10.28.05

This is Leslie Mayo with the APFA Hotline for Friday, October 28, 2005.

Please remember our 4,106 furloughed flight attendants and our 13 members serving full time in the military. Last week, we announced our breakthrough on layover rest. We were overwhelmed by the positive response from so many of you throughout the system. One point that should be clarified is the issue of “8 hours behind the door.” This is a solid 8 hours from the point that the crew arrives at the hotel, not just 8 hours in theory. If you arrive at the hotel and find you have less than 8 hours, you should designate one person on the crew to contact Crew Tracking, and your sign-in time will be adjusted accordingly.

The Letter of Understanding addressing Hurricane Wilma will be posted on the APFA website shortly. If you are a MIA- or IMA-based Flight Attendant please refer to this letter for the options available to you. Situations that fall outside the parameters listed in this letter, including those who commute to or from the affected areas, will be handled on a case-by-case basis with your FSM.

In addition, we were notified by the company that the deadline for Health Benefits enrollment for residents of the state of Florida has been extended to November 11. The deadline for all other employees remains October 31. Please go to Jetnet to enroll in your 2006 Health Benefits.

There will be a limited number of vacation move ups available for the first half of December at most bases. If you are interested in requesting a vacation move-up, submit your request using HISEND form number three no later than 5:00 p.m. November 1, 2005.

Denise Pointer, DFW InfoRep, and Rick Musica, APFA’s Legislative Task Force member will continue their base visits next week. They will be in Boston on Tuesday, November 1 from 9am to 5pm, and Chicago on Wednesday, November 2 from 9am to 5pm recruiting new InfoReps, answering questions and sharing information about our legislative efforts in Washington. Denise and Rick will be traveling across the rest of the system through November. Go to the APFA website for the complete schedule.

FUEL WATCH: The price drop in a barrel of jet fuel, which equals the price of a barrel of crude oil added to the crack-spread price as of October 26, 2005, was $81.05 as opposed to $120 per barrel just three weeks ago. This is still, however, about 25% above the price of jet fuel for the same period last year.

BANKRUPTCY WATCH: Northwest Airlines has proposed staffing some of its International flights with non-union “regional flight attendants.” Northwest has also gone so far as to replace most all of its striking mechanics with replacement workers. AMFA, the union representing the NW mechanics says that about 70 of its members have crossed the picket line.

Delta pilots are back at the table negotiating interim pay cuts and discussing a concessionary agreement. Delta is trying to reduce its labor costs by $1B. Their total loss for the year is projected at more than $2 billion.

Delta’s discount carrier “Song” is being discontinued effective May ’06. Just one more casualty of bankruptcy. Any layoffs that occur as a result of the Song disbanding will be counted as part of the 7,000 – 9,000 job cuts announced last month as part of Delta’s restructuring in bankruptcy.

JOINT NEWS WATCH: APFA and AA will be announcing an enhancement to our non-rev travel capabilities on November 1, 2005. Stay tuned to the Hotline next Tuesday for an update.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee responsible for considering the Wright Amendment will hear arguments from both sides on November 10th. The witness list will probably include AA’s CEO Gerard Arpey, and Southwest’s founder Herb Kelleher, as well as DFW representatives and other supporters and opponents on both sides of this issue.

Another issue of On The Fly is available on the APFA website. On The Fly is a publication created by the Joint Business Education and Communications Team comprised of members from all three labor unions at AA as well as management. This issue addresses AA’s Finances.

Please continue to email your senators about the Pension Reform Bill by going to www.www.apfa.org and clicking on Joint Pension Reform. We are urging Congress to ensure companies that continue to fulfill their pension funding obligations are not disadvantaged by the final legislation, including the possible freezing of our plans.

RUMOR CONTROL: Many of you wrote asking if AA has come to us for concessions. The answer is no. Some local DFW newspapers are reporting that perhaps the long-anticipated position cuts on the two-class trans cons, Hawaii flights and short-haul beverage below 1.5 hours will translate into another round of concessions. As you know, the Contract states that the Company has the right to set staffing levels, and has had that right since 1995, and APFA has the right to dispute an unreasonable workload on board. To date, we have had no requests from management for concessions. We are working on ways to make the Company more efficient outside of our contract and will continue to keep the focus away from work rules, pay and benefits.

Also, several crewmembers have called the APFA Hotel Department with concerns that we may be leaving the current HNL long layover hotel. A hotel review was recently done in HNL by APFA, APA and AA, because the current hotel does not want to continue to accommodate all of our crews and says they will be raising their rate. We will make every attempt to keep as many crews as possible at the current layover hotel. All of the hotels being considered are in the same area as the current hotel. No decision has yet been made but we will let you know of any changes as soon as we do. Please continue to send us your feedback at [email protected].

APFA NEWS: Some crewmembers have recently been charged for smoking in a non-smoking hotel layover room. If you walk into your room and it smells like smoke, let the front desk know immediately so that you are not charged for someone else’s habits.

And finally, for those of you who will be flying New Delhi, please take a look at the APFA website for the name of our crew layover hotel.

November 8, 2005, is Election Day across the country. Please be sure to take the time to vote.

Don’t forget that Daylight Saving Time ends on October 30th. Remember to set your clock back an hour before going to bed Saturday night. The APFA Scheduling Department has seen some 24-hour in seven-day (24/7) alerts that appear to be wrong, but they are actually correct due to the 25-hour day on Sunday. Be sure to factor that in if you are challenging a 24/7 removal.

That’s it for this week. Thank you for calling the APFA Hotline.