7.25.08 – (LAA) – AA Announces Results of Voluntary Bridge to Retirement, Judge Decides in Favor of APFA with Regard to the Restructuring Participation Agreement, ORD-D and JFK Elections, WINGS

This is the APFA weekly HotLine update for July 25, 2008.

On July 23, the Company announced the results of the Voluntary Bridge to Retirement. A total of 307 active Flight Attendants were awarded the VBR. In addition, 61 Flight Attendants who have been in an inactive status for over 6 months were awarded the VBR. These numbers include Flight Attendants subject to furlough.

APFA is extremely encouraged by the number of Flight Attendants who took advantage of the VBR, which is just the first step toward reducing the number of Flight Attendants who may be furloughed. A breakdown of VBR results by base is posted on the APFA website.

It will still take Crew Resources until next Tuesday, July 29 to process the results of both the initial Overage Leave and Partnership Flying proffer and the second Overage Leave and Partnership Flying proffer open to those subject to furlough. Although we will not know for certain until next Tuesday, we are encouraged by the number of Overage Leave ballots received. In fact it is very possible that the Company will not be able to award all of the Overage Leave and Partnership Flying requests.

At this point we cannot guarantee that no one will be furloughed. However we have made significant strides towards reducing that number. Our ultimate goal will always be not one Flight Attendant furloughed.

Overage Leave and Partnership Flying results will be posted to the APFA website as soon as available.

Earlier this week APFA learned that the Judge presiding over the remaining two lawsuits filed with regard to the Restructuring Participation Agreement has decided in favor of APFA. In what is referred to as the “Marcoux” case, Judge Gershon of the Federal District for the Eastern District of New York has issued an Opinion and Order granting APFA’s motion for a summary judgment, denying the plaintiffs’ motions for summary judgment and class action certification. Additionally, in a separate ruling, the Court also granted APFA’s motion for summary judgment with regard to the remaining claims in the second lawsuit, referred to as the “Cooper” case.

Regarding the Judge’s decisions, APFA President Laura Glading commented that we may now finally close this chapter in our Organizationís history. As long expected, APFA has rightfully prevailed in these cases, which have distracted our focus and strained our treasury over several administrations. We may now concentrate fully on the task at hand, negotiating for our members the very best contract and recapturing what was sacrificed by our Flight Attendants.

Both decisions by the Court are now posted on the APFA website.

On the local level, the bases of Chicago Domestic and JFK are currently holding elections for open vice-chair positions. The candidate information for the five members running ñ two in Chicago and three in JFK – can be found on each base’s respective pages on the APFA website. Ballots were mailed on July 11 and are due back to the designated post office box by 10 a.m. central time on August 11. If you are based in Chicago Domestic or JFK and did not receive a ballot or need a duplicate, please call the National Ballot Committee at 800-395-2732 extension 8311 or email [email protected].

Now that the VBR numbers are out, the Wings Foundation continues to make its appeal to retiring Flight Attendants for PVD donations. You can arrange to donate all or just a portion of your unused vacation to help Flight Attendants who are ill but almost out of sick time. Contact Wings at your base to find out how.

Remember we still have 1,188 Flight Attendants on furlough and awaiting recall.

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Online and Email HotLine Extra for July 25, 2008

The APFA Health Department continues to receive numerous calls concerning injuries. If you should receive an injury due to rough air/turbulence, these are the steps you need to follow:

1. Notify the Captain immediately.
2. File an Accident /IOD report with your supervisor or the MOD.
3. File an AMR Event Report, located on the Flight Service website, within 24 hours.
4. Call 800-348-9598 for a PPN doctor referral.
5. Contact your Base Chair or Vice Chair. Or you may contact the IOD Rep at 800-395-2732 ext. 8303.

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The APFA Legislation and Government Affairs committees are monitoring two bills of importance to our members currently pending in the U.S. Senate.

