2.02.07 – (LAA) – BOD Annual Convention, Pay As You Go Benefits System, Taxiing Proceedures

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator with the APFA Hotline for Friday, February 2, 2007.

APFA News: One final reminder that the APFA Annual Board of Directors Convention will convene on February 8, 2007, in Chicago at the Embassy Suites Hotel on 600 N. State Street. All members in good standing are welcome to attend. The Annual Awards Dinner is the evening of February 8. Tickets are $55 in advance, $65 after February 3rd and at the door. Contact Kim Ramos at [email protected] to make your dinner reservations.

From the APFA Health Department: We continue to hear from F/As who were on unpaid sick and IOD whose medical benefits were cancelled due to the “Pay-As-You-Go” system the Company established in 2006. Some of the F/As were unable to return to work without having surgery – and unable to have surgery without medical benefits. Others had accumulated large medical bills due to the cancellation of medical benefits. And still others were forced to put off doctor visits for routine procedures like mammograms and dental check ups. The hardship that these F/As suffered due to this policy is an example of how one change in a system can create a devastating impact on individual lives.

APFA is intent on protecting both our active and retired F/A medical benefits. If you know of any active F/A who has lost their health benefits and may not know about the settlement between APFA and the Company to reinstate their benefits, please have them contact us at 817.540.0108, ext. 8290. Every F/A on unpaid sick and IOD who was impacted by this settlement will have their medical, dental and vision benefits restored, and will also have seamless coverage for 2006. This means that any bill incurred in 2006 will now be paid by UHC.

From the APFA Safety and Security Department: The FAA has advised us that they may assess a personal fine and/or civil penalty up to $10,000 for noncompliance of FAR 121.391, which states: “During taxi, flight attendants required by this section must be at their duty stations with safety belts and shoulder harness fastened except to perform duties related to the safety of the airplane and its occupants.” Please continue to perform your safety duties immediately following the safety demo and take your jumpseat in order to avoid a possible personal fine by the FAA.

From the National Balloting Committee: On January 31, 2007, the National Ballot Committee picked up Willingness to Serve Notifications for the positions of Ad Hoc Members of the Executive Committee Places #3 and #4. We received WTS notifications on behalf of Stephen Carter – IMA, Samuel Morales ñ DFW, and George Price – IDF. Additional Willingness to Serve Notifications may be submitted to APFA Secretary Greg Hildreth anytime prior to the start of the Annual Convention on February 8, 2007. Nomination envelopes containing copies of all Willingness to Serve Notifications that have been returned to APFA will be distributed to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee when the Convention is first called to order. No other Notifications will be accepted by APFA after the Convention is called to order.

Industry Watch: US Airways retracted its bid for Delta airlines on Wednesday due to the fact that Delta’s creditors didn’t support the offer. US Airways may be on the lookout for another airline – perhaps Northwest – since US Airways’ CEO Doug Parker said earlier this week that Northwest was the only other viable airline due to its growth opportunities once it exits bankruptcy.

Comair and its pilots are still bargaining for a contract. The deadline for an agreement is February 2nd or the company has threatened to impose cuts. If that occurs, the pilots have threatened to Strike.

Fuel Watch: On January 31st a barrel of crude oil cost $58.14. The crack spread price was $15.63. This brings the total for one barrel of jet fuel to $73.77 – almost $4 more than last week’s price. One year ago, jet fuel was $76.41 a barrel, nearly $3 a barrel higher than the price today.

Thank you for calling the APFA Hotline.

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