8.28.19 – Weekly Scoop

​Addendum to Entering Canada with a DUI

Any pilot or Flight Attendant with a DUI must first overcome their criminal inadmissibility before they can work a route to Canada. There are two ways to get official permission to enter Canada with a DUI; a Canada Temporary Resident Permit can allow an individual to visit Canada for a limited amount of time, and Criminal Rehabilitation enables a person to overcome their criminal inadmissibility permanently. A Temporary Resident Permit or TRP can be valid for multiple entries for up to three years but is only a temporary solution. Criminal Rehabilitation is ideal since it never expires, but it takes much longer to obtain than a TRP and requires a person to have completed all sentencing (including probation) at least five years prior. It is common for people to apply for both a TRP and Rehabilitation at the same time, in order to gain access to Canada as quickly as possible but also fix the issue once and for all.

In the event your flight may have to divert to Canada, and you are not in possession of a TRP or Criminal Rehabilitation, you may request to apply for a TRP at the port of entry.  If you are not able to or choose not to do this, you will most likely be detained until you are able to take the next available flight back to the U.S.

If you are assigned a reserve trip and do not have a TRP, you can either let your Flight Service Manager and Crew Schedule know that you cannot enter Canada and be removed from the trip, OR you may be able to apply for a TRP at any Canadian port of entry. Depending on the felony, it could be issued right there.

In addition to impaired driving, other types of criminal offenses such as petty theft or drug possession can also eliminate access to Canada. Alcohol-related traffic violations, such as DWAI in the state of New York, can also prevent someone from traveling to Canada even though they are civil infractions not criminal convictions.  In the event your DUI also include petty theft or drug possession, it would be best to contact an immigration lawyer for additional assistance with the additional convictions.

Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/temporary-resident-permits.html

Criminal Rehabilitation
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/application-rehabilitation-inadmissible-persons-criminal-activity.html

We provide a safe place for Flight Attendants in recovery to learn life/occupational skills from one another to support their ongoing recovery. Open to any Flight Attendant who is pursuing life free of mood-altering substances and /or compulsive behaviors.  We currently have groups in ORD, LAX and MIA.  Coming soon: LGA, PHL, DCA.

To start a group or if you are interested in attending our once a month meeting email: [email protected]g

Call (817) 540-0108 ext. 8701 for more information.

Rhode Island Press Conference – “Make Air Travel Safer “

APFA Regional Representative – Joann Matley-Sheehan 

Last week, at the height of the busy summer travel season, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Congressman Jim Langevin (RI-2), and Congressman David Cicilline (RI-1) held a press conference at the T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, RI. The Rhode Island delegation called for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to make air travel safer and more comfortable for passengers by setting a reasonable minimum size and pitch for airplane seats. Senator Whitehouse advocated for a provision signed into law last fall that directed the FAA to propose a minimum seat width and minimum distance between rows of seats. The FAA must meet the requirement by October of this year, according to the law.

APFA Regional Representative and Rhode Island constituent, Joann Matley-Sheehan, represented Flight Attendants at the event. In her speech, she highlighted how this is truly a safety issue at its core and how planes are required to be evacuated in 90 seconds in the event of an emergency. APFA thanks the Rhode Island delegation for their continued oversight on keeping airplane seats safe and comfortable.

Sick Notification – Section 9.B.2

A Flight Attendant who is unable to report for duty for twenty-one (21) or more consecutive days following the origination of a sick call will be required to notify her/his Flight Service Manager. The Company may require a Flight Attendant who is unable to report for duty for twenty-one (21) or more consecutive days to present medical documentation.

Flight Attendants must submit a sick verification form to Absence Management to verify the absence.