Reserves and Phone Availability

For some Flight Attendants it has been a while since they have been awarded a Reserve schedule. As such, it is understandable that there may be confusion on contractual provisions as provided for in our current Contract.

One area of the Reserve arena is confusion about phone availability, especially after the 19:30 Reserve assignment run.

In Sections 8.D.11, 8.E.2. and 8.F.1. of our Contract, once a Reserve has been given an assignment, either during the 1930 Reserve Preferencing and clean-up process or assigned as a Ready Reserve within 15 hours of check-in, they are no longer required to remain telephone available. In other words, the Reserve is “released to check-in.”

While the company may attempt to contact an assigned Reserve (outside of a legal rest period) to notify the Flight Attendant of a delay or cancellation, once released to check-in, the Reserve’s next responsibility is to report for the originally assigned check-in at the appropriate location.

• If the Reserve reports to the airport and is notified upon arrival of displacement or cancellation, they may be reassigned at that time. However, the duty period begins at the time the Reserve was originally scheduled to report to the airport, or the time of actual report, whichever is later.
  
  
• If the Reserve is required to remain at the airport for a later assignment, they will be covered by Section 8.N. of the Contract (Standby Reserve).

If the Reserve is not reassigned and is subsequently released, they will receive 2-hours of Call-Out/ Show-No-Go Pay and flight time credit.

For more details on Reserve telephone availability responsibilities, please see our recent article on Transitioning to Reserve status, as well as the Reserve Survival Guide.

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