MEC Reserve Update - September 21, 2018

Date: September 21, 2018

MEC Reserve Update

Reserve Lines and Vacation  

September 21, 2018

 pdf version

We have received several questions from Flight Attendants who have Vacation days during the October bid month, and who will be on Reserve status. Specifically, these Flight Attendants have asked for clarification regarding required actions and/or flexibility options available in order to make the most of their time off. In effort to address some of these inquiries, we have compiled some additional information on Vacation fly-through, Vacation slide and Vacation Adjustments as they pertain to Reserves: 

Reserve Vacation Fly Through (Section 12.I.)

At their option, Reserves may elect to fly during their scheduled vacation. Any vacation time elected as Fly Through will be paid as “Add Pay” and is paid in addition to the Reserve guarantee. The type of fly through and the manner in which it is administered is determined by when the election is made: 

Ø  Non-Operational Fly Throughrequests must be submitted no later than 1000 HDT on the 5th day of the calendar month prior to the month the vacation is scheduled to begin. When a Flight Attendant elects for non-operational fly through and is awarded a Reserve line, the line will be awarded with the originally scheduled days on and/or off as they appeared in the bid packet with no Vacation days. The value of the Vacation days will be listed and paid as Add Pay.

Ø  Operational Fly Throughrequests may be made by contacting Crew Scheduling any time before the Vacation period begins. When a Flight Attendant elects for operational fly through after having been awarded a Reserve line, the Vacation days will be removed and will become days free from availability, appearing as “OFF” in the line. (In other words, Reserve days of availability that were part of the originally awarded line will not be restored.) The value of the Vacation days will paid as Add Pay. Reserves may only pick-up trips within the vacation period from another Flight Attendant (unless otherwise permitted by the company) once they have been released to the block of days off by scheduling, consistent with the provisions of JCBA Section 8.M.

Definition of a “Short Block” (12.C.1.c.)

There has understandably been some confusion about the definition of a “short block” as it pertains to Reserve vacation adjustments. The definition published in a recent One United communication seemed to conflict with our discussion on this topic at the MEC Reserve training, so we have followed up with the Union members of the  Joint Implementation Team (JIT) for clarification. 

Here is the mutually understood definition that will apply for Reserve vacation adjustments:

Reserves must maintain three (3) days or availability for the shortest trip in their base, whichever is greater. Any period of consecutive days shorter than this created by the application of vacation days is considered a “short block.”

Please contact the MEC Reserve Committee if you have any questions.

Reserve Vacation Slide Options (Section 12.G.2.a. and 12.G.3.)

1.    If a Lineholder in the current month will be transitioning to Reserve status in the new month and would like to retain a Lineholder trip that overlaps into a vacation that occurs in the next schedule month, the Flight Attendant may, as her/his option, move the vacation in order to fly the scheduled pairing. Requests to apply this option must be received by 1630 HDT on the 16th calendar day of the current month, as explained below and shown on the following page.

2.    A Reserve may move her/his vacation up to two (2) days in either direction, provided no new legality or short blocks are created. When this Vacation slide option is applied, any Reserve days of availability dropped prior to the slide will remain dropped and shall not be reinstated. Requests to apply this option must be received by 0800 HDT on the 19th calendar day of the month prior to the start of the Vacation period, as explained below and shown on the following page.

3.    Additionally, a Reserve who is awarded a vacation that does not include anydays of availability will be permitted to move her/his vacation a sufficient number of days forward or backward in order to encompass the nearest two (2) available Reserve days. If this creates a short block, it must be adjusted in accordance with Section 12.C.3. of the JCBA (see next page). Requests to apply this option must be received by 0800 HDT on the 19th calendar day of the month prior to the start of the Vacation period, as explained below and shown on the following page.

To request a Vacation slide:

 Select Vacation Slide Request under the Vacation tab in CCS:

This will open a .pdf request form in a new browser tab or window, as shown in the image on the next page. Complete the form by electronically filling in the blue information boxes and selecting the type of slide desired (in the example, a 12.G.3.a. slide request has been completed).                                          

Save the completed document, attach to an email and send to crwschedplan@united.com.

Reserve Vacation Adjustments (Section 12.C.3.)

After a Reserve receives her/his schedule for a bid month that includes a vacation period, the Reserve will have a period of five (5) days to adjust her/his vacation or schedule to eliminate any short blocks created by the vacation days. However, any short blocks abutting the first day of the following bid month do not need to be adjusted.

IMPORTANT NOTE:If the Reserve does not adjust her/his line to eliminate the short blocks within the adjustment time period, the company may adjust her/his schedule as described below, with the exception of dropping availability days.

Options when adjusting a short block:

1. The Reserve may drop the availability days in the short block and have her/his guarantee reduced accordingly. 
2. The Reserve may move availability days in the short block to other blocks within the month provided the move does not violate Reserve Line construction rules (e.g., minimum/maximum number of days of availability), except that days may be moved to create a short block at the end of the bid month.
3. The Reserve may move her/his vacation up to two (2) days in either direction, provided no new legality conflicts or short blocks are created. Since Reserve days of availability dropped prior to the slide are not reinstated, if a short block created by the original vacation position still exists following the slide, the Reserve may then have to use one of the other two methods to complete the adjustment.

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Council office.