Source: Elines 

As we prepare for the busy summer travel season, weather and operation delays can place our workgroup under additional pressure. Irregular Operations such as these may result in a rushed or attempted early boarding process. 

Flight Attendants should be aware that passenger boarding times are set by the company and they follow our contractual check-in times, Commencement of Duty, as outlined in Section 6.R. of the JCBA. Scheduled check-in times are established and published with bid information for the schedule month and are determined based on where you are checking-in – at the home base or a layover point away from home and are specific to the type of aircraft to which you are assigned.

Flight Attendant and Passenger boarding times can be found in the Policies and Procedures manual and provide the following information:

Flight Attendant Boarding Time: Domestic & International         

*Deadhead check-in time for charter, off-line flights and ferries may be increased by fifteen (15) minutes.

Customer Boarding: Domestic and International

Note: Domestic includes the 50 United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Central American and the Caribbean as list in the United Policies & Procedures Manual dated April 2019. 

Avoid Staging Passengers on the Jet Bridge

Reports of passengers being staged on the jet bridge prior to the agreed upon customer boarding time set forth in the JCBA continue to be provided to the Union offices. It is vital that Flight Attendants file the necessary IOR reports regarding any FAR violations caused by early boarding. We also suggest emailing your Local Council to ensure your leadership is aware of the situation, especially if a repetitive problem occurs. If you are asked or see someone being asked to deviate from our Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) leading to working conditions that are unsafe or that inhibit your ability to comply with FARs, please contact your AFA Safety, Health & Security Committee. 

Flight Attendants are encouraged to review the following information concerning Avoiding Passenger Staging and Flight Attendant Board Times on Unitedafa.org.  

Contact your Local Council Representatives for additional information or questions.