Calling Out Sick vs. Giving Away a Shift

By the TakeMyShift team · October 25, 2026 · 6 min read

When you can't or don't want to work a shift, you usually have two choices: call out, or get someone else to take it through a trade or giveaway. They both get you the day off, but they work differently, they're meant for different situations, and they can affect your record in different ways. Knowing the difference helps you make the right call every time.

Attendance and trade rules vary by airline, station and work group. Check your contract, employee handbook or supervisor for the rules that apply to you.

What calling out means

Calling out means telling your company, through its official process, that you won't be at work for a scheduled shift. It's meant for real reasons you can't work: you're sick or injured, you have a family emergency, or something serious comes up. Your company has a process for this, and you should use it whenever you truly can't work safely.

The thing to know is that call-outs usually count toward your attendance record. Many companies track absences, and too many in a period can lead to conversations or discipline. Some absences may need notice or paperwork. Calling out is the right choice when you need it, but it isn't free.

What giving away or trading a shift means

Giving away a shift means another qualified coworker agrees to work it in your place, and the change goes through your airline's official system. A trade is the same idea, except you take one of their shifts in return. Because someone is covering the work, a properly approved trade or giveaway usually doesn't count as an absence. Your crew isn't short, and your record stays clean.

The catch is time. Trades need someone willing to take the shift and time to get the change approved. They work best when you know about the conflict ahead of time.

How to decide

• Sick, injured or in an emergency? Call out. Don't waste time hunting for a trade, and don't come to work unsafe.
• Have a planned conflict, like an appointment, family event or trip? Trade or give it away. That's exactly what trades are for.
• Just need a break? If the shift is far enough out, post it as a giveaway. Someone who wants the hours may take it.
• The shift is in a few hours and nobody has taken it? Talk to your scheduling department or supervisor about your options before the shift starts.

Never just not show up

The worst option is no option: not calling and not showing. A no-call, no-show is usually treated far more seriously than a call-out. It leaves your crew short with no warning, and it can put your job at risk. If you can't make it, always say so through the proper channel.

Being late is not the same as missing a shift

Sometimes the problem isn't missing the whole day. It's running late. If you're going to be late, follow your company's process to let them know, then get there and clock in honestly.

Skipping the punch and trying to fix your time afterward can turn a small late arrival into a bigger problem: time corrections, questions, and a record that looks worse than the truth. An honest late punch is usually much easier to deal with.

Protect your record before you need to

• Check your schedule early and trade away known conflicts as soon as you see them.
• Save call-outs for when you really need them, so you have room when life happens.
• Keep a list of coworkers who like picking up extra hours.
• Make sure every trade is official before you consider it done.

For a full walk-through of what to do when something comes up, see our Can't Make Your Shift? checklist.

How TakeMyShift helps

When you have a conflict, TakeMyShift helps you post a giveaway or trade in seconds. It goes to everyone in your same position at your base, and anyone with text alerts on hears about it right away. More eyes on your shift means a better chance you can give it away instead of calling out. It's free. See how it works.

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