11.02.13 – (LAA) – Benefits’ Enrollment Now Open, DST Ends, Tell Congress the DOJ Got It Wrong, APFA Roadshows, Pay Protection

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ACTION ALERT: Contact Congress: Support the Merger!

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APFA Hotline – Benefits’ Enrollment Now Open, DST Ends, Tell Congress the DOJ Got It Wrong, APFA Roadshows, Pay Protection

November 2, 2013

 

2014 Benefits Enrollment Now Open Through 11/15/13

• Review the online enrollment guide at www.my.aa.com
• You can use the Benefits Cost Estimator to do a cost comparison of the Health Plans
• When you complete your enrollment please be aware of the following:
• If you change to a different Health Plan, your dependents may not automatically transfer over, so make sure you add them to the new plan
• If you elect a Healthcare or Dependent Daycare FSA, the deposit amount will not carry over from last year – you will need to enter a new deposit amount for 2014
• Always print a copy of your election confirmation statement, even if you are not making any changes
• If you do not complete an enrollment you will default into the same plan that you have for 2013 unless that option is no longer available.
• Remember that if you have an alternate address on file with HR, that is the address that will be used to determine your preferred administrator

 
Once Benefits Enrollment Closes:

• Be sure to go online and review your 2014 benefits to ensure they are correct. It is much easier to make corrections prior to the start of the 2014 plan year
• Don’t forget to submit any required proof of eligibility or statements of health

 
Daylight Saving Time Ends Tonight
Just a reminder that early Sunday morning, November 3rd (at 2:00 a.m.), clocks will turn back one hour. Despite less daylight in the evening through fall and winter, this brings with it one hour of extra sleep!
 
Let Congress Know Whose Side You’re On
So far, 183 members of Congress, 26 local state and local chambers of commerce, 8 mayors of major cities we serve and 100,000 employees are among the entities in support of the merger between American Airlines and US Airways. Please take a few moments to visit APFA’s Capwiz site or the New American Arriving site and contact your Senators and Representative. Tell them the DOJ got this one wrong!
 
Here are a few of the interesting articles relating to our merger this week:

• DOJ: We don’t object any more to all the ‘friends’ in the American Airlines-US Airways case (Dallas Morning News) – 11.01.13
• Florida AG Pam Bondi meets with American Airlines CEO Tom Horton, says they’re hopeful for ‘a timely resolution’ (Dallas Morning News) – 11.01.13
• Former top DOT official praises American Airlines-US Airways merger, roasts DOJ for opposing it (Dallas Morning News) – 11.01.13
• Report: Airlines proposing settlement in merger lawsuit (The Hill) – 11.01.13
• Why American Airlines and US Airways Need to Merge to Survive (LinkedIn) 11.01.13
• AMR-US Airways Said to Be Talking With U.S. Over Antitrust Suit (Bloomberg) – 10.30.13
• Chambers of commerce back airline merger (Philadelphia Inquirer) – 10.30.13
• Update: Lawyers in airline merger case won’t say if settlement talks are underway (Dallas Morning News) – 10.30.13
• Two-Page Ad in Support of Merger (New York Times) – 10.30.13
• Creditors Want Say In American-US Airways Antitrust Suit (Law360) – 10.28.13
• How will the American Airlines-US Airways lawsuit turn out? Depends on whom you ask (Dallas Morning News) – 10.28.13
• Will Increased Support Push the US Airways-American Airlines Merger Through? (Wall St. Cheat Sheet) – 10.28.13
• Airports want chance to support airline merger (Associated Press) – 10.28.13
• LA mayor Eric Garcetti backs US Airways-American Airlines merger (Phoenix Business Journal) – 10.25.13

Over the past several weeks, we’ve seen an unprecedented amount of outside support for this merger. For details and a calendar on the court proceedings scheduled to begin November 25th, click here.
 
