This section describes language allocation during FA and Purser runs and is not applicable in all configurations.
During the FA run, no languages are actually assigned until the end of the run. However, no position is awarded unless it is ”language-legal”: a person can only be awarded this pairing if it is still possible to meet all language requirements using the current holders of the pairing and any future holders of the pairing.
Note: The N-PBS Scheduler assumes that future holders of the pairing can speak all languages, but they are still only allowed to hold one route language.
At the very end of the FA run, a ”maximal assignment” of languages is given to the people who hold each pairing (i.e. an assignment that meets as many BL requirements as possible and as many route-language requirements as possible). Languages are assigned to the most senior people first. So the most senior person always gets a BL assignment if they’re qualified and they always get a route-language assigned if they are qualified for any of the route-languages.
Example
Pairing V5001 has one IC position and five FA positions, and requires 3 BL and 2 GE speakers.
The IC assigned is unilingual.
The first FA assigned is BL.
The second FA assigned is BL.
The third FA assigned is BL.
In this situation, the fourth and fifth FAs assigned would have to have GE, and the N-PBS Scheduler would not assign an FA to this pairing who did not have GE.
If not enough FAs wanted this pairing and the language stack for GE was too high during this period, the N-PBS Scheduler would force the pairing on two GE-qualified junior FAs.