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Modification of Section 10.S – Pre-Cancellations

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • AFA and management have recently come to an agreement to provide better clarity as to how pre-cancellations and reassignments are confirmed in advance of the first day of a sequence.
  • The agreement expands existing pre-cancellation language and provides protections to Flight Attendants in how Crew Scheduling handles a number of additional situations.
  • The new language goes into effect at midnight on Saturday, October 1, 2022.  If you have any questions, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee for more information.

AFA and management started discussions in 2018 regarding reassignments and pre cancellations related to Hurricane Lane, during which Crew Scheduling was found to be reassigning trips out of seniority order.  The issue was referred to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process, agenda item 044-18A.  The parties discovered the language needed further clarification to assist Flight Attendants and Crew Schedulers on how to apply the provisions during these critical events as it relates to pre-cancellations, retimes, flight routing changes and aircraft downgrades that are confirmed in advance of the day of departure (i.e., first day) of a sequence.  Though conversations with management about the issue were ongoing, the ability to make significant progress in resolving the issue was hampered by COVID and network restructuring over the past several years.

The product of those discussions resulted in the following letter of agreement (LOA), AFA SLOA 2022.09.09 Modification of 10.S Pre-Cancellations.  Please take time to review this agreement so you are aware of your contractual rights and obligations.  As part of the agreement, the following situations will now be handled according to the pre-cancellation provisions our collective bargaining agreement:

  • All retimes of the departure time of the first flight in a sequence
  • All retimes involving the arrival and/or departure times of any flight in a sequence of greater than two hours (2:00)
  • All retimes involving the later arrival time of the last flight in a sequence of greater than fifteen minutes (0:15)
  • A Company flight that is cancelled from a Flight Attendant’s line of time in advance of the day of departure even if such flight is replaced by a Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) flight operated as or on behalf of Alaska Airlines (e.g., Horizon Air, SkyWest) with the same flight number and/or routing as the cancelled flight. 

The new language contained in the LOA goes into effect at midnight on Saturday, October 1, 2022.  Our MEC, Scheduling Committee, and Grievance Committee appreciates each of you filing reports and giving us the opportunity to carve out clarifying language that will support you going forward.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the letter of agreement or associated changes, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

AFA Alaska Settlement Agreement 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Pre-Cancellations and Schedule Changes”

AFA Alaska Settlement Agreement 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Pre-Cancellations and Schedule Changes”

Grievance Committee

After several years of periodic settlement discussions, AFA and management have settled Grievance No. 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Precancellation and Schedule Changes.” This settlement agreement becomes effective Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at 12:01 AM Pacific Time.

Click here for AFA Settlement Agreement Grievance No. 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Pre-Cancellation and Schedule Changes” >

Some History

AFA filed Grievance No. 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Pre-Cancellation and Schedule Changes” back in June 2017 regarding retimes of between 15 and 21 minutes that were pushed to schedules in advance of the day of departure (prior to the first day) of a sequence. (Read the July 2017 Grievance Report for more details.)  Management sustained the grievance (meaning they agreed the contract was violated) shortly thereafter in July 2017. However, AFA disagreed with management’s remedy (i.e., the “fix”) for the violation, and the parties have been in negotiations over the remedy since then. 

We were somewhat close to achieving a mutually agreeable solution when the pandemic began, which delayed our progress.  However, the pandemic did provide an opportunity to test drive a proposed remedy to the dispute starting on April 18, 2020, via the temporary COVID-19 Schedule Changes Letter of Agreement (LOA), which was extended through June 30, 2020. Please note that most but not all aspects of that temporary LOA were incorporated into this grievance settlement agreement.

Details

This settlement agreement requires that all pre-cancellations, retimes, flight routing changes, and aircraft downgrades (i.e., from a four-position aircraft to a three-position aircraft) that occur in advance of the day of departure of a sequence will be handled under JCBA §10.S [Pre-Cancellations].  This will apply to Lineholders and to Reserves who pick up on days off.  The language in §10.S Pre-Cancellations remains the same but will be interpreted to encompass the agreed-to definitive parameters around retimes, flight routing changes and aircraft downgrades.

The settlement makes it very clean in defining when the provisions of §10.S Pre-cancellations are used.  Essentially any schedule change that occurs for Lineholders (and for Reserves who pick up on days off) prior to the first day of a sequence, except for a simple flight numbering change, will now always be handled as a pre-cancellation under §10.S.  A simple flight numbering change in the absence of a retime or a flight routing change may occur at any time and does not trigger the contractual provisions of §10.S.

