Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – February 2023

Scheduling Committee

• Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, February 28 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.
• The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
• Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Tuesday, February 28, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), Martin Vance (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton. The committee met with Supervisor of Inflight Crew Scheduling, Matthew Trujillo, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, Manager of ITS Product Management Rick Mitchell, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and other management representatives from Crew Planning.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

• Compliance with Jury Duty language in contract section 24.A.5 is being reviewed to ensure that management is applying the contractual protections when Flight Attendants are obligated to Jury Duty.
• Passport Renewals and International Flying (contract section 10.S.12). Flight Attendants are covered by the section 10.S.3.b language when they submit their passport more than 15 days before the passport expires and notify Crew Scheduling.
• New NAVBLUE PBS update version 22.7.7 has new features and should address the slow log in issues that our Flight Attendants have been experiencing after bids are published.
• Separating Crews on International Layovers is both a safety and contractual concern. Crew Scheduling and Crew Planning are working to correct when Flight Attendants are assigned separate hotels while on international layovers.
• Flight Attendant Contactability Requirements and definition of positive contact. Many Flight Attendants may not know that sections 32.C.1.e and 8.Q outline define when Flight Attendants are contactable as well as what steps management must take to have met their contractual requirements of contactability.
• Crew Access Issues and upcoming UI update. The incorrect time showing UTC for trips will be resolved with new user interface but will still exist in original user interface.
• Recent Pacific Northwest and California Winter Storm events. Please file a ticket at the  AFA Alaska Online Support Center if you have any unresolved issues related to the recent snow storms. Management plans on reviewing their processes and hopes to create a standardized playbook to assist them during winter irregular operations.
• Lineholder Option to Decline an Initial Deadhead (contract section 10.X.8) can be allowed with “Crew Scheduling’s approval” Discussions were had at the consistency of allowing Flight Attendants to drop their initial deadhead legs.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Scheduling a meeting with Network Planning.  The Committee would like to meet with Network Planning in 2023 to discuss our contract, legalities and suggestions. We want to provide management with the Flight Attendant perspective and in an effort to improve our quality of life. 
2. Review of JCTE/Crew Access transaction performance.  Each month, ITS provides the Committee with data on performance and transactions within JCTE/Crew Access.  The Committee reviews these reports to ensure our service levels are maintained at the appropriate thresholds.
3. Scheduling Quality of Life Improvements.  Reviewing ways to improve Trip Length Distribution (TLD) and other quality of life factors.  Working with management to develop a quality of life survey to determine Flight Attendant scheduling priorities. 
4. Review of user guides and links of Flight Attendant website.  Ensuring information is still accurate in existing resource materials, links are still active and working, etc.
5. Updating Crew Access videos.  Working with management and ITS to update the Crew Access instructional videos to reflect updates and changes to the user interface.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local Scheduling Committee is your voice to management.  You can open a support request on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.