6.10.22 – Reserve Bidding Reminder: Back Yourself up With a Lineholder Bid

Friday, June 10, 2022

Reserve Bidding Reminder:
Back Yourself up With a Lineholder Bid

When PBS opened today the line averages were, at most bases, slightly higher than originally discussed with the Company. Generally speaking, there may be variations because of changes in headcount due to leaves and other factors.

We have consistently pushed the company to reduce the number of Reserve Flight Attendants at each base. Reducing the Reserve count would lower the line averages and ultimately decrease the number of hours each Flight Attendant would be projected to cover as PBS processes. We hear you loud and clear: Reserve numbers are too high!

To that end, we had discussions with the Company today regarding these higher opening line averages.

Historically, when PBS processes, the actual line average organically goes down once bidding behavior, carry-in credit, last minute changes to headcount, and other variables are taken into account. For July, the Company has agreed to monitor the award process and, if necessary, influence the final line average by moving some Reserves to Lineholder status.

What does this mean for my July PBS bid?

If you are showing as a Reserve on your PBS dashboard, we recommend bidding both as a Lineholder and a Reserve in the event you are moved to Lineholder status when the July bids are processed. Be sure you bid all seven (7) layers as a Lineholder, as well as all seven (7) layers as a Reserve. Remember, only Reserve days off bid under the Reserve Tab will be captured when processing a Reserve bid.

When would I be moved from Reserve to Lineholder?

Those who were showing as a Reserve in the LRD process and toggled to Lineholder but are still showing as a Reserve on their PBS dashboard would be moved, in seniority order, and processed as Lineholders. If after that step the system needs more Lineholders, it would assign Reserves in inverse seniority order and process them as Lineholders. In the PBS Guide this is referred to as Reserve Bubble Bidders:

Reserve Bubble Bidders

If your final status is Reserve when the bid period opens, you will want to back yourself up and be a “bubble bidder” if either of the following applies:

• You selected Lineholder as your preference (default preference if tentative) with the LRD tool, but were unsuccessful
• You are at the bottom of Reserve status seniority for the bid month

During the award process if additional Lineholders are needed to cover the remaining open time, Reserves will be moved to Lineholder status accordingly:

1. If Lineholder was your preference with the LRD tool, you will be awarded in seniority order
2. If you did not select Lineholder with the LRD tool, you will be assigned in reverse seniority order

Because a bubble bidder has the potential to be moved to Lineholder status, it is recommended to create both a Reserve and a Lineholder monthly bid (seven Reserve layers and seven Lineholder layers).

During the award process if your status changes to Lineholder, PBS will only use your Lineholder bids to award your line. Any Reserve bids will be ignored. Similarly if your status changes to Lineholder but you do not have a Lineholder monthly bid, PBS will use your Lineholder standing bid (if one exists). If you have no standing bid the Lineholder Default bid will be used.

Please review the APFA PBS Bidding Checklist as well as the full PBS Guide found on Crew Change for more detailed information on PBS bidding.

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In Solidarity,

Jeff Petersen
APFA National Contract Chair
[email protected]

Marti McMillan
APFA National Scheduling Chair
[email protected]