04.19.06

 

Hello, this is Denise Pointer with an InfoRep Hotline message for April 19, 2006.

 

The Safety and Security Department has been made aware of several incidents where F/As have left the cabin of the aircraft with less than minimum crew during deplaning. Refer to your In-Flight Safety Manual, section Landing/Arrival/Post Flight page 1.2. to be sure the appropriate number of Flight Attendants remain on board as required.

FAA Inspectors will be checking manuals in ORD from April 18th through the 21st. If you are flying into or out of ORD, make sure everything is up to date including pages that no longer belong in your manual. Fines of more than $1,000 per page can be assessed for each infraction.

APFA has been working very hard to try to find a contractually-viable solution to the Company’s announcement earlier this year that they intend to eliminate Open Replacement and place those Flight Attendants on Reserve during the summer and holiday crunch months. APFA is confident that a resolution, completely within the confines of the Contact, is imminent. APFA is equally confident that the resolution the parties are working on has the support of both Flight Service and Crew Resources and will preserve Open Replacement jobs and NOT result in increased reserve jobs. The Hotline will be updated as soon as this agreement has been finalized.

We would like to emphasize again that there has been no change to Flight Attendant cleaning procedures. The contractual language in Article 2.N., states, “A Flight Attendant shall not be responsible for the accomplishment of any cabin preparation duties after flight legs of over 1,100 statute miles or terminating flights.”

APFA Retirement Specialist Jill Frank Smoak continues her F/A-specific Retirement Seminars this month. On April 20, there will be two sessions in DFW, both in The Yandry Suite at DFW across from gate C2. These sessions are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Three more seminars conducted by Jill and her company counterpart are scheduled for May and are open to all Flight Attendants regardless of base. Since these sessions have been so well attended in the past, we are requesting anyone who is interested in one of these seminars to make reservations as outlined below.

On May 8, the retirement seminar will be held at DCA Airport from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Ramp Managers Conference Room. Please call the DCA Manager On Duty at 703-419-6523 to reserve a spot.

On May 17, there will be another seminar at St. Louis from noon to 2:00 p.m. In order to accommodate all STL FAs who are eligible for retirement, this session will be held in the Joann Wayne Room located outside of security. Again, due to the room size we are requiring reservations – please leave a VM for APFA STL Chair Greg Bertolini at 817-540-0108, ext. 8445 to reserve your spot.

And finally, there is be a Flight Attendant Retirement Seminar scheduled in BOS on May 23. The seminar is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Flight Service Conference Room. To confirm your seat please contact BOS Flight Service Manager Judy Leahy at 617-634-5122.

If you are eligible to retire but unable to access JETNET, please call HR at 800-447-2000 extension 5 and request a pension estimate be sent to your home.

APFA’s next Quarterly Executive Committee Meeting will begin May 16th at the Embassy Suites DFW South. All members in good standing are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Each month the hotel department receives numerous phone calls requesting information on layover hotels for specific flights. Each month, hotel allocations for LAX, LAS, SAN, and HNL are posted on the Hotel Department’s web site. This is usually done around the 17th of each month in order to assist you with bidding. Please go to www.www.apfa.org, click on department, then hotel.

Currently hotel reviews are being conducted in SDQ, GIG and EWR. A Review was recently completed in MCO. We now have three new short layover properties in Orlando – the Crowne Plaza, the Hilton Garden Inn, and the Fairfield Suites. Upcoming reviews are scheduled for BOS short, GRU, and MAN.

There is a rumor circulating that the pilots are getting back some of what they gave up in ’03 during the restructuring period. Aside from what was negotiated and is currently contractual for each of the labor organizations, there are no givebacks to any of the workgroups on AA’s property. APFA, APA and TWU will all be receiving 1.5% pay increases effective May 1, 2006. These 1.5% pay increases are contractually scheduled to continue for each of the three workgroups through May 1, 2008.

That’s it for this week. Thanks for all you’re doing for the APFA.

Denise Pointer, DFW InfoRep
InfoRep Program
1004 W. Euless Boulevard
Euless, TX  76040
817-540-0108 Ext. 8743
[email protected]