Section 35 - Language of Destination

  1. Eligible language of destination (LOD) program flight segments shall include the following:

       

    1. Mexico leisure and business markets, as determined by the Company; the Company will notify the Union in writing of their determination for each Mexico destination. If the determination changes, the Union will be notified in writing prior to the posting of the bids;

       

    2. International routes where English is not the primary language of the majority of persons at the destination/origin of that flight; and

       

    3. Charter or scheduled flights which carry a customer group(s) whose primary language is not English and who require a foreign language speaking Flight Attendant.

     

  2. The Company will determine the number of Flight Attendant(s), qualified to speak the foreign language spoken by the majority of persons at the destination/origin of that flight, to be required on each flight. The maximum number of Flight Attendants required on each eligible flight segment shall be as follows:

     

    AWA Routes

    Narrow body Aircraft

    Wide body Aircraft

    Mexico – Leisure Markets

    Up to one (1) position

    Up to two (2) positions

    Mexico – Business Markets

    Up to two (2) positions

    Up to 3/over 225 seats

    Up to 4/over 350 seats

    International

    Up to two (2) positions

    Other Selected Flights as provided in A.3. above

    Up to two (2) positions *

    Up to two (2) positions *

    *or up to one (1) additional position if it is known that the customer group will be seated exclusively in a particular class of service.

     

  3. If the Company determines, pursuant to the provisions in A.3. above, that an LOD qualified Flight Attendant(s) is required in excess of the limitations set forth in the above chart, the Company may, after the bid award, replace a non-LOD-Flight Attendant assigned to that flight in seniority order. A Flight Attendant who is replaced pursuant to this Paragraph C will be released from duty and paid as if she/he had worked the flight. The opportunity to be replaced will be offered in seniority order, and if not accepted, assigned in inverse seniority order.

     

  4. Entry into the LOD program shall be voluntary and participation is limited to Flight Attendants who meet the qualifications as set forth by the Company. Proficiency will be tested prior to entry into the program and on a recurrent basis. Testing will be at no cost to the Flight Attendant and she/he will be compensated for the time spent in testing, but in no event will she/he receive less than one (1) hour credit. In the event that an insufficient number of Flight Attendants possess the required foreign language proficiency, the Company may hire Flight Attendants qualified in that foreign language.

       

    1. A Flight Attendant who is hired into the LOD program may be required by the Company to remain in the program for a minimum eighteen (18) months. If a Flight Attendant wishes to exit the program at any time on or after the eighteen (18) months, she/he must give the Company 120 days’ written notice. At the Company's option, a Flight Attendant may be released from the program with less than 120 days’ notice.

       

    2. A LOD-qualified Flight Attendant who is employed by the Company on the effective date of this Agreement shall be released from participation in the LOD program by giving the Company 120 days’ written notice, at any time on or after the Agreement’s effective date, of her/his desire to resign from the program. At the Company's option, a Flight Attendant may be released from the program with less than 120 days’ notice.

       

    3. Once an LOD-qualified Flight Attendant has resigned from the LOD program, and her/his 120 day notice period has been completed, she/he cannot be required by the Company to serve as an LOD Flight Attendant.

       

    4. Flight Attendants who are qualified in American Sign Language may volunteer to be placed on an American Sign Language list and offered the opportunity to fly on eligible flight segments, designated by the Company, as provided in Paragraph A.3., above. Such opportunity shall be offered to certified Flight Attendants first based on their level of certification and then based on seniority. A Flight Attendant may request to have her/his name removed from the list by giving the Company sixty (60) days’ written notice. In the event a Flight Attendant is removed from her/his trip in order to serve in the capacity of an American Sign Language qualified Flight Attendant, she/he will be guaranteed the greater of her/his original or replacement trip credit. The American Sign Language premium will be the same as for a foreign language.

     

  5.  
    1. A LOD-qualified Flight Attendant who completes any leg as a working LOD-qualified crewmember on an LOD flight segment shall receive, in addition to any other pay, a foreign language premium of two dollars ($2.00) per hour prorated to the nearest minute.

       

    2. A LOD-qualified Flight Attendant who is assigned to a flight in her/his capacity as a regular Flight Attendant, but who is required by the Company to use her/his language skills, will be paid the foreign language premium.

       

    3. A Flight Attendant who was formerly in the LOD program who volunteers, at the request of the Company, to use her/his language skills, will be paid the foreign language premium.

     

  6. LOD BIDDING/ASSIGNMENT PROCESS

       

    1. Each bid period the Company shall identify the designated Flight Attendant lines and positions which must be filled by LOD-qualified Flight Attendants. The required language(s) for the designated lines will be identified in the bid packet.

       

    2. A LOD-qualified Flight Attendant will not be regarded as language qualified for any particular line, trip or segment unless she/he is qualified in the designated language.

       

    3. Bids shall be awarded in seniority order among LOD-qualified Flight Attendants who have bid for such lines. In the event there are LOD lines which are not bid, the lines shall be assigned in inverse seniority order to LOD Flight Attendants qualified in that language. If, at the time of bid award, the Company has more LOD lines than LOD Flight Attendants qualified in that language, the Company may select, in its discretion, excess LOD lines to cancel prior to awarding such lines. The time on those lines will become COT.

       

    4. Any LOD trip in COT can be picked up only by a LOD Flight Attendant qualified in the designated language. An LOD-qualified Flight Attendant may only drop or trade an LOD trip with another LOD Flight Attendant qualified in the designated language for that trip.

       

    5. In the event there are insufficient qualified Flight Attendants for any trip(s) requiring an LOD-qualified Flight Attendant, or any such flight become(s) known after bid distribution, the Company may assign LOD Flight Attendants qualified in the designated language in accordance with Section 7, Scheduling, Subsection I. (Order of Assignment of Open Time). If there is no LOD-qualified Flight Attendant, the flight segment(s) will be assigned to any non-qualified Flight Attendant in accordance with Section 7, Scheduling, Subsection I (Order of Assignment of Open Time).

      6.  

    6. Reserve assignments to LOD-qualified Reserves may be made based on language qualifications on LOD trips/segments.

 

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