AFA Debrief: May 09, 2023

Date: May 9, 2023

AFA Debrief – May 9, 2023

• Vacation Trade Options Increase the Value of our Vacation
• ALS Month: Support Wings Over Wall Street
• AFA Supplemental Benefits Open Enrollment
• May 12th United Airlines Pilots Nationwide Informational Picket

Vacation Trade Options Increase the Value of our Vacation

Flight Attendants can modify awarded vacation periods using the following options:

• Open Time Trades by Seniority
• Instant Trades with Open Time
• Flight Attendant to Flight Attendant Trades

Information on these various contract provisions is included in our annual vacation guide. The guide provides a comprehensive explanation of all timelines, a glossary of terms, times/dates, and other information important to making a successful modification to any awarded vacation period.

As it pertains to Vacation Trades, one aspect of the trading process is only available during the annual vacation bidding period while the other trading opportunities exist across the year.

Open Time Trade by Seniority Request – Available only during Annual Vacation Bid

Open Time Trades by Seniority trade window opens on November 24 at 8:00 AM (HDT) and will close on November 30 at 8:00 AM (HDT). The “OT Trade by Sen” option is only visible while the trading window for Open.

Instant Trades with Open Time

Instant trade requests open on December 5 for the following vacation year, and must be submitted 30 days before the 1st day of the earliest bid (with an exception for January vacations per Section 12.H.). Bids shall be awarded in the order received. Successful submission of a bid will be confirmed, but that does not mean that the trade has been awarded. Instant trades sometimes take a short amount of time to process after submission, so it’s important that you make sure you see the award and not just the submission.

Flight Attendant to Flight Attendant Trades

A Flight Attendant may trade vacation periods with another Flight Attendant in the same base. Requests must be submitted no later than 2359 HDT on the 15th of the calendar month before the earliest bid months involved in the trade. Additionally, trade requests must be submitted by both Flight Attendants trading.

Requests must be submitted no later than 2359 HDT on the 15th of the calendar month before the earliest of the bid months involved in the trade. Vacation trade requests must be submitted by both Flight Attendants involved.

An electronic bulletin board is available for Flight Attendants to advertise vacation trades in CCS. You may access this area through CCS > Trading > Electronic Bulletin Board > Advertisements > Other Ads > Vacation Trade.

In terms of the timing of Flight Attendant to Flight Attendant trades, mutual trades begin as soon as the Open Time Trades by Seniority awards are published. For awareness, the trade award process for Flight Attendant to Flight Attendant trades is manual and is completed daily. Every effort is made to complete the trade within 72 hours of its submission.

To access these options in CCS, go to the Vacation Page > My Vacation. You will see the list of effective dates for your various vacation periods. On the left of each date is an arrow, which when selected provides any of the trade options available for that vacation period (in addition to an option to Fly Through.) 

If you have additional questions, please contact your Local Council.

ALS Month: Support Wings Over Wall Street

AFA Members Toni Diamond and Warren Schiffer became founders of the extraordinary benefit "Wings Over Wall Street" after Toni was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Together, they turned their greatest challenge into inspiring work to fight ALS through research funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). In 2004, we lost our flying partner, Toni, but her caregiver husband, Warren, continues this work in her memory.

"Wings" brings together the spirit of our work in the skies, the financial contributions of Wall Street, and events throughout the month of May. While “Wings” has accomplished a great deal by raising millions, none of this would have been possible without the support of Union Members and the generosity of the business community.

Read more about the ALS and visit MDA's Wings Over Wall Street for more info about the program. We ask that you please support the MDA through Wings Over Wall Street by donating. 

AFA Supplemental Benefits Open Enrollment

It's that time of the year again when United AFA Members are presented with the opportunity to enroll in AFA Voluntary Supplemental Benefits.

We're happy to announce, in partnership with Allstate via Design Benefits and Continental American Insurance Company (CAIC) via National Group Protection, enhanced plans will be available to all United AFA Members as we've done in the past.

Our annual AFA Open enrollment will take place from May 8 to May 26, 2023. 

To learn more, keep an eye out for further details on our website or check out the supplemental benefits information on our MEC website.

May 12th United Airlines Pilots Nationwide Informational Picket

On Friday, May 12, 2023, the Airline Pilots Association, ALPA, will conduct a nationwide informational picket to demonstrate the United Pilot’s resolve and solidarity in achieving an industry leading contract. The event is open to all pilot groups and all airline labor groups.

We encourage you to join our Union siblings, in full uniform, in a show of solidarity. When we support each other at our events, we become stronger than we could on our own. We are all in this together, and we’re not done until we all have an Industry Leading Contract ratified by our collective Memberships.

A part of the pilot informational picketing structure is a captain briefing, which outlines the specifics of what to expect and what to do.

It cannot be overstated enough that our strength and power come directly from our solidarity, and that solidarity extends beyond just our Flight Attendants. Information on the location, time, and other details are available through Informational Picket - ALPA

Reminders:

MAY – Mental Health Awareness Month
MAY – Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
MAY – Jewish American Heritage Month
MAY 08 – 26 – AFA Annual Supplemental Benefits Open Enrollment
MAY 12 – United ALPA Picketing Event
MAY 14 – Mothers’ Day
MAY 29 – U.S. Memorial Day

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