you ever find yourself in this situation, let Crew Scheduling know that you’re about to be illegal for flight. Once you tell them, they will be held responsible if they tell you that its OK for you to fly but you end up with 16:01. Remember the conversations are taped. A detailed duty time and rest chart can be found on the MEC website.

3. “Days Off” –You are guaranteed 11 days off per month. When you are required to fly on one of your guaranteed days off, the day off will be given back to you in the same month when possible but no later than the following month. You are not required to work more than two of your guaranteed days off in any bid period. (Section 7 paragraph D.5.)

Ex. Unfortunately the Company may Junior Man you to work on one or two of your guaranteed minimum 11 days off. However, your day(s) off must be given back to you that same month or next month at the latest. There is an RF entry you must do in DECS to request your payback day or days off (see RF message list on the last page). Additionally, your 11 guaranteed minimum days off must be in your domicile.

4. As a RSV F/A you are allowed to trade days off or days of availability with other RSV F/A’s, pick up from Open Time, and you can also pick up a trip from a line-holder on your days off and as long as it doesn’t create a conflict your RSV duty. You can also engage in Optional Exchanges.

Ex. You can swap your days off for another RSV Flight Attendants days off or, you can swap your days of availability with another Reserve Flight Attendants days of availability. This can help you to be flexible and get days off that you need. You can also do a one way trade known as an Optional Exchange. This means that you can help a fellow Reserve Flight Attendant by simply picking up one of their days of availability and working for them, thus giving them a day off they may need. Additionally, if you pick up Open Time or a trip from another Flight Attendant, you can still trade it, drop it or get another Flight Attendant to work it for you, if something comes up after you’ve picked up the time.

5. “Golden Days” – means a set of three days off in domicile for Reserve Flight Attendants that cannot be removed or changed by the Company or on which a Flight Attendant cannot be otherwise made available for duty by the Company.

Ex. While Golden Days protect you from being involuntarily given an assignment by the Company, you can pick up Open Time, pick up time from another Flight Attendant or trade these days. When trading, keep in mind that Golden Days may only be swapped as a complete set or block of days (Section 7.D.2.). You may not trade only one Golden Day. Please also be aware that once you pick up Open Time or time from another Flight Attendant, you will lose your protective status and will be considered to be available. This means that while you may not be given additional Reserve flying, you may be extended or Junior Manned in accordance with Section 8.K. of the agreement.

6. “Junior Manning” is when the company involuntarily assigns you a trip on your days off. You need to know and confront Crew Scheduling, if you’re Junior Manned and believe you were not assigned correctly. Crew Scheduling must follow the guidelines as listed under Section 8 paragraph K of the agreement. The checklist must be followed in the exact order as listed in the contract as follows:

·         Flight Attendant who have requested Sick Leave Make-up.

·         F/A who have volunteered for drafting assignments and are in the drafting list at the time of the assignment.

·         Available RSV’s (on RAP, finishing a trip, not yet started a trip, etc. excluding Airport Reserves in the domicile.

·         Available RSV’s (on RAP, finishing a trip, not yet started a trip, etc) including Airport Standbys in the domicile.

·         The most junior available F/A in the domicile, on a day(s) off.

·         The junior available F/A from another domicile, on a day(s) off.

Ex. This one is common sense, if you’re on days off DON’T ANSWER YOUR PHONE, if your caller ID shows those notorious words: “call one”, “unavailable”, etc. When you’re on days off, you are not required to answer calls from the company or return calls to Crew Scheduling and they don’t have to be aware of your whereabouts. Once you have answered the phone however, and Crew Scheduling has been able to make positive contact, you will have to do the assignment. If you are Junior Manned, you will receive pay and credit at 150% of you applicable hourly rate of pay for all of the hours as set forth in Section 4. You can also find a more detailed checklist for Junior Manning of the MEC website. It can be printed and you should carry it with you.

7. “Released from RSV duty” means when you’re on RSV duty at home, you may request to be release for a period of time when there is adequate staffing. (Section 9 paragraph B.3.)

