9.06.25 – APFA PHL Base Brief – October 2025 Staffing and Allocations

October 2025 PHL Staffing and Allocations

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Hello PHL,Welcome to the first official month after summer travel. Our Allocations call was held on Wednesday, September 3. Historically, October tends to slow down as we move away from summer and have not yet reached the holiday season.

A schedule change will take place on October 10. We are experiencing significant changes in IPD. The distribution of trip types will shift slightly, with a small increase in 1- and 2-day trips, and a small decrease in 3- and 4-day trips. Sit times will decrease slightly, while the number of 12+ duty days will see a small increase, predominantly involving high-time turns.

Keep in mind that Halloween falls on October 31. This will be a lighter flying weekend, but we often see an increase in sick calls during this time. There will likely be CN days as well. Mid-week flying is expected to slow down a bit.

Additionally, college football will influence trip schedules this month, and the ABQ Hot Air Balloon Festival will impact flights in the first half of October. If you haven’t attended the festival, it’s definitely worth a visit or a layover.

ALLOCATIONS

Flying hours are up quite a bit from last month. The total is 161,144 for October compared to 154,632 in September. These are very close to August numbers.

NEW HIRES

There will be no new hires this month.

RESERVES

The number of projected Reserve Flight Attendants has remained relatively stable, with 387 projected in October compared to 383 in September. This stability is likely due to the Halloween weekend. The overall system-wide average is again projected to be 16.5%. PHL is expected to be at 14.1%, making it the second lowest among major airports, just above LGA.

STAFFING

In October, the projected monthly line average is 76.5 hours, marking a 0.2% increase from last month. Interestingly, the system-wide line average is also projected to be 76.5 hours, which is the same for every base. Please note that these figures are subject to change depending on bidding behaviors.

VOLUNTARY LEAVES OF ABSENCE (VLOAs)

Under the 2024 CBA 25.B, Voluntary Leaves of Absence (VLOA) are available at all bases for the October 2025 bid month. 66 unpaid VLOAs are being offered for PHL. The company has stated that VLOAs for September are being offered due to a regular seasonal reduction in flights.

The bidding window will close Sunday, September 7 at 1200 (CT). You may access the ballot in Comply365 > My Forms > AAFA > OCT25 (01OCT-31OCT) FA Voluntary Leave of Absence (VLOA). Flight Attendants awarded a VLOA will receive a CCI message.

If you have any questions about this process, please see the September hotline titled “Unpaid VLOAs for October 2025.”

SEQUENCE STATISTICS 

ODANs

ODANs are back to normal. For October they are as follows: ORD, PWM, PVD, PIT, BGR, BTV, BUF, RDU, BDL and DTW.

IPD

• IPDs for October, as you know, are filled with changes and losses.
• Daylight saving time ends in Europe on Sunday, October 26. This will be reflected in a slight change in departure times for some IPD trips.
• DOH-Will continue to operate with a staff of 10 FAs.
• ATH-will operate the entire month of October.
• EDI- Ends 04OCT. There will be a 45+hour RON in EDI followed by a deadhead to LHR with a 24+hour RON in LHR then followed by a deadhead back to PHL.
• MXP-Last departure from PHL covered by PHL is 23OCT. There is a PHL departure to MXP on 24OCT, but it is unclear who is working it.
• NAP-Departure on 22OCT will have a 48-hour RON working both directions. Last 3-day trip with a deadhead return will departure PHL 23OCT.
• NCE- Departure on 02OCT will have a 48-hour layover working the return flight on 05OCT. The last 3-day trip with a deadhead return will operate on 03OCT.
• VCE-Departure on 22OCT will have a 48-hour RON working the return flight on 25OCT. The last 3-day for the season will depart on 23OCT with a deadhead return on 25OCT.
• AMS- Will have a trip operating on 27OCT with a 45-hour RON.
• ZRH-Departure on 24OCT will operate as a 787-9P PHL-ZRH. There will be one position #9 reflecting a deadhead return on 26OCT. Departures commencing on 25OCT will revert back to the 787-8.
• FCO-The last round trip for the early FCO sequence will operate on 23OCT.
• DUB-There will be one trip operating on 24OCT on the 777. The trip involves a deadhead to CLT and working the 777 CLT-DUB, RON will be 29 hours with a deadhead back to PHL.
• PHL-DUB will continue to operate on the 787-9 through 04OCT. There will be one position 9 on the 04OCT sequence with a deadhead return on day 3. Commencing on 05OCT DUB will operate as a 787-8.
• LHR-The last late LHR trip will depart on 24OCT, operate as a 3 day with a deadhead return.

NIPD

Some interersting changes this month. They are GUA, BGI, MDE, SDQ, GDL, QRO, GCM. Please familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations for the destinations.

DOMESTIC WIDEBODY FLYING

A 2-day charter will operate on 18OCT with 9 positions. A 2 day short LAX RON will operate with 8 positions 26-31OCT.

There is a variety of 1- and 2-day trips involving mixed widebody and narrowbody aircraft. Trips will offer positions 1-4 or 5-8.

PIT SATELLITE

PIT has gained 37 more hours this month compared to September. The total is 4873 hours.

Please remember that when you are awarded a satellite trip, it is your responsibility to get to PIT to start the trip and get home when the trip ends. The Company does NOT provide deadheads to and from PIT.

GENERAL REMINDERS

• Please remember that Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, November 2. Not an October thing but still to be advised.
• The third quarter WBTs have been loaded into our Learning Hub. These are due by 07OCT at 2359. Please do not procrastinate as this can be counted as a Missed Assignment and that is a performance event.
• CQ modules taking an excessive amount of time? Submit a CQ WBT Completion Times Report Form.
• We are having an uptick of FA’s calling us for meeting representation on the same day as the meeting or the night before. Please know that management is keeping us quite busy. We definitely want to be there with you and support you, but we cannot if we are already booked. This causes your meeting to be rescheduled.
• Commuters: please make sure you read CBA Section 37.I
• 40 Hour Minimum – The Company is calling in FA’s to explain why you did not meet the obligation.
• No sales onboard? Please remember to document that in MyFlight. Please include the EP Comps and any other distribution of product. They are starting to monitor this.
• Every month the PBS COVER SHEET is included in the bid packets. Packets are found via Crewportal. The cover sheet contains answers to many frequently asked questions such as:
  • Phone Numbers
  • Duty Charts and Layover requirements
  • Bidding Timelines
  • Links to PBS guides and other pertinent information

CREW PORTAL > DEPARTMENTS > CREW PLANNING > PBS ADMINISTRATION > CURRENT BID SHEETS > PBS COVER SHEET

PHL STRONG! PHL PROUD!

In Solidarity,

Tracey Montanari
APFA PHL Base President
[email protected]

Mitch Hake
APFA PHL Base Vice President
[email protected]

Ryan Allen
APFA PHL Base Council Representative
[email protected]