United Airlines Warns Flight Attendants Over Delay Gaming
United Airlines has warned flight attendants that deliberately using advance knowledge of rolling delays to pick up trips they expect not to work could be
United Airlines has issued a warning to flight attendants, stating that intentionally exploiting advance knowledge of rolling delays to pick up trips they likely cannot work is a potentially fraudulent practice that can result in termination. The memo argues that using internal delay information for financial gain is an 'impermissible trade practice.'
The Alleged Practice
The practice, termed 'conflict trading' by United, involves a flight attendant using non-public information about a developing delay on their current trip. While the official scheduling system still shows a legal connection, the crew member picks up an open trip for the next day, knowing the delay will likely make them ineligible to work it due to rest requirements. When the delay is finally logged, the flight attendant is removed from the new assignment but may still receive pay protection for it.
In a hypothetical example from the source, a Chicago-based attendant on a flight delayed to a 10:00 pm arrival might pick up a trip with a 7:00 am check-in the next morning. The computer initially allows it, but the eventual delay leaves less than the required rest period, triggering pay protection without the attendant having to fly.
Contractual Ambiguity
An analysis of the public United-AFA contract reveals the airline's warning may not be as clear-cut as the memo suggests. The contract grants flight attendants extensive trading rights.
| Contract Provision | Right Granted |
|---|---|
| Section 7.H | Unlimited trip trades and pickups from open time. |
| Section 7.H | Ability to pick up open trips via computer as late as three hours before check-in. |
| Rest Rules | Domestic attendants require 12 hours rest at base, but this can be voluntarily waived to 10 hours for a picked-up trip. |
The source notes the standard open-time trading language lacks an explicit rule prohibiting picking up a trip if a crew member suspects their current flight will later make them illegal for it. A related 'Jetway Trade' provision states a flight attendant who becomes illegal after a trade loses pay protection, but this is not a broad prohibition on all conflict trading.
United's memo leans on arbitration precedent, stating arbitrators have established a flight attendant must have 'the intent and ability to operate the trip being picked up or traded into.' The source could not independently verify these arbitration decisions.
Distribution and Reaction
The origin and distribution of the memo are unclear. A United flight attendant consulted by the source said she had not received it and could not find it in her system. This raises questions about whether the warning was sent to the entire workforce or targeted specific bases or groups. United does not comment on internal matters.
The source's author finds the basic principle behind the warning reasonable. 'If you genuinely pick up a trip intending to work it and an unexpected delay later makes you illegal, that’s exactly why pay protection exists,' they write. However, they argue that 'deliberately picking up work with the expectation that you will never perform it' crosses a line. Proving intent in each case may be difficult for the airline.
Flight attendants are advised that violating the principle cited by United can result in discipline or termination.
