1) Why will lines be constructed as low as 70 hours?
With a lower floor, the lines will be more consistent, and will provide the
pilot more flexibility to improve his/her line through the use of SAP and the A/I list
(Bid Sheet).
2) When do I bid for my Primary, Secondary or Reserve line?
During the time period(s) specified on the cover page of the pairing package or
as modified by a CBS message. You should expect to see Primary lines close about six weeks
prior to the bid month, Secondary lines close about four weeks prior to the bid month, and
Reserve lines close about two weeks prior to the bid month.
3) How do I bid to avoid being awarded a Primary line?
You can enter "SCDB" into the monthly bidding screen in CATCREW. SCDB
means that you want to avoid the award of any Primary line that is not bid ahead of
your SCDB designation. You can also enter "RSVB" to avoid being awarded either a
Primary or Secondary line. However, any line that is bid ahead of your SCDB or RSVB
designation will be awarded if your seniority allows. For more information, see Crew
Management Bulletin 99-9, Line Bidding Process.
4) How do I bid to avoid being awarded a Secondary line?
You can enter "RSVB" into the CATCREW monthly bidding screen. RSVB
means that you want to avoid the award of any Primary or Secondary line not bid ahead
of your RSVB designation. For more information, see Crew Management Bulletin 99-9, Line
Bidding Process.
5) What is SAP?
SAP is an acronym for Schedule Adjustment Period. SAP is used only by
Primary lineholders to modify their awarded line by picking up or dropping trips prior to
the start of the bid month. SAP is being completely redesigned to provide for an iterative
SAP award process.
6) How is SAP processing different under the new system?
Under the old system, when a trip dropped from a pilot’s line, it was only
available to pilots that were junior to him/her.
Presently SAP allows for a basic loop to increase the opportunity for a senior primary
lineholder to be awarded a trip that is dropped by a junior primary lineholder.
Full iterative SAP is scheduled to be implemented for the August 1999 bid month.
7) Where will the time for Secondary lines come from?
Secondary lines will be constructed from open time after SAP closes. Open time
is composed of the trips that were not originally built into Primary lines and from trips
dropped due to known vacation, training, sick and other miscellaneous reasons.
8) How many Secondary lines will be built?
The number of Secondary lines will vary depending upon how much open time
occurs and where the open time falls in the month. It is possible that the pattern of this
open time could result in any number or no Secondary lines being constructed. Secondary
lines will be constructed to a minimum of 70 hours, just like the Primary lines. After the
construction of Secondary lines, open time, by position, must contain no less than the
greater of five percent or 40 hours of the credited time for the month.
9) Is a pilot who is awarded a Secondary line a lineholder?
Yes. Once a pilot is awarded a Secondary line, the pilot is treated as a
lineholder. However, there is no SAP process for Secondary lineholders. Negative bank is
available to Secondary as well as Primary lineholders.
25(C)1.e. A Reserve being "slipped" into a Primary or a Secondary line
shall assume the responsibilities of a Lineholder and shall exercise his seniority on the
A/I list as a Lineholder.
10) When may a Lineholder sign in for his/her trips?
Lineholders who choose to sign in for the month may do so at the conclusion of
the SAP process, or any time up to the processing of the Future A/I list, two days prior
to the origination of the first trip in their line. Lineholders can also sign in for
individual trip(s). This can be done in advance of or during the processing of the Future
A/I list, two days prior to the origination of the trip.
11) How many "R" and "S" Reserve lines will be constructed?
Currently, MetroJet has approximately one-third of the reserve lines
constructed as Short Call Reserve lines. However, this ratio may vary by position. ALPA
and management will meet to discuss the appropriate mix.
25(B)4.d. The Director of Crew Scheduling and the Chairman – ALPA Scheduling
Committee will meet to discuss the total number of Reserve lines within a position which
shall be designated as Short Call Reserve Lines.
12) What is a "R" Reserve?
An "R" Reserve is a Regular Reserve and may have open time trips in
his/her line.
13) Can a "R" Reserve stand reserve duty out of domicile?
