10.07.22 – APFA DFW Base Brief – November 2022 Staffing and Allocations

Friday, October 7, 2022

November 2022 Staffing and Allocations
***Staffing Information is Preliminary and Subject to Change***

Staffing Information

• Active Headcount: 6,510
• Available Headcount: 6,008
• Bid Jobs/Line Holders: 4,920
•  Reserves: 1,173 (18.1%)
• System Reserve: 17.9%
• Initial Reserve Seniority: 17,153 (14JUL14)
• Vacancy Transfers reporting on 01OCT: 67
• New Hires reporting to DFW in OCT: 66
• Expected Open Line Average: 83.1 hours
• Expected System Line Average: 81.1 hours

Important Timelines

November Schedule Highlights:

Key Dates

• Schedule change dates are 03NOV, 17NOV, and 30NOV

Holidays/Special Events

• Breeder’s Cup: 11/3 – 11/6 Additional LEX capacity
• College Football Extra Sections / Upgauges
• Clemson @ ND: 11/4, 11/6 GSP-SBN (Add), Additional CLT-SBN
• Florida @ Texas A&M: 11/4, 11/6 GNV-CLL (Add)
• Alabama @ LSU: 11/4, 11/6 Additional BTR Capacity
• Notre Dame Home Football Games: 11/4, 11/6, 11/18, 11/20 LGA-SBN (Add)

NFL Upgauges

• Packers Home Football Games: 11/12, 11/14, 11/17, 11/18, ORD-GRB (UG)

Charters

• 42 Departures
• Reduced domestic and international capacity (Details above)

Peak Day Hub Bank Structures are as follows:

• DFW-7 Banks
• PHX-8 Banks
• ORD-5 Banks
• CLT-8 Banks
• MIA-9 Banks
• PHL-6 Banks
• DCA-9 Banks

Allocations Information:

The holiday season is upon us and so are the drastic changes to our schedules, and there are some major changes you need to keep in mind. Remember, your basics in PBS are:

DREAM LAYERS
REALITY LAYERS
BACKUP LAYERS

What these layers may have looked like over the last 6 months should probably need review for the month of November. Don’t fall trap to massive schedule reductions and not bid appropriately. Many levels of seniority will be affected with the capacity changes network planning has implemented for NOV, to ensure the companies two buzz words are met:  Operational RELIABILITY & PROFITABILITY. While we are all part of this equation and understand the importance of these words for the continued rebound of our airline, we voiced concerns over quality of work life affecting our FAs. November’s equation has one more value added to it called lucky negative number -17. Let me explain.

Overall capacity across the system has been reduced by approximately 17%. Flying in many markets is down on some days more than others and some markets more than others. Therefore, please review your pairings closely relative to the above-mentioned layers. There is a drastic pull down on International flying that WILL have a snowball effect on awards as many will need to alter reality layers and backup layers.

The call this month was once again a combined call as we mentioned in an earlier communication. The company did not present any information to your reps in advance regarding reserve numbers, trip pairing percentages, bank reductions, etc. ALL BASES CONTINUE TO OBJECT to this format and intend on continuing to fight for a return to a more productive exchange of information that affects the largest work group on the property.

On to the changes:

Markets are flexing to the sunbelt markets, as the winter approaches and capacity is being adjusted also in some of our larger markets, as population trends have changed, and demand has shifted. Increased demand is seen in places like PHX, MIA and decreased demand in PHL and LGA; therefore, the markets and pairings in NOV thru these hubs will be different as you peruse the search in PBS.

There are three major schedule changes within the month altering pairings. Nov 3rd, 17th and 30th. These are to align into standard time, the Thanksgiving Holiday and then the start of Winter travel entering DEC.

Major pull down on international flying, including LHR. Many markets are seasonal and are now gone until March or April; and LHR is being reduced from four to three, as the company moves an aircraft to MIA for the winter tourist season. This one flight move was typical pre-pandemic, but there are additional LHR reductions new for the NOV month with the lack of demand on certain days of the week. This should return to normal in DEC. Additionally, other IPD flying has aircraft changes that affect total numbers of FAs on the bid. The good news CDG is back to a normal 24-hour layover, with an earlier departure time from DFW.

