4a2b introduces some scheduling restrictions for both the company and for the pilots. Think trip trade restrictions for pilots and carry-over restrictions for the schedules. B also gives options for leaves and has the company consider early retirement incentives. The NC has described 4a2b as a speed brake that attempts to avoid dropping in to 4a2c. The goal is to voluntarily reduce headcount and keep the system average metric (SAM) above 4a2c levels.

4a2c actually lowers monthly minimum pay (purple calls it Bid Line Guarantee or BLG.) There are systemwide restrictions due to imbalance of needs from certain markets, for example the international side is actually very busy and healthy right now, the domestic side is adjusting to the loss of the postal contract.

Both of these provisions were originally introduced to avoid furloughs when the company was in financial distress. That isn’t what is happening now.