6.17.24 – APFA DCA Base Brief – Allocations And Crew Planning Meeting Recap

Allocations and Crew Planning Meeting Recap

Monday, June 17, 2024

On Wednesday, June 12, Management from Allocations and Crew Planning Departments came to DCA for a meeting at our request. I attended the meeting with APFA DCA Vice President Dianne Britton, Jennifer Acevedo (DCA Base Manager), and Carolina Londono (Crew Manager). The meeting aimed to discuss our concerns about trip construction, PBS forced time, and high Reserve numbers, among other issues.

During the meeting, we shared the results of a trip construction survey from last year and highlighted the support we received from our DCA Deserves Better – Tell Management NOW! base brief. In the email blast, 50% of the base sent messages to management expressing their frustrations and demanding better trip construction and PBS solutions. Both departments acknowledged our concerns and committed to considering this feedback for future trip-building and manpower planning. Along with the email blast concerns, we addressed the human factor, flexibility, and mandatory widebody aircraft training. We also discussed not having the ability to bid to fly IPD trips.

If you have not already done so, please message Management by June 30 by clicking here.

Although we may not see significant changes until September due to the pre-constructed summer schedules, we are optimistic. September and October traditionally have lower demand for Flight Attendant utilization as flight block hours decrease. This period presents an opportunity to offer a better variety of trips, reduce Reserve numbers, and create more Lineholder positions, ultimately improving PBS constraints.

We hope our meeting will have a positive impact and lead to improved sequences and PBS awards for our DCA members.

In Solidarity,

John Pennel
APFA DCA Base President
[email protected]

Dianne Britton
APFA DCA Base Vice President
[email protected]

Lisa Barnes
APFA DCA Base Council Representative – Allocations
[email protected]