ARTICLE 15 - PERIOD OF PROBATION

A. PROBATION - LENGTH, DEFINITION, TRIP TRADE AND/OR OPTIONAL EXCHANGE DROP

1. During the first six (6) months of service with the Company on Flight Attendant status, a Flight Attendant shall be on probation. Should a probationary Flight Attendant be in a non-pay status for more than sixteen (16) consecutive calendar days, or be granted an approved leave of absence, paid or unpaid, for more than sixteen (16) calendar days, the probationary period shall be extended by the number of days such Flight Attendant was in a non-pay status or on approved leave of absence.

2. The Company shall have the right to discharge or layoff any Flight Attendant during the probationary period without cause and without hearing.

3. (a) Probationary Flight Attendants will be permitted to trip trade and/or Optional Exchange drop (TT, OE, OR) without notice or approval during the period following bid finalization up to first day of the next contractual month. (b) After the beginning of the contractual month, a Probationary Flight Attendant may change his/her schedule (TT, OE, OR) during the contractual month provided contact is made and approval is given by his/her Flight Service Manager or, in the Flight Service Manager's absence, the Flight Service Manager's designee. The decision to grant or deny the requested schedule change will be timely and will not be unreasonably withheld.

B. SENIORITY RIGHTS ON PROBATION

The seniority provisions of the Agreement do not apply to a Flight Attendant until such Flight Attendant has completed the probationary period, except that:

1. Flight Attendants' names will appear on the Seniority List regardless of their probationary status.

2. A Flight Attendant laid off during the probationary period shall be recalled in order of seniority.