Mentoring Weekly Teaching Topic:

 

This year the Mentoring Committee will publish a series of teaching topics to help our new crewmembers with their transition into Atlas. The aim is to cover common questions that pilots have in their first year as Atlas pilots. For questions or suggestions, please contact cameron.edwards@iap2750.org

This week’s topic: Schedule Extensions

CBA Section 25.L Changes to Trip Pairings and Extensions Into Days Off (Originally written by the Scheduling Committee in October of 2018)

How Can the Company Extend Me?

CBA 25.L.2.a. – The company may extend a Crewmember into scheduled Days Off (as they appear in your original Bid Line) to complete an assigned Trip Pairing “if necessary to protect the operation.”

The determination of whether or not an extension is “necessary to protect the operation” boils down to a few details: the type of line the Crewmember is on, time until the extension takes place, location and reason for the extension.

The following are some examples of situations that might lead to a legitimate need for an extension to “protect the operation” (Note: These examples are not all inclusive and do not necessarily justify an extension if other factors alleviate the need.):

• A flight is delayed in a remote location with limited access.

• The last leg of the Crewmember’s pairing is delayed due to maintenance, but is

  expected to be fixed in a reasonable amount of time.

• A Crewmember called in fatigued or sick less than 48 hours prior to the flight taking

  place in a location where a replacement Crewmember cannot be positioned in time to maintain the original Trip Pairing schedule.

  Pro-Tip: If the company attempts to extend you for reasons that do not seem to support the “necessary to protect the operation” statement or if you are unsure of the extension reason, please reach out to the Scheduling Committee or Stewards.

  Regular, Hybrid or VTO Line Holders

1. The extension must return the Crewmember to base by 2359Z on the last day of available extension days, which at most is three (3) days per month. If the company fails to do so and you have not volunteered to be further extended beyond the 3rd day, then you have been involuntarily extended and will be compensated as such (i.e., 12 hours per day).

2. The company is allotted three (3) days per bid month for extensions. This is why GDOs are so important to the Crewmember. Please understand how to use them to protect your days off. Crewmembers may not be extended into a scheduled day off that has

been designated by the Crewmember as a GDO or any of the consecutive days off following the GDO, except for delays in returning a Crewmember to his Base associated with weather, maintenance or ATC events (CBA 25.L.2.a. (ii) and (vi)).

3. If the amount of time required to complete the delayed Trip Pairing exceeds the available extension days, Crewmembers may either accept or decline the revised trip. If you accept the revised trip, you are volunteering to work on days off and will be compensated as such (i.e., 2, 4, 6, 6, etc.). If you decline the revised trip, the company must return you to your base by 2359Z on the last available extension day, or you will be deemed to have been involuntarily assigned (CBA 25.L.2.b.(i)) and will be compensated as such (i.e., 12 hours per day for each day of involuntary extension).

o You must advise the company if you are accepting or declining the revised trip at the time you are contacted by the company (unless you and the company agree to a different time). You may want to advise scheduling that you wish to review the trip and call them back. At this time, if you have questions regarding the extension over the available extension days, which is three (3) days or less, consider reaching out to the Scheduling Committee or Stewards.

Reserve Line Holders

1. The company may require a Reserve Line Holder to complete a Trip Pairing that is scheduled to, and actually does, begin by no later than 2359Z of the last day of reserve assignment (i.e., in the Crewmember’s original Bid Line) and is scheduled to return the Crewmember to his Base not later than 2359Z of the last extension day available to the company.

2. In plain language, the company may extend a Reserve Line Holder “if necessary to protect the operation” as long as the trip is assigned, scheduled and actually begins prior to 2359Z on your last regular work day.

3. The company is allotted three (3) days per bid month for extensions. This is why GDOs are so important to the Crewmember. Please understand how to use these to protect your days off.

4. Unlike Regular, VTO and Hybrid Line Holders, there are no contract provisions that allow the Company to request or a Reserve Line Holder to agree to complete a Trip Pairing that exceeds the available extension days. If a Reserve Line Holder is asked to extend beyond available extension days, please contact the Scheduling Committee immediately.

NOTES

• Extensions and Rolling Delays are covered under different sections of the contract. Please be aware of both and how they can affect your schedule.

• If the company attempts to extend you 48 hours or more prior the start of the flight, please contact the Scheduling Committee or a Steward immediately.

• DO NOT ACCEPT A NEW TRIP PAIRING WITHOUT KNOWING THE FULL DETAILS! (CBA 25.L.1.b.ii.3.)

• Know how to use GDOs to protect your days off.

• The company may not extend you for the purpose of avoiding the cost of an airline

  ticket in favor of deadhead on a company aircraft to Base, your Gateway or an alternate location.