Ex. If you need to do your laundry or go to the supermarket, or whatever reason you may have, you can call Crew Schedule and ask them to release you for a few hours while you do your laundry or go grocery shopping. To be honest with you, they will only do it if they have more than 20 F/A’s on RSV duty at home. My advice to you is, get a cell phone or pager, pack your bag and leave it in your car or ready at home, same with your uniform and go out and “do your thing” whatever it might be. You may also request to drop days of reserve availability. If approved by swaps/drops, your monthly guarantee will be reduced by the value of a reserve day(s) dropped or (3:45 hrs per day).

8. “Full and Partial Releases” – Section 9.C.3. allows you to submit a preference for a full or partial release.

Ex.- If staffing permits, Crew scheduling may honor your request to be fully or partially released from a day of Reserve availability. You should submit this between the hours of 1000 and 1400 Central Time each day when submitting a list of your preferences. A request honored under these circumstances will not reduce your monthly guarantee.

9. Reserve Day Slide – Section 9.J. allows you to “slide” the beginning or end of a block of reserve days.

Ex.- Your slide request should be granted so long as reserve coverage is not comprised on the days you will now be off. If you are scheduled to be on availability Tues. – Sat. in a given week, you can request to slide the block of days to cover Sun. – Mon. If the slide is granted you will now be on availability Sun. – Thurs. and you will have Fri. – Sat. off. You will need to submit your request for reserve slide with an RF message. (please see RF message list on the last page)

10. Time Balancing – Section 9.C. references time balancing. It tells us that with the exception of the first day of each bid period, Reserve Flight Attendants will be placed on one list in inverse seniority order or accumulated credited hours (i.e. least time flown is first on the list).

Ex – We do not have a system of issuing assignments based on seniority or by submitting proffers, unlike some Reserve systems you may have worked under previously. Assignments are made based on least amount of credited hours accumulated. You may however enter certain preferences of assignments.

11. Preferencing - We operate under a system in which, Reserve Flight Attendants may submit a list of trips from open time that they would prefer (known as a preference). You may also submit a preference for Reserve Availability Periods, uncovered Airport

Reserve Periods and full and partial releases. Preferences will be submitted each day between 1000 and 1400 CST. 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. 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. For 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.

12. “Call Out Time” Section 9.E. states: The minimum call-out period will be two (2) hours prior to departure time.

Ex. Remember that call out times for all domiciles is 2 hours. You will have a maximum of 2 hours to report to the airport for your assignment. Don’t let Crew Scheduling tell you otherwise. The Union has had reports of Crew Scheduling calling a Reserve Flight Attendant, for example, at 12:00 PM for a flight scheduled to depart at 2:00 PM. They then advise the Flight Attendant that he/she has to sign in by 1:00 PM. When the Flight Attendant objected, the scheduler claimed that this was in accordance with the contract since it was now 12:00 and this is two (2) hours prior to departure. THIS IS NOT CORRECT! AFA has discussed this thoroughly with the Company and you have 2 hours to get to the airport and sign in after you have been contacted by crew scheduling. If you are able to make it to the airport before the two hours that is great, but you are not required to. If giving you your contractually required two-hour call out means that Crew Scheduling has to delay the flight, then so be it. Make sure you perform your required safety checks prior to boarding, even if you find yourself in this position and rushed.

13. Confused about RAPs and NAPs? It’s no wonder as the specifications are not really spelled out in the contract. Section 7 paragraph E. of our contract provides us with the applicable rest provisions for those of pilots as set forth under Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations including any modifications thereto during the life of the Agreement. What exactly does this mean to a new Flight Attendant who will be on Reserve? FAR 121.471(b) establishes a 24 hour “look back” from the end of a flight assignment during which appropriate rest must have been scheduled. Reserve time, while not defined in the FARs, is generally understood to be a period of time when a flight crewmember is not on duty but must be available to report upon notice for a duty period. Therefore, a Flight Attendant on Reserve could not be scheduled for or accept a flight assignment unless at the end of the flight assignment one could look back 24 hours and find the required amount of rest.

