9.16.01 – (LAA) – Security Following 9/11 Attacks, Memorial Services for Crews of 9/11

September 16, 2001

This is John Ward, President of APFA. Today is Sunday, September the 16th.

As the operation gets up and running again your safety is our number one priority. We will do everything possible to assist you in ensuring that all FAA security directives are being followed to the letter. We have taken note of your concerns regarding security and brought them to the attention of Senior Management. At APFA’s request the Company has now established a new 24-hour HotLine for Crew members to report security issues. The number is: 1-800-348-8853. If necessary calls will be sent directly to the Company’s Security Command Center at SOC for immediate action. You may also utilize the FAA’s security HotLine at 1-800-255-1111. As a reminder any on-board security issue must first be brought to the attention of the captain who is the on-board security coordinator.

While still on the subject of security, DFW flight attendants please take note. Your swipe cards have been deactivated and crew members will now be required to enter the secure side of the terminal through a regular security checkpoint. Please plan accordingly.

If you would like to speak to someone regarding the events of last week please call APFA to be put in touch with a trained mental health professional. We’re working closely with The American Red Cross. Phone numbers are available on the APFA web site or call PhoneWatch at 1-866-ASK-APFA, seven days a week from 1000 to 1830 hours.

As the airline continues to build up service, manning has become a critical issue. Option 2 is open. APFA has come to an agreement with the company on some additional voluntary short-term solutions, which are designed to address the manning situation. These measures which I am about to share with you, should both assist in getting the airline running again and allow our co-workers who need additional time off to deal with this situation the time to do so. You will be permitted to fly an Option 2 trip during your vacation. You may also fly on your vacation regardless of whether there is a VC or VX removal on a particular day. In other words, you can overlap a trip over a vacation trip. International flight attendants may fly domestic trips. Domestic flight attendants holding current international qualifications may also fly international trips. Part-time flight attendants will be allowed to fly during their off portion of the month and if you are in a city other than your base crew schedule can build a trip sequence for you from that city. Any deadhead leg scheduled but not flown will be paid as if it had been worked. If you would like to volunteer please call the MOD office at the base from which you would like to fly. You may also call PhoneWatch for information about how these trips will work.

In other operational news, all Progressions, YourWorld and other training classes have been canceled for the remainder of September. The only exception to this is EPTs for those flight attendants who are currently in their grace month. If you have been removed from any trips in order to accommodate scheduled training, you will not be required to be available to the company except for days on which you were originally scheduled to fly.

Please continue to stay informed. Our PhoneWatch volunteers are available to assist you during this difficult period along with your local APFA Base Representatives and the Scheduling, Contract, Health and Safety desks at APFA Headquarters. Information regarding funeral arrangements for flight attendants on flights 11 and 77 follows this message.

In addition APFA and flight service will be coordinating on the planning of memorial services which will take place at the various bases and details will be provided on this HotLine and the web site when they’ve been finalized. Thank you for calling.

Saturday, September 15, 2001

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator and this is an updated HotLine for Saturday, September 15, 2001.

I would like to read memorial services that will be held around the system for both flight attendants and pilots.

There will be a memorial service for First Officer Thomas McGuinness in New Hampshire on September 16th. The service will be held at Bethany Church which is located at Route 1and Breakfast Hill Road. This is south of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Please call 604-964-5332 for more information. Full uniform is requested.

A memorial service for Michelle Heidenberger will be on September 17, 2001 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. 7500 Pearl Street in Bethesda, Maryland. As a note this is a very small church so if you do decide to go you may not get a seat. There will be a gathering following the service at Columbia Country Club.

A memorial service for Captain John Ogonowski will be held on September 17 in Dracut, Massachusetts. The service will be held in St. Francis Church; 115 Wheeler Road in Dracut, Massachusetts, 01826. The telephone number is 978-452-6611. You are requested to wear full uniform dress.

Memorial service for David Charelebois will be held on Tuesday, September 18th at 10 a.m. at St. Matthews Church; 1725 Road Island Avenue, Northwest in Washington, D.C. The contact number is 202-347-3215. Please do not send flowers. Details on where donations will be accepted is forthcoming.

A memorial service in Los Angeles for all the crew members who perished on September 11th will be held on September 18th at 6 p.m. at Dockweiler State Beach. The beach is located at the end of Imperial Avenue, just at the end of the LAX runways. This will be a candlelight vigil and uniforms will be appropriate.

Memorial services for Ken and Jennifer Lewis will be held on Wednesday, September 19th at the Culpepper Baptist Church. The phone number is 540-825-8192. We will get back to you as far as a time for that memorial service.

Memorial services for Captain Charles Burlingame will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, September 20th at the Naval Academy Chapel, Annapolis, Maryland. Please wear your uniforms. For security reasons all guests’ names must be included on a list for the guard at the entry gate. The Naval Academy Security Office must have this list no later than Tuesday, September 18th. To place your name on the list please call 703-779-9769. Please speak clearly and spell your name. You can also e-mail your name to M&[email protected]. You will be required to present a photo I.D. at the gate.

There will be a memorial service for American Airlines and United Airlines flight attendants and pilots in San Francisco on Thursday, September 20th at the Old International Terminal, San Francisco Airport. Please wear your uniform and bring your I.D. The times will be announced.

Memorial Service in Lima, Peru by Lima flight service who will be offering a mass in remembrance of our fallen crew members on flights 11 and 77 on Tuesday, September 18th at 5:30 p.m. This will be held at the Iglesia Imaculato Corazon on Julio Basera 130 Mira Flores, Lima, Peru.

Other memorial services will be announced as soon as we receive this information. You can also check the web site at APFA.org for more details.