Eurofleet Leave
Annual leave entitlement for all crew on a variable bidding pattern is between 30-36 calendar days with the ability to take any number of single leave days within that total. The leave entitlement for all crew on a 6/3 working pattern is between 19 and 24. For crew on a 5/2 working pattern the entitlement is between 19 and 25. 6/3 crew and 5/2 crew have the ability to take all leave in the winter leave period and single days may be taken throughout the leave year.
The leave year runs from 1 April to 31 March and is divided into Summer and Winter bidding periods.
Summer is defined as 1 April - 30 September
Winter is defined as 1 October - 31 March.
NB Leave entitlement in the first year of employment is dependent on the date of employment and is allocated pro-rata. People joining cabin crew from within the BA Group will have a leave entitlement which reflects their initial date of employment where there is no break in service. Leave booked with other departments/ subsidiaries of BA cannot be guaranteed when people move to cabin crew but cabin crew should approach Scheduling to see if a similar leave period is available. Sympathetic consideration will be given when the leave is required for certain circumstances (e.g. crew member's own wedding or of close relatives).
Cabin crew who move to a variable contract will have their leave entitlement pro-rated for the remainder of the leave year. In each leave season, once all leave requests have been actioned, additional leave can be requested.
Bidding group
In the Summer season 12 days leave is the minimum to be taken with 18 days as the maximum which can increase to 20 once all requests for summer leave has been satisfied. If a minimum of 12 days is not requested it will be allocated.
There is no duty free week entitlement or draw back days. There is no entitlement to lieu days.
Leave cannot be carried over and leave which has not been bid for will be allocated.
Fixed days off pattern cabin crew
Leave
In the Summer season 12 (12/13 for 5 & 2 patterns) days leave is the maximum to be taken with 12 (12/13 for 5 R 2 patterns) days to be taken in Winter.
Leave which has not been bid for will be allocated. If leave is not taken it cannot be carried over from one leave year to the next. All leave must be discharged in that year.
Fixed days off pattern crew may opt to take all or some of their summer leave in the winter, but would have to notify Scheduling on their original summer leave a application.
Cancellation of leave - all crew Annual leave (blocks of 2 days or more) which appears in a published roster can only be cancelled in exceptional circumstances.
Cabin crew can cancel a single day's leave up to 1500 on the day preceding the leave day, however, it must be re-booked within 14 days.
Leave Process
- Crew will be divided into 3 leave groups - A, B & C
- These groups will rotate every year to ensure a fair system
- Each group will be split by grade and then ordered in seniority order
- A bid window will be determined and all crew regardless of which group they are in will be able to submit their leave application
- The leave for the top group will be actioned, then a grace period will be opened for that group to re-apply for outstanding leave
- This process will be repeated for the second group and finally for the third group
- You can only apply for outstanding leave during the grace period for your own group
- If you miss the grace period for your own group there will be a final opportunity for all groups to book outstanding leave
- Following the final grace period opportunity any outstanding leave will be rostered for each season
- There is no ability to forfeit leave
- All crew have the ability to apply for a single days leave, this includes lieu days for crew on 6/3
Please note the above process does apply to most crew, however, there are some variations locally for the bases.
Duty Free Week/Draw Back Days for 6 & 3 fixed pattern cabin crew
Duty free weeks are actioned in reverse order to the leave groups. These will also be allocated in seniority order within each group.
There will be a duty free week given and 3 draw back days may be taken for each crew member on a 6 & 3 pattern within the leave year (1 April to 31 March).
A duty free week is 6 rostered days free of duty and is given in one block. You cannot apply for your DFW where it touches 25/26th December. A draw back day reduces a crew member's days off, by one day up to 3 times per year.
A minimum of nine clear days notice will be given of a draw back day to the individual crew member concerned.
Scheduling will ensure that when minimum notification is given to the crew member it is on a working day prior to their check-in time. A minimum of 28 days must separate each rostered draw back day and no more than one draw back day per roster period will be worked.
Once published the draw back day will not be changed or cancelled unless by mutual agreement between the crew member and Scheduling.
When the draw back day is worked, there will be a planned cabin crew availability of 12hrs 30mins hours but no more than 60 hours will be planned over the 7 day work period.
Draw back days cannot be carried over from one leave year to the next.
Cabin crew who join the 6 & 3 fleet before 1 November will be eligible for a duty free week and draw back days may be taken in the remainder of that leave year.
Cabin crew who move to any variable contract from 6 & 3 should have their duty free week discharged before they change contract type. If this is not achieved they will be given 6 additional days off in lieu (to be discharged in one block) for that year only.
Cabin crew who move from 6 & 3 to Worldwide and who have completed draw back days but have not achieved their duty free week will be given 2 additional leave days for each draw back day worked for that year only.
