Line Construction Process under the JCBA

As we move toward full implementation of the JCBA, the last Sections of the Contract affecting Flight Attendants pertains to the development of the monthly schedules.  The manner in which the schedules are developed have different origins in our Contract.   It has been negotiated that the language from the pmUAL Agreement, its history and precedent would be used.   The process is outlined in Section 30.L. of the Contract.

There are important differences in terms of how lines are created as well as the fact that lines are created based on utilization targets established by management.  Lines of flying are constructed so that the average of all the lines at each base is not less the sixty-nine (69) hours.  The average of the lines at all bases may not exceed eighty-eight (88) hours while the un-opted maximum for each Flight Attendant is ninety-five (95) hours.  When the utilization target is closer to the high end of what is allowable under the Contract (88 hours), fewer Flight Attendants fly lines than when the utilization target is low.  In the instances where the utilization is lower, the available flying is “spread out” over more lines and more lineholder schedules are produced.

Section 7.A.4. of the Contract requires that priority will be given to scheduling pure lines of flying.  Lines and are constructed, to the greatest extent possible, using the same pairings.  This will be most obviously seen in the international lines of flying where pairings operate every day of the month to the international destination.

It’s important to understand the language of the pmUA Agreement was imported into the JCBA and the schedule development process is predicated on that history and practice which is utilization dependent.  In addition, we reached agreement during bargaining that AFLYER would be the system used to create these schedules.  AFLYER sequences pairings in the lines based on anonymous patterns selected by the Local Schedule Committee from an assortment of patterns programmed into the AFLYER system as provided for in Section 30.L. of the JCBA.

Under this negotiated system, pairings are built by the company.  These pairings include the segments flown and the layover locations and lengths are determined by the company’s pairing optimizer, if any, based on the aircraft schedule in effect for the month.  Central Schedule Committee (CSC) reviews all these pairings for contractual compliance with the terms of the JCBA for duty period length, legal rest, etc.

These pairings are then sent to the Local Schedule Committees to be sequenced in lines of flying based on the history and practice that corresponds to this language.  That is, anonymous lines of flying are built using patterns that distribute the time across the full month schedule.  The patterns that are used consist of several lines.  For example, a 5 on 5 off pattern will deliver ten (10) lines of flying where a 3 on 4 off pattern will produce a set of seven (7) lines with all pairings sequenced on the same days of the week.  The lines that result from the selected pattern are grouped together within each crew complement and presented in the bid packet based on time of check-in for the trips normally with the trips having the earliest check-ins presented first in the package – earliest to latest.  Trips are organized generally by destination to the extent possible.

Line number ranges for primary line awards were determined by the JIT according to the following line ranges:

What this means is that all domestic pairings are included in lines 1 – 1999 and these are the first lines awarded during the award process.  When an insufficient bid is processed, lines are awarded before reserve, domestic before international based on the lines that are available at the time the individual being awarded is assigned her/his schedule.

Local Schedule Committees have the ability to determine which crew complements appear first in the Bid Packet.  For example, do the base lines - the five (5) crew complement lines in international appear first or does the one Flight Attendant crew complement appear first?

Within each crew complement, Local Schedule Committees also have the latitude to determine which groups of patterns will appear first in the bid packet.  For example, the Local Schedule Committee could decide that lines with four (4) day trips will be the first lines to appear in the grouping of line, followed by three day, two day and then one day pairing.  Further, within the four (4) day trips, how these are organized is also determined by the Local Schedule Committees.  Finally, Local Schedule Committees are able to order the lines based on check-in time order.  For example, do early morning trips appear first or do all-night pairings appear first in the Bid Packet.

Most Local Councils assign one day trips first as those are the lines with the greatest number of days off and, in the case of a no bid or insufficient bids, sequencing the lines in this manner has been proven to provide the individual(s) assigned these lines with the greatest level of flexibility to recover and rearrange her/his schedule across the month. 

In addition, there was another Contractual change regarding the distribution of Bid Packets as provided for in Section 7.B.2. of the JCBA. Specifically, Bid Packets are to be available electronically no later than the opening of the primary bid period each month.  Paper copies of the Bid Packet will be available in the Base not later than 1500 local time on the 14^th calendar day of the month.

We recognize implementation of the language in Section 30.L. is resulting in the production of lines of flying that are different than may have been expected.  It is for this reason that AFA and the company have proactively been working with BidPlus to provide an additional bidding tool to Flight Attendants to assist them in searching for the qualities of the lines they prefer to fly as well as expediting the availability of bidding information.  Please refer to the AFA September 11, 2018 E-lines communication for additional information on these changes.