During a 24 hours period, a Flight Attendant must have a scheduled rest period of 9 hours which can be reduced to no less than a period of 8 hours. This is also known as a NAP or “non availability period.”

Flight Attendants can be assigned to an “availability” period that is 15 hours in length but may not exceed a maximum period of 16 hours in length during a 24 hour period. This is known as a RAP or “Reserve Availability Period.”

Simple math tells us if you add 8 (minimum reduced rest period) and 16 (maximum scheduled availability period) it totals 24 (the amount of hours in the look back period). These periods are examples of the bare minimum/maximum requirements.

For a more detailed explanation of RAPs and NAPs go to the MEC website and print the article.

14. To protect yourself in the event you are improperly assigned flying, during or immediately after a 7-day conflict, please review the following:

· You cannot fly 7 days in a row. You must be given one calendar (not a 24 hour duty free period) off after working 6 consecutive days.

· If you are unable to be returned to domicile and are placed into rest on the 7^th day in an outstation, due to cancellation, bad weather, mechanical or a duty time limitation - it is considered just that: rest and not a day off. Per section 2.P. of the collective bargaining agreement “Day Off” means a period of time between the hours of 0001 and 2400 based on local time at a Flight Attendants domicile, when a Flight Attendant shall be free of all duty with the Company.

· Your “Day Off” will commence upon return to your domicile the following day, regardless of any previously existing flying obligations. Follow up with crew scheduling to ensure you have been given your required “Day Off”.

· All of your 11 minimum days off must be given at your domicile.

· The removal code for a 7-day conflict is 7D. Reserve Flight Attendants, please be sure to count any 7D codes in your HI1 as an off day; If you are junior manned you may not qualify for a payback day.

· If Crew Scheduling will not cooperate ask for a supervisor and/or see your In-Flight Manager. Tell them AFA has informed you there is a sideletter of understanding between Management and the Union and dated July 15, 2002, in this matter and you are seeking your rights as provided in this letter. Sideletter W of the CBA.

15. The Association is pleased to notify you that we have reached a settlement agreement in a dispute between the parties which was challenged via an MEC grievance #22-99-2-43-01 “Assignment Past Standby Reserve.”  Please refer to Sideletter X of the CBA.

The Grievance arose as a result of the Company’s action of assigning flying to Airport Standby Reserves which departed more than forty-five minutes past the end of their assigned Standby Reserve period.  The Association maintained this was in violation of Section 9, Paragraph F., of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

 Prior to the actual arbitration of the case, the parties were able to reach a settlement. To better assist you in understanding the terms of the settlement, we offer the following examples of legal and illegal assignments. It is also important to remember that Section 9.F.3. requires assignments among Airport Reserve’s to be made in least time accrued order.

Examples of Legal Assignments For an Airport Reserve Shift Beginning

 at 0530 and Ending at 1330

1. Flight Attendant is signed in for his/her Airport Reserve shift, is contacted by crew scheduling and receives the following two day trip in its entirety:

1. Flight Attendant is signed in for his/her Airport Reserve shift, is contacted by crew scheduling and receives the following two day trip in its entirety:

