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Fast Fact Friday
Commuter Policy Protections During IROPs
Friday, January 24, 2025
Q1: “The station I commute from has freezing rain and the airport is closed. Can I still use the Commuter Policy if I am unable to list and present?”
Yes, the Pink Contract has new language that covers commuters who are impacted in their commuter city. If a Flight Attendant is unable to list and present for a commuting flight(s), they would need to contact Crew Scheduling immediately.
“However, if a Flight Attendant is unable to list and present for a commuting flight(s) as a result of a canceled flight, significant airport disruption(s), unexpected airport closure, technological breakdown of Company systems… the Flight Attendant shall notify Crew Scheduling as soon as possible prior to scheduled check-in or contact time.” – (Article 33.1)
Q2: “I went to list on my commuter flight for tomorrow, and the flight is canceled. What should I do?”
If your commuter flight is canceled, you need to contact Crew Scheduling immediately. To make the process efficient, have the flight number(s) of the flight(s) you were attempting to list for which would have covered you by the language in Article 33.
Q3: “The SWA domicile which I commute to is closed all day on Thursday due to an extreme weather event. What should I do if I have a pairing checking in on that day?”
If your domicile is closed, you should contact Crew Scheduling immediately to discuss your options. Article 33.1.C – Domicile Airport Closures covers commuters who are affected by a closure (no flights arriving or departing on that domicile day). These commuters must contact Crew Scheduling prior to the original scheduled check-in time of the pairing or beginning of contact time for a Reserve block, and make themselves available for all Commuter Policy options. Crew Scheduling will have the following options:
If scheduled for a pairing:
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Assign the Flight Attendant to recover her/his pairing at the same or earlier point than would have been possible to recover in the domicile once it reopens; or,
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Assign the Flight Attendant to sit airport standby at an outstation; or,
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Assign the Flight Attendant to a substitute pairing.
If scheduled for a Reserve block: The Flight Attendant will be available for a Reserve assignment (including airport standby) in an outstation.
Important FYI: If Crew Scheduling does not reschedule you to a different assignment due to a Domicile Closure, you are paid in the same manner as if you were in base. Article 9.3.E. states Flight Attendants will be paid their actual or scheduled flying, whichever is greater over the life of the pairing for the number of day(s) the Flight Attendant was originally scheduled to work. This language is strictly for domicile closures and does not apply when normally using the Commuter Policy.
Q4: “I commute from OKC to MDW. I woke up this morning to get ready for my commuter flight and received a weather alert for freezing rain and unsafe driving conditions. When I checked my commuter flight, it appears that OKC has canceled all flights to MDW. Should I use the Commuter Policy or the Weather and Natural Disaster Absence (WDA)?”
If your flight has been canceled, the easiest thing to do is contact Crew Scheduling and use the Commuter Policy. While you will be required to pick up a comparable pairing within 30 days, there is no other administrative process like with the WDA.
While Flight Attendants are covered in outstations for WDA, in order to be considered you must first No-Show (NS) or get an Unable to Contact (UTC). You have five (5) days to submit documentation to your base, including photos, driving conditions, government or weather alerts. This documentation is meant to show the individual circumstances which prevented you from reporting to work as scheduled. It’s important to remember that in order to be considered for the WDA and remove the 2.5 points attendance points, your documentation must be presented.
Q5: “I commute from MSY to HOU. The first day of my pairing was canceled and now I have a “RPT” bar and a new pairing to self-acknowledge. This new assignment checks in on what would’ve been Day 2 of my 3-day pairing. Do I need to call Crew Scheduling to let them know I will be commuting in for the new pairing?”
No, you do not need to let Crew Scheduling know as long as you acknowledge both the” RPT” bar and the new pairing, unless the new commuter flight you’re taking encounters issues covered under the Commuter Policy. (Article 33.1)