Summary of §10.S Pre-Cancellations

Note: The following is a summary of pre-cancellation provisions under §10.S. Please refer to the contract for a comprehensive description.

Alternate Assignment Offered During Initial Contact (§10.S.2)

If there is a schedule adjustment involving a pre-cancellation, retime flight routing change or aircraft downgrade on the day(s) prior to the first day of a sequence, then Crew Scheduling will make initial contact and may offer an alternate assignment made up of one or more sequences with a check-in up to two hours prior to scheduled check-in and/or with a release up to two hours later than scheduled release. The two options are to (1) accept the alternate assignment (§10.S.2.a) or (2) to decline the alternate assignment and waive pay protection (§10.S.2.b).  If Crew Scheduling does not have an alternate assignment available that meets the required criteria of falling within the scheduled footprint plus two hours on either side (before or after) when they first make contact with the Flight Attendant, then the Flight Attendant can opt to call Crew Scheduling between 6 PM and 8 PM local domicile time the evening prior to the sequence (§10.S.2.c).

No Alternate Assignment Offered During Initial Contact (§10.S.3)

If Crew Scheduling does not offer an alternate assignment when they make initial contact with the Flight Attendant, then the Flight Attendant can either (1) waive pay protection and be relieved of further obligation (10.S.3.a), or (2) they can opt to call Crew Scheduling between 6 PM and 8 PM local domicile time the evening prior to the sequence (§10.S.3.b).

Calling Back Between 6 PM and 8 PM the Evening Prior (§10.S.2.c and §10.S.3.b) or no Later Than Release Time if on Duty (§10.S.7)

When the Flight Attendant calls back between 6 PM and 8 PM local domicile time the evening prior to the sequence, either (1) an alternate assignment that operates within the exact footprint of the original sequence must be available (§10.S.2.c.1 or §10.S.3.b.1) or (2) the Flight Attendant is pay protected (§10.S.2.c.2 or §10.S.3.b.2). A Flight Attendant must call back no later than release time if on duty during those hours (§10.S.7).

Reassignments (§10.R) – Same Day and/or Sequence in Progress Schedule Changes

Same day and/or sequence in progress schedule changes are covered under §10.R Reassignments.  Please note AFA and management have on multiple occasions confirmed their mutual understanding that Flight Attendants will neither be required nor offered to report earlier than scheduled for the first duty period of a sequence under §10.R Reassignments. The parties continue to work their way through several contractual disputes related to reassignments that are currently active, and AFA will keep you updated on any developments.

If you have any questions or need clarification, please contact your LEC president for assistance.

AFA Update – April 10, 2020

In This Edition

  • Temporary Commuter Policy Expansion to Include Other Airlines
  • Reserve Bidding Information
  • Hawaii Turns
  • Pre-Cancellation (10.S) Quick Reference Flow Chart
  • AFL-CIO COVID-19 Resource Guide

Temporary Commuter Policy Expansion to Include Other Airlines

Master Executive Council (MEC)

In the wake of the significant flight schedule reduction throughout the airline industry, AFA and management have agreed to expand section 28.G [Domicile: Commuter Policy] of the JCBA to temporarily include flights operated on other airlines (OAL) in addition to flights operated by Alaska and Alaska capacity purchase agreement (CPA) flights operated by Horizon and Skywest.  The temporary agreement allows OALs to be used to meet the two consecutive scheduled flight requirement in section 28.G.1.b.  Registered air commuters utilizing this provision should be prepared to provide Crew Scheduling with relevant flight information for verification (e.g. air carrier, flight number, city pair, scheduled departure time, projected or actual departure time, reason for delay).

The temporary agreement is effective immediately and will remain in effect until May 31, 2020.  Registered air commuters are encouraged to review section 28.G. of the JCBA as well as AFA LOA 2020-04-07 [Commuter Policy and Utilizing Other Airline (OAL) Carriers During COVID-19 Schedule Disruptions] which details the specifics of the temporary expansion.  

Questions?

Please contact your LEC Officers with any questions about the temporary expansion of the commuter policy.

