Our summer flying operation is starting to ramp up, and we anticipate that reserve will be busier than ever! We’d like to start by taking the time to welcome the many new faces here, be it via flowthrough from Rouge or reclassification from Flight Attendant to Service Director.
Upcoming Reserve Committee Meet & Greet Events
Whether it’s your first time on reserve or you are seasoned with experience, the Reserve Committee is here to answer all of your reserve-related questions. Occasionally we get the privilege of meeting you in person as well; after speaking with all Mainline locals regarding current demand, we have been able to confirm the following dates and times within their respective Comm Centres:
YVR: June 5th (07:00-15:00)
YYZ: June 15th (07:00-15:00)
YUL: June 16th & 17th (10:00-18:00)
We will be armed with knowledge and with snacks to share. Come by and say hi, whether you’re actively on reserve or holding a block – we’d love to chat! If you’d like to see more of these at your local in the future, please reach out.
New Reserve Handbook
The Reserve Handbook has been updated this month to provide greater clarity on several concepts and to reflect the change in vacation credit in our new Collective Agreement. You can download your up-to-date copy from accomponent.ca/member-resources in your official language of choice.
Why do pairings always seem to show up after the 10:00 deadline for open bidding?
This is a common inquiry which requires understanding the overall flying operation. When regular blockholders book off sick, there are two possibilities with respect to when their pairings get released into open time. The first possibility is that they ask Crew Scheduling at the time of their bookoff to place what’s known as a “sick hold” on their upcoming pairing. If they do so, the pairing stays out of open time until six hours prior to scheduled departure. This is outlined in B7.01.01 of the Collective Agreement as follows:
“When an employee books off, they may place a six (6) hour hold on their next or subsequent flights. Their flight will be considered as open flying if they have not booked on six (6) hours prior to departure.”
The second possibility, which is the more common one, is what happens when a regular blockholder does not place a sick hold on their upcoming pairing, which is outlined in B7.01.02 as follows:
“If an employee does not place a six (6) hour hold on any flight, their flights will only be considered as open flying if they have not booked on at 1000 the day prior to flight departure.”
Given the size of our flying operation, it is not unusual to see multiple next-day pairings enter the open flying pool at 10:00 the day prior as a result of active bookoffs. This happens to coincide with the 10:00 deadline the day prior to departure for reserves to open bid on pairings (B8.26.03), making it impossible to open bid for these pairings.
Anything else outside of pairings involved in bookoffs is released into open time as it becomes available (B7.01, B7.02), and may be awarded at any time in accordance with seniority subject to classification and language requirements based on valid bids on hand (B7.05.01.01). In other words, if someone is listed for blockholder make-up or VE and a pairing is released into open time then they have first priority contractually, followed by reserve, and this is based on the award sequence specified in B7.04. An exception is made if there is considered to be insufficient time to run a full award sequence, in which case flight coverage is to be provided from reserve (B7.05.03).
—
As always, if you have any suggestions for topics to address in future Reserve Committee updates, or if you have any reserve-related questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to reserve@accomponent.ca as needed.
Happy travels!
In solidarity,
Jesse Matthews & Chanelle Serra
Co-Chairs, Component Reserve Committee