Cabin crew who are grounded due to maternity should be given a duty free week at some point during the leave year if not already discharged. Neither draw back days nor the duty free week can be carried over into the following leave year. Exception - if a crew member does not achieve the duty free week before the end of March, because of extenuating circumstances, then the duty free week will be rostered in the April following. Cabin crew who are on periods of long-term sickness will be considered individually.
If you have a DFW rostered and you are sick for part of it but Fit for the remainder of the block you may opt to work those days and be re-rostered a DFW before the end of the leave year or continue with the remaining days of the DFW and be awarded an annual leave day in lieu of each DFW day missed. If you take up the option of continuing with the remaining days you must advise Crew Control you were originally on a DFW.
Wherever possible draw back days will not be allocated immediately before or after a block of 6 days leave or duty free week unless by mutual agreement with yourself and Scheduling.
The duty free week may be applied for (i.e. specific dates) but if these dates are not available or no application is received by Scheduling then the duty free week will be rostered. Requests for DFW are actioned in reverse order to the annual leave requests and the groups are rotated every year. Remember you cannot apply for a DFW where it touches 25/26th December.
EXAMPLE
ANNUAL LEAVE
DUTY FREE WEEK
Group A - 1st choice
Group C - 1st choice
Group B - 2nd choice
Group B - 2nd choice
Group C - last choice
Group A - last choice
A duty free week must be given to 6 & 3 full-time pattern crew members regardless of the number of draw back days taken.
Lieu days
For 6/3 pattern cabin crew and non bidding variable contract crew
There will be 8 days per annum in lieu of statutory Bank Holidays pro-rated for variable contract cabin crew.
For 5/2 pattern cabin crew
There will be 8 days per annum rostered off. Statutory holidays will be discharged on the day of the appropriate holiday.
Lieu days can be requested in two ways when seasonal leave applications are made from 49 days before the end of the roster period in which the lieu day is required. If refused it can be put on hold.
If a lieu day is refused on application the crew member will be offered either:
- retention of the lieu day for application on a different date.
or
- Current Ops will hold the lieu day and review the day before the date requested.
or
- the lieu day will be paid for at the rate of 8 hours per day (current ETP higher rates )
Those lieu days earned between 19th December and 31st March may be carried over to the next leave year, unless on a variable contract where they will be pro-rated.
Any outstanding lieu days which have not been taken will be rostered after the 19th December. These rostered lieu days cannot be cancelled. Lieu days which you are able to carry over are exempt.
Cabin crew may cancel a lieu day up to 1500 on the day preceding the lieu day.
Lieu days may only be refused for operational reasons (this includes conversion/promotion courses.)
Variable contract cabin crew
Non-bidding crew who are on variable contracts have the following entitlement to lieu days:
75%
6 per year
50% / Job Share
4 per year
33%
8 lieu days over a three year period.
Year 1 = 3, Year 2 = 3, Year 3 = 2.
The lieu days allocated will not relate specifically to a particular bank holiday.
Gratis days - support cabin crew have the ability to apply for four per calendar year. Further detail in the Support Cabin Crew section.
Sickness over annual leave and lieu days - all groups
If you are sick over a granted annual leave or lieu day, you must advise Cabin Scheduling immediately and produce the appropriate certificate i.e. self certification up to and including 7 days and a doctors certificate from the 8th day. Once the certificate has been received your annual leave/lieu day will be re-credited to you.
If you are sick over a bank holiday you must advise Scheduling immediately and produce the appropriate certificate to the Manpower Customer Services Unit i.e. self certification up to and including 7 days and a doctors certificate from the 8th day. Once the certificate has been received you will be credited an annual leave day.
It is the crew member's responsibility to ensure that annual leave or lieu days have been granted before taking the time off.
EUROFLEET LEAVE ENTITLEMENT
NON-BIDDERS
SUMMER/WINTER
Up to 1 YEAR
19 days
9 or 10
9or10
1 YEAR
20 days
10
10
2 YEAR
21 days
10 or 11
10 or 11
3 YEAR
22 days
11
11
4 YEAR
24 days
12
12
5&2
25 days
12 or 13
12 or 13
BIDDERS
Up to 1 YEAR
30 days
15
15
1 YEAR
31 days
15 or 16
15 or 16
2 YEAR
32 days
16
16
3 YEAR
33 days
16 or 17
16 or 17
4 YEAR
36 days
18
18
For crew on Variable Contracts, your leave will be pro-rated appropriately.
I can\'t find the Worldwide Leave agreemsnt, although I know you can take a whole block of leave as long as you bid correctly and hold enough points to attain your bid.
A bid will not be granted if it interferes with your aircraft recency... ie if it\'ll make you lose a licence you won\'t get the leave.