Reserve Bidding Information

Scheduling Committee–PBS Subcommittee 

Your AFA PBS Subcommittee wants to offer assistance to those of you who might be on reserve for the first time in many years OR for those of you choosing to bid a reserve line.  A Bidding for Reserve guide can be found at the inflight website under schedule & bidding > line bidding > PBS QA/Help.  The guide can also be accessed directly by clicking here.  

The PBS Subcommittee anticipates being extremely busy this month and will respond to emails as quickly as possible given the increased volume of correspondence. However, with the sheer number of people affected, there is no possible way to help everyone individually with entering a Reserve bid. Prior to contacting the PBS Subcommittee, please review the Bidding for Reserve guide.  It will likely answer most, if not all, of your questions and provides examples of multiple bidding scenarios.  

When the May lineholder and reserve numbers are posted on the PBS Info Page you will have a better idea where you fall in your base. Check your May bidding order number on the inflight website > Schedule and Bidding > Line Bidding > Seniority List. Compare your bidding number to the May numbers for your base on the PBS Info Page. This comparison will help you determine if you can possibly hold a line or will likely be on reserve. Some Flight Attendants senior to you may choose to bid for a reserve schedule but specific details such as “who?” or “how many?” will not be available this until bidding closes. 

The current situation is unprecedented in the history of our airline.  Your PBS Subcommittee  appeals to you to try and manage your bids on your own this month as the need for help will be unprecedented. 

Questions?

Please send all requests for assistance to the PBS Subcommittee group email at pbs.qa@alaskaair.com.  This group inbox is regularly monitored by all Subcommittee Members and will ensure that you receive the fastest possible response.  Alternately, you can also contact your Local Reserve Committee for assistance.

Hawaii Turns

Master Executive Council (MEC)

With the previously announced reduction in flying, Hawaii flying is being reduced to two daily roundtrips from the mainland—one from SEA and one from LAX.  AFA and management have agreed to continue operating Hawaii flying as turns through the end of June out of an abundance of caution and due to the State of Hawaii’s quarantine requirements.  Effective Thursday, April 16, these turns will be operated in accordance with AFA LOA 2020-04-10 [Hawaii Turns Due to COVID-19 Restrictions].  Key provisions of this LOA include:

  • The 4-person crew (A, B, C, and D position) will work both legs of the turn.
  • Turns will be augmented with two additional Flight Attendants; one of the additional Flight Attendants will work to Hawaii as an augmented crewmember (E position) and deadhead back to the mainland.  The other additional Flight Attendant will deadhead to Hawaii and work back to the mainland as an augmented crewmember.
  • All Flight Attendants will be paid two times (2.0x) the rate of pay for any TFP flown on a Hawaii turn.
  • For the remainder of April, F/As will receive compensatory “double-out” rest at the end of a Hawaii turn sequence.  Beginning in May, regular domicile rest will apply. 
  • Crew rest seats and breaks will be provided (see the LOA for specifics).
  • Reserves may be assigned Hawaii turns

The May bid packet will contain pre-built Hawaii turn sequences that are available for bidding through PBS.  Flight Attendants who would like to bid for these trips will need to opt-in using the corresponding “Allow Long Duty (4k) Pairings” waiver.

Questions?

If you have any questions about Hawaii turn sequences, please contact your LEC Officers or Local Scheduling Committee.

Pre-Cancellation (10.S) Quick Reference Flow Chart

Scheduling Committee

The number of changes being loaded into the flight schedule by management have driven a record amount of pre-cancellation activity over the past several weeks.  To help Flight Attendants better understand the provisions of section 10.S [Scheduling: Pre-Cancellations] of the JCBA along with the recently enacted AFA LOA 2020-03-28 [Pre-Cancellations Due to COVID-19 Schedule Changes], our Scheduling Committee has made a quick reference flow chart available outlining how pre-cancellations work.  You can access this flow chart by clicking here.

Note: The MEC wishes to thank MEC Inflight Training Committee Member Justin Wetherell for formatting the flow chart and the Local Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Members for providing valuable input and feedback.

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding pre-cancellations, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

AFL-CIO COVID-19 Resource Guide

AFA and CWA are affiliated with the AFL-CIO, a voluntary federation of over 55 national and international labor unions.  The AFL-CIO has put together a state-by-state guide of resources, programs, and benefits available to workers affected by COVID-19.  You can find the guide on the AFL-CIO website under COVID-19 resources or by clicking here.

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