Crew Accommodations Update / March 2004

SNN / * - Relocation 2004 Season (only)
The property in SNN notified the company that construction, for a new function room, would commence in April and last possibly, until December 2004. Workers will be on the premises from 8:00am until 5:00pm, six days a week. Workers may be on the premises on Sundays as well. Conference rooms located on the 2nd floor will be broken down - new partitions will be added - two public area restrooms will be expanded 2nd floor - additional kitchen facilities will be added 1st and 2nd floor level to accommodate the function room. Intermittent water shut off may occur. Due to this construction and the type of business crew require - early arrival - day sleepers, the property advised the company that relocation would be necessary to ensure a quite environment - least disruption to crewmembers. The property management also recommended another property for relocation, which was not accepted and never seen last year when this market was visited. AFA and ALPA traveled to SNN the end of February 2004 to observe the construction plans/discuss relocation and visit properties for relocation. The property recommended by the incumbent was visited and rooms were occupied for one night. Both AFA and ALPA rejected it for the following reasons - location remote - 15 minutes by car past the incumbent property - inconsistent shuttle - cab for a fee transportation - large convention group business - limited rooms with a/c acceptable for crew use because of noise and safety issues - air conditioning problems experienced. The relocation property chosen both by AFA and ALPA was visited/experienced last year and once again this year. It is located two bridges from the incumbent, closer to the city center. We cannot reveal the name on this web site, as it is not secure. However, the name of the property will be posted in individual crew rooms. The property is a full service 4 star facility - restaurant, room service, health club, pool, tennis court and will offer all discounts provided by the incumbent - 20% off food - room service - complementary 800 and local calls - complementary use of health club - in addition, in- room mini refrigerators available to crewmembers - fan units will be provided in each crew room as this facility does not have a/c - windows open. Still undetermined - if work is not scheduled on Sundays, Sunday a.m. arrival crews may remain at the incumbent property. Should any crewmembers have questions regarding this information, please contact the Crew Accommodations Committee Chair, Lynne Caramello at clc5@msn.com / 781 289 8454 / 617 470 3872 or Crew Accommodations Committee PHL Representative, Paul Firshkorn @ pfish26@msn.com 

GLA / * - A site inspection was completed the end of February for the Glasgow, Scotland market. Service will be seasonal beginning May and ending October. AFA and ALPA both agreed and recommended two choices out of the eight properties visited. A decision is still pending. An update will be provided as soon as a property selection has been made.

MAN /* - The MAN property was revisited in February by AFA and ALPA due to the upgrades the property is dedicating to guest rooms. Renovations addressed - two new mirrors in bathrooms, adjustable halogen fixture over sink area, new shelves by the sink, new carpet and paint, matching drapes/bedspreads, 19 inch TVs. Most of the 1st and 4th floors are complete. The management is changing out 10 rooms per week. The end of April is the estimated completion date. Each room occupied by a crewmember should receive - face cloths, bar soap, alarm clock, ice bucket and sheer curtains. Should any crewmember have any issues, please contact the Crew Accommodations Committee / Chair - clc5@msn.com / PHL/ Representative - pfish26@msn.com 

YYZ / LS - A site inspection was completed in December for the YYZ market. Out of the 10 properties visited, AFA offered one recommendation, which included the addition of more crew cars. A decision, by the company, was provided to the committee, end of February. The incumbent property will be used and the company has advised the committee that 2 or 3 crew cars are available for use. Should you experience any problems, please provide detailed information via an OF310/hotel report or contact the Crew Accommodations Committee.

YUL / SL - The committee was advised by crewmembers that the company used the short layover property for two 33 hour layovers in YUL. Contracts on both the long and short property were terminated in the fall of 2002 because mainline service was discontinued in this market. In June of 2003, mainline service began once again. Layovers in this market at the time and up until February of 2004 only supported using the short property. The company felt because there were only two layovers of 33 hours, placing crewmembers in a downtown facility, as was done in the past, was not warranted. It has been requested, by the MEC, that the MEC/Grievance Chairperson prepare and file a grievance regarding this situation. 

MDT / SL - A site inspection was completed in December for the Harrisburg, market. A decision was provided to the committee in February. Out of the four properties visited, AFA and ALPA recommended one for the long layover and one for the short layover (incumbent). In the past, one property was used for both long and short. The company disagreed with the recommendations as stated and will only contract with the incumbent property for both lengths of layovers. The company has stated that the property will provide transportation to a mall but not downtown. Transportation will be provided on a scheduled basis. Should you experience any problems, please provide detailed information via an OF310/hotel report or contact the Crew Accommodations Committee.

