Section 5 - Expenses, Transportation & Lodging

SECTION 5

EXPENSES, TRANSPORTATION AND LODGING

5.A. EXPENSES

5.A.1.

A Flight Attendant when on duty or on flight assignment shall receive:

5.A.1.a.

Domestic Per Diem shall be paid for all flights within the Continental United States the fifty (50) United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. 

$2.97 $2.20 effective Date of Signing

5.A.1.b.

International Per Diem shall be paid for flights not covered under Paragraph a. above. 

$3.54 $2.70 effective Date of Signing 

5.A.1.c.

Per diem shall be paid per hour prorated from the time a Flight Attendant she/he is scheduled to report for duty or actually reports for duty, whichever is later and shall continue until termination of duty or flight assignment upon return to their her/his home Domicile. Meals will not be placed aboard aircraft in lieu of these allowances on any flight unless requested by the Union Local Schedule Committee for the entire crew for the entire month. When the Company boards meals at the request of the Local Schedule Committee, the payment provided in this Paragraph will be reduced by the cost of the meal to the Company. 

5.A.1.d.

These per diem rates in 5.A.1.a. and 5.A.1.b. shall be increased by ten cents ($0.10) five cents ($0.05) every two years after Date of Signing.

5.A.2.

Should any unusual business-related expenses occur which are not contemplated by the provisions of this Section while the Flight Attendant is flying an international pairing, the Company shall reimburse the Flight Attendant for such expenses when supported by receipts.

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5.A.3. CREW MEALS

Note: Flight Attendants will now be able to pre-order crew meals. Quality of crew meals increased from business to first class/Polaris. Included with the crew meal will also be a crew water bottle that may be removed from the aircraft. 

5.A.3.a.

Meals appropriate to the time of day will be boarded for Flight Attendants at Company expense whenever they are scheduled for a period of duty of eight (8) hours or more without an intervening stop of at least two (2) hours. Whenever possible such meals will be boarded during the first six (6) hours of this period of duty.

5.A.3.b.

If meals are boarded for passengers, crew meals shall be boarded on all segments originating or terminating in an international city which are scheduled for three (3) hours or more flight time.

5.A.3.c.

On charter flights, the Company shall provide a meal for each Flight Attendant if a meal service is provided to the passengers. 

5.A.3.d.

When a crew meal is provided pursuant to 5.A.3.a. or 5.A.3.b. above, then:

All food components of the crew meals referenced in this Paragraph shall be business class quality or better.

5.A.3.d.(1).   

When First Class/Polaris meals are provided to passengers on a specific flight, a Flight Attendant  may order a crew meal, which may include any combination of “Poultry”, “Meat”, “Seafood”, or “Non-meat (which may be pasta)”, or they may order from “breakfast options” when a breakfast meal is appropriate. The quality, quantity, nutritional content, portion size, and wholesomeness shall be no less than the First Class/Polaris meal offerings as of January 1, 2025  

5.A.3.d.(2).

If a Flight Attendant does not order a meal and or on flights without Passenger First Class/Polaris meals where a crew meal is required, the Flight Attendant shall be provided a Chicken or Beef meal, a pasta meal, or an appropriate breakfast meal, whose quality, quantity, nutritional content, portion size, and wholesomeness shall be no less than the   First Class/Polaris meal offerings as of January 1, 2025.  

5.A.3.d.(3) 

Not withstanding the terms of paragraph 5.A.3.d.(1). above, when a Flight Attendant orders a meal and that Flight Attendant is not on the flight for any reason, the meal ordered and boarded for them shall satisfy the requirements of paragraph 5.A.3.e.(1). above and no substitute meals need to be boarded.    

5.A.3.e. 

All Flight Attendant meals shall be separated from passenger meals. If a Flight Attendant has ordered a meal in accordance with Section 5.A.3.g.(1). 5.A.3.e.(1). above, and such meal is provided, the meal shall be labeled with the Flight Attendant’s name. 

5.A.3.f.  

Crew meal food items provisioned for Flight Attendants may be removed from the aircraft for consumption off the aircraft and while on layover, unless otherwise prohibited by customs regulations. Reusable service items, including but not limited to, dishware, glasswear and flatwear, may not be removed from the aircraft. 

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5.A.4. CREW WATER 

5.A.4.a. 

A Flight Attendant shall receive crew water on any flight on which a crew meal is boarded for that Flight Attendants.  Crew water may be used off the aircraft and while on layover. 

5.B. LODGING

5.B.1.

The Company shall furnish comfortable and adequate single occupancy hotel rooms in a suitable location for Flight Attendants as selected in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 5.B.2 below, when: 

5.B.1.a.

They are scheduled at a layover station in excess of four (4) hours. 

5.B.1.b.

They are delayed at a layover station for four (4) hours or more from the time the delay is known; or after reporting for duty at the home Domicile there is a delay for four (4) or more hours from the time the delay is known.

5.B.1.c.

In accordance with Section 28.E.5.

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5.B.2. LAYOVER HOTELS

5.B.2.a. HOTEL GUIDELINES 

Read: Increased protection in Hotel Selection Process. 

