8.16.02 – (LAA) – AA Announces New Business Plan, TWA 767-300’s Will Be Retired, WTS Notifications Due Soon, In-Flight Manuals

Hello. Today is Friday, August 16, 2002. This is George Price, APFA National Communications Coordinator with the APFA HotLine.

On Tuesday, American Airlines finally ended the rumors and speculation by announcing the details of their new business plan. The highlights of the announcement have been posted on the APFA Web site.

APFA is working with the Company on the details of their plan as it pertains to Flight Attendants.

The TWA 767-300’s will be retired as of November 1, 2002. This does not mean that ISL will be closing. It is APFA’s understanding that the Company does not plan to eliminate the routes or the ISL base. AA airplanes and crews will fly the routes currently flown by the TWA 767-300’s until what time the ISL Flight Attendants complete integration training.

Many Flight Attendants have inquired as to how the TWA Seniority Integration Agreement will affect any reduction in force. The TWA Integration Agreement provides that TWA-LLC Flight Attendants who were hired prior to April 9, 2001, shall receive an occupational or bidding system seniority date of April 10, 2001. It also requires either American to establish and implement a combined seniority list the earlier of the first day of the calendar month immediately following the date on which a TWA-LLC Flight Attendant works an in-flight cabin position at American Airlines; or December 31, 2002. Based on the fact that the company plans to begin integration training for the first TWA-LLC Flight Attendants later this month, the combined seniority list will be in place on October 1, 2002. The TWA Integration Agreement can be found on the APFA Web site under the TWA-LLC icon.

As a reminder, per Article 16 of the Contract, Overage Leaves and Partnership Flying must be offered prior to the furlough of any Flight Attendants. Overage Leaves offer benefits essentially equal to those of an active Flight Attendant with the exception of a paycheck. This means full retirement credit including crediting of the monthly guarantee hours of 71 domestic and 75 international will go towards your final average earnings formula for each month you are on Overage Leave. These leaves offer full sick and vacation accrual as well. The Company has indicated that they will offer leaves of one year and a limited number of six-month leaves.

Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement of the Article 16 Presidential Grievance, which can be found on the APFA Web site, a one-year Overage Leave would be designated as “a key block of time.” These blocks will be awarded by seniority. Once all bids for the year are processed, if overages remain then what are designated as auxiliary blocks of time would then be awarded. Auxiliary blocks would always be in 90-day increments and would begin at the start of the leave time. Auxiliary blocks would be 9 months. These leaves are strung together with two Flight Attendants being able to take advantage of different time frames and equaling the year that is the key block of designated time. Please stay tuned for more information on these leaves and Partnership Flying. Be aware that the proffer to bid for these leaves will be a posted for a limited period of time. Continue to call this hotline and visit the web site for the latest information on Overage Leaves and Partnership Flying.

The STL and ISL Base Representatives will conduct a base meeting on Tuesday, August 20th from 1000-1400 at the STL Airport Hilton Hotel. You must be an APFA member in good standing to attend. Those currently on furlough who wish to attend the meeting may do so as long as they have become members of the APFA and are in good standing.

Willingness-to-Serve Notifications for the positions of STL and ISL Chair, Vice Chair, and Operation Council Representatives as well as LGA Vice Chair are due in the designated post office box by 1000 Central Time on August 21, 2002.

The APFA Safety Department would like to once again remind all Flight Attendants that FAA Inspectors are out in force and are inspecting Flight Attendant In-Flight Manuals. Each Flight Attendant must maintain an up-to-date manual or face individual fines by the FAA. Also, Flight Attendants are urged to use challenge procedures whenever they are in a secured area of the airport. If you encounter a security or safety violation, bring it to the immediate attention of airport security personnel, the agent, or the MOD. Be sure to notify the APFA Safety Department as well at 800-395-2732, extension 8302. You can also use the FAA HotLine at 800-255-1111 to report violations.

APFA has posted a detailed explanation of the Reserve Preference and Vacation Relief Bidding on the APFA Web site. The information can be found under ìHot Topics.î

The Company is continuing to conduct liquor and security audits throughout the system. Please adhere to the liquor/headset procedures. If you are the subject of an audit, please remember that you are entitled to union representation. Call either your APFA Base Chair or APFA Headquarters for assistance.

American has announced changes to the liquor/headset policy beginning September 1, 2002. The most notable change will be the responsibility of the lead or #1 Flight Attendant to make the deposit. All of the changes are outlined in a Special Briefing, which was stuffed in Flight Attendant mailboxes.

The 2003 Benefits Enrollment will take place in the early fall. American has informed the APFA that co-pays and premiums will be increased in 2003. We will keep you updated as more details of these changes become available.

The APFA has created a September 11, 2001 Events Page on the APFA Web site. This site lists various memorials, activities, and events that will take place across the country on or about September 11th. It will also list base specific information. If you know of an event or memorial that maybe appropriate to list on this page, please send the information via e-mail to [email protected].

In an effort to cut costs, the APFA Communications Department in conjunction with APFA Membership has devised a system that will allow those Flight Attendants who would rather read Skyword online through the APFA Web site instead of receiving a hard copy of the magazine at home to do so. If you would like to read Skyword online and stop home delivery, simply send an e-mail to [email protected]. In the subject line type in “Skyword Online.” In the text of your message, please include your name, employee number, and the fact you wish to read Skyword online only. This new program stands to save APFA thousands of dollars a year.

The APFA Furlough Page on the web site is being updated regularly with information such as unemployment and workforce center contact information and job opportunities. We recently included a job posting for the Transportation Security Agency, which is looking for people with airline backgrounds for various positions within the agency. If you know of any jobs that maybe appropriate to list on this page, please send the information via e-mail to [email protected].

As a reminder, the CISM Survey in the June Skyword should be returned by October 1, 2002. If you have not already complete your survey, please do so.

In Industry News:

UAL Corporation announced this week that it has given itself 30-days to reach concession agreements with its unions. If they do not meet their deadline, the airline said that it would consider filing bankruptcy.

That’s it for this week. Please visit the APFA Web site frequently for the latest information.