NIPD flying sees the return of widebody flying to the Caribbean and Domestic. Widebody flying picks up, especially on the hub-to-hub segments many of you enjoyed last winter.

The constraint of 3:15 max sit into the optimizer was kept across the board, so you should see a lot fewer long sits on all types of flying not just the one days as mentioned last month. We are happy to see this change remained constant and will continue to monitor it for any anomalies.

Planned deadheads are down dramatically, as some bases had added additional manning returned to help their staffing levels. Unfortunately, LAX was not one of those bases.

New hires are now forecasted to be added to the line on a consistent basis thru June of 2023.

Expect to see larger aircraft and increase warm weather destinations if demand continues to stay strong in the coming months, and the international forecast for spring 2023 is strong and there is no change in the company’s intent to operate at full international capacity, plus some.

Lastly, we know we are a large commuter base, so commuters, PLEASE take this time while bidding to also check your flight schedules and plan accordingly based on the above information.

DFW received 356,215 hours for the month of November, a decrease from October of 2,680 hours. STL satellite has 4,468; as AUS will have 1,510 hours.

Here is also the reprint of the holiday / incentive LOA, as a remainder for days you may wish to bid for regarding increased pay.

Holiday Days, which will pay a premium of 100% over the Flight Attendant’s base hourly rate based on the greater of scheduled or actual hours flown (including reschedules) on a holiday day(s), paid above guarantee for Reserves, including flying that crosses midnight Local Station Departure Time and touches a holiday day(s). The following nine (9) days are designated as holiday days:

• Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Sunday following Thanksgiving
• Monday following Thanksgiving
• December 24th
• December 25th
• December 26th
• December 31st
• January 1st

*New: Incentive Days, designated by the company at any time, will pay a premium of either 50% or 100%, as determined by the company, over the Flight Attendant’s base hourly rate based on the greater of scheduled or actual hours flown (including reschedules) on an incentive day(s), paid above guarantee for Reserves, including flying that crosses midnight Local Station Departure Time and touches an incentive day(s).

• Incentive day pay of either 50% or 100%, as determined by the company, will be in addition to any applicable Red Flag sequence pay.
• Holiday and incentive day pay will not apply to JCBA premiums such as Lead, Galley, International, Speaker, etc.
• Flight Attendants serving airport standby or who have a report/no fly event will be eligible for holiday and incentive day pay.
• Holiday and Incentive Day pay will need to be programmed for both Pilots and Flight Attendants, and until programming is complete, crew members will be paid as soon as practicable. Once programmed, these incentives will be paid out in our normal pay cycle. APFA made it clear to management that ‘as soon as practicable’ is not an acceptable timeline for payment.
• Hours flown as a scheduled On-Duty All Nighter (ODAN) in a single duty period that touches a holiday or incentive day will be eligible for the holiday or incentive day pay.

3FA and 4FA Sequence Durations

• 1-Day: 29%
• 2-Day: 24%
• 3-Day: 38%
• 4-Day: 09%

3FA and 4FA Overnight Rest Distribution

• Overnight Rest <12 hrs: 5%.
• Overnight Rest 12-18 hrs: 69.6%.
• Overnight Rest 18-24 hrs:  16.6%.
• Overnight Rest Greater than 24 hrs: 8.8%.

DFW Combined Operation Percentage of Sequences:

All equipment all positions.

• 1-Day: 30.5%
• 2-Day: 47.4%
• 3-Day: 19.4%
• 4-Day: 2.6%

Designated email for Allocations and Manning questions and concerns:
[email protected].

Be careful and fly safe!

In Solidarity,

Amber De Roxtra
APFA DFW Base President
(682) 422-7179
[email protected]

Amy Knox Green
APFA DFW Base Vice President
(972) 696-9766
[email protected]