See Letter of Agreement 8 – Hotel Selection Process and Guidelines

The Company and the MEC President/designee will select hotels for inspection at layover cities in accordance with the WHQPP/Union Operating Charter and will compile a list of hotels which provide safe, clean and quiet accommodations with adequate and available eating facilities.

Adequate and available eating facilities: 

Food availability twenty-four (24) hours/day 

Restaurant on premises, providing breakfast, lunch and dinner (pantry food does not meet this requirement). 

Outside of meal time hours: room service, lounge menu and/or food delivery options 

Delivery options of at least three (3) different eateries (not including fast food outlets) with reasonable delivery time/ distance.

5.B.2.b.

In the event that the Union does not agree with the Company’s decision on a layover hotel, the MEC President/ or designee may request a review of that decision by the Senior Vice President-Inflight Service.

5.B.3.

Flight Attendants, when at other than a regular layover stations and lodging is not provided by the Company, shall receive reasonable actual expenses incurred for lodging, substantiated by a receipt. 

5.B.4.

Flight Attendants shall check in and out of hotels. At time of checking out, each Flight Attendant shall pay for any incidental expenses incurred, such as personal telephone calls, room service, etc. Flight Attendants will not be required to provide a credit card for room access and in-room phone activation. The hotel may require a credit card imprint if the Flight Attendant elects to have sign-in privileges to cover incidentals. Flight Attendants shall have the ability to access hotel services with cash payment. 

5.B.5.

If a Flight Attendant arrives at a layover hotel and their her/his room is not ready within thirty (30) minutes after their originally scheduled arrival, they she/he may obtain other accommodations and claim reasonable actual lodging expenses on a Company expense form supported by the hotel receipt. 

5.B.6.

Note: Downtown (no more "downtown like") location for layovers of 17+ hrs (versus current 19+ hrs)

Unless mutually agreed by the Union and the Company, on layovers of seventeen (17) nineteen (19) hours (block to block) or more, the Company will provide hotels in downtown or downtown-like locations in close proximity to restaurants and shops. 

5.B.7. 

A Flight Attendant, if possible, should notify the Company when they do she/he does not intend to utilize their her/his hotel room. 

5.B.8. 

In the event it becomes necessary to change a layover facility after monthly bid packets have been distributed, Flight Attendants shall be notified of said change as soon as possible. Changes to a layover facility, and/or the transportation between the airport served and the facility, will also be included in the CCS pairing display.

5.B.9.

The Company Each Domicile shall make available a list of layover cities identifying the two (2) hotels that will be used whenever possible, for Flight Attendant layovers. Flight Attendants assigned to pairings which are not in the monthly bid package will be informed of the layover hotel and telephone number before departing on their her/his pairing. If this cannot be accomplished or in the event other layover accommodations are used, the Company will reimburse the Flight Attendant for up to a five (5) minute telephone call to inform someone of the hotel actually being used. Reimbursement will be made after submitting an expense report supported by a receipt to the home Domicile office.

5.B.10. 

In the event the Company has not provided  hotel accommodation information by the end of a duty period in accordance with 5.B.1., Flight Attendants may obtain other accommodations and claim reasonable actual lodging expenses on a Company expense form supported by the hotel receipt.

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5.C. HOTEL GAINSHARING

5.C.1.

Flight Attendants who cancel hotel rooms in accordance with the provisions of this Paragraph shall be reimbursed a portion of the resulting savings from such cancellations. The amount of such reimbursement shall be reviewed annually, but shall not be less than $30.00 $20.00 for each cancelled hotel room.

5.C.2.

Hotel gainsharing shall apply to all international and domestic hotel rooms, and shall be available only to the Flight Attendant scheduled to occupy the room. 

5.C.3.

A Flight Attendant must cancel their her/his room no more than seventy-two (72:00) and no less than twenty-four hours (24:00), forty-eight (48:00) International, prior to the original check-in time for the trip. 

5.C.4.

Cancellations may only be accomplished through CCS, or by such other method as may be authorized by the Company, it being the parties’ desire to automate this gainsharing program when such automation becomes reasonably practicable. 

5.C.5.

A room may only be cancelled by the Flight Attendant who is scheduled to occupy it.; Flight Attendants may not cancel hotel rooms for other Flight Attendants. 

5.C.6.

Flight Attendants will be required to provide the following information in order to cancel a hotel room from the list in the CCS or other automated system.  At a minimum, and as applicable, the CCS display will include inbound flight number, check-in time, the layover city, the pairing start date, date of the layover where the room cancellation is to occur and the hotel name.  If there are multiple days associated with the hotel room, each date shall be displayed individually. : 

5.C.6.a.

Name, Base, and employee number, and 

5.C.6.b.

Inbound flight number, and 

5.C.6.c. 

Check-in time, and

5.C.6.d.

Layover city, date the pairing commences, date of the layover where the room cancellation is to occur, and the hotel where it is to occur.

5.C.7.

Room cancellations shall be final and may not later be rescinded. 

