AFAP Jetstar Update - DPS Accommodation & Various Matters
Below is an update addressing several matters the AFAP has been discussing with Jetstar since our last meeting (and Update) in late August.
Denpasar Accommodation
By now all members should be aware of the email sent by the Chief Pilot on the 18th of September detailing the situation regarding the Holiday Inn and the subsequent action plan the company have decided upon.
As outlined, Jetstar will be relocating crew accommodation to the Hilton Garden Inn as the primary hotel until 10 October 2024, with the possibility of utilizing additional ad hoc hotels. From 11 October 2024 through 31 January 2025, crew accommodation will move to the Sakala Bali Resort.
It is important to emphasize that this situation has arisen solely due to the Holiday Inn's failure to honour its contractual obligations, leaving Jetstar (and Virgin) with no choice but to secure alternative crew accommodation.
The PCC has been fully consulted throughout the process and has had access to pertinent information that has allowed for a measured evaluation of the outcome. This includes consideration of the limited hotel options available to accommodate Jetstar's room requirements at relatively short notice, and the fact that these arrangements are temporary until a permanent hotel can be secured in DPS through the standard RFP process.
We recognize the standard and location of crew accommodation can have a significant impact on a pilot’s layover, and we provide the following update regarding the temporary hotel arrangements.
Hilton Garden Inn & other Ad Hoc Hotels
The Hilton Garden Inn was inspected by the PCC last August and was not recommended for use by Jetstar Pilots given its isolated location and general security concerns in the surrounding area. A re-inspection conducted by a PCC member over the weekend has confirmed that the rooms allocated to crew are exposed to high levels of noise from both the airport and nearby mosques. Additionally, the hotel's room service is unavailable between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and walking to nearby restaurants after dark presents safety risks, including poor lighting, hazardous walkways, and stray animals.
Given that the Hilton Garden Inn is a temporary solution and considering Jetstar’s challenges in securing suitable accommodation during a peak holiday period, the AFAP PCC representatives have formally requested that Jetstar provide pilots staying at the Hilton Garden Inn with a Hard Lying Allowance of $100, in accordance with clause 62.7 of the EA, due to the hotel's non-compliance with EA standards.
Due to the high occupancy rate in Denpasar over the next few weeks, it is also possible that Pilots may be accommodated at Ad hoc hotels which have not been inspected or audited by the PCC and may also fall short of EA requirements. Should this occur, please submit an OSCAR and apply for the hard lying allowance as mentioned above. We also remind pilots of their responsibility to ensure that they are fit for duty, which includes being free from fatigue at all stages of flight.
The Sakala Resort
The PCC inspected three hotels as potential short-term crew accommodation until a new permanent crew hotel can be secured (approx. 4 month lead time including RFP process). The hotels that were shortlisted were the Patra Jasa (previous crew hotel), The Four Points by Sheraton Ungasan and the Sakala (where Jetstar pilots were accommodated last year during renovations at the Holiday Inn). We were informed that these, along with the Hilton Garden Inn, were the only hotels that could meet the volume of rooms required by Jetstar at short notice.
Of the three options, the Sakala was by far the superior hotel inspected. In addition to Jetstar, both Virgin and Etihad currently accommodate crew at this hotel, and the hotel has seen increased occupancy since Jetstar last used it.
Additionally, the Resort Management have advised there has been some minor refurbishment works undertaken since JQ were accommodated there including works on the Air Conditioning units of which there were multiple reports regarding their inadequate operation previously. The PCC also noted that there are now more local dining options available in the surrounding area.
While the PCC is satisfied that the Sakala meets the standards outlined in the EA, it is not likely to recommend the resort for long-term use beyond 31 January 2025.
Company Performance Bonus
Last Friday Jetstar announced it will be paying the Company Performance Bonus (CPB) in accordance with clause 43 of the 2019 Jetstar EA this Friday 27th September 2024. This was subsequently confirmed in an email from the Chief Pilot this afternoon.
Outlined below are some helpful points to assist pilots with their calculation under clause 43.2 of the EA:
- JANZ corporate scorecard 2024 = 117%
- ‘Applicable annual salary’:
- “Annual Salary” means the combination of the Base Salary and, where applicable, the allowances in clause 40.7 (Training and Checking Allowances)
- The CPB is for the FY 23/24 and may be prorated if you have changed fleet or rank.
- WDO hours that have taken the individual above the monthly EFA trigger will be included in the CPB. Not the WDO payment, EA 40.5.
- Superannuation will be paid on the CPB, EA 43.4
- First Officers and Second officers with less than 3 years of service from 01 April 2024 will not be eligible for the CPB.
If you believe there has been an error with your CPB calculation, please email your RFM/NOA or Payroll Query in the first instance to seek a resolution. If the error is not rectified, please reach out the AFAP for assistance.
Missed Meal Allowances
As mentioned in our August PCC/JPF update, the AFAP was approached by several pilots regarding missing meal allowances associated with rostering positioning sectors, where 30 minutes or more of block time occurred within a designated meal period, spanning multiple roster periods.
In our August meeting with Jetstar, the issue was confirmed to be caused by a flaw in the logic of the payroll report responsible for capturing meal allowances. The report failed to recognize certain aircraft that pilots were rostered to position on, leading to the oversight.
Jetstar has informed us that they will be re-running a revised paxing meal allowance report to identify any missing allowances owed to WB pilots over the last 12 months. This process is expected to take place within the next few weeks, and Jetstar will communicate directly with the impacted pilots once the audit is complete.
Your pilot representatives are on hand if you have any questions regarding above. Alternatively, you can contact your AFAP industrial officers Deanna Cain, Pat Larkins or Andrew Molnar via email deanna@afap.org.au, patrick@afap.org.au, or andrew@afap.org.au or call (03) 9928 5737.
Regards,
AFAP Jetstar Pilot Federation Committee
Darren Fielder, Jeremy MacPhail, Daniel Blakemore, Ed Greenidge, Yianni Manousaridis, Dominic Corcoran, Mark Buttel, Darren Davis, Chris Gibson, Clinton Baxter, Andrew Ward, Christopher Doyle, Christo Hailes, Paul Hogan, Raj Krishnan