From ALPA Contract Enforcement...
Well, this is not exactly what I wanted to hear. But I suppose if we all ***** loudly enough, we will at least get their attention. Here's the return email I just received from ALPA Contract Enforcement.
-----------
Captain Smith,
We get this complaint a lot. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of FPA
history/discussion on this subject. The order is: select the DH flight
and, then reserve the appropriate seat based upon Section 8 provisions.
If a higher class of service is not available coach is booked and B or F
is waitlisted.
This fails when the selected flight is a regional jet or where there is
no higher class of service.
Does this force the company to seek an alternate flight? NO. The CBA
doesn't force the company to seek another carrier.
You could call Global Travel and ask them to change the carrier and look
for an alternate. However, they are not obligated to do so by the CBA
(old and proposed).
This is no different to other cases where the company constructs a trip
with a DH, regardless of whether the DH flight in question was full in
business class. In the planning stage the trip builders select the
flight that operationally makes sense. No check on availability is made.
They don't chase the type of seat offered or the class available such
as, regional jets used on the MEM-EWR leg for a continuing DH to FRA
where a higher class of service is provided per the CBA. Global Travel
is ultimately responsible for securing the reservation and if the higher
class is full, they waitlist. This is covered in the CBA. We have added
this to a list for the negotiating team to look at for the next
contract.
Thanks,
xxxxx