5.C.8. 

A Flight Attendant who has cancelled a hotel room shall thereafter be ineligible to trade or drop the trip on which the cancellation occurs.

5.C.9.

A Flight Attendant who becomes ill or who is reassigned or recrewed after canceling their her/his hotel room must notify Crew Scheduling as soon as possible that they she/he cancelled the room so that prompt arrangements for overnight accommodations may be made for the replacement Flight Attendant. 

5.C.10. 

Gainsharing payments shall be included on the Flight Attendant’s paycheck in the month following the cancellation.

5.C.11.

Flight Attendants will not be entitled to receive gainsharing payments for hotel cancellation(s) that are not in full and complete compliance with all of the provisions of this Paragraph C.

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5.D. TRANSPORTATION

5.D.1.

At points other than their Domicile where transportation is not made available by the Company, Flight Attendants shall be allowed reasonable actual expenses, incurred for suitable transportation, between the field and lodging place and return.

5.D.2.a.

A Flight Attendant will be allowed $20.00 $10.00 for cab or limousine between airport or co-terminal and place of lodging at Domicile points whenever departure time of their her/his flight assignment is between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. or when arrival time of the flight is between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. 

5.D.2.b.

Claims for such expenses shall be made on a regular expense form which shall be supported by a receipt for each flight, and the expense account shall indicate the flight number for each transportation expense. 

5.D.2.c.

The above stated provisions will also apply to Flight Attendants required to leave their home Domicile for purposes of attending any Company required training or meeting. 

5.D.2.d.

The above stated provisions will also apply to a Reserve required to report for standby or who is released from standby between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

5.D.3.

A Reserve Flight Attendant shall be reimbursed for actual expenses for cab transportation to the airport when the Reserve Flight Attendant determines such transportation is necessary in order to respond to a call of less than three (3) hours before report. Inflight Scheduling may authorize reimbursement on an actual basis for the return, if the Flight Attendant was unable to utilize her/his personal transportation in order to make the less than three (3) hour call out. In all other cases, a transportation allowance of $10.00 for transportation from the airport will be reimbursed. 

5.D.3.a.  

A Reserve Flight Attendant shall be reimbursed  for the reasonable actual expense for the return cab transportation from the airport to their home or place of lodging, if the Reserve Flight Attendant was unable to utilize their personal transportation in order to make the less than three (3) hours call out.  

5.D.3.b.

Claim for such expenses shall be made within sixty (60) days on a regular expense form which shall be supported by a receipt approved by Inflight Scheduling and the form shall indicate the flight number for any such transportation expenses.

5.D.4.a.

In the event a Flight Attendant’s pairing originates at one airport and terminates at another airport at their her/his regular home Domicile, the Company shall furnish such Flight Attendant with transportation one-way between one airport and the other, at their her/his option. A Flight Attendant assigned to a schedule involving this type of operation shall advise the Company prior to the start of the schedule, the one direction she/he desires such transportation during the period she/he is assigned to that schedule. When such transportation is requested at origination, limousine departure times will be in accordance with crosstown travel times as provided in Section 6.S.4.

5.D.4.b.

Upon termination, when such transportation is not provided by the Company within thirty (30) minutes and such transportation does not leave within forty-five (45) minutes after the Flight Attendant arrives at the airport and reports to Crew Scheduling, such Flight Attendant may use any other available means of ground transportation between one airport and the other and within sixty (60) days may claim expenses for such transportation, on the regular Company expense account form and such Flight Attendant shall be reimbursed for same. 

5.D.4.c.

At layover points, if the public limousine service provided by the Company does not leave within forty-five (45) minutes after block arrival or thirty-five (35) minutes after block arrival where transportation is provided by the hotel, the Flight Attendant may use any other means of transportation to the place of lodging and may claim reimbursement for such transportation on the regular Company expense account form and the Flight Attendant shall be reimbursed therefor. 

5.D.5.

When the Company provides for public limousine transportation, each Flight Attendant using such transportation shall, upon request, be provided with a separate limousine slip.

5.D.5.

Ground transportation will be provided on a schedule operating six (6) times per day from/to EWR and LGA (and from/to EWR and JFK if UA resumes flying out of JFK) for any operation involving sequences originating and terminating at the prescribed co-terminals.

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5.E. PUBLICITY AND PROMOTIONAL ASSIGNMENTS

5.E.1.

Flight Attendants assigned by the Company to promotional or publicity assignments or Company approved certification or experimental flights, in addition to the hourly compensation provided in Section 4 will be entitled to per hour expenses in accordance with Paragraph 5.A.1.a. or 5.A.1.b. as appropriate and to reasonable, necessary transportation expenses, when transportation is not furnished by the Company. 

5.E.2.

In addition to the above, Flight Attendants when away from their home Domicile will be entitled to reasonable, actual hotel expenses when not furnished by the Company and $12.50 per day to cover all incidental expenses. If the assignment is more than seven (7) days, reasonable, actual laundry and cleaning expenses will be allowed. NRPS transportation to and from the assignment location will be provided.

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