APFA Roadshows Continue
Never a better opportunity to have your questions answered than when everyone’s in the same room! Want to know more about APFA’s equity claim? Bid Line Pay Protection? Prefunding refund status? Profit Sharing? Get those answers and more by attending a roadshow near you:
 
LAX—Tuesday, November 5
Hilton Los Angeles Airport
5711 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA  90045
310/410-4000
Shuttle service to/from Los Angeles Airport–Complimentary
Parking vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
SFO—Wednesday, November 6
Embassy Suites South San Francisco
250 Gateway Blvd. South
San Francisco, CA  94080
650/589-3400
Shuttle Service to/from airport—Complimentary
Parking vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
JFK—Tuesday, November 12
Hilton New York JFK Airport
144-02 135th Avenue
Jamaica, NY  11436
718/659-0200
Shuttle service to/from JFK Airport—Complimentary
Parking vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
MIA—Wednesday, November 13
Miami International Airport
CONCOURSE “D” AUDITORIUM—LEVEL 4 (located above the American Airlines Credit Union)
NW 20th Street & Le Jeune Road
Miami, FL  33122
305/871-4100
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
ORD—Tuesday, November 19
Hyatt Regency O’Hare
9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue
Rosemont, IL  60018
847/696-1234
Shuttle service to/from O’Hare Airport—Complimentary
Parking vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
BOS—Wednesday, November 20
Embassy Suites Boston at Logan Airport
207 Porter Street
Boston, MA  02128
617/567-5000
Shuttle service to/from Boston Logan Airport—Complimentary
Parking vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
Bid Line Guarantee Protection Details
Effective immediately, the current line-holder guarantee of 70 hours will be replaced with an individual bid line guarantee equal in value to her/his monthly bid award. An AVBL (Regular and Relief) Flight Attendant with the current guarantee of 70 hours will have an increased guarantee of 75 hours until completion of the combined domestic and international operation at which point it will increase to 80 hours. Flight Attendants awarded a low bid line will have a minimum guarantee of 70 hours. Implementation of this bid line protection satisfies both our current Bankruptcy Agreement (LBFO) as well as the Conditional Labor Agreement (CLA) negotiated with US Airways.
 
Some Highlights of Pay Protection and Line Guarantee:

• Your individual guarantee will be protected if you lose time mid-sequence due to a misconnect, illegality or cancellation (MIC). Just like today, following your return to base you will not have any obligation if Crew Tracking/Crew Scheduling does not reschedule you prior to the conclusion of your sequence. Once your sequence ends, so does your obligation.
• If you lose a trip at sequence origination due to a MIC, and your PPROJ is reduced below your current guarantee following removal from the trip, you will have an obligation to protect your guarantee on days originally scheduled to fly (DOSTF). However, should Crew Scheduling not immediately reschedule you, Flight Attendants can opt-out of guarantee protection with the understanding that your current guarantee will reduce to the hours shown in your PPROJ. The procedures to restore your guarantee remain the same as today.
• Finally, for consistency, the current make-up (MU) obligation for your last trip scheduled to depart in the last five days of the month is limited to only the HISEND MU round of each day originally scheduled to fly. Flight Attendants will still be obligated to accept only one assignment during their obligation days, just as they are today.

 
For detailed information on bid line guarantee protection, please visit the Scheduling page on the APFA website.
 
Pay Protection and Line Guarantee Facts: http://www.www.apfa.org/images/scheduling/103113-Pay-Protection-and-Guarantee.pdf
Pay Protection and Guarantee Quick Reference Sheet: http://www.www.apfa.org/images/scheduling/103113-Pay-Protect-and-Guarantee-Guide.pdf
Pay Protection and Line Guarantee Q and A: http://www.www.apfa.org/images/scheduling/103113-APFA-Pay-Protection-QnA.pdf
Order of Open Time for Day Before Coverage: http://www.www.apfa.org/images/scheduling/103113-ORDER-OF-OPEN-TIME-COVERAGE.pdf

AmericanAirlines + US Airways 
“MERGE!”

Leslie Mayo
APFA National Communications Coordinator