Commuting at Spirit
 

Does Spirit have a commuter policy to get you to your base if flights are getting full?

After missing your first commute option (of minimum 2 required), Crew Scheduling, at its discretion, has the option to "Purchase a ticket for the pilot on the next available flight."

I’m assuming the two flight rule is for line holders only? Or does it extend to reserves who commute in?

It covers any assignment, but only to your domicile. Another shortfall in our contract. If you’re commuting to reserve in your assigned base, you’re covered. Keep in mind that you aren’t pay protected.

Thanks, Jules. They'll purchase a ticket on any airline for you or just a Spirit flight?
Commuting policies will be new for me.

It's at their discretion. Likely if there is good reserve coverage in base, and no irop in progress, they'll likely tell you to try for the second flight and if that does not work they'll commuter clause you off the trip. No penalty, but also no pay. When they need you in position they will positive space you on Spirit, or buy you a ticket on another airline if that's the only option available.

It depends on how much they need you. Most of the time, they’ll take you off your trip or reserve and your pay gets docked.

Last time I used the commuter clause, they assigned me to reserve days on days off equivalent to the amount of days I missed the following week. I fought it and lost, the contract allows it and “it’s a new way the company is interpreting the contract.”

You fought it through the NCC process? Did they file a formal grievance or that was their “answer” after meeting with the company for your NCC?

This seems to be common now at Spirit, unfortunately.

Fought it initially with the CP and union, then through the NCC process. Received a call from the grievance chair that it was unfortunately how they have been interpreting the contract now. If you look in the commuter policy section now, it’s buried in there. I’d never had it used on me though.

I’ll let y’all come to your own conclusions on what may be a better option than using the commuter clause if you can’t make it in.

Thanks for the info

That is insane, I always read that as it had to be in the original trip footprint. Can't believe they can just put reserve days anywhere. Absolutely not acceptable the union is not taking this to the next level. Darting this right now.

What does this buried language say? Quoted would be good. We had a similar issue at f9 but it’s to long of a discussion to get into and there’s now an loa. They can’t add flying and I’m fairly sure rdp but you have to finish above 60/70 if you forgo the pay. There’s no contractual mechanism to add flying outside reassignment. Reassignment is separated out language for a reason but I don’t know what this buried language in your contract says?

"b. Assign the pilot to reserve duty for no more than the
same number of calendar days of his original missed trip
pairing (e.g., a pilot who misses a scheduled trip pairing
of three calendar days may be assigned to no more than
three calendar reserve duty days)."

Nothing hidden, but does not specifically forbid the adding of days outside the original trip foot print.

That sounds like intent is a lineholder can be assigned res. How do you miss a scheduled trip as a res? An argument could be made it doesn’t apply to res. Past practice/disputes would help with that argument but it might not be winnable in arbitration. Hard to say.

I was on reserve when it happened to me. Self notify for the trip the night before and youre not on reserve anymore. Tried to commute out the next day and no luck.

Yes, a line holder can be placed on reserve due to missing a trip commuting (don't necessarily have an issue with that, because at least you get pay). A long call reserve assigned a trip could use the same clause, and get reassigned to short call too (probably). As a short call you really can't use the commute policy.
However, the point we were talking about was if the reserve days had to be within the original trip foot print, and apparently they don't. I do not like that at all.

right which is why it’s probably worth making the argument. Worst case get an loa. I’m sure allowing a res to be stuck anywhere in a bid period was not discussed in negotiations. Nobody would agree to that scenario.

Absolutely. Waiting for a response from the union right now.

Our contract is worse than my old regional in a number of spots, this is one.

makes a little more sense how that happened but again I’m fairly certain the ability to place res assignments anywhere in a bid period was not discussed in negotiations. It seems intent of that language was placing the res in the original footprint and/or res windows. It doesn’t look like res to res was even contemplated. I imagine the though was you would just lose credit and continue with the next res assignment following day.

CS have been reinterpreting things lately. I agree with you.

CS Management. The individual schedulers are still very personable albeit not trained well on our contract. The new interpretations are coming straight from the top.

same on our side. Negotiations have already started. This happened last time before negotiations really got going. All you can do is file disputes when there’s even the slightest question.

Yes, I should have said management. All true.

The union filed a grievance, went to arbitration, won, couldn’t come to a remedy resolution with the company, went back to the arbitrator for remedy, he ruled again, gave the company 6 more months to violate the commuter clause, gave zero award to the harmed pilots, and the union communicated that at several points along the way and just now you guys are getting out your pitch forks?


If you are a commuter and weren’t paying attention than shame on you. Despite the fact the union spun it as a win, it wasn’t. It was bad before when they basically suspended you for the original foot print of the dropped trip, and it’s possibly even worse now, where they force you to reserve without the choice of trying to find a trip to pick up in its place. But that’s not the fault of the union, as they say in sports, never leave it up to the ref. In this case the arbitrator screwed us, all the while awarding in favor of the association.

If a screw scheduler is clearly violating the agreement ask to discuss with a supervisor. Arbitrators have ruled in the past a crew scheduler can’t be expected to know an entire pilot contract.

sounds about right. If you can’t win the arbitration just argue the remedy. Happened to us for two years on contractual payrate numbers.

Just heard from 2 union people that this has not been resolved and NCC are still being filed if CS or CP won't take the days away from your schedule.

It has been years since I commuted on reserve, but I remember using the commute clause to get in position for short call reserve. Is that not the case anymore?

Commuter clause does not discriminate. It is the same for everything.

I was not clear. I meant commuting after getting assigned when on short call.

Commuting in AFTER getting a call for SCR seems odd, where on earth are you commuting in by air to arrive at the plane within the SCR time? CBA doesn’t really specify the difference between commuting before or after an assignment.


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No parking pass for commuters?
 

So if I understand it right Spirit has said F U to its commuters and they’re not given a parking pass for their home airport?

Looked elsewhere for this but figured a commuting thread was decent place for this question.

Correct, just parking in the base of your choosing.

You're able to get parking at any Spirit base. If you commute from elsewhere you're screwed.

If you commute from anywhere you're screwed. Period.

It's a losing proposition on all sides.

If it makes you feel any better, WN doesn't offer paid parking to anyone, in domiciles or not.

Another fun fact about commuting at Spirit is that if you don’t make your commute they will now assign you reserve for the days that the trip covered. They used to give us the option to drop, add a different trip or reserve but supposedly people found a way to abuse that so now scheduling was instructed to assign reserve 100% of the time.