OVL leaves/partnership flying and Travel Separation options

[jaaafa]

sorry




In-teresting..................

guess we will find out today

 

[jimntx]

No, it will probably be tomorrow before we know anything. The company has committed to processing the proffers by the close of business tonight. This will not be as quick as we might have hoped because most of the people who proffered for the 9-month leave also proffered 3-month AND the 6-month auxiliary block AND the 3-month auxiliary block. (Evidently, almost no one who proffered felt that they were senior enough to hold the longest leave; so, they just proffered for everything.) So, they won't really know until they start processing the leaves, and if you can hold the 9-month leave that removes your name from the other proffers.

 

[jimntx]

Still no word this morning. I'm hoping that no one is available to post the info because all hands are at the airport (DFW) dealing with the ice issues this morning. (The local news said that even the SkyLink trains are losing traction this morning because of ice on the "tracks.")

 

[jimntx]

Just posted...NO FURLOUGHS!!! The announcement on the website says they actually fell a little short on leave proffers, but they will be awarding additional bid leaves and vacation slots to absorb the remaining overage.

 

[s80dude]

Here is the text of the message

RFI QFL 42F976
28JAN09/1100
TO: ALL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
RE: FLIGHT ATTENDANT OVERAGE/VOLUNTARY OPTIONS
AS YOU KNOW, THE VOLUNTARY TRAVEL SEPARATION, OVERAGE LEAVE,
AND PARTNERSHIP FLYING PROFFERS CLOSED ON 26JAN09. CREW
RESOURCES IS STILL WORKING ON THE AWARDS, HOWEVER I AM PLEASED
TO ANNOUNCE THAT ENOUGH FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HAVE ELECTED A
COMBINATION OF THESE VOLUNTARY OPTIONS TO AVOID A FURLOUGH.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE WHILE CREW PLANNING PROCESSES THE
OVERAGE LEAVE AND PARTNERSHIP FLYING AWARDS. PLEASE KEEP
CHECKING THE FLIGHT SERVICE WEBSITE AND YOUR HI6 MESSAGES FOR
FURTHER UDPATES. WE EXPECT THAT AWARDS WILL BE FINAL BY
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29TH.
CATHY SCHEU - MANAGING DIRECTOR, HDQ FLIGHT SERVICE

 

[youbetcha]

Just posted...NO FURLOUGHS!!! The announcement on the website says they actually fell a little short on leave proffers, but they will be awarding additional bid leaves and vacation slots to absorb the remaining overage.

Congrats Jim!!! Breathe!

 

[CubsFanJohn]

Congrats to all the potential employees that would have been effected. Now all these employees need is for attrition to increase the good way though AKA retirement or quitting for better pastures.

 

[czerny]

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has proffered for the leaves to help avert another furlough. And my best wishes to those of you who have decided to leave the company. All of you have enabled those of us who need this job to keep it. U have my utmost gratitude.

 

[jimntx]

Congrats Jim!!! Breathe!

Thanks! I did. As a matter of fact I took several deep breaths. Thank goodness, as Kirkpatrick pointed out, we had 594 f/as going back out on leave on 01FEB under the last set of leaves granted with the VBRs. Does anyone know how long they will be out? I remember the part about them having to come back for Dec. & Jan., but I don't remember the total length of the leave.

I'm asking because I don't think this recession is going to end any time soon, and the company has already announced that they are cutting capacity in 2009 more than previously planned. (OK, so I'm a worrier. So what? I cain't hep it. It's genetic in my family. )

 

[Skymess]

Thanks! I did. As a matter of fact I took several deep breaths. Thank goodness, as Kirkpatrick pointed out, we had 594 f/as going back out on leave on 01FEB under the last set of leaves granted with the VBRs. Does anyone know how long they will be out? I remember the part about them having to come back for Dec. & Jan., but I don't remember the total length of the leave.

The people who had to come back and then go out again were the 6 month combo leave. The total was 241 and they come back May 1.

 

[kirkpatrick]

Thank goodness, as Kirkpatrick pointed out, we had 594 f/as going back out on leave on 01FEB under the last set of leaves granted with the VBRs. Does anyone know how long they will be out?

Here are some numbers to clarify (from APFA website):

94 12-month leaves (Sept-Aug)
100 8-month leaves (Sept-Apr)
594 3-month leaves (Sept-Nov)
594 3-month leaves (Feb-Apr)

So 194 were NOT back for the holidays, leaving a net reduction of 400 bodies for the Dec-Jan period. All but 94 will be back on May 1 and those 94 will be back on Sept 1, 2009. These numbers do not take into account the leaves and partnerships just offered.

the company has already announced that they are cutting capacity in 2009 more than previously planned.

True, but the previous cuts didn't take place until the final four months of 2008, so overall capacity would be way down for the year (2009 over 2008) even without any additional cuts (not that there won't be any additional cuts).

MK

 

[s80dude]

Anyone have any numbers on who took the Travel Separation package? I am curious to see the seniorities and how many takers that option had.

 

[jimntx]

They can't post the names like they did with the leaves because anyone who took the Travel Separation is, in effect, resigning from the company. That's not public information. Just like when someone retires, the company has to have the retiree's express permission to include their name on the Retirement Roster on the website.

That being said, I do know that as of the 22nd, there had only been 4 people systemwide proffer for that package. I don't know if anyone proffered at the last minute.

 

[kirkpatrick]

Here are some numbers to clarify (from APFA website):

Here are the latest numbers posted on the Flight Service Website, showing the totals awarded for each block.

A (Mar-Nov) - 294
B (Mar-May+Sep-Nov) - 34
C (Mar-May) - 16
D (Jun-Aug) - 80
E (Sep-Nov) - 32

Overlaying these numbers on the previous award from last summer (in my post above) I come up with the following numbers of FA's out on OVL for 2009:

Jan 194
Feb 594
Mar 938
Apr 938
May 438
Jun 468
Jul 468
Aug 468
Sep 360
Oct 360
Nov 360
Dec 0

There were twenty partnerships awarded, resulting in a net loss of twenty FA's for the period Mar-May. I never got any final PLOA numbers and I assume all or most of those converted to OVL's which are much more user friendly. I would expect these OVL's to contribute to a slight reduction in attrition, since those who don't want to fly are generally those who quit or retire.

MK (obviously on vacation with too much time on my hands!)

 

[jimntx]

since those who don't want to fly are generally those who quit or retire.

MK (obviously on vacation with too much time on my hands!)

You evidently have never been based at DFW where the numbers who don't want to fly, but will neither quit nor retire, are legion.

We've even got some at SLT that drop every trip every month (or as many as they can). If all those who don't want to fly actually left (by whatever means) we would not only not be offering leaves, we would be hiring again.