5.31.13b – (LAA) – Bankruptcy News, APFA Negotiator Elections, Adjacent Base Flying, FA Tablets, London Customs Searches, MIA-MXP

 

Bankruptcy News
AMR reported earnings this week with a $105 million loss in April. Monthly earnings’ reports are required under the U.S. Bankruptcy law. Excluding $119 million in reorganization fees and other accounting items, AA would have reported a $14 million profit for the month.

Today, Judge Sean Lane approved a nearly $25 million settlement between AA and the FAA. Original claims by the FAA totaled over $156 million.

Last week in bankruptcy court, the U.S. Trustee asked Judge Sean Lane not to approve the disclosure statement for AA’s plan of reorganization. This includes the severance package for CEO Tom Horton. In its filing, the U.S. Trustee said that the Plan does not meet the requirements of section 1129(a)(1) and as such, cannot be confirmed.”

APFA will be present in the courthouse on Tuesday to live-tweet the hearing, which begins at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. Follow us @apfaunity.

APFA Negotiator Elections
Elections are underway for the next APFA Negotiating Team. Download the candidate information below that corresponds to your division. Deadline to vote: June 14, 2013.
Domestic Negotiator Candidate Information – May 15, 2013

International Negotiator Candidate Information – May 15, 2013

If you have not received your ballot, contact the National Ballot Committee at 817.540.0108, ext. 8311

Adjacent Base Flying, Reserve, etc…
AA will begin the initial implementation of “Adjacent Base” flying from the LAX/LAX-I base. “AB” flying, which is at the company’s option, allows a regularly-scheduled flight attendant at LAX/LAX-I, qualified in both operations, to request a trip at the adjacent base. Open time will be awarded to FAs at the respective base before it is offered to FAs at the adjacent base. This initial implementation of AB flying will last for three months at which time APFA will meet with the company to discuss improvements. AA has yet to incorporate this procedure into its computer system, therefore, the implementation of AB will be manual. Once the kinks are worked out with AB flying at LAX/LAX-I, expansion of AB will spread to the other bases.

We attended several meetings with the company this week on scheduling, reserve issues, etc…

Web ballot for day-before coverage This new web ballot is designed for Reserves to indicate preferences (equipment, position, sequence, co-terminal, AM/PM, departure time, etc.) The model is finalized and is now in IT’s lap to begin programming. We are hopeful that this process will begin before the end of summer.

Another meeting addressed adjacent base flying. We learned that the company has not provided any real solution regarding its lack of transparency as it relates to Crew Schedule assigning Reserves to adjacent base flying. APFA has scheduled one final meeting with the company next week to see if it has been able to provide a solution to correct these contract violations.

APFA held several meetings with AA regarding the interim AM/PM procedures the company agreed to earlier this month. As you can imagine, AA’s archaic computer system is ill-equipped to make this an easy process. APFA is working non-stop with AA’s IT Department, Crew Resources and HR to ensure the AM/PM interim procedures meet our approval and the necessary level of transparency and consistency throughout the award process.

FA Tablets
On Monday, May 20, Vice President Marcus Gluth, National Contract Coordinator Brent Peterson, National Scheduling Coordinator Clint Breen and LAXI FA Kelli Harrington met with the company to discuss outstanding and recurring tablet issues from the APFA tablet survey. Items discussed were the ability of FAs to receive sales summaries to verify commission, updated PAX information from the PIL, the lack of speed re: tablet’s response time including making the device more user friendly for sales transactions, and the cost of replacement. Many of those items will be addressed in the next tablet update to FAs including emailing of sales summaries to your aa.com email. APFA now has a seat at the table working directly with the tablet group where we are also able to provide weekly updates on progress to ensure problems are being addressed. APFA has added FAs to the company’s beta testing group to provide line FA-feedback on potential programming improvements.

Occasionally, members ask APFA whether or not FAs receive a commission for complimentary Food For Sale items and the answer is no, we do not.  When negotiating a commission on the Food For Sale items, APFA never intended for it to be pay-for-work-performed. Commission was intended as revenue sharing and an incentive to sell more items by earning a 10% commission on the revenue that AA receives from Food For Sale items. This is among the best FFS commission programs for FAs in the US. When an item is comp’d the company does not receive any revenue and, therefore, there is no revenue to share as a commission.

When the company initially introduced comp’d FFS items for premium passengers, provisioning levels were increased to ensure there were still enough items available to sell. Future provisioning levels are determined based on the sales and comp data recorded by FAs. If we repeatedly show that all items are either sold or comp’d on a flight via the Tablet, provisioning will increase. If it appears items are not being used based on the information reported for sales/comps then provisioning levels are reduced. The only way to ensure we have enough FFS items on board to accommodate all the sales request and therefore maximize our commission, is to record comps so that the company is aware of the necessary product on board to meet demand.

London Customs Searches
Once again we have reports of LHR-bound crews being searched by customs prior to leaving the airport. As always, please cooperate with the inspections. Ensure that prior to leaving the aircraft you are not carrying any items you’ve not declared, and that all items comply with UK agriculture and customs regulations.

MIA-MXP
Yesterday, AA announced a new route: Miami – Milan beginning November 21st. The flight is scheduled daily and will be flown on the 767.