• What You Should Know About Certain Lead-Out Pairings -Important
• Accessing The Hub
• AFA Local Numbers

Dear Members,

What You Should Know About Certain Lead-Out Pairings –Important

What is the issue?  In CATS Options 2 and 5 display figures in the OBL and PRJ fields that may not correctly reflect a FA’s monthly responsibility.  This takes place when a lead out trip in the FA’s line has a duty period(s) of less than 5:00 or combinations of duty periods that are less than the number of DPS times 5:00. Additionally, FAs bidding in SAP or holding certain lead out trips are having UNITS denied without understanding why the denial happens.

Why does this happen?  When CATS loads a new contract month of pairings it includes in the load process all of the remaining duty periods for the previous contract month’s lead-out pairings and all the pairings for the new contract month.  The pairing loader only loads the data that physically exists in the contract month, as the Company has the option on the next pairing load cycle to alter any or all lead-out trips from the previous contract month.  CATS has operated this way since its inception.   All of the CATS pay calculators use only the information that is currently in the CATS system, so when a lead-out pairing is in its incomplete form such trips will often be rounded up to a “false” VM pay.  This false VM pay equates to the number of DPs in the current contract month times 5:00.  CATS cannot recognize the actual carry-over time since it does NOT exist yet within the CATS system. When a trip continues from one month to the next and CATS detects a value that does not meet the minimum pay requirements, it changes that value to reflect that minimum.  For example, Option 2 and Option 5 will reflect more scheduled pay time than will be actually paid.  As a result, CATS is increasing the OBL which in turn creates a false PRJ amount.  Once the remainder of the actual pairing detail is loaded into CATS (with the next month’s pairing load) a program is executed in CATS which adjusts the crewmembers’ OBL and PRJ value to what their actual values should be for anyone assigned to a lead-out trip that has an inflated or deflated VM assigned.   This happens approximately 7 days prior to the commencement of the applicable contract month, e.g., October 23^rd/24^th for November OBL and PRJ.

Example #1 INFLATED VALUES:  A line worth TCR of 84:57 has a lead out pairing, in which DP1 and DP2 are worth a total of 6:18.  When the block award data is transferred to CATS, it recognizes these two DPs as collectively worth less than the 5:00 VM per day because it does not have the value and trip information for the lead-in portion.  It then increases the projected pay for the month to 88:39 (84:57 + 3:42=88:39. Where did the 3:42 come from? It is the original lead-out value of 6:18 subtracted from a false VM value of 10:00 (2 DP times 5:00).

By increasing the pay value of DP1 and DP2 from 6:18 to 10:00, CATS also temporarily increases the OBL by 3:42.  Any OBL disputes for crewmembers holding lead-out pairings should be held until after the pairings for the following contract month have been added to the system, and the carry-over award process has been executed.  This carry-over process runs the day that primary lines are awarded for the following contract month.

A change was made to help the situation:   In May 2008, a change was requested and implemented into the SAP and SBL (Secondaries) applications in the SABRE systems (outside of CATS) to process with the actual amount of all pairings, regular and lead-out.  This change was done so that the results of the falsely inflated values would not deny UNITS that were not awarded in the past.  Additionally, the impact of the inflated OBL and PRJ fields would be minimized when the system reconciles itself approximately 7 days prior to the commencement of the applicable contract month.

What does this mean to flight attendants holding or bidding for lead-out pairings?  This means that if you are holding the block mentioned in the example above, when you look at Option 2 or Option 5 the pay is going to show as 88:39.  When you enter your bids into SAP, your SAP projected pay is going to reflect 88:39 instead of 84:57.