Yes, a Regular Reserve may stand reserve out of domicile and is required to
have given no less than nine (9) hours to report to domicile operations when assigned a
trip.
25(E)1. When called by Daily Scheduling, Reserve pilots scheduled for Regular
Reserve days shall be given nine (9) hours to report to domicile operations.
14) Can an "R" Reserve be transitioned to "S" Reserve and be
required to stand reserve in domicile? (Without a trip)
Yes. "R’s" can be transitioned to "S" Reserve status.
If transitioned to "S," an "R" Reserve has nine hours to be in
domicile, and thereafter shall conform to the provisions applying to all short call
Reserves. A Reserve transitioned to "S" will receive a prorated increase in
reserve guarantee.
a) On an "R" duty day you have nine hours to arrive in domicile from when you
are transitioned.
b) On a day off the "R" Reserve, who has been transitioned, has nine hours to
arrive in domicile from the beginning of his/her duty day at midnight.
15) Can an "R" Reserve be transitioned to "S" Reserve and be
required to stand reserve in domicile? (With a trip)
If the pilot is assigned a trip in conjunction with being transitioned to a
Short Call Reserve, he/she shall have a minimum of nine (9) hours notice to report for
duty.
16) What is an RHOT (pronounced "R-hot") Reserve?
An "RHOT" (Reserve Holding Open Time) Reserve is a Regular Reserve
pilot who has been awarded a Reserve line of flying with some Reserve Open Time trip(s)
contained in the line.
17) What is a "V" (Vacancy Designation) day?
"V" days are created when a Lineholder takes an open time trip from
an RHOT’s Reserve line. When this happens, a "V" is placed in each of the
days that had been occupied by the RHOT trip. The purpose of the "V" is to
designate and place the former RHOT pilot in the first category of priority for Future
Reserve processing.
25(D)3.b.(1) Regular Reserves who have trips taken by Lineholders shall have a
vacancy designation, "V," placed in their line on the same days that had been
occupied by the trip taken.
18) What is an "S" Reserve?
An "S" Reserve is a Short Call Reserve. All "S" Reserves
must be within their domicile on their scheduled duty days. The area considered within
domicile is defined as the geographical area within ninety (90) minutes normal driving
time to the airport employee parking lot.
19) Under the new scheduling system, will open time be available to prime the AI
List (bid sheet)?
Yes. Under the New Scheduling System, after building Secondary lines, the
greater of five percent or 40 hours, by position, must remain in open time.
25(B)2.b. There shall be a minimum of five percent (5%) of the total time for each
position, or 40 hours, whichever is greater, as open time after Primary line (and 25(B)3.
Secondary line) construction.
20) How does a Lineholder get a trip from the A/I list (bid sheet)?
The A/I list for Lineholders will be processed at 0900* two days prior to the
operation of the trip.
21) Can a Lineholder pick up a trip after the Future Lineholder A/I list (bid
sheet) closes (two (2) days prior)?
Lineholders may pick-up any open time prior to the awarding/assignment of trips
to Reserves by making themselves available to Daily Scheduling for any remaining open
trips.
*Note: This time is subject to change with advance notice and/or implementation of
staggered closeout times.
22) Can a Lineholder who makes him/herself available to Daily Scheduling pass a trip
if it becomes open more than three (3) hours prior to departure?
Yes. (Refer to Flow Chart document).
23) Can a Lineholder who makes him/herself available to Daily Scheduling for
"late opening trips" (less than three (3) hours) pass a trip for which
he/she is called, which departs in less than three (3) hours?
No. The pilot can only remove him/herself from "late opening trip"
status by initiating a call to crew scheduling prior to being contacted by
scheduling.
24) Can Lineholders who make themselves available to Daily Scheduling for
"Late Opening Trips" (less than three (3) hours prior to departure) change their
minds and remove themselves from this status prior to being contacted by scheduling
for such trip?
Yes. A Lineholder may remove him/herself from "Late opening Trips"
availability prior to being called for such trips.
