Hardship Q & A

[Super Salt]

Does a facility’s staffing level (current/projected) have an effect on whether or not they can accept a hardship?

Such as, if a facility is currently at 100% staffing, are they still able to accept an inbound hardship?

If there is a particular staffing percentage that is considered the “maximum” that will not allow for any more inbounds, what would it be? I cannot find answers to these questions on KSN and they aren’t specifically listed in the CBA.

Many thanks!

 

[GreenWeeny]

In the few hardships I've dealt with, 100% was the cutoff. If a facility was 99.8% staffed, then they would accept hardships. And, if a facility was 100%, but projected to go lower, they would also accept hardships. I am not speaking from experience, only from the 3 successful hardships I've witnessed.

 

[Super Salt]

I've been told that staffing percentages up to 120% were used as the cut-off point, but there's no validity to that aside from word-of-mouth. 100% it is then I suppose.

I appreciate your response!

 

[breakaway2000]

It's a sliding scale and nothing is black and white. A lot has to do with where you're hardshipping to. Is the only FAA facility within ~50 miles that would satisfy your hardship at 102% projected? You'll still be offered it. If there are multiple locations that would satisfy a hardship within the same general area, you will *more then likely* (there are no absolutes in hardships) be offered only the facilities projected below 100% that you qualify for (no more then 3 levels up from your highest certified facility).

Ex. A recent hardship to the Orlando area was given a list of ORL, SFB, and F11. Given MCO's staffing percentage, they were left off as 3 other facilities in the general area would satisfy the hardship request.