5.27.11 – (LAA) – Flying Safely, Welcoming Furloughed FAs, Jumpseat Riders, iPhone and iPad Apps, New Legislation, Carry-on Bags, Hiding Corporate Greed, Memorial Day

Weekly Hotline

For the week ending Friday, May 27, 2011

Flying Safely

The severe weather roaring across the country has resulted in a spike in Flight Attendant injuries.† Your safety is equally as important as the passengers, please exercise caution in flight during this feisty spring weather.

Weíre so glad to see you!

We extend a warm welcome to the furloughees reporting to base June 1. Please help make our colleagues return to work as smooth as possible. A total of 175 returning Flight Attendants will be returning to the line with 90 Flight Attendants reporting to D/FW, 45 joining the ranks at MIA and 40 will be based at LGA.

Jumpseat Riders

Currently there are only two work groups permitted to ride on AA jumpseats – Flight Attendants and Flight Service personnel with flight attendant qualifications. Please check the Crew ID Badge of all cabin jumpseat riders and report any irregularities directly to your APFA Base Representatives and the APFA Safety and Security department at [email protected].

Recently we have received inquiries regarding the order in which jumpseats are assigned when both an AA and an AE Flight Attendant are awaiting accommodation on a jumpseat. AE is always accommodated after AA regardless of their position on the priority list.† Here are three references with this information:

FA Manual — General Policies and Guidelines 1.9

The Passenger Service Manual in RES — Enter F*PSM/CJ, then enter F*1

Trip Book — Travel Procedures > Jumpseat Accommodations > Cabin Jumpseats

If you encounter an agent that is not processing AA FAs first, please send the details including flight number and date to the contract department at [email protected] as soon as possible.

iPhone and iPad Apps

We appreciate the overwhelming response to our request for iPad and iPhone app beta testers. All of the positions have been filled. We hope that you will get to see the new apps in action as the testers put the apps through their paces during the upcoming month.

New Legislation

Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell will be signing the first Human Trafficking legislation on May 31. Airline Ambassadors has been an integral part of getting this legislation in place.

A press conference will be held at Dulles airport at 1:30 pm on the 31st. All flight attendants are invited to attend in uniform. Airline Ambassadors will announce their training for Airline and Airport employees as part of the event.

New Rules for Flight Attendant Carry-on Bags

The Contract and Safety and Security departments worked diligently with Airport Services to reach an agreement to update the Flight Attendant Carry On Baggage Regulation.

Effective immediately, Flight Attendants traveling on AA flights in uniform will be permitted to carry two carry on bags plus one personal item. This new rule will apply to deadheading crewmembers, commuters and non-revs.

HIDING CORPORATE GREED? – CALL TO ACTION!

As a reminder we are still working to make sure that the amendment, HR 1062 that would repeal certain portions of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act does not pass. The repeal would shield greedy CEOs from reporting their salaries as required by the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio disclosure provision.

Take action now! Call or write your Representative today via Capwiz or Facebook!

Happy Memorial Day

In honor of those who died in our nation’s service as well as in gratitude to those who have served and are currently serving our nation, we thank you.

To learn more about the history of Memorial Day please visit here.

Enjoy a safe and happy holiday weekend.

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Please remember there are currently 594 members on furlough and awaiting recall. This number includes all recalls as of July 1, 2011.
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