APA request to AA:
Deadhead Boarding Protocol: When crews are deadheading, pilots will be given boarding priority starting with the captain, followed by First Officers in seniority order. As recognized leaders within the airline, captains have historically been accorded a level of authority commensurate with their rank. Flight Manual Part 1 says, “The Captain has full authority over all crewmembers and the aircraft in order to promote safety and operational effectiveness. With this authority comes responsibility and accountability for all decisions.” Traditionally, AA captains have received deadhead boarding priority. The policy was quietly changed when the airline diluted captain’s authority to create a “one size fits all” mentality in employee relations in the late 1990s. This agreement returns the dignity of simple seat assignment to those whose responsibility is defined in Part 1 and by Federal Aviation Regulations. This no-cost item is an appropriate return to past practice and serves as an appropriate recognition of pilots’ command positions and responsibility.
Enhanced Deadhead for Augmented Crews: Pilots deadheading to cover schedule on an augmented crew will be boarded in first class. The benefits of a well-rested crew should be obvious. The current practice of deadheading international crews in coach to cover augmented flights, when combined with the circadian disruption of crossing multiple time zones, interferes with the ability to get proper rest. High load factors and cramped conditions in coach aggravate the problem. The cost of providing a F/C seat for international pilots deadheading to cover a trip – and no less than B/C for deadheading home – is offset not only by the value within this agreement but also the enormous revenue potential the route represents.
Deadhead Boarding Protocol: When crews are deadheading, pilots will be given boarding priority starting with the captain, followed by First Officers in seniority order. As recognized leaders within the airline, captains have historically been accorded a level of authority commensurate with their rank. Flight Manual Part 1 says, “The Captain has full authority over all crewmembers and the aircraft in order to promote safety and operational effectiveness. With this authority comes responsibility and accountability for all decisions.” Traditionally, AA captains have received deadhead boarding priority. The policy was quietly changed when the airline diluted captain’s authority to create a “one size fits all” mentality in employee relations in the late 1990s. This agreement returns the dignity of simple seat assignment to those whose responsibility is defined in Part 1 and by Federal Aviation Regulations. This no-cost item is an appropriate return to past practice and serves as an appropriate recognition of pilots’ command positions and responsibility.
Enhanced Deadhead for Augmented Crews: Pilots deadheading to cover schedule on an augmented crew will be boarded in first class. The benefits of a well-rested crew should be obvious. The current practice of deadheading international crews in coach to cover augmented flights, when combined with the circadian disruption of crossing multiple time zones, interferes with the ability to get proper rest. High load factors and cramped conditions in coach aggravate the problem. The cost of providing a F/C seat for international pilots deadheading to cover a trip – and no less than B/C for deadheading home – is offset not only by the value within this agreement but also the enormous revenue potential the route represents.
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