Fast Fact Friday: Crew Rest on RON

Article 8 in our Pink Contract focuses on duty day — from the time you check in/report until you are done with your work obligation. In this week’s Fast Fact Friday and TWU Local 556 Education Committee email, we’re going to focus on Crew Rest (Article 8.3), both scheduled and actual, while on an overnight.

30-Second Review

• Fast Fact Friday: Crew Rest on RON
• In Our Contract: Article 8
• Question From a Member
• Electronic Notification System
• Reminders: Fatigue Policy
• Contacting TWU Local 556

Crew Rest on RON

As Flight Attendants, sleep is definitely one of our favorite pastimes! When we talk about our rest time on an overnight, we need to focus on both contractual and FAR legalities. Think of FAR legalities as a hard line that cannot be crossed. They are set in stone and cannot be reduced. Our Contract provides us with even stronger protections than the FAR minimum that is required. Let’s focus on Article 8.3: Crew Rest (Scheduled and Actual) for this week’s Fast Fact Friday about Crew Rest on RON, or more commonly referred to as our overnight.

Tap the preview graphic to expand.

Article 8: Hours of Service

From duty day to crew rest calculations on both good and bad days, Article 8: Hours of Service contains much of our language regarding our time spent on duty (and resting). Want to read up on RON Hotel delays? Wondering if we do “Shortbacks”? Curious about our Red Eye protections? All of these things and more can be found in Article 8 of our Contract!

🔗 Article 8: Hours of Service

Education Committee Resources

Looking for additional crew rest, duty day, and fatigue-related resources from the TWU Local 556 Education Committee catalog? Check out these resources (and so many more!) available on our TWU556 Connect App (“Knowledge”) and Website.

⏰ Contract 101: Article 8 – Crew Rest
⏳ Contract 101: Article 8 – Duty Day
🥱 Basics of… Fatigue Policy
🫩 Fast Fact Friday: Fatigue Policy

❓Question: Is ‘uninterrupted rest’ language applicable for both Lineholders and Reserves?

👉 Answer: Rest is important for both Lineholders and Reserves! Because of this, we have uninterrupted rest language that is applicable for both types of Flight Attendants.

“A Flight Attendant may be contacted only once during crew rest, and must be guaranteed seven (7) consecutive hours of uninterrupted crew rest between block in and block out. If a Flight Attendant is contacted during the crew rest and does not receive seven (7) hours of uninterrupted crew rest, the Flight Attendant will receive one and one-half (1.5) times the applicable trip rate for that assignment until such Flight Attendant receives legal crew rest.” – Article 8.3.C

Important FYI: While Crew Scheduling may attempt to contact you during your overnight, they shouldn’t do so incessantly. If this happens, contact your Union. We continue to enhance self-service options to avoid repeated calls on overnights.

The Pink Contract Negotiating Team has been hard at work designing and implementing enhanced electronic notifications with the Southwest Airlines Inflight Technology Team. Over the last several months, the parties met in addition to the normal Joint Technology Implementation Subcommittee (JTIS) meetings to modernize how we receive changes to our schedules. All of these efforts are to address long hold times and having to go through multiple systems during IROPs. The Teams brought forward ideas and best practices and ensured that the intent of the language was maintained throughout the process. Starting in June 2026, you will see some of those efforts come to fruition, with the ability to select contact options (including text message) for any time you are rescheduled after check-in as a Lineholder. More information will be provided in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

When IROPs cause delays and extended duty days, the Fatigue Policy (Article 25.16) is available if you deem yourself unsafe to fly or perform required duties due to fatigue. Our Fatigue Policy can be used during a pairing or between back-to-back pairings.

• You must notify Crew Scheduling of your fatigue immediately. Crew Scheduling will accept the notification and pull you with pay to receive at least eleven (11) hours of uninterrupted rest.
• At the time of the fatigue call, Crew Scheduling will attempt to provide a revised assignment that reports after the required eleven (11) hours of rest. If a reschedule cannot be given at the time of your fatigue call, you will be instructed to contact Crew Scheduling after your scheduled rest period.
• Within 72 hours following the fatigue notification, complete and submit an Inflight Fatigue Report to the Fatigue Review Committee for review.

Important Reminder: Your pull will be converted to “FTG” if the Inflight Fatigue Report is not submitted within 72 hours. This is an unpaid fatigue adjustment code. Don’t lose out on compensation by forgetting to submit the required report within the time frames!

Safely performing your duties is the number one priority for TWU Local 556, Southwest Airlines, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The data gathered by reporting the circumstances surrounding your fatigue call is critical to tracking trends in how schedules are planned, pairings/lines are constructed, and Southwest Airlines’ efficiency in managing the operation.

The TWU Local 556 Office is available via the TWU556 Connect App weekdays 0800–2200 Central Time (CT), and weekends/holidays 0900–1700 CT, and by phone at (214) 640-4300, weekdays 0800–1800 CT and weekends/holidays 0900–1700 CT.

The views contained herein do not necessarily represent those of TWU Local 556 or TWU International. The purpose of this email communication is intended only to educate and inform TWU Local 556 Members. It is not intended to officially establish or clarify past practice, Contract language, or grievance/arbitration positions. It is therefore not to be utilized or relied upon by any person or party as evidence of the Union’s position on any past practices, Contract language, grievances/arbitrations, or any other disputes or issues between TWU Local 556 and Southwest Airlines.