6.18.26 – APFA ORD Base Brief – June 2026 Mid-Month ORD Update

Thursday, June 18, 2026

June 2026 Mid-Month ORD Update

Happy June, Chicago,

There has been a lot going on throughout our operations and within flight service; this base brief will include just a few of the major issues we want to bring forward as reminders for everyone in Chicago.

Me@Work

Mentioned in the April base brief, April 22nd, ORD filed a Base Grievance regarding Me@Work.

The ask was simple: commit to a formal agreement that these scores, which are frequently riddled with inaccuracies and beyond our control, should never be used in any punitive manner. The ask was simple and should have been easy to put in writing if they meant it.

The company rejected the ability to settle at the base level and responded with “This NOD is regarding Me@Work. As such, it is a contract dispute and cannot be resolved at the base level. Please escalate to the next level for resolution.” 

As of now, the NOD is with the National Vice President’s department, and efforts continue to push the company to formally commit that these inaccurate scores will never be used against us in any manner.

It is worth noting that we are more than a number. These scores do not reflect the work we do every day on the airplane or the impact we have on the company we work for.

Passenger Removals

Sometimes issues arise on board that result in passengers being removed from the aircraft. As flight attendants, we are in the aisle, dealing directly with everyone involved when something like this happens. As a result, the company has begun questioning crews more closely about the “why” behind some of these removals.

The decision to remove someone from the aircraft is never up to the flight attendants; those decisions are made by others, and ultimately, the captain is in charge of the aircraft for all safety-related matters.

If you experience a flight with a passenger removed, which wouldn’t be something we could trigger, be sure to loop in the pilots. Their preemptive support on how the decision was not the flight attendants can be helpful in the event there are any follow-up questions from the company regarding this matter.

Unaccompanied Minors (UMs)

Summer travel is in full swing, which brings an uptick in UMs traveling. While the UM procedures are very clear in our manual, they are ultimately children. Sometimes, children may try to deviate from the instructions the crew gives during their briefings regarding remaining on board and walking off with the crew.

If you have a UM, be sure to have as many conversations as possible about staying onboard and exiting with the crew. Keep an eye on them; they might be eager to get off the plane as soon as they can and sneak by. They may also change their outer covering. As a crew, these UMs are our responsibility until they are passed off to the next person in charge. Do not risk letting someone sneak by; keep an eye on them at all times.

As with almost everything with this company, a violation of our responsibilities is looked at severely from the company’s perspective. To avoid this, don’t ever let the UM out of your sight.

Fatigue Risk Management Plan – Fatigue Policy

Last fall, the Fatigue Risk Management was updated. If a fatigue call is accepted, it is different than a regular sick call – there are very specific steps one must follow when there are operational events that cause you to question your ability to safely continue working.

The Fatigue Risk Management Plan provides more information and a step-by-step process for using this safety tool.

Everyone should have this process saved on their phones in case they run into this situation.

Legalities – When Do I Go Illegal?

The beautiful summer weather brings summer storms and the operational disruptions that come with them.

One of the easiest things we can do to know our legalities on an extended duty day is to ensure we know what time the door needs to be closed to remain legal. Below is a “when do I go illegal” chart everyone should have saved on their devices to reference when there is a delay and legalities are questioned.

This is an easy calculation we can do ourselves instead of relying on Tracking to tell us when we go illegal. Knowledge is power. Download a free time calculator to make the math simple and easy. 

• Domestic legalities are located: CBA Section 10 
• International legalities are located: CBA Section 14

When we calculate our legalities, always be sure to use your scheduled flight time, not what the pilots may provide. Our legalities are based on scheduled time – this can be found on our HI3.

In the SEQ above, the BDL-CLT leg would use 2.11 for the “scheduled flying time,” and the CLT-ORD leg would use 2.19 for the “scheduled flying time.”

July 1-7 “Critical Period”

July 1 – July 7 is deemed the “critical period” for attendance. These dates are not contactual; these were created by American Airlines policy. Please review the American Airlines Attendance and Performance Policy for information or reach out to your Crew Attendance Manager at [email protected].

Please be mindful during this period if you intend to earn a banked point.

Safe Travels!

In Solidarity,

Justin Patterson
APFA ORD Base President
ORD Base Number: (773) 645-0809
Cell: (509) 720-0067
[email protected]

Dray Howard
APFA ORD Base Vice President
ORD Base Number: (773) 645-0809
Cell: (630) 215-8410
[email protected]