• Clarification - Red Eye Touch
• Accessing The Hub
• AFA Local Numbers

Dear Members,

In November and December some questions arose regarding red eyes and the ability to use a redeye to drop a trip for a touch. To ensure that the correct information was made available to Flight Attendants from all bases the Union and Scheduling decided to start putting out scheduling clarifications via CBS as well as on the AFA MEC E-line. A document titled "Clarification -Redeye Touches" should answer many questions you may on the subject. It will be available on the Hub and the AFA E-Line as soon as possible.

Clarification - Red Eye Touch

In 1993, to make legal lines of flying with more days off and the same cadence AFA acknowledged the necessity of lines with multiple red-eye pairings that touched the same day. However, AFA took the position that such a pairing combination in primary lines created a "touch"; therefore, the affected lineholders were entitled to an unconditional drop(s) for a touch before the bid month began or anytime thereafter. The Company did not agree with Union's position and a grievance was filed. Later a settlement was reached which allowed the following:

Red Eye Pairings Obtained Via Primary Lines:

If a primary lineholder calls crew scheduling (before the bid month begins or anytime thereafter prior to the AIL being processed for such trip) and requests to be removed from a redeye trip in his/her line for a "touch", the crew scheduler should remove the flight attendant from the redeye trip that is being "touched" and the in same transaction sign the flight attendant in for redeye trip that is being used for the touch.

"Reverse Touch": Anytime after the blocks are awarded but prior to the AIL for such trip a F/A may call Crew Scheduling and request to drop his/her trip on the 12th, because he/she intends to fly on 14th. The Crew Scheduler will remove the F/A from his/her trip on the 12th and in the same transaction sign the F/A in for the 14th. Later he/she may trip improve; however, he/she has an obligation to touch the 14th.

"Touch": After the blocks are awarded but prior to the AIL for such trip a F/A may call Crew Scheduling and request to drop his/her trip on the 14th, because he/she intends to fly on 12th. Crew Scheduling will remove the F/A from his/her trip on the 14th and in the same transaction sign the F/A in for the 12th. Later, he/she can trip improve; however, he/she has an obligation to touch the 14th.

"AIL USE": For example, if on the 10th, the flight attendant calls Crew Scheduling and requests to drop his/her trip on the 14th for a touch because he/she intends to trip improve to the 11th Crew Scheduling will remove the flight attendant from the trip on the 14th and in the same transaction signs the flight attendant in for the 12th. In this case, he/she picks a 4 day trip that fulfills his/her obligation to touch the 14th. Note: In all cases, when a drop for touch is utilized, the flight attendant must touch the day the dropped trip originated (this example the 14th). As always, when the bid sheet is restricted, the flight attendant must touch the day of origination, in this example the 12th.


Redeye Pairings Obtained Via Secondary and SAP:

Additionally, when Secondaries and SAP programming (2000) was approved, the AFA committee proposed that multiple red eye pairings that terminate/originate on the same day and the aforementioned settlement/practice would apply. The Company agreed that the Secondary lineholders/ SAP awardees would be treated the same as the Primary lineholders listed above.

Additional Information That Applies to Primary/Secondary Lineholders and SAP Awards:

1) Weekend restrictions do not apply if the pairing dropped (via Crew Scheduling) touches a Saturday and/or Sunday. Example: Redeye Thursday, Friday, Saturday with Redeye Saturday, Sunday, Monday. After block awards, the F/A drops the Redeye that works Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for a "touch". He/she is responsible for the trip on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. If he/she uses the AIL to trip improve off Saturday he/she is still responsible for Saturday but not Sunday.

2) Protected Holiday pairings will be dropped under this agreement.

3) When drops are done via Crew Scheduling, the projected line value may go below the SAP minimum. However, drops related to a touch(s) or reverse touch(s) does not relieve the flight attendant of his/her applicable flying obligation.

4) When dropping a pairing in advance, it would be appreciated if such drop was done prior to the Secondary Construction so that the dropped redeye could be used to build more Secondary lines.

Redeye Pairings Obtained Via Augmentation, ETB and Trip Swaps:

A flight attendant who picks up a Redeye trip via Augmentation, ETB or Trip Swaps does not qualify for the "unconditional drop for touch" as stated above. However, if such flight attendant augments, utilizes the ETB or swaps a redeye in his/her line that originates or ends on the same day as another redeye in his/her line he/she still has the ability to use the AIL.

Non Weekend Example: A Secondary Lineholder has a Redeye on the 12th which works Mon., Tue. & Wed. He/she adds a Redeye on the 14th which works Wed., Thu. & Fri. into his/her line via augmentation, ETB or a swap. He/she would not be allowed to call Crew Scheduling to drop one of the Redeye pairings because it is assumed that he/she picked-up the trip to fly it. However, he/she can use the AIL to create a touch.

In this case, if the F/A wanted to get rid of the trip on the 14th he/she could pick up a trip that overlaps the 14th so legal rest did not exist on such day.

Weekend Restriction Example: A F/A obtained, via augmentation, ETB or swap a Redeye trip originating on the 15th that works Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Such trip had legal rest before the departure of the Redeye in his/her line (Primary, Secondary, SAP, Augmented, ETB or Trip Swap) which originated on the 17th and worked Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. After getting the ETB trip the F/A trip improves to a trip which touches Saturday and does leave legal rest. This action drops the Saturday Redeye for a "touch"; however, he/she is responsible for a trip that originates on Sunday per Section 9.E.6 (page 9-16 line 27).

Thank you,

Carol Austin
MEC Scheduling Chair

Mike Flores, President
US Airways MEC
AFA-CWA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AFA US Airways website

http://www.afausairways.org/

Accessing The Hub:

http://thehub.usairways.com 
Questions about the Hub? Please contact the EDS Help Desk at 336-744-6000 for assistance. More information can also be found HERE.

AFA Local Numbers

Council 40 PIT 724-695-3329
Council 41 DCA 703-212-8090
Council 69 BOS 781-289-8454
Council 70 PHL 215-492-0840
Council 82 LGA 315-736-3483
Council 89 CLT 704-527-0325

New Hotline Number Toll Free: 866-USA-AFA2
US AIRWAYS Benefits Information 800-872-4780

Reply to Inflight: askinflight@usairways.com

The *E-Line* is now in a new and improved format. By updating your profile at unionvoice.org you will be able to enjoy improved services in the near future! Visit your subscription management page at: http://www.unionvoice.org/

Got questions about This *E-Line* from AFA - US Airways or any other Union matter? Do NOT REPLY to the *E-Line*. PLEASE contact your local AFA officers or committee chairs directly