8.17.05

Hello, this is Denise Pointer with an InfoRep Hotline for Wednesday August 17, 2005.

Thank you to all of you who have renewed your commitment to the InfoRep Program. This is the first Hotline released strictly to the new list of volunteers. Again, my sincere thanks to all of you who agreed to step up to the plate for your Union.

Edmund "Kip" Hawley, an assistant secretary to the Department of Homeland Security, directed his staff to propose changes in how the agency screens two million passengers a day. The staff’s first set of recommendations, detailed in an Aug. 5 document, has proposals to lift the ban on various carry-on items, including scissors, razor blades and knives less than 5 inches long. It also proposes that passengers no longer routinely be required to remove their shoes at security checkpoints.

Your cards and letters should be sent to Mr. Hawley, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C. 20528. Comment Line: 202-282-8495. Drop Mr. Hawley a note and let him know your feelings about this. I sure did.

APFA announced some good news last week for those originally based at MIA-D who were involuntarily displaced. An agreement has been reached with the Company to facilitate, in seniority order, the gradual reinstatement of some Flight Attendants that were displaced from MIA-D. This reinstatement is in accordance with Article 16.D.3 and is taking place despite the fact that the Company maintains the position that MIA has an overage of Flight Attendants.

In summary, one displaced Flight Attendant will be reinstated to MIA-D for every five active Flight Attendant vacancies at MIA-D including retirements, transfers, proffers, and other forms of attrition. These vacancies will be filled by displaced flight attendants at a formula of one reinstatement for every five "vacancies" after Int’l resignations to MIA and/or any hardships are processed. The first round of reinstatements will be offered beginning August 19th for the contractual month of October 2005.

Please spread the word that the deadline to accept this reinstatement offer is 0830 CDT September 2, 2005. This offer will be awarded to the ten (10) most senior displaced Flight Attendants with reinstatement rights to MIA-D who accept this offer prior to the deadline. An HI6 message will be sent to all Flight Attendants eligible for reinstatement to MIA-D on August 19. In order to accept this reinstatement offer you must go to aaflightservice.com and fill out the reinstatement ballot, which can be found under "My Job", then "Crew Resources."

Eddie Bernice Johnson, a congresswoman whose district includes Dallas Love Field, announced last week that she opposes the effort to repeal the Wright Amendment. U.S. Rep. Johnson, D-Dallas, also said that if the repeal is successful, she would sponsor a bill to shut down the Dallas airport, which is home to Southwest Airlines, to commercial flights.

Please take a moment to thank Rep. Johnson. Letters can be addressed to: Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, 1511 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515: (202) 225-8885 Fax: (202) 226-1477 Please go to Ms. Johnson’s website for additional contact information. www.house.gov/ebjohnson

On August 12th, two Super 80 aircraft were equipped with a mesh curtain cabin divider. This new mesh curtain will be tested for a period of three weeks. It is being installed in an effort to maintain security between the cabins and the integrity of our first-class cabin service. If the test goes well, AA will begin installation on the full fleet of Super 80s during routine heavy maintenance checks later this year. If you should happen to work on one of these aircraft, please send an email to [email protected].

We have a new long layover hotel in Vail (EGE) called The Inn and Suites at Riverwalk. This charming Colorado Inn is located 5 minutes from Beaver Creek Ski Resort and is about a 15-minute drive from Eagle Airport. We also have a new long layover in Baltimore (BWI) – The Lord Baltimore Radisson which is three blocks away from the water. Go to the hotel department’s web page and read the reviews for additional information.

Also, as a reminder, a new Long Las Vegas layover has yet to be named. We will advise the membership of this new hotel the minute we know it! We are hoping to receive this information very shortly.

In the next few months, I will be traveling to each base to spend time in ops where I will hopefully meet some of you as well as recruit new InfoReps. Please encourage your friends and co-workers to be a part of this important program. A simple email to me will get the process started! [email protected].

Thank you to the InfoReps who took the time to email me this week with a few questions.

One InfoRep wrote in that he had heard a story that “we’re all going to be lumped into one division soon, no more Domestic/International, – just one where we’re all qualified on all aircraft and able to fly both DOM and INTL sequences. Our Union has already signed off on this.” Can you please confirm whether this is true?

This was addressed on our regular Hotline last December and the response remains the same. “Simply not true.”

Don’t forget: dothewrightthing.com

Thanks again for all you do for the InfoRep program.

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