Source: Elines

Language Qualified Flight Attendants (LQFAs) who are assigned language lines may pick up and trade for open LQFA and non-LQFA open time subject to the terms of Sections 7.I., 7.J. and 7.L.

Section 7.L.

Trip trades and pick up of Open Time involving Language Qualified (“LQ”) Flight Attendants 

1. A Flight Attendant filling a Language Qualified position may pick up any open trip in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement. A Language Qualified Flight Attendant may only trade a language pairing for another pairing of the same language or with a Flight Attendant who is qualified in the same language.

2. Between sixteen hours (16:00) and fourteen hours (14:00) prior to departure, LQ Flight Attendants in a LQ base will have unlimited pick ups from open time in the Language Base in all designated languages for which they are qualified.

3. Less than fourteen hours (14:00) prior to departure, a Language Qualified Flight Attendant may pick up open time in any Base regardless of special qualifications for the pairing.

4. Less than fourteen hours (14:00) prior to departure, a Language Qualified Flight Attendant may pick up advertised trips in any Base provided that the Flight Attendant has the designated special qualification for the advertised trip, if any.

5. Pick-up of an open time pairing designated to have a special qualification Flight Attendant by a Flight Attendant not having the designated qualification may be denied if Scheduling anticipates that a Reserve with the special qualification will be used to cover the pairing.

6. Minimum days off, minimum legal rest and maximum duty limitations will apply. Language Qualified Flight Attendants who do not maintain a fifty hour (50:00), (twenty hours [20:00] for job shares, partnerships and half-month leaves) minimum of Language Qualified Flight Attendant trips in their primary language (prorated for partial months) may only pick up and trade for open Language Qualified Flight Attendant time in their primary language.

NOTE: A LQFA will be expected to have a minimum of 50* hours of flying in their assigned language by the end of the month if they have traded or picked up other than their primary language from open time.   *(20 hours for job shares, Partnerships and half month leaves)

If you have questions about picking up language qualified pairings, contact your Local Council.