Senate Bill 2059, the “Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act,” if enacted, would correct the injustice imposed on Flight Attendants nationwide by various courts’ strict interpretation of the 1250 hours worked requirement under the Family Medical Leave Act. Although the Act was originally intended to cover airline crewmembers, this interpretation has placed the benefits of the Act beyond the reach of most full-time crewmembers. Introduced by Senator Hillary Clinton (D, NY), the bill has 33 co-sponsors:

• Sen. Daniel Akaka [D, HI]
• Sen. Christopher Bond [R, MO]
• Sen. Barbara Boxer [D, CA]
• Sen. Sherrod Brown [D, OH]
• Sen. Robert Byrd [D, WV]
• Sen. Maria Cantwell [D, WA]
• Sen. Benjamin Cardin [D, MD]
• Sen. Thomas Carper [D, DE]
• Sen. Robert Casey [D, PA]
• Sen. Norm Coleman [R, MN]
• Sen. Susan Collins [R, ME]
• Sen. Christopher Dodd [D, CT]
• Sen. Richard Durbin [D, IL]
• Sen. Russell Feingold [D, WI]
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D, CA]
• Sen. Thomas Harkin [D, IA]
• Sen. Edward Kennedy [D, MA]
• Sen. John Kerry [D, MA]
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D, MN]
• Sen. Frank Lautenberg [D, NJ]
• Sen. Joseph Lieberman [I, CT]
• Sen. Robert Menendez [D, NJ]
• Sen. Barbara Mikulski [D, MD]
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R, AK]
• Sen. Patty Murray [D, WA]
• Sen. Barack Obama [D, IL]
• Sen. John Rockefeller [D, WV]
• Sen. Charles Schumer [D, NY]
• Sen. Gordon Smith [R, OR]
• Sen. Arlen Specter [R, PA]
• Sen. Jon Tester [D, MT]
• Sen. Jim Webb [D, VA]
• Sen. Ron Wyden [D, OR]

APFA recently targeted a focused email campaign on Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R, TX) Texas and Mel Martinez (R, FL). If you reside in Texas or Florida, your participation is particularly requested. All Flight Attendants, though, are asked to contact any of their state Senators not currently listed as a co-sponsor and urge their support for Senate Bill 2059. Hints and tips for contacting your representatives are below.

The second bill in question is Senate Bill 3268, the “Stop Excessive Oil Speculation” bill, introduced by Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D, NV). Co-sponsors include:

• Sen. Sherrod Brown [D, OH]
• Sen. Benjamin Cardin [D, MD]
• Sen. Thomas Carper [D, DE]
• Sen. Robert Casey [D, PA]
• Sen. Christopher Dodd [D, CT]
• Sen. Byron Dorgan [D, ND]
• Sen. Richard Durbin [D, IL]
• Sen. Tim Johnson [D, SD]
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D, MN]
• Sen. Frank Lautenberg [D, NJ]
• Sen. Patrick Leahy [D, VT]
• Sen. Robert Menendez [D, NJ]
• Sen. Barbara Mikulski [D, MD]
• Sen. Patty Murray [D, WA]
• Sen. John Reed [D, RI]
• Sen. Charles Schumer [D, NY]
• Sen. Ron Wyden [D, OR]

This bill is supported by a wide coalition of labor and airlines and would, according to the Air Transport Association, “… accomplish our most important goals of putting reasonable limits on excessive speculation. This bill will ensure that formerly ‘dark,’ over-the-counter markets, will now be required to comply with reasonable limits on speculative investing. In addition, the bill closes the ‘Foreign Board of Trade’ or ‘London’ loophole by requiring transparency and limits similar to US exchange limits.”

It is in our collective best interest to assist the Company in this endeavor, as the current fuel crisis not only impacts American Airlines, but also is the driver behind the current potential Reduction in Force.

To contact your Senators and urge their support of bills S.2059 and S.3268, phone the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office you request.

To email your Senators directly through their individual web sites, go to the following link:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Select the site for your Senators and urge their support for these vital bills today!