Senior Opting by a Lineholder

Recently, we have received questions from Reserve Flight Attendants regarding the application of the language for the circumstances under which a Reserve can be senior opted from her/his position.

As outlined in the Contract Section 7.O., Reserve Flight Attendants may be senior opted out of a position under the following circumstances: 

At the airport-

Only the open position that was assigned to a Reserve is available for senior option. If a more senior Flight Attendant senior opts the Reserve from her/his position, the Reserve Flight Attendant assumes the position that was vacated by the more senior Flight Attendant. The Reserve may only be opted out of a position once, and the seniority option can occur only at the beginning of a pairing and before preflight duties have begun. 

Reserve Flight Attendants assigned to a position having a different pairing number cannot be opted out of the position unless the pairings contain identical flight segments.

Language qualified (LQ) Reserve Flight Attendants may only be senior opted by senior LQ Flight Attendants having the same primary language qualification and in the language base.

Note: Reserve Flight Attendants assigned to an LQ position who are not qualified in the designated language may be opted by a more senior Flight Attendant.

Reserve International Purser Qualified Flight Attendants may only be senior opted by a more senior International Purser Flight Attendant. An International Purser Qualified Flight Attendant shall have priority over a non-International Purser Flight Attendant who has been assigned to an open International Purser bid position.

If the [domestic] Purser (“A position”) is picked up from open time, seniority option shall be permitted among all the Flight Attendants on the same pairing even if the position is occupied by a lineholder.  

Can a more senior Reserve senior opt another Reserve?
Yes, a more senior Reserve may senior opt another Reserve, unless the other Reserve has picked up the trip on a day off, in which case they are considered a Lineholder for the duration of that trip.

Can a more senior Reserve senior opt a junior Lineholder?
No, Reserves may not senior opt Lineholders (or Reserves who have picked up a trip on a day off), except in the case of a Purser (“A” position) that was picked up from Open Time.

Can a junior Lineholder senior opt a more senior Reserve?
No, the opting Flight Attendant must be senior.

Can a Lineholder be senior opted out of the Purser (“A”) position?
If the Purser (“A”) position is picked up from Open Time, seniority option shall be permitted among all Flight Attendants on the same pairing (or pairing with identical flight segments).

How will move-up Lineholders or Reserves on a day off appear on the crew list to distinguish from Reserves who may be senior opted?
Move-up Lineholders and Reserves on days off will be designated with the Lineholder code (LH) in the far-right column of the crew list display in CCS.

When may senior opting occur during a pairing?
The seniority option can occur only at the beginning of a pairing; after Flight Attendant boarding time and before preflight duties have begun. This ensures all Flight Attendants on the crew have an equal opportunity to participate.

How many times can a Flight Attendant be senior opted?
A Flight Attendant may only be opted out of a position once. The opted Flight Attendant assumes the position vacated by the more senior Flight Attendant.

Can a Flight Attendant be senior opted by someone who is not on the same pairing?
Flight Attendants assigned to a position having a different pairing number may not be senior opted unless the pairings contain identical flight segments.

Can a more senior Flight Attendant senior opt a junior Reserve from a position that requires a special qualification (International Purser or Language Qualified)?
Language Qualified (LQ) Reserves may only be senior opted out of a designated LQ position by a more senior LQ Flight Attendant who is in the LQ sub-base and who has the same primary language qualification.

Note: Non-LQ Reserves assigned to cover the open work position of an LQ Flight Attendant may be opted by a more senior Flight Attendant.

International Purser Reserves may only be senior opted out of the International Purser position by a more senior International Purser Flight Attendant who is in the International Purser sub-base.

Note: A Flight Attendant who is in the International Purser sub-base shall have priority over a non-International Purser Flight Attendant to senior opt a non-International Purser Reserve who has been assigned to the open International Purser position.

Can a more senior Flight Attendant who is in a designated LQ position on the flight senior opt a junior non-International Purser Reserve who has been assigned to the open International Purser position?
Yes. The Reserve would assume the work position of the senior LQ Flight Attendant. The LQ Flight Attendant would work the International Purser position but would still fulfill their language duties on the flight.

Finally, as a reminder, Flight Attendants should make every effort to inform crew scheduling when trading premium positions onboard the aircraft. If, however, a Flight Attendant who assumes a premium paid position is unable to contact crew scheduling prior to departure (including those who are in the middle of a pairing) should contact crew scheduling to report the change as to who worked the premium position. In addition, Flight Attendants may submit an Override Pay Exception at their first opportunity, via Hub Help.