50 flight attendants were fired by American Airlines for failing to report for duty on reserve. Junior flight attendants are disproportionately hit by the move, but it should come as no surprise to those who deliberately violated their contract by not being able to fly while on company time.
Flight attendants in the USA can't hold a line for many years and can't be assigned routes until they have put in several years. Junior flight attendants are usually assigned to routes at the very last minute due to other flight attendants canceling.
If flight attendants call out sick at the last minute, an immediate replacement is required or the flight will be delayed or canceled. Reserve flight attendants come in, who are told to stay near their assigned airport and be ready to work if called. Flight attendants are paid for their time even if they aren't called.
American Airlines has seen an increase in reserve flight attendants who won't answer the phone or call in sick after being assigned a flight. This is against company policy.
American Airlines warned flight attendants about this in a memo.
We’ve talked before about the crucial role reserves play in helping keep the operation running smoothly. We depend on reserves when there’s bad weather and other factors that prevent lineholders from working their scheduled assignments. Unfortunately we continue to see some troubling trends that negatively impact running a reliable operation.
When you are on reserve, it boils down to this:
- Your are obligated to be positioned within two hours of your base airport (three hours for co-terminal bases) for the duration of your RAP (reserve availability period) unless Crew Scheduling releases you.
- If you are not positioned as described above for the duration of your RAP, you may be considered “out of base.” This may lead to the termination of your employment.
- You are required to report a known illness/injury the day prior to ROTA processing or as soon as you know you will not be available. You should not wait for Crew Scheduling to assign you a trip before calling out sick.
Many flight attendants were angry that American Airlines was blaming them for operational disruptions. American Airlines is investigating flight attendants who failed to report. 50 people have been fired.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants has warned its members.
We have seen a significant uptick in investigations regarding reserves not in position to accept an assignment while on a Reserve Availability Period (RAP). The Company is aggressively enforcing the requirements of JCBA Section 12.H.1. You must be able to report to the airport within two (2) hours/three (3) hours for a co-terminal while serving a RAP.
If you are on Reserve and you have a triggering event such as a TM (no contact, trip missed), a MT (missed trip- you don’t show up), LC (late call out or sick on contact), or a late request of a PO, the Company will conduct a travel audit and compare it to your reserve schedule. They will conduct a 35R investigation. During this investigation, they will pull all your travel benefits history, including past, current AA listings, travel, and other airlines. They will use other evidence to substantiate their claim that a Flight Attendant was not in position to report within the contractual timeline.
If American Airlines suspects that you are not fulfilling your end of the bargain by not being available within 2 hours when on reserve, it will come after you. This seems reasonable to me.
50 flight attendants were terminated by American Airlines for skirting contractual obligations while being paid to be on reserve duty. The union is urging its members to exercise extreme caution while on reserve duty.
It seems to me that this is a reasonable response by American Airlines to the problem. AA hopes that its harsh tactics will persuade other flight attendants to avoid similar actions in the future.
The view from the wing is called H/T.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
