8.14.21 – APFA DCA Hotel Base Brief – Know Before You Stay

a. a Flight Attendant has a scheduled or unscheduled layover;

b. scheduled ground time exceeds four (4) hours (block-to-block);

c. unscheduled ground time is projected to exceed four (4) hours (block-to-block);

d. on an “On-Duty All-Nighter (ODAN) sequence with ground time of four (4) hours or more, block-to-block, the room will be scheduled when the sequence is constructed.

2. A Flight Attendant on a sequence containing an ODAN duty sequence shall be provided overnight accommodations at an airport hotel if one exists and provided such property is consistent with the comparable properties used for short overnights. If an airport hotel is not available, the Company shall work with the Union Hotel Committee to select a suitable hotel for such ODANs as close to the airport as possible.

3. In selecting hotels, the Company and the Union Hotel Committee shall consider the
following:

a. Hotels with twenty-four (24) hour restaurants or room service with discounted crew menus or twenty-four (24) hour transportation service to nearby restaurants;

b. Hotels with rooms for Flight Attendants as follows: on the second or higher floor, on the same floor, with queen or king-size beds, with doors that open to an indoor hallway and are removed from elevators, ice machines, and other noise sources, and have effective sound-proofing; are away from stairwells and emergency exit doors; with effective blackout curtains, self-controlled quiet heating and air conditioning systems and on nonsmoking floors (individual crew members may request to be assigned to smoking rooms based on availability);

c. Availability of a separate crew sign-in sheet and crew rooms that will be immediately available upon arrival of the crew;

d. Hotels with unblocked telephones, free local calls, no charge for making toll-free calls and no long distance access charges, free hairdryers, coffee-makers, irons and ironing boards;

e. Free high-speed or Wi-Fi internet access;

f. Safe and secure transportation for the crew members and their luggage;

g. Hotels with adequate guest security;

h. Hotels with exercise facilities;

i. Responsiveness to concerns raised;

j. Problems with current renovation or construction; and,

k. Non-stop transportation to and from the airport.

4. In the event that regularly assigned lodging is not available or if the crew is diverted to other than the scheduled layover, the Company shall provide other like lodging. If the Company is not able to secure like lodging, the Flight Attendant will be allowed reasonable, actual expenses for other like lodging, substantiated by a receipt.

5. If a hotel with an existing contract is undergoing renovation or construction, the Union Hotel Committee and the Company will, upon request of the Union, meet to determine the suitability of the hotel in situations where the renovation interferes with crew rest or safety.

6. Flight Attendants will be offered the same hotel list as Pilots unless the Union Hotel Committee objects to a particular hotel, in which case Paragraph B.3 will apply.

The one complaint that is always heard by our committee is that a Flight Attendant was placed in a room with a connecting door. We believe that it is safe to say that no Flight Attendant wants a room with a connecting door for various reasons. However, nowhere in this list above does it mention that a hotel cannot give us connecting rooms. Your APFA Hotel Committee, the APA Hotel Committee and American Airlines always lets hotels know that we do not want connecting rooms and that if we must have them and to please connect us to one of our crew members from our flight.  Always remember, you can ask at check-in if your room has a connecting door, and if it does request to have your room changed.

Basic Hotel Safety:

• Always lock and latch your door.
• Check your room phone. This is not just for Crew Scheduling, but in case of an emergency.
• Look under the bed, behind the curtains and in the shower. No one wants a surprise visitor.
• Make sure you have at least one of your crew member’s room numbers and/or phone number and if you change rooms let them know.

Help us to help you! Use the APFA Hotel and Transportation Feedback Form.

This form must be filled out whenever you have hotel or transportation issues. Once the committee receives the form, it can be processed, and the issues handled. Without this form, your APFA representatives do not have a leg to stand on with American Airlines. The more paperwork we have to support your issues, the better chance we have of making your next layover a better one.

Remember, your APFA Hotel Committee is here to support and assistance you, but we need your help. Remember your contract and remember the hotel and transportation feedback form.

In Solidarity,

Cindy Horan
[email protected]

Stonie McMorris
[email protected]

Your APFA DCA Hotel Committee