9.21.22 – San Francisco Transfer Information

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Bidding for a Transfer Out of San Francisco

Flight Attendants facing displacement from SFO due to the base closure announced last week understandably have many questions. At the forefront is bidding for your new base. This process will be handled in two phases during the September and October transfer bid and award process.

Last week the company posted vacancies for BOS, CLT, DCA, DFW, LGA, MIA, ORD, PHL, and PHX. They have stated that vacancies for these bases will be open for the September and October bid and award. The transfer to your new base will be effective January 31, 2023, the first day of the February contractual month.

However, if you would like to transfer sooner, you may choose to transfer during the normal transfer timeline (December 2, 2022 effective date if awarded in September; January 1, 2023 effective date if awarded in October).

You will have a week from the time of the award to notify the company if you choose to transfer sooner than January 31. The company initially wanted displaced Flight Attendants to indicate their choice of transfer effective date before transfers were even awarded. APFA rejected this deadline and pushed the company to allow you to receive your award before making that decision. If you do not wish to transfer sooner than January 31, no action is required.

• For the September award, transfer preferences must be input in FOS by the close of the bidding window on September 26, 2022, at 0830 CT. Awards will be posted on September 27. (Inactive Flight Attendants will be eligible to bid for a transfer in the October award.)
• If you would like the transfer awarded on September 27 to be effective on December 2, you will have until October 3 at 1400 CT to notify the company by filling out a Comply365 Form > My Forms > AAFA > SFO Transfer Early Request.
• If you do not receive your first choice in September, you have the option to rebid in the October transfer bid. If you rebid in October, you must input your transfer preferences again in FOS. Transfer preferences are removed once you are awarded.
• For the October award, transfer preferences must be input in FOS by the close of the bidding window on October 26, 2022 at 0830 CT. Awards will be posted on October 27.
• If you would like the transfer awarded on October 27 to be effective on January 1, you will have until November 3 at 1400 CT to notify the company by filling out a Comply365 Form  > My Forms > AAFA > SFO Transfer Early Request.
• If you do not bid for a new base in either the September or October transfer process, you will be assigned a new base with an effective date of January 31, 2023.

Being forced to make life-altering decisions about your future due to the SFO base closure is stressful and requires time and thoughtful consideration. That is why APFA has continued to fight for more flexibility in the transfer process than was initially offered by the company.

Because there are limited openings in PHX and no vacancies in LAX, we want to share a few bidding scenarios that may help you strategize your bid preferences. Since there are no openings in LAX, the path to a transfer is by being awarded a mutual transfer.

For mutual transfers APFA has asked, and the company has agreed, to handle aircraft and service qualification requirements in the same way as vacancy transfers. This means that to be eligible for a mutual transfer, a match with another Flight Attendant can be made even if you do not hold the same aircraft and/or service qualifications.

In Solidarity,

Jeff Petersen
APFA National Contract Chair
[email protected]