9.07.05

Hello, this is Denise Pointer with an InfoRep Hotline message for Wednesday, September 7, 2005.

With the horrific events of the past week consuming our country, it is very hard to find the words to express how grateful I am to be associated with so many wonderful, kind-hearted people. For weeks, most of us have been reflecting on the upcoming anniversary of September 11th. I never anticipated the compounding grief and heartbreak that the wrath of Hurricane Katrina would bestow upon all of us. The images and stories coming from the Gulf Region are almost too much to comprehend. Reading the emails and talking to dozens of AA’ers has reinforced just how strong we are as a group. We always come together in times of need. We did it in September of 2001 and we will persevere again in September of 2005.

I would like to thank all of the InfoReps who have donated their time and resources to help with the hurricane disaster relief efforts. Many have volunteered for rescue flights, and I have heard from several who have been helping other flight attendants and their families with basic needs like food, water and clothing. I am very proud to be a part of such a compassionate work group. We will have many opportunities in the days ahead to show our compassion towards one another after residents in LA, MS and AL are allowed back into their neighborhoods and access to their homes.

As of today, there is only one flight attendant that AA has not yet been able to locate – Rebecca Neal. If anyone has heard from her please contact the MOD at your base, the AA Credit Union, or the Daily Ops Desk at 888-222-4737.

APFA and AA signed a Letter of Agreement last week as a result of Hurricane Katrina that will protect the following: Any flight attendant who had a sequence originating out of FLL, PBI or MIA between 4:00 p.m. Thursday the 25th, through noon Friday the 26th will receive sequence protection. Any flight with a MIC during the same time period will have their guarantee restored or may use PVDs to protect the full value of the sequence. All trips missed as a result of the hurricane will be changed to removal code XX and their guarantee restored. Any Flight Attendant who received a PO or a TM as a result of the hurricane will have their schedule recoded XX and may use PVDs to protect the value of their sequence. Late reports due to the hurricane will be removed and any flight attendant who suffered a severe hardship as a result of the hurricane will be handled on a case-by-case basis with their base manager Contact you base chair or vice chair if you need assistance with any of the above issues.

Please don’t forget that the Hurricane Disaster Relief could use more help. Go to www.www.apfa.org and click on the Hurricane Disaster Relief link on the front page of the website for additional information on Wings, Airline Ambassadors and other ways to help.

The updated InfoRep handbooks were mailed on August 31, 2005. If you do not receive your packet by Monday, September 12th, please contact me at 817-540-0108, ext 8743 or via email at [email protected]. Also, please note that your Pin Number to access the InfoRep Hotline via phone has changed and is reflected in the Welcome Letter from the APFA Officers.

As you know, on July 15th, we purged the InfoRep roster. Only those InfoReps who contacted us indicating their interest in remaining in the program were placed on the new roster. The next step for the program is to begin recruiting new InfoReps.

Beginning in October, we will be visiting all bases with the intent of signing up new InfoReps. These visits will give flight attendants the opportunity to learn about this important APFA program. If you know of anyone interested in becoming a part of this program, please encourage them to contact us. The finalized schedule of these visits will be released shortly.

Please don’t forget to take a moment and fill out the membership opinion survey that will be available for another few days.

The hotel department has announced a new second short layover hotel in San Diego – the Sheraton Mission Valley. Additionally, we have two new long layover hotels in San Diego, The Holiday Inn on the Bay and The Westgate Hotel. These two hotels are in addition to the Wyndham Emerald Plaza. With the addition of these properties, we are hoping that relocations in SAN will be reduced dramatically.

We have a new layover in Omaha. It is the Hilton Garden Inn. We will also have a new long layover in Las Vegas, the Sunset Station. Go to the Hotel Department’s web page at www.www.apfa.org for additional information.

From the rumor department: Is it true that 767 int’l is being reconfigured to 35 seats/sleeper seats?

The company announced plans for the lie flat seats on 767/777 on the 7-22-05 Flight Service update. The text on the aaflightservice.com website has a link for the enhancements that provides detail. The number of seats in Business Class is not scheduled to change.

That’s it for today. Thanks 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]