Open Time Recap
We have negotiated changes to the OT system which we believe will prevent, or greatly reduce, OT becoming bogged down by those unappealing trips (4-day GDLs, 3-day trips worth 8 TFP, etc). The new quartile system is anticipated to return some scheduling flexibility and make OT a more functioning system. Setting strict threshold numbers for the closing of OT days will also preclude management from arbitrarily closing OT days. These important changes to the OT system are explained below.
Quartile System for OT Start
After bid awards, OT will open based on a stepped quartile system. Flight Attendants may trade with or drop to other Flight Attendants in an opened quartile as well as interact with Open Time. On the 18th of the month prior to the bid month, all Flight Attendants have full access to trading/ dropping. Flight Attendants will have access to OT trading and dropping according to the table below:
Day of month Quartile FAs who can trade (seniority)
15th 1st Quartile top 25%
16th 2nd Quartile top 50%
17th 3rd Quartile top 75%
18th 4th Quartile All FAs in domicile
Formula for determining OT Closing Threshold #
- 1 sequence departure per day for every 200 FAs in domicile. If there are at least 50 FAs “left over” after the calculation, then an additional daily sequence departure is added. (Example: 650 FAs in domicile, OT Threshold number would be 4 sequences.)
- Minimum threshold # of 3 sequences at each domicile regardless of FA domicile population.
- Only the day of departure will count toward the threshold number.
- Sick calls do not count. Only FA-dropped trips and coupon drops count (these trips will be coded TR or CP in eMaestro).
- If an Open Time day is closed, it can re-open if a FA picks up a sequence coded TR or CP on that day.
- System adjust for growth.
EXAMPLE: PDX (Threshold # = 3)
June # of Sequences
4th 3 closed
5th 3 closed
6th 2
7th 1
8th 3 closed
9th 2
10th 1
11th 2
12th 3 closed
Using the above snapshot of OT, PDX FAs could drop a total of 2 trips into OT on the 7th and 10th and a total of 1 trip on the 6th, 9th, and 11th. Alternatively, if a FA picked up a TR- or CP-coded trip on the 4th, 5th, 8th or 12th, that day would re-open for give-away. Even if a day is closed, a sequence may be traded for another sequence with the same departure day regardless of trip length provided the FA has not traded more than 40 net TFP into OT.
IMPORTANT: In order to drop a trip into OT, only the departure day of the sequence has to be open. So, in the above example, a FA could drop a 4-day on the 11th of the month, even though the 12th was closed. Also, the 3-leg restriction for trades on closed days is eliminated.
Other important provisions:
- OT will open on the 15th with NO closed days
- NO pre-funding of OT
– will create more line holders (because TFP previously used in pre-funding will be built into lines)
– many fewer “low quality” trips will be in OT at the start
- Straight drops into OT will be allowed (is not today) if sequence departure day is open (up to 40 TFP net into OT per FA)
- More “higher quality” trips will be available to more junior FAs
The changes in our Open Time System tentative agreement are comprehensive and sweeping. The stagnation created by the current system was untenable and could not continue. Many carriers in our industry (Hawaiian, USAirways East, American, Piedmont and American Eagle, to name some) incorporate some aspect of seniority-based trading in processing OT transactions.
It is completely understandable that change of this significance would cause concern. However, your Negotiating Committee has not entered into this new system lightly. Countless hours of pouring through data, running through scenarios, and researching what’s out there in our industry has led us to strongly believe that this new system will benefit our Flight Attendant group as a whole.
In solidarity,
Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo
“Four Bases, One Voice”
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