2.26.20 – The Scoop

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Ready for Lands’ End Uniform?

If flying a trip that crosses the hard cut-over date, bring your new Lands’ End uniform to begin wearing on March 2nd and beyond.  You should wear the current uniform through March 1st.

If you have an item that’s on backorder that will prevent you from being able to wear your new Lands’ End uniform on March 2, contact the uniform department immediately. Although a few garments might be on backorder, AA states that they are managing each individual order to ensure that everyone has a complete uniform to wear March 2nd. Contact the uniform department at [email protected]

For more information about the Lands’ End uniform cut-over as well as the OKEO-TEX certification, read last week’s Scoop under the Safety & Security department.

https://www.apfa.org/2020/02/20/2-20-20-the-scoop/

 

Board of Directors Annual Convention – March 2-5, 2020

The APFA Board of Directors will meet next month for their 2020 Annual Convention.  This year’s convention will be held in Los Angeles at the Sheraton Universal Hotel – a longtime union property.  Members in good standing are welcome to attend all open portions of the meeting.

Sheraton Universal
333 Universal Hollywood Drive
Universal City, California 91608
March 2-5, 2020
0900-1700

Full minutes of the meeting will be available on the APFA website 30 days following adjournment.

 

APFA Celebrates Black History Month – “Did You Know?”

Did you know that Bessie Coleman was the first African-American to hold a pilot license? And an international pilot’s license?

Bessie was born to a family of sharecroppers in Texas and went to work in the cotton fields at a young age. Coleman developed an early interest in flying, but African-Americans, and women had no flight training opportunities in the United States. Through sponsorships and tenacity, Bessie saved up enough money to attend flight school in France. Coleman’s pioneering role was an inspiration to early pilots and the African-American and Native American communities.

“The air is the only place free from prejudice.” — Bessie Coleman

As APFA members we share a proud and diverse history.

 

2020 – A Year of Elections

In addition to our own union elections, our country will elect our highest offices this year. In November, Americans will go to the polls not only to select a President but also to elect a third of the U.S. Senate and the entire U.S. House of Representatives. These are the people who go to Washington to represent your interests.

Are you registered to vote? Some states have been aggressively purging voter roles. Now is the time to double-check your voter registration status and ensure you are ready to cast your ballot.

Am I registered to vote?

APFA Government Affairs will provide more information on early voting and absentee options so that no matter where you are around the world, your vote is counted.

 

New Land’s End Uniforms are OEKO-TEX Certified

APFA remains confident in the new Lands’ End uniform garments as every piece in the collection has received the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX certification — the highest garment certification available.
Members have expressed concern regarding the upcoming cut-over date as it relates to transitioning from the current uniform to the new Lands’ End Collection March 2nd, and the cleaning of our aircraft. APFA met with the Company to address these concerns. The company informed us that the aircraft fleet would undergo an extensive clean prior to the March 2nd cut-over.

 

Your Opinion Matters

Please complete a Hotel Feedback Form. Your opinion and experiences are invaluable to your National Hotel Committee! The following hotels are up for review:

JAX/S – Jacksonville International Airport, Florida (short)

KIN – Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston, Jamaica

CMN – Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, Morocco

AUA – Queen Beatrix International Airport, Aruba

BDL/S – Bradley International Airport, Hartford County, Connecticut (short)

BUD – Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport

KOA – Kona International Airport, Hawaii

LIH – Lihue Airport, Hawaii

AUS  – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, TX (long & short)

DTW  – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, MI  (long & short)

CUN/S– Cancun International Airport, Mexico (short)

Thank you to all who complete the APFA Hotel  & Transportation Feedback Forms. Your documentation is greatly appreciated and valued!

 

Update Your Address With Sedgwick

This past week we received calls regarding checks not being received from Sedgwick.

Please be sure to update your current mailing address with your claims adjuster.

 

Retirement Seminar at DFW

March 9th – DFW – Terminal C
1100-1400
The Yandry Center across from Gate C2

Retirement seminars cover a wide range of topics, including: Retiree Travel, 401(K), Pensions, COBRA, and Medicare.

Legacy American Airlines Flight Attendants: Download a pension estimate from the Pension Service Center page on Jetnet.

Legacy US Airways Flight Attendants: Request a copy of their pension estimate from the PBGC by calling 800-400-7242.

Members unable to attend the seminars are always welcome to watch the retirement webinar series available on the APFA Retirement Page, as well as download the Good Slide! retirement handout.

More Seminars are in the works, stay tuned!
Everyone is welcome regardless of base or seniority – no need to RSVP.

It’s never too early to start planning for retirement.

 

Internet Calls Prohibited Inflight

Inflight Wi-Fi service is available for customers to access the internet for email, VPN and entertainment purposes. The FAA recently observed customers using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to make internet calls using services such as Skype, FaceTime and Viber during flight.

Customers are not allowed to make phone calls or use VolP at any time during flight. Wi-Fi providers attempt to block most VoIP calls, but are not always successful. If you see a customer using VoIP or any type of voice service, ask them to discontinue the call and direct them to the back of the American Way magazine for the written policy.

For additional information please refer to IFM: Inflight Entertainment (IFE) / Wireless Internet / VoIP Policy

 

Duplicate Ballot Request Deadline is March 2nd

The last day to request a duplicate ballot is 12 noon CT, March 2, 2020. The NBC advises against members waiting until March 2nd as there might not be enough time to receive your ballot as well as return it (by mail) for the 10:00 am CT, March 9, 2020 deadline.

When requesting a duplicate ballot, provide your current address as well your previous address for NBC’s verification.

 

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As of today, there have been 5,150 Flight Attendants who have filed uniform reaction reports.

Please continue to utilize the Uniform Reaction Report Form on the APFA website if you experience a suspected reaction to your uniform.