6.15.07 – (LAA) – In the Event of a Flight Cancellation, Speaker Reserves Drops, New Long-Layover Hotel in Marina, Smoking in England

This is Leslie Mayo, National Communications Coordinator, with the APFA Hotline for Friday, June 15, 2007.

From the APFA Scheduling Department: In the event of a flight cancellation, one member of the Cabin Crew (preferably FA #1) should contact Crew Tracking to determine whether the Crew will be rescheduled, held or released from duty as well as to request call-out pay in case you are released. Both Crew Tracking and the FA should be clear whether or not this is applicable to the entire Cabin Crew or whether the Tracker needs to speak to each FA individually. All FAs should remain with the FA in contact with Tracking until it is known whether or not the Tracker needs to speak with each of the Cabin Crew individually. Please refer to Article 9.P, and App. I, Art. 9.P. of the Bargaining Agreement for contractual language in the event of a cancellation.

Also from the Scheduling Department – Limited data suggests that as the number of required Speaker-Reserves drops, the utilization of those Reserves for their specific language declines. Consequently, effective July ’07 at IOR, JFK, and BOS, for those languages that have only one Speaker-Reserve selection, those speakers will now bid from regular Reserve lines. A language speaker will still be required and can be pulled onto Reserve to satisfy the required speaker, but that speaker will bid from regular reserve selections.

And finally, an update on the Short Call Makeup procedures: Initially, when the Short-Call Makeup programming was implemented, it did not recognize local base time. After a JFK flight attendant brought this to our attention, APFA requested that AA fix the problem. It was certainly a hardship to have to wait until 0100 to add yourself to the list! Not only was this problem fixed, but we thought it would be a good idea to move the time you may add yourself to the list up to 2200 local base time the day prior. That way, FA’s can go to bed earlier while not missing a potential Short-Call Makeup trip.

Once you’ve added yourself to the regular MU list, type HISCM/BASE/DATE/A in your personal mode to add yourself to the Short-Call Makeup list. If you would like to delete your name, type HISCM/BASE/DATE/D. For more information about the Short-Call procedures, www.www.apfa.org, click on Departments, Scheduling, then Short-Call Makeup Procedures.

From the APFA Hotel Department: Beginning July 1st, crewmembers will be staying at a new long-layover hotel in the Marina. Transportation to and from the hotel will not change. Go to www.apfa.org – departments – hotel – then click “July Allocations” for the name of the new LAX long-layover hotel. This change was a result of upcoming construction and a rate increase. We will continue to use the other LAX long-layover hotel property.

Also on July 1st, England will incorporate an ordinance prohibiting tobacco smoke in public. The only exemption will be that guests are allowed to smoke in designated smoking rooms or just outside the hotel.

And effective immediately, AA will pre-block rooms in Delhi (DEL). This should eliminate the wait upon arrival. Please email [email protected] if you continue to experience wait times in DEL.

Next Tuesday, June 19th, the APFA Board of Directors will meet at the DFW Airport Hilton Garden Inn. All members in good standing are welcome to attend. The meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. Minutes from last week’s Executive Committee Meeting will be published on APFA’s Web site shortly and in accordance with the APFA Policy Manual.

Please remember that we have 2,104 APFA members still on furlough. The reduced number of furloughs is a result of the recent recall as well as attrition.

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