More Open Time Trading Tips

AFA and management have set priorities to resolve issues with Open Time

AFA and management have set priorities to resolve issues with Open Time. At this time a work request is pending with Jeppesen and we are waiting for an estimated time of delivery for the fixes to eMaestro. In order of priority the items pending include:

1. Net 40 TFP calculator visible in eMaestro
2. No need to recall your trip before being able to trade with OT
3. Correct coding of trips – programming the TX code (i.e. non TO/CP/DD coding)
4. Codes displaying on trips in eMaestro
5. Single trip trading for another trip of a greater number of days and covering the same dates even if not sharing the same date of departure

AFA’s position is that the Open Time trial of 12 months is still pending until we are able to fix issues #1 through #4 above. Once the trial begins we will be submitting a monthly survey to Flight Attendants on feedback regarding the new trading system.

In order to assist you with the new trading system we have provided helpful OT trading tips below. Additional information can be found in a previous AFA Alaska communication from October 14, 2015: “Open Time Trading Tips.”

Picking up a SIP

There are many four day trips in Open Time and you will have to be quick, but you can pick up a trip, SIP it, dump back the portion you don’t want to keep back into OT as long as the day remains open and someone else does not drop while you are processing your SIP.

Example: I see a 4-day starting on the 5th, but I want the MCO 2 day on the 7^th and 8^th. I pick up the trip, I go back to drop it to open time, I click on the SIP, I give away the top half (because the day is open (because I picked it up and the TSN dropped below the threshold which allows me to drop it quickly back as long as it remains open) and process. The 2-day MCO stays on my schedule.

Again, you have to be quick and only wanting to keep the bottom portion of the SIP while giving back the top portion of the SIP to OT.

Month End Overlap

When you are dropping a trip on the last few days of the month that carries over into the subsequent month, the TFP in the current month will count towards the current month. The additional TFP dropped in the subsequent month will also count towards that month’s net 40 drop.

Example: On Oct 31^st I have a 4-day pairing and I drop it into OT. The first day on the 31^st is worth 4.0 TFP and takes my 40 TFP net for October down to 36 TFP. The trip dropped also covered November 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd which totaled 20 TFP. My net drop for November is now only going to allow 20 TFP in the month of November when I get my next schedule for the subsequent month, unless I pick up more flying from Open Time that overlaps into November.

“Process” button

When processing transactions you must click once and only once on the “Process” button. If you click more than once, the system will process the trade “approved or denied” and then boot you off the system. You will get a duplicate session and have to click “Reset,” then log back on. Click “Process” only one time, let the transaction process, and then go onto the next transaction. Please realize there are many transactions taking place nearly simultaneously on Open Time trading day and that you will need to allow the server time to complete the entire transaction.

Downtrading

Once a day is “limited,” you can still downtrade a trip that operates on the same date of departure as the trip on your schedule.

Example: The 4^th is limited and there is a 1-day turn. I have a 4-day trip that originates on the 4^th. I can trade down my 4-day, for the 1-day as long as they both operate on the 4^th when the day is limited and provided I have not exceeded my net 40 TFP drop.

Recall Trip

If you have a trip posted for pick up, you must recall the trip in order to drop it to Open Time.

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We’ve definitely heard there are concerns with multi-day trading and other functions that changed between the old and new system. We appreciate the feedback and will continue to review all suggestions and concerns. If you have questions regarding trading, dropping or picking up please contact your LEC Scheduling Chair.

In solidarity,

Your MEC — Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Scheduling Chairperson Jake Jones