Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2022

Scheduling Committee

• Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, September 27 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, September 27, 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), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, and MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Adam Clarey. The committee met with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Manager Sara Cook, Director of Crew Staffing Nicholas Giles, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

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:

• Concerns with charter bidding and ferry flight numbers that were not supposed to be in bid packets. These were pay protected under Section 10.W.  Crew Planning is developing processes to ensure compliance. 
• Vacation bidding first round awards are posted.  Questions about whether the bidding instructions for vacation are adequate.   If not, what would Flight Attendants like to see added or removed. 
• Preparations for winter operations.  Reminder to review Irregular Operations including but not limited to Section 8.S and 10.S.
• New managers, supervisors and crew schedulers are joining Inflight Crew Scheduling. The committee reviewed that they do receive contract training, on the job training, work with instructors and high level crew access/crew exchange processing training.  The committee welcomes each of them to the department and look forward to working with them. 
• Hotel and transportation issues.  Some Flight Attendants were required to vacate hotels during irregular operations in Newark.  This concern was referred to the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process as AFA believes there is a clear violation of the contract.  There are still reliability issues with some hotel transportation and are reviewing all concerns.
• Upcoming large schedule reduction for flights operating on Thanksgiving.  This will affect layovers and holiday pay.  We will see more pairings with minimum pay rules that include EOR and MSM.  Want Flight Attendants to be aware of these changes. 
• Asking for 4 position pairings (A/B/C/D) from Crew Planning.  This is under review. 
• Line holders picking up reserve days may be sent to CARE Retreat as a reserve assignment.  Refer to the CARE Retreat LOA. 

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Reassignment Flow Chart.  Scheduling Committee Members reviewed a draft of the reassignment flow chart and it has been moved forward to the final stages of review and approval.  Refer to sections 10.R and 10.R.5 of our CBA.
2. Scheduling Quality of Life Improvements.  Reviewing ways to improve Trip Length Distribution (TLD) and other quality of life options.  Working with management to develop a quality of life survey to determine Flight Attendant scheduling priorities. 
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Pre-Cancellation/Modification of Section 10.S LOA.  Working to familiarize Flight Attendants with the changes and update the flow chart.

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.