25) Can a pilot give requested parameters to a scheduler?
Yes. The pilot may leave Crew Scheduling a list of preferences for such things
as:
a) number of duty days
b) departure/arrival times
c) specific trip numbers
26) When can a RHOT pilot sign in for his/her trip?
A Reserve Holding Open Time (RHOT) may indicate his/her desire to Future
Crew Scheduling to sign in for a trip prior to the commencement of Future Reserve
processing, one day prior to the origination of the trip. However, the RHOT will not be
actually signed-in for the trip until the RHOT is processed (in seniority order within the
first category) during the Future Reserve award/assignment window. This is because a
Lineholder may pick up Reserve Open Time (the RHOT trip) up until the point that the RHOT
is actually awarded the trip during the Future Reserve assignment window. All Reserves are
processed in seniority order by category.
27) Can a RHOT pilot trip improve?
Yes. During the Future Reserve Assignment List processing window the pilot has
the option to sign in for his/her trip or may attempt to trip improve. Remember however,
Lineholders may pick up an RHOT trip until the point in time that the RHOT pilot has been
processed during the Future Reserve window.
28) Can a senior RHOT Reserve or senior "V" Reserve take a trip from a
junior RHOT’s line?
No. Only a Lineholder may take a trip from an RHOT pilot. The only trips
available to the senior RHOT pilot is his/her own trip or trips which are in open time,
not other RHOT trips. Likewise, the "V" pilot may only choose trips from open
time, not other RHOT trips.
29) How is a "R" or "S" Reserve awarded/assigned a trip?
Generally, there are two ways Reserves may be awarded/assigned a trip.
a) The Future Reserve Assignment List window will be processed at 1100* one day prior
to the operation of the trip.
b) Reserves may also be awarded/assigned trips from Daily Scheduling.
Note: For more information on trip award/assignment see pages 4-6 of the US Airways
New Pilot Scheduling System Flow Charts (pages 24-26 in this magazine).
30) How can a pilot determine if he/she is able to pass a trip or if he/she must
accept the trip when Scheduling calls?
Refer to the "US Airways New Pilot Scheduling System" Flow Chart
document. See page 5 (Daily Scheduling), page 6 (Priority of Trip Assignment), and page 7
(Reserve Passing Rules) (pages 25-27 in this magazine). For more detailed information
about passing and trip assignment see Section 25 of the Pilots Working Agreement.
31) If a Reserve on a day off prior to a duty day does not make contact with
Future Scheduling can a trip be assigned to him/her?
Yes, trips may be assigned to Reserves in this case. If an RHOT pilot does not
contact Future Scheduling on a day prior to a trip, he/she will be assigned his/her trip
during the Future Reserve assignment window if the trip remained in his/her line.
All other Reserves ("V," "R," and "S") will be handled as
follows:
1) If the pilot would have had the ability to pass, he/she will be passed. These pilots
have no claim to any trips assigned/awarded junior to them.
2) If the pilot does not have the ability to pass, he/she will be assigned/awarded any
remaining trip. These pilots will be contacted at 0001 of the next day for the purpose of
notifying them of their awarded/assigned trip. Such trip assigned during Future Reserve
Assignment List Processing may depart prior to 0900.
25(D)3.a.(2) A Reserve pilot who is not available to be contacted by Future
Scheduling on a day off prior to a scheduled duty day, nor who makes use of the
advance contact and sign-in provisions above, and who is awarded/assigned a trip by Future
Scheduling, will be contacted at 0001 of the pilots duty day for the purpose of notifying
the pilot of his awarded/assigned trip. Such trip may depart prior to 0900.
32) What changes in the New Scheduling System will affect Reserve days off?
a) Unless assigned a trip through the priority of trip assignment provisions, a
scheduled day off is a day off. In addition, the new priority of trip assignment
provisions require that the Company attempt to use a pilot from other domiciles before
disrupting an in-domicile Reserve’s days off.
b) Days off cannot be voluntarily given up.
c) Reserve days off will be built around known open time and scheduled in groups of no
less than two (2) days off and no more than five (5) days off.
