7.06.26 – APFA BOS Base Brief – August 2026 Staffing and Allocations

August 2026 Staffing and Allocations

Monday, July 6, 2026

Hello Boston!

The August Allocations Call took place on July 3. Below are the key highlights for the upcoming bid month.

Boston’s scheduled flying continues to decline as the summer operation begins its seasonal pullback.

• Total Flying Hours: 48,779
• Approximately 5% lower than July
• Approximately 4% lower than August 2025

This reduction is occurring throughout the system, not just in Boston. As discussed in previous Allocation Briefs, the summer schedule ramped up earlier than usual in 2026, resulting in the seasonal drawdown also beginning several weeks earlier than historical norms.

Reserve Staffing

Reserve levels remain unchanged at 18% for August. While this is still higher than we believe is necessary, two primary factors continue to drive these numbers:

• Summer operational planning
  • August is still considered part of the peak summer operation.
  • Crew Planning continues to staff conservatively in anticipation of summer irregular operations (IROPS) across the system.
• Increased absenteeism
  • Boston experienced a significant increase in absenteeism during June compared to historical averages.
  • The Company continues to use higher reserve staffing to offset those projections.

Your APFA representatives made it clear during the allocation discussions that operational challenges are not driven solely by Flight Attendant attendance. The Company’s trip construction, staffing decisions, reserve utilization, and overly optimistic operational planning all contribute significantly to disruptions and reserve usage.

At the same time, Boston has long benefited from being a relatively senior base with reserve numbers consistently below the system average and many junior Flight Attendants able to hold lines sooner than other domiciles. Maintaining those advantages requires everyone doing their part. When absenteeism rises significantly, it places additional strain on the operation and ultimately impacts all of our fellow Flight Attendants.

VLOA

With the earlier-than-expected seasonal reduction in flying:

• 19 Voluntary Leaves of Absence (VLOAs) will be offered.
• Only full-month VLOAs are available for August.

Schedule Highlights

Los Angeles (LAX)

Beginning with the schedule change on August 4:

• Boston will operate three daily LAX departures.
• Boston crews will continue staffing two daily departures:
  • One traditional morning Rocket turn.
  • One two-day sequence featuring approximately a 17-hour layover.
• The Rocket will continue operating on the XLR in both directions.
• The return segment of the two-day trip will operate on the Transcon (“T”) aircraft.

London Heathrow (LHR)

• Daily service continues.
• Trips feature approximately a 24-hour layover.

Phoenix (PHX)

• The PHX Rocket will operate only on Sundays after the August 4 schedule change.

ODANs

• There are no ODAN sequences included in the August bid packet.

Sequence Construction

The final sequence construction breakdown for August is as follows:

We are pleased to see that the Allocation process has produced a bid packet with greater sequence parity. Your Base Representatives have long advocated for a more balanced distribution of trip lengths because we know Boston operates best when there is a healthy mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-day sequences. It is encouraging to see continued progress toward that goal. Of the 2-day pairings, approximately 6.5% are one-day trips that release after midnight, providing additional scheduling flexibility for those who prefer shorter trips.

Thank you for everything you do to make Boston such a special base. It is the people here who make BOS one of the best bases in the system, always looking out for one another and supporting each other through every operation. We hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend with family and friends and wish you a safe, enjoyable, and relaxing remainder of the summer.

As always, fly safe!

In Solidarity,

Luke Williams
APFA BOS Base President
(617) 362-0052
[email protected]

Kea Serikaku
APFA BOS Base Vice President
(617) 362-0052
[email protected]

Ben Samoylich
APFA BOS Staffing & Allocations Representative
[email protected]