SEQ  8190       BASE ORD  SEL  233 ORG SCH DOM EMJ             

FA1  SMITH M                EMP NBR 123456                     

    DT EQ  FLT STA DEP    STA ARR  AC FLY    GTR  GRD     ACT  

SKD 04 EB 4159 ORD 0810   GSP 1053    1.43        0.34          

SKD 04 EB 4362 GSP 1127   ORD 1217    1.50        1.05         

SKD 04 EB 4261 ORD 1322   PIT 1548    1.26        0.33         

SKD 04 EB 4344 PIT 1621   ORD 1655    1.34        0.42         

SKD 04 EB 4217 ORD 1737   CMI 1830    0.53                      

D/P SKD  7.26        P/C  0.00  TL  7.26                       

HALF DAY COUNT CMI  4                                          

                SKD TL  7.26  ACT TL  0.00                     

SKD ONDUTY 11.35 ODL  13.12                                     

SKD 05 EB 4401 CMI 0842   ORD 0934    0.52        0.45         

SKD 05 EB 4201 ORD 1019   LSE 1117    0.58        0.33         

SKD 05 EB 4202 LSE 1150   ORD 1246    0.56                     

D/P SKD  2.46        P/C  0.00  TL  2.46                        

                SKD TL  2.46  ACT TL  0.00                     

SKD ONDUTY  5.04                                               

SEQ SKD 10.12        P/C  0.00  TL 10.12 TAFB  29.51    

This is a legal assignment. The Flight Attendant’s duty day began at 0530 and was scheduled to end at 1845 for a total scheduled duty time of 13 hours 45 minutes. The “assigned trip” was scheduled to depart no later than forty-five minutes (:45) after the end of the Airport Reserve period. Remember, we look at the departure time of the trip as a whole and not the individual legs contained within sequence in this case to determine if the “assigned trip” was given within the (:45) legal assignment window.

1.     The Flight Attendant is signed in for his/her Airport Reserve shift, is contacted by crew scheduling and receives the following work assignment:

SEQ 28217       BASE DFW                   DOM EMJ             

DT EQ  FLT STA DEP    STA ARR  AC FLY    GTR  GRD     ACT  

SKD 02 E5 3533 DFW 0645   LIT 0754    1.09        0.31         

SKD 02 E5 3534 LIT 0825   DFW 0944    1.19        1.16    

The Flight Attendant completes this assignment and returns to domicile to sit the remainder of the Airport Reserve shift. At 1230 he/she is contacted by crew scheduling and receives the following new/additional work assignment:

SEQ  6506       BASE DFW                   DOM EMJ             

DT EQ  FLT STA DEP    STA ARR  AC FLY    GTR  GRD     ACT  

SKD 01 E5 3621 DFW 1410   LBB 1518    1.08        0.41         

This is a legal assignment. The Flight Attendant’s duty day began at 0530 and is scheduled to end at 1730 for a total scheduled duty time of 12 hours. The new/additional flying assigned departs 40 minutes after the scheduled end time of the Airport Reserve shift, therefore it is within the (:45) legal assignment window.

Examples of Illegal Assignments For an Airport Reserve Shift Beginning

 at 0530 and Ending at 1330

1. Flight Attendant is signed in for his/her Airport reserve shift and is contacted by crew scheduling and receives the following work assignment:

SEQ  7207       BASE SJU  SEL  245 ORG SCH INT ATR             

FA1  SMITH M               EMP NBR 123456                     

    DT EQ  FLT STA DEP    STA ARR  AC FLY    GTR  GRD     ACT  

SKD 08 53 9564 SJU 1400   SDQ 1510    1.10        0.25         

SKD 08 53 9844 SDQ 1535   SJU 1645    1.10        2.15         

SKD 08 53 5384 SJU 1900   EIS 1942    0.42                     

D/P SKD  3.02        P/C  0.00  TL  3.02                       

HALF DAY COUNT EIS  3                                          

                SKD TL  3.02  ACT TL  0.00                     

SKD ONDUTY  7.12 ODL  10.53                                    

SKD 09 53 5379 EIS 0750   SJU 0831    0.41        1.29     

The assignment is not legal. Although it’s scheduled depart 30 minutes after the scheduled end time of the Airport Reserve shift which of course, is within the (:45) assignment window, the Flight Attendant’s duty day is scheduled for over 14 hours. The Flight Attendant’s duty day began when he/she signed in at 0530 and would be scheduled to end at 1957. This would be a total scheduled duty time of 14 hours and 27 minutes and would therefore not be legally assigned trip.

