Scheduling Committee
- On February 20, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling.
- The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
- Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!
On Tuesday, February 20, 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), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Kamako Yamado (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 Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones.
The committee met with Managing Director Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Allen Thieman, Managing Director Ops Staffing & Resource Mgt Brittany Audette, Director of Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and other management representatives from Crew Planning/Crew Scheduling.
The Committee is next scheduled to meet on March 26, 2024.
Topics of Discussion
The committee reviewed several items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:
- SWGCO – Completed communication about making up days in PDX domicile.
- Request for blocked seats for DH crews.
- Researching options for creating names for blocked seats.
- Concerns about nighttime flying and fatigue.
- Request from AFA for balance in Redeye flying.
- Confusion about commuter policy and handling of retimed charter.
- Discussions about ground commuting vs severe weather policies.
- Issues with pairing cancellations and pay adjustments.
- Requests for more consistency in pairings.
- Questions about crew pay adjustments and confusion.
- Safety concerns raised about long sit times on aircraft.
- PBS Bidding in February: Release 23.7.8 loaded, Bid Awards fast, Bid Protest normal/light.
- PBS Meetings: Updates on pilot calls, focus on prioritizing FA’s after pilot, new release installed with fixes.
- PBS Future Releases: Estimated in April, Base Sits completed with form to fill out.
- Pairing selection challenges and frustrations with changing targets monthly.
- Updates on SRB issues, night rule discussions, and new contract discussions.
- Updates on upcoming classes, probation completion, and graduation plans.
- Crew Planning for April: Staffing adjustments, commutability stats, and dealing with 737 Max delays.
- IROP recovery planning initiatives: Teaming with pilots, In and Backs strategy, and Ice Event post mortem details.
- Network planning updates: Redeye flying breakdown, route structure changes, and hotel arrangements.
- AFA seeks discussion on assisting Crew Schedulers in commuting training for Flight Attendants inquiring about air, ground commuting, and severe weather.
- Crew Scheduling management addresses challenges in scheduling, including high sick leave, reserve utilization, and flexibility levers. Notable points include premium low for February TFP, personal drops, and bulletin drops.
- Agenda items cover email format concerns with pre-cancels, debrief inconsistencies, and the need for improved communication with CSAs.
- Commuting issues are highlighted, emphasizing the importance of continued learning for schedulers and proper handling of commuter queries.
- Discussions on MBL processes, ground commuting delays, and the need for training to address disconnects in communication.
- Efforts to track and address commuter issues effectively are emphasized by Crew Scheduling and other team members.
What the Committee is Working on
- NavBlue. The PBS Committee is seeking feedback on how they can improve their assistance to flight crews regarding bid awards and understanding results. They provided both in-person and virtual meetings for this purpose.
- Pairings Survey. There is a discussion about conducting a survey on pairing construction, and there is a possibility of organizing a virtual session or town hall. A meeting with management occurred June 5, 2023, with a follow-up meeting to be arranged. However, there is no update or estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the moment.
- Chime Communications. Flight Attendants may chat with crew scheduling via app/Microsoft Teams to reduce phone calls. Flight Attendant-initiated contact. Early stages of development, to be discussed with AS Labor Relations and AFA. Testing and implementation to occur in the next few weeks. We are working on a letter of agreement for implementation. This is still pending review.
- Crew Scheduling. There was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that covered various aspects such as reserve utilization, detailed breakdowns, sick leave (week by week and year over year), premium, personal drops, and other relevant agenda items.
- Crew Planning. Similar to Crew Scheduling, there was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that cover subsequent month staffing, trip length distribution, Flight Attendant block hours, special initiatives (e.g., IROPs), commutability, and other relevant agenda items.
- ITS. Representatives from ITS joined the scheduling meeting to provide updates on NavBlue, Crew Access, internal systems, and Block 2 Block. These updates include performance reviews, data analysis, and information about future releases.
We Want to Hear From You!
Whether you have feedback for the Committee, concerns to share, or items you’d like brought up with management – don’t hesitate to let us know. Your Local Scheduling Committee is here to be your voice to management. You can easily open a support ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or directly contact us using the information provided on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.
