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Fast Fact Friday
Open Time Trading
Friday, March 28, 2025
Q1: “I’m trying to trade my 3-day “C” PM pairing with another 3-day PM trip on the same days in either “B ” or “D “. Is there a cutoff time when trading with Open Time?”
You can trade with Open Time until 3 hours prior to check-in (of the pairing with the earlier check-in) as long as you are trading for the same date of origination and duration (i.e., 3-day for 3-day). (Article 12.5)
Q2: “Can I trade my pairing for a pairing in Open Time that starts on a different day?”
Yes. You can trade to a different day as long as the day you are trading out of has fewer than max allowable pairings. The number of max allowable pairings is calculated based on the domicile size. The max allowable pairings is displayed once you select a day in Open Time.
“How is the number for max allowable pairings determined?”
For every 200 Flight Attendants on the domicile seniority list, one (1) pairing is allowed in Open Time. More than 100 Flight Attendants will be rounded up to 200. (Article 12.5.B)
Example 1: For the month of APR 2025, ATL has 688 Flight Attendants on their Primary Bidding Seniority List.
688/200 = 3 + 88. Less than 100 Flight Attendants gets rounded down.
Max Allowable Pairings = 3
Example 2: For the month of APR 2025, OAK has 1198 Flight Attendants on their Primary Bidding Seniority List.
1198/200 = 5 + 198. More than 100 Flight Attendants will be rounded up.
Max Allowable Pairings = 6
Q3: “What is ‘trading down’?”
“Trading Down” is a commonly used Flight Attendant term for when a pairing is traded with another that has fewer duty periods (e.g., trading a 3-day to a 2-day). You can “trade down” using Open Time with a maximum of 6.5 TFP difference in the two pairings.
Example: I have a 3-day pairing that pays 20 TFP. I’m looking to “trade down” to a 2-day pairing, so I must find a 2-day pairing in Open Time that pays 13.5 TFP or more in order to “trade down.”
This restriction only applies to trading down using Open Time. Pairings of equal length (i.e., 3-day for a 3-day) can be traded regardless of TFP. There are no restrictions about TFP or duration when trading with another Flight Attendant using TT/GA.
Example: I have a 3-day that pays 20 TFP. I’m looking to find another 3-day on the same days that gets done earlier. A 3-day pairing drops into Open Time that pays 11.2 TFP. Even though the two pairings are greater than 6.5 TFP apart, they are both 3-day pairings, so I would be able to process the trade.
Q4: “Is there a deadline for trading to a different day or ‘trading down’?”
Yes. You must trade to a different day or trade down by 2300 Local Time the night prior for pairings that report before 1000 Local Time and by 0300 Local Time on the date of origination for pairings that report at or after 1000 Local Time.
Example 1: I have a pairing checking in at 0500 Local Time on April 6. I can use Open Time to change days or trade down until 2300 Local Time on April 5.
Example 2: I have a pairing that checks in at 1400 Local Time on April 6. I can use Open Time to change days or trade down until 0300 Local Time on April 6.
Q5: “Can I trade my OAK pairing with a trip in LAS Open Time?”
No. All Open Time trades must originate from the same domicile.