American Airlines Negotiations
APA Negotiations
Monthly Scheduling maximums
The current monthly maximum of 78 hours is one of the lowest in the industry and pilots’ earning power is limited by the contract. The more hours that we can fly with the existing manpower, the more productive we can be, and the more competitive our cost structure is.
Increasing the monthly maximum is important to the company because of what it does to our productivity. Instead of a 78 hour monthly scheduling maximum, the company proposes
- Increasing the monthly scheduling maximum to up to 87 hours a month for a particular bid status, while
- Meeting an 82 hour average on the high end for the year as a whole.
This allows schedulers to tailor the applicable monthly max to the conditions of the month itself. For example, all other things being equal, a 31-day month will have three percent more flying than a 30-day month. Likwise, crew schedulers could build lines higher in a month where AA expects sick usage, vacation or hit factor to be higher. Lines could also be built lower if needed, such as when the company expects to see more voluntary pilot flying pilots.
Current Industry Monthly Scheduling Provisions
Scheduled Maximum Actual Maximum
Monthly Make-up Maximum
Today’s make-up maximum is 83 hours, relative to a scheduled maximum of 78, so a difference of at least 5 hours. Under this proposal, pilots will be able to make up on a voluntary basis at least to 87 regardless of what the scheduled maximum is. At the company’s option, that makeup maximum can be increased anywhere from 87 up to 92 hours.
In a month where there is significant potential for make-up, the company can build lower lines, create more lineholders, decrease the number of reserves and allow pilots to make up far in excess of what they would be able to make up today, all on a voluntary basis.
Current vs. Proposed Monthly Scheduling Provisions
|
Current |
Proposed |
|
78 Hours |
82 Hour Annual Average |
Make-up Maximum
|
83 Hours |
92 Hours |