33) Can a Reserve pilot voluntarily fly on a day off?
No. The only way that a Reserve pilot can work on his/her day off is through
"Priority of Trip Assignment."
25(E)4. Reserve pilots may not voluntarily fly on a day off.
34) If the Company requires a Reserve pilot to fly on his/her day off as a result of
a trip assignment, what happens to the day off?
The day off will be reinstated or an additional vacation day will be added to
an existing vacation period or accrual.
The following four options, in priority order, are available:
1) Reinstate the day off, adjacent to a days off sequence in the same month. The
specific day is determined by the Company.
2) Reinstate the day off in the same month, but not adjacent to a days off
sequence. This day must be acceptable to the pilot.
3) Reinstate the day off, adjacent to a days off sequence in the following month (as
determined by the Company) or, the pilot may choose option 4, below.
4) Compensate the pilot with an additional vacation day added to his/her existing
vacation or to his/her vacation accrual at the pilot’s option.
25(E)4. If a pilot is required to fly on his day off as a result of a trip
assignment, the Company shall reinstate his day off adjacent to a days off sequence in the
same month if coverage permits. With mutual agreement, a pilot may also elect to accept a
day off in the same month, which is not adjacent to a days off sequence. If coverage does
not permit reinstatement in the same month, the pilot may choose to have a day reinstated
in the following month (choice of day to be at the sole discretion of the Company in
accordance with Section 12(G)2), or to have an additional day added to an existing
vacation period or to his accrual at his option. Such choice must be communicated to Crew
Administration promptly and, once made, such choice is irrevocable.
35) How is a pilot paid when transitioned from "R" to "S"
Reserve?
The difference in minimum guarantee is prorated for the days an "R"
Reserve was transitioned to "S" Reserve status. This difference in guarantee pay
will be approximately 12 minutes per day. Reserves are not automatically paid the total
"S" monthly guarantee for being transitioned once during the month.
25(E)3.c. When a pilot is transitioned to Short Call status, his monthly pay
guarantee shall be increased by an amount equal to: (x) the number of duty days in his
sequence that were converted to Short Call status; divided by (y) his total number of duty
days in the month; multiplied by (z) the difference between the Short Call Reserve monthly
guarantee and the Regular Reserve monthly guarantee. However, in no event can the
pilot’s monthly pay guarantee exceed the monthly pay guarantee for a Short call
Reserve.
36) How is a Reserve charged for sick time?
25(E)6. A Reserve pilot shall be charged sick time for scheduled duty days when
unavailable due to illness. The Reserve pilot’s sick bank shall be charged a daily
rate equal to: (x) the sum of the previous three "full" months pay hours (i.e.,
for a pilot who is sick in June, the months of February, March and April are considered
the most recent previous three "full" months due to record keeping
requirements), excluding pay no credit, vacation fly back, flex cap, and any other unusual
pay items, divided by three; divided by (y) the number of scheduled duty days in the
current month. If no previous three-month history is available, the applicable guarantee
will be divided by the pilot’s number of scheduled duty days for that month. If, in
any of the previous three months a pilot claimed fifty percent or more of his scheduled
duty days as sick or Occupational Injury or Illness, such months shall not be used in the
calculation and a previous "full" month shall be used instead. If previous or
subsequent flying during the month, when added to the amount of monthly sick charge, is
greater than his/her reserve guarantee, the Reserve pilot may reduce the sick charge so as
to be paid an amount no less than his/her reserve guarantee. If previous or subsequent
flying during the month, when added to the amount of monthly sick charge, is greater than
the monthly pay cap, the Company will reduce the sick charge so the Reserve pilot will be
paid an amount equal to the cap.
For Example:
A Reserve pilot’s daily sick pay will be the balance of his/her three previous
full months divided by three (3) and then divided by the number of duty days in the
current month.
Example: 85/80/75 hours = 240 hours divided by 3 = 80 hours divided by 20 = 4 hours
sick pay per day.