However, when the SABRE application processes your awards, the starting pay value it is going to work with will be 84:57.  If you elect to drop your lead-out trip during SAP the SABRE system will only subtract the actual 6:18 from your 84:57 starting pay.  This needs to be considered when bidding in SAP since the SAP screen still reflects a projection of 88:39.  Therefore, the FA could think they are sitting at the inflated value of 88:39 when their actual time is at 84:57 and it (SABRE) will be processed as such.  As in this example, if you have an inflated lead-out trip and you think you are starting with pay of 88:39 and request to drop a 28:00 trip (which is not a lead-out trip), the request would appear to be legal, leaving the flight attendant at 60:39. In actuality, the bid will be denied stating that the bid makes the crewmember under his/her MIN window “TOTAL HOURS 56:57 (84:57 minus 28:00= 56:57) UNDER F/A MIN F/A LIMIT SET AT 60:00”.

Example #2 DEFLATED VALUES (which happens rarely):  A FA is awarded a line worth TCR of 72:30.  The line includes a lead out trip originating on the last day of the contract month. DP1 of the lead out trip has a block value of 6:00 plus VM of :30 (total pay of 6:30) for that duty day.  When the block award data is transferred to CATS, it recognizes DP1 as worth more than a minimum day so the 6:00 of block will be recognized, however, the :30 VM pay will not. Why? Because at this time CATS does not have the exact value and trip information for the entire trip.  It then decreases the projected pay for the month to falsely be 72:30 minus :30 = 72:00.   The flight attendant’s projection will temporarily be deflated until approximately 7 days prior to the commencement of the applicable contract month.  She/he should really be projected to 72:30.

SAP will incorrectly show 72:00 as a projected pay but SABRE will use 72:30 when working his/her UNITS at the starting point. 

By decreasing the pay value of DP1 from 6:30 to 6:00 CATS will temporarily decrease the OBL by :30 which in turn puts the projection over by :30.   Any OBL disputes for crewmembers holding carry over in pairings should be held until after the pairings for the following contract month have been added to the system, and the carry-over award process has been executed.  This process runs the day that primary lines are awarded for the following contract month.

SAP legality function (L) involving a lead out trip that has less than 5:00 accumulatively: Using the legalities function by putting an L in the expand field to see if the SABRE application is going to accept or deny your UNIT is not your best method of validation. Why? Because the legality function will inflate or deflate the value of these trips as discussed throughout this document. Unfortunately, SABRE is an external operation and CATS is the system that is running the legality check within SAP.  

When a lead out trip (worth collectively less than 5:00 per duty period) is involved, use your published trip sheet  to determine how much you will be inflated or in those rare cases deflated as it relates to OBL and PRJ. See examples below

Example#3 (Inflated Values): FA has a line worth 82:00 and such line does not include a lead out trip.  He/she wants to pick up a lead out trip that has DP1 and DP2 collectively worth 6:18.  Under the old method (prior to May 08) she/he would not have been awarded such ADD because the UNIT (82:00 plus a false value of 10:00 = 92:00) would have been denied as over the 90:00 limit.     

However, since the 2008 change the UNIT will be awarded by SABRE as 82:00 plus 6:18 (FA must use the published trip sheet) = 88:18 but when loaded into CATS the flight attendant’s award will temporarily look like her OBL is 92:00.  This OBL will be corrected approximately 7 days prior to the commencement of the applicable contract month. 

Approximately seven (7) days prior to the commencement of the applicable contract month: Once the remainder of the actual pairing detail is loaded into CATS (with the next month’s pairing load) a program is executed in CATS which adjusts the crewmember’s OBL and PRJ value to what their actual values should be for anyone assigned to a lead-out trip that has an inflated or deflated VM assigned.   This happens approximately 7 days prior to the commencement of the applicable contract month.  However, to have the value corrected by CATS you must be awarded the carry-in portion of the trip.

Carol Austin
MEC Scheduling Chair
CAustin@afausairways.org

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

AFA US Airways Website

www.afausairways.org

Accessing The Hub:

http://thehub.usairways.com 
Logging in the first time your user name is u0(zero) and your five digit employee number. Your initial password is the first five digits of your social security number. 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 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

Got Questions? Get Answers

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: http://www.afausairways.org/emailaddresses2.htm

Your MEC Officers
Association of Flight Attendants
Hotline & *E-Line* - US Airways