FACT Rep Update 11.05.13

---

FACT Rep Update – November 5, 2013

 

Hello FACT Reps,

FACT: BREAKING NEWS!!

• Effective today November 5, 2013, the company has announced that ALL non-revenue (D1, D2, D2P and D3) passengers on board AA/AE flights will be allowed to wear jeans and tennis shoes while sitting in the First Class cabin.
• Non-Revenue passengers sitting in Main Cabin will be allowed to wear shorts and sandals.
• Employee children up to the age of 24 will be allowed to use parent’s D1, D2 pass privileges even if the child is not enrolled as a student.
• Please note….shorts and sandals will NOT be allowed in the First Class cabin as a non – revenue passenger.

We are in our second month of the FACT Rep program and off to a great start. We began the program in late September 2013 and we’ve got several hundred members on the team.
As always, there are lots of rumors and speculation on the line and each of us must do what we can to get our fellow Flight Attendants the correct information.
Are there questions you don’t have answers to? Ask the Flight Attendant for their email address and contact me ASAP at [email protected] I will get that answer for you so you can pass the information along. That way, you – as the FACT Rep they spoke with – can contact them once you have the FACTs.

APFA 2013 Roadshows continue:

“Securing our future at the new American”

Please continue to share the dates below with your fellow flight attendants.

LAX—November 5
Hilton Los Angeles Airport
5711 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310/410-4000
*Shuttle service to/from Los Angeles Airport–Complimentary
*Parking—Vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

SFO—November 6
Embassy Suites South San Francisco
250 Gateway Blvd.
South San Francisco, CA 94080
650/589-3400
*Shuttle Service to/from airport—Complimentary
*Parking—Vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (note: start time has changed from 10:00am to 11:00am)

JFK—November 12
Hilton New York JFK Airport
144-02 135th Avenue
Jamaica, NY 11436
718/659-0200
*Shuttle service to/from JFK Airport—Complimentary
*Parking—Vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

MIA—November 13
Miami International Airport
CONCOURSE “D” AUDITORIUM—LEVEL 4
(located above the American Airlines Credit Union)
NW 20th Street & Le Jeune Road
Miami, FL 33122
305/871-4100
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

ORD—November 19
Hyatt Regency O’Hare
9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue
Rosemont, IL 60018
847/696-1234
*Shuttle service to/from O’Hare Airport—Complimentary
*Parking—Vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

BOS—November 20
Embassy Suites Boston at Logan Airport
207 Porter Street
Boston, MA 02128
617/567-5000
*Shuttle service to/from Boston Logan Airport—Complimentary
*Parking—Vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

FACT: ****BENEFITS ****BENEFITS ***** BENEFITS**** enrollment is open. The 2014 Benefits Guide and pricing information is available online at www.my.aa.com. Enrollment will close at midnight on November 15, 2013.

FACT: Interim Bid – Line Guarantee protection began on November 1, 2013. Information is now available on the Scheduling page of the APFA website. Please print the Q&A and flow charts and take with you on your trips.

FACT: On October 31, 2013, we learned that Flight Attendants are entitled to receive an allocation of profit sharing even if the merger closes before the end of this year. Up until now we understood that if the merger was completed before December 31, 2013, we would not be eligible for the profit sharing that is provided for in the LBFO.  American has confirmed that if the merger happens this year, we will receive a prorated allocation of profit sharing. For example, if the merger were to close on December 1, 2013 we would receive 11 months worth of a full allocation. If an individual’s full allocation were $1,000, he or she would receive 11/12 (91.66%) or $916.66. Please note, this is an example only.

Keep in mind that the only possibility of the merger happening this year is if the Department of Justice settles its anti-trust claims against American and US Airways.  Absent a settlement in 2013, the case will continue into 2014 and will be resolved either through a settlement or a court decision which is not expected before January 19.  If the merger takes place in 2014, Flight Attendants will receive their full allocation of profit sharing.

FACT: Profit Sharing pay out to Flight Attendants will be March 2014

FACT: March 2001, was the last time Flight Attendants received a profit sharing pay out

FACT: FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced that the Federal Aviation Administration will allow the use of Portable Electronic Devices during all phases of flight except takeoff and landing by the end of the year. In a statement released October 31, 2013, the FAA reported its shift in policy; a rule that has been in place since 9/11.

Laura Glading, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants said, “Flight Attendants’ top priority is passenger safety but we’re always looking to improve the air travel experience. Once the new policy is safely implemented – and we’re going to work closely with the carrier to do that – it will be a win-win. We’re frankly tired of feeling like ‘hall monitors’ when it comes to this issue.”
FACT: APFA President Laura Glading was interviewed on October 31, 2013, by the WSJ in support of the FAA’s decision allowing PEDs (personal electronic devices).
http://live.wsj.com/#!F66D697F-7C31-41D1-9B2A-6AA040FD0C1C

FACT: APFA President Laura Glading was interviewed by CNN on November 1, 2013, in support of the FAA’s decision allowing PEDs.

FACT: If you commute to your base city, or know of other Flight Attendants that do, don’t forget to share the FACT that AA has a commuter policy in place.

COMMUTER POLICY
A Flight Attendant who chooses to be considered under this policy must list with
Flight Service as a commuter and must designate one city on the American
Airlines/American Eagle schedule. The entry to list the Designated Commuter
City (DCC) is HI17/City Code/9999.