LAX / L - The company solicited 47 properties including the two incumbent properties for crew business in the LAX market. The bid closed the end of February. A site inspection on prospective properties was tentatively scheduled for the week of March 8th. The site inspection was cancelled for the following reasons: 23 properties responded - not interested in either additional or crew business, 6 properties offered a higher price for the crew business - of which 4 of the properties would be instantly rejected by AFA and ALPA, 16 properties initially did not respond and were contacted again for verification, some with interest but offering a higher price, others still have not offered a response - 23 + 16 + 2 incumbent = 47. One of the properties that did not respond is currently under renovations but may consider crew business at a later date Aug/Sept 2004. Price will also play a factor and will most likely be higher. The company still feels that the incumbent property at Redondo Beach is adequate for our crew business and due to the outcome of this most recent bid process, crews will not be moving from the property. The deficiencies recently addressed with the property were the following: keys - the property has stated that they will be replacing 50 key/lock systems to keys that will be stamped, do not duplicate and the keys are geographically restricted to duplicate. The new key/lock system will be placed on doors on the entire 2nd floor and 15 rooms on the 3rd floor. No new key/lock systems will be placed on the 4th floor. The property will be installing portable a/c units in windows on the dumpster side to address the a/c issues that surfaced last year. The property has insisted it will remain cognizant of room placement especially for the red-eye crews. The property has informed the company that the dumpster activity will be later in the morning, time discussed 10:00am/local. The property has begun to re-caulk all the bathroom tub surrounds. Plumbing problems were addressed and according to the property have been corrected/repaired. The property will, from time to time, be changing out bedspreads. The property is looking into changing some carpeting in rooms prior to the end of 2004. Should you continue to experience deficiencies at this property, please bring it to the attention of the Crew Accommodations Committee either via OF310/hotel report or clc%@msn.com / Lcaramello@afausairways.org 

BOS /L - Due to the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July, the property has advised the company that they will be placing a cap on rooms available to crew on July 26, 27,28, 29/2004. The cap will be 25 rooms; last year - same dates high 40 rooms/ low 28 rooms. The property has also indicated that properties downtown are sold out. We have known that the DNC was going to be held in Boston for quite some time. Had the company been pro-active in securing other arrangements or making inquiries with the property early last year, perhaps we would know where crew would be housed during these convention dates. The property is currently looking for comparable, suitable housing for crew. According to the lease agreement, #4. Should Hotel fail to have or make such Flight Crew Rooms or Contingency Rooms available, Hotel will arrange alternative accommodations of EQUAL OR BETTER quality based on both facility and location, and transportation for US Airways personnel to such alternative facility at Hotel's expense. Hotel will not charge US Airways for the cost of such alternative accommodations that are in excess of the fees specified in this agreement. Hotel will make its best efforts to give US Airways as much advance notice as possible prior to relocating flight crews. No further information has been provided at this time.

The following cities currently being discussed for site inspections due to contract expirations: CLE/S - scheduled March / ORF/SL tentatively scheduled March/ PVD/SL tentatively scheduled early April / MSY/SL / FCO / MUC / CDG / MAD

The most expeditious way in which to submit an OF310/hotel report is online. Click on the following link - http://www.afausairways.org/FAForm.html. Paper forms are available in each domicile and collected by your Local Crew Accommodations Representative. If distribution has not been done as directed on the bottom of the form, the local representative will distribute accordingly.

List of Crew Accommodations Committee members:

BOS - Lynne Caramello F/A -MEC/chair - local representative
CLT - Ann Crowley F/A - VP/CLT - local representative
DCA - Rick Poloway F/A - local representative
LGA - Lynne Caramello F/A -MEC/chair - local representative/ in coordination with LGA in-flight office
PHL - Paul Frishkorn F/A - local domestic representative * (Paul temporarily handling both)
PHL - Karen Angell Ward F/A - local international representative * 
PIT - Jody Compton F/A - local representative

OF310 forms are not available on the HUB at this time, as distribution questions still remain unanswered.

Thank you for helping us help you and providing feedback.

Lynne Caramello
AFA/MEC/Crew Accommodations Committee Chair