1. Flight Attendant is signed in for his/her Airport Reserve shift, is contacted by crew scheduling and receives the following work assignment:

SEQ 14104       BASE BOS                   DOM EMJ             

DT EQ  FLT STA DEP    STA ARR  AC FLY    GTR  GRD     ACT  

SKD 04 EB 4638 BOS 0656   DCA 0830    1.34        2.30          

SKD 04 E4 4546 DCA 1100   BOS 1215    1.15                     

D/P SKD  2.49        P/C  0.00  TL  2.49                       

                SKD TL  2.49  ACT TL  0.00                     

SKD ONDUTY  6.34                                                

SEQ SKD  2.49        P/C  0.00  TL  2.49 TAFB   6.34     

The Flight Attendant completes this assignment and returns to domicile to sit the remainder of the Airport Reserve shift. At 1300 he/she is contacted by crew scheduling and receives the following new/additional work assignment:

SEQ 14036/15227 BASE BOS             DOM EMJ             

FA1  SMITH M              EMP NBR 123456                     

    DT EQ  FLT STA DEP    STA ARR  AC FLY    GTR  GRD     ACT  

SKD 04 E4 4644 BOS 1420   BGR 1515 CH 0.55        0.30         

      SKD 04 E4 4649 BGR 1545   BOS 1640 CH 0.55        2.20

The assignment is not legal. Although the Flight Attendant’s total scheduled duty time for the day is at legal at 11 hours and 25 minutes, the new/additional flying is scheduled to depart 50 minutes past the end of the scheduled Airport Reserve shift and has therefore exceeded the (:45) legal assignment window.

The following are some codes you’ll need while on Reserve that you should keep with you as reference.  

DECS codes:

HI1.………………..To see your current months schedule.

HI2.………………..To see your last months schedule prior to the opening of the monthly schedule bid for the next month bidding, once bids for the next month are final and closed this entry (HI2) will show you your next month schedule.

HI3.………………..To see your current or last assignment.

HI4 …………………To see your last assignment, only works once you have begun or signed in for your current assignment.

HI5.………………..To see your next assignment (only works after you confirm your next day assignment).

HI6.………………..To retrieve your messages (HI6A & HI6P to print).

HI16……………….To retrieve your already read messages for that day.

HI*9.……………….To retrieve your qualifications record (after IOE).

HI12/month………To retrieve your actual monthly up to date per diem.

HI33/D/date/R …….To view RSV list

NS/flight# …………To view who your flight crew is

NST/flight#/date/base …..To view your crew with their nicknames

N3DO/base//date …………To view available open trips

N3DR/base//date …………To view at what time a particular trip opened and why the trip became open.

N3D/base//date …….To see what individuals were awarded available open time on any given day.

N4D/base/aircraft type/date ….Open time that includes the number of days of scheduled flying, number of legs scheduled each day, and overnight city.

RF 200 RSV ….To submit your reserve preferences for the next day coverage.

RF 200 TRAD ………To swap days off with another F/A (both F/A’s must do the same entry in their individual personal mode).

RF 200 RTD ……………..To submit a request for a payback day.

RF 200(base) DROP ……………To submit a request to drop a whole RSV day (comes out of your guarantee 75 hrs.) Example: RF 200D DROP ... means you are a DFW F/A dropping a RSV day.  RF 200M DROP …means you’re a MIA F/A dropping a RSV day.  Base codes: LGA=L, BOS=B, MIA=M, SJU=S, DFW=D, ORD=O & LAX=X. 

RF 200 DTT ……...To submit when you want to drop a trip or RSV day prior to recurrent training.

RF 200 GOLD ……To submit when training conflicts during your Golden Days off.

RF 200 SWAP ……To submit a reserve swap within your own schedule.

RF 200 FULL……. To submit a request, for a full open time sequence pick up.

RF 200 PART…….To submit a request, for a partial open time sequence pick up.

RF 200 OUT……...To submit to pick up a sequence out of your base/domicile, regardless of full or partial pick up.

HIPH/H/home number…To add your home phone number (substitute the /H/ for /B/ to add business phone number and /T/ to add temporary phone number)  

 The Association hopes this packet will be of some help for you. The key to avoiding stress while on RSV is to know your contract. Know your rights and know what Crew Scheduling can and can’t do. If you’re new to “Eagle” welcome, happy and safe flying!!!