If a commuter attempts to commute to work on two consecutive American or
American Eagle scheduled flights from the DCC (both of which were originally
scheduled to arrive at base in time for normal sign-in), and because of a
cancellation or delay beyond the commuter’s control, is unable to arrive in time to
permit normal sign-in at base, s/he must notify Crew Schedule immediately, but in
no case later than two hours prior to the original sign-in time.

The Flight Attendant will be removed from the trip without pay and credit;
however, no action will be taken against the Flight Attendant. S/he will need to
contact her/his Flight Service Manager to provide the cancellation or delay
information.
Full loads or other airline cancellations do not constitute an excused absence
under this policy.

Merger and DOJ HOT TOPICS

FACT: DOJ approves Delta – Northwest merger on October 29, 2008 to create the world’s largest carrier. DL/NW merger approved, read more

FACT: DOJ approves United – Continental merger on October 1, 2010 creating the world’s largest carrier over Delta UA/CO merger approved, click here

FACT: DOJ approves Southwest – AirTran merger on May 2, 2011 click here for full article

FACT: It’s time to level the playing field! American – US Airways must be offered the same opportunity and fair treatment from the Department of Justice.

CALL TO ACTION:

Send your letters to Congress today. Go to www.apfa.org and click on the Capwiz Call to Action link on the home page. It only takes a few seconds to send this letter to your congresswomen/men in your state and district asking for their support in our merger. Please inform your fellow colleagues about this very important letter.

US Airways, American consider merger settlement

Why Regan National could make or break the American – US Airways merger

American Airlines CEO, Fla. Attorney General Pam Bondi meet and chat about AA-US Airways merger

The Wall Street Journal
An Airline Merger Draws Undeserved Flak
By Jeffrey N. Shane
31 October 2013

The Justice Department’s opposition to the US Airways and American Airlines deal is a disturbing policy message.

Last August the Justice Department filed a complaint in federal district court to block the proposed merger of US Airways and American Airlines. The case will go to trial on Nov. 25 unless Justice accepts the airlines’ offer to give up profitable takeoff and landing rights at major airports. Whatever the outcome, this lawsuit has disturbing implications for the quality and competitiveness of air transportation.
The government’s opposition to the merger is perplexing, since it has cleared every major airline merger since 2005—US Airways and America West, Delta and Northwest, United and Continental, and Southwest and AirTran. Why the sudden decision to reverse course? The government hasn’t said.
Justice notes in the complaint that the combination of US Airways and American would create “the world’s largest airline.” But so did the Delta-Northwest merger in 2008, and so did the United-Continental merger in 2012. Even if the US Airways-American merger does create the “world’s largest airline,” Southwest Airlines would still carry more domestic U.S. passengers. (Southwest routinely has more passengers than US Airways and American combined.)
The government also worries that airfares have increased over time—apparently believing that these should be the only prices that don’t increase over time. Not that higher ticket prices have done much to improve airlines’ profitability. Competition in the industry is so intense, and fuel costs so far beyond their control, that airlines perennially deliver the lowest returns to investors of any industrial sector.
Justice laments that as a result of increased fares, “consumers are paying a heavy price.” But according to Transportation Department statistics, the real inflation-adjusted cost of air transportation is 18% less today than it was in 2000. Consumers aren’t paying a heavy price; they are paying a lower price.
Strangest of all, in a radical departure from decades of established U.S. aviation policy, Justice ignores the value travelers have derived from the recently expanded and more efficient networks integrated airlines now operate. As those networks have multiplied, consumers have more choices at lower prices.

This didn’t happen by coincidence. In an impressive display of bipartisanship, Congress deregulated the U.S. air travel market in 1978—removing the government’s decades long power to set rates, routes, and market entry. Deregulation brought fares down and improved services.
The George H.W. Bush administration forged an “open skies” agreement with the Netherlands in 1992, allowing each country unrestricted access to the other’s airports and routes. This agreement—which in effect exported U.S. deregulation to foreign markets—established a model for international aviation that the Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama administrations subsequently followed. Congress has always supported the agreements, despite changing majority parties several times. Now the U.S. has open skies agreements with more than 100 countries, a bipartisan triumph that has transformed air travel around the world.

What makes these agreements so effective is that they allow airlines to establish robust networks—the key to efficient, ubiquitous and affordable air service. International open skies agreements have created highly integrated airline alliances like Oneworld, Sky Team and the Star Alliance. These coordinated efforts have brought a new level of efficiency, connectivity and competition to the industry. Our liberalization of aviation policy made this possible.
Until now, Justice has gone along. The agency’s approval of major mergers allowed Delta and United to become leading players in international airline groupings. US Airways and American have struggled to keep up. (American is now in bankruptcy.) If the two carriers are allowed to join forces, they would bring a third major competitor to the air travel industry. This would enhance global competition while forcing the new company to battle for business with domestic competitors like Delta, Southwest, Jet Blue, Spirit and Virgin America.
If the Justice Department blocks the merger, it will drag us back three or four decades in aviation policy. Success will continue to evade US Airways and American Airlines, making some 100,000 jobs much less secure. Worst of all, consumers won’t reap the benefits of increased competition.
Mr. Shane served as undersecretary for policy at the Transportation Department from 2003 to 2008 and is now general counsel at the International Air Transport Association.

FACT needs you to recruit others to join our team.
Do you know other Flight Attendants that would make great FACT Reps? Send them the following link and have them join the FACT Team today. http://eepurl.com/ES8-D

That’s it for this week. Fly safely.  Remember, squash the rumors and get FACTs.

In Unity,
Michael Truan
APFA Negotiator and
FACT Rep Coordinator

AmericanAirlines + US Airways 
“MERGE!”