Source: unitedafa.org

Over the past several years, Local Grievances were filed at eight (8) domiciles when the company moved Flight Attendants from their awarded position on the flight into an open designated language position on the same flight.  As a result of discussions between the company and the Union, an agreement has been reached in settlement of this issue.

1. If the Company has a need for a Flight Attendant to perform language qualified (LQ) duties on a specific flight within 24 hours prior to the departure of the flight, consistent with the language in Section 12.C.7.f., the most senior [language] qualified Flight Attendant onboard will have the first right of acceptance to perform the LQ duties as assigned at briefing [and will receive LQ pay for performing these duties].
2. If no one volunteers to perform the LQ duties on the flight, those duties will be assigned to the most junior qualified Flight Attendant onboard who will receive LQ pay for performing those duties with the following understanding:
   1. Consistent with the language in Section 12.C.7.h., Flight Attendants assigned to language-qualified positions shall work non-premium positions.  [She/he will receive language pay.]
   2. In a circumstance where the Flight Attendant in the designated language position is also purser qualified, and fills an open qualified purser position, she/he will be paid the purser and language incentive pay (LIP) pay premiums consistent with the provisions of the Purser Transition Booklet.

If you have additional questions on the terms of this Settlement, please contact your Local Council office.

Recently, we have received a number of questions seeking clarification on the process of filling open premium positions by Flight Attendants who are language qualified and assigned to a designated language position on a given flight. More specifically, there have been some questions on whether or not a language qualified Flight Attendant in a designate language position can be required to fill an open premium galley or purser position. 

Section 12.C.7.h. of the Contract requires that “Flight Attendants assigned to language qualified positions shall work non-premium positions.” 

Given this Contract language, it is understood between the company and AFA that language qualified Flight Attendants assigned to a designated language position on a flight cannot be required to fill (or be “juniored into”) an open premium position, either purser or galley with one negotiated exception.   Flight Attendants who are both purser and language qualified can be required to fill an open purser position consistent with Section 9.F.7. of our Contract.  For example, a Flight Attendants in a designated language position who is also purser qualified may exercise her/his seniority and elect to fill an open purser position.  However, if she/he is the only Flight Attendant with a purser qualification on the flight, she/he is required to fill the open purser position.

Language qualified Flight Attendants in a designated language position who are not purser qualified, even if the most junior Flight Attendant on the flight, reserve or lineholder, cannot be juniored into any open premium position.

If you have additional questions about the assignment of open premium positions, please contact your Local Council Office.