7.25.18 – (LAA/LUS) – Weekly Scoop

Please place the new lanyard card on your ID lanyard and/or have it accessible on your person at all times while working on the aircraft.

– Michael Tipton, APFA National Health Chair, [email protected]
– Bellia Peckson, APFA National IOD Chair, [email protected]
– Jeffrey Ewing, APFA National  Safety & Security Chair, [email protected]

As your new Hotel Chair, my first hotel review is complete. Hotel Committee Representative Tobias Baker and I reviewed the Boston short layover property. I came away from the review with a better understanding of Flight Attendants’ needs and expectations in regard to layover accommodations.

I wish all problems could be solved with a couple emails and/or calls; however, your reports and feedback make a difference. A good example of using your reports for change is the feedback we received about an unsafe pick-up location at the Santiago Airport (SCL). As a direct result, effective immediately, Sotrul transportation will pick up all crewmembers on the 3rd floor.

Your APFA Hotel/Transportation Committee will continually strive to improve your layover experience.

– Julia Simpson, APFA National Hotel Chair, [email protected]

Electronic Trade Board (ETB) – Helpful Hint:

Please be mindful when accepting a trade request that it is a trade you want. Sometimes, there are requests for one of your trips you DON’T have listed in ETB. When signing into Crew Portal, you will see a pop-up box stating “You have new trades” if you have pending trade requests. When you select My Transactions, it will take you to the pending requests. Read over the trade requests very carefully before hitting accept or decline so you don’t inadvertently accept a trade that you were not asking for. If you click OK, it simply takes you back to Crew Portal.

As a reminder, you can block unsolicited trade requests by using the Not Accepting Trade Request feature which is equivalent to a “do not disturb” sign for that trip. To do this, simply click on the date of a sequence from the calendar and choose “Not Accepting Trade Request”.

– Becky Lydecker, APFA National Scheduling Chair, [email protected]

Contact your Senators – FAA Reauthorization Bill

In April, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed an FAA Reauthorization Bill that included many provisions beneficial to Flight Attendants. In the coming weeks, we anticipate that the Senate may take up their version of the FAA Reauthorization Bill. Nowis the time to make sure your Senators keep the provisions that are important to Flight Attendants. The bill includes some of the issues we pushed hard for during our lobby day in April. As the Senate develops their bill this month with input from stakeholders, please send a letter to your Senators to let them know how important it is that they include language that addresses the following aviation safety issues:

• Examining Cabin Evacuation Certification (Rep. Cohen’s SEAT Act)
• Establishing Standards for Emotional Support Animals
• Keeping Cabin Air Safe with the Cabin Air Quality Act
• Protecting U.S. Aviation Jobs from Outsourcing (“Flags of Convenience”)
• Reinforcing the Ban on Voice Calls on Planes
• Safe Transport of Lithium Batteries
• Required Notification of Insecticide Use
• Banning Electronic Cigarette Smoking on Planes
• 10 Hours Minimum Rest and Fatigue Risk Management Plan

– Allie Malis, APFA National Government Affairs Representative, [email protected]