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Q&A: Did We Lose VJA in TA2 and Are We Only Subject to JA under TA2?

Q:  I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about no more VJA in TA2, just JA.  Is the Premium Open Time that is seen in TA2 actually the same as our current VJA?  Or what’s the difference?
A:  The concept is essentially the same with both VJA and Premium OT.  There will still be trips offered with a premium under TA2.  It is structured a bit differently than VJA under current book.  There will be a premium paid on a trip a FA volunteers to fly on a day off when the Company is needing to cover flights.  Under current book, if you submit your form before 9AM the day prior, the forms are processed in seniority order in accordance with your preferences.  If your notice is submitted after 9AM the day prior, they are processed on a first come first served basis.  You do not see the trips available today, but rather you submit a form for something you would be willing to fly if it comes up.  You also can’t indicate a positions preference other than “A” or not “A”.  There are other preferences on the form as well such as no all nighter, no Canada or Mexico.  Under TA2, CS will place the trips into OT with the premium indicated and they will be picked up from OT on a first come first served basis.  The Company will publish notification on the FA Web Page to indicate they are offering trips in OT with premiums.  All trips will be seen and you can decide to pick it up or not based on the trip and the premium placed on it.  Premium OT will have a minimum of 1.5x, but they can increase that premium.  Here is the actual language on Premium OT.  Section 9.E.  

E. PREMIUM OPEN TIME (OT)

Crew Scheduling may declare periods of premium pay for OT and designate individual sequences as premium pay sequences. Once posted, it may not be revoked. However, if the sequence is assigned to a Reserve, the premium will not apply.

  1. The Company will publish notification of Premium OT on the Flight Attendant webpage.

  2. A Flight Attendant who picks up Premium OT will receive a minimum premium of one and one-half times (1.5x) the applicable rate of pay.

  3. Premium OT trips may be traded; however, the premium pay will not follow the sequence. The Premium OT sequence will be converted to a regular sequence upon being traded and will be paid at straight time if flown. The same sequence may be converted back to Premium OT only if Crew Scheduling once again designates the sequence as Premium OT while the sequence is in Open Time.

  4. A Flight Attendant who is on a Premium OT trip which changes when s/he arrives at the airport will be guaranteed no less than the number of TFP originally scheduled. S/he will be paid the premium attached to the originally-scheduled Premium OT sequence and paid that rate on all flights flown including surface deadhead in the revised sequence. If the revised sequence is worth less TFP than the originally-scheduled Premium OT sequence, the Flight Attendant will also be compensated the TFP value of the difference between the two paid at straight time. 

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