Yes, I understand the FOM is outside of the contract. I just find the timing of a stricter commuting policy interesting. Post two AE bids that involve making commuting decisions, then change the policy right before the most difficult time of year for commuting. Maintaining the status quo in the contract, can then be considered a "win" at the negotiating table for DALPA.

NYC is the most difficult base to staff and also has the largest number of offline commuters. Who is the genius that decided to make offline commuting less desirable? Many NYC commuting plans include a mix of JetBlue and American with Delta backups. Under the new policy American and Jet Blue are no longer options the company considers viable.