• RECALL OF US AIRWAYS FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
• JUNE TRANSFERS AND POSSIBLE DISPLACEMENTS IN PIT AND CLT
• TIMING OF THE COMPANY'S DECISION AND ANNOUNCEMENT
• Accessing The Hub
• AFA Local Numbers

RECALL OF US AIRWAYS FLIGHT ATTENDANTS

The Company plans to announce tomorrow that staffing models indicate the need to recall a significant number of Flight Attendants. Management has indicated that the number of recalls could be as high as *600 to US Airways (East) during 2006.

The recall will be in two phases. Initially, the Company has indicated they will recall between *320 and *370 Flight Attendants to be on line in June and an estimated *50 Flight Attendants to be on line August. The remainder will be recalled during the fourth quarter of 2006. Recall notices will be sent out to all involuntary furloughed Flight Attendants within the next few weeks. If the recall quota is not met from within the involuntary furloughed group, notices will then be sent to flight attendants on other furlough programs beginning with the extended voluntary furlough group. 

Although a recall in 2006 had been mentioned by the Company at various times in the past year those discussions were speculative in nature and certainly never indicated a recall of this magnitude. With the additional European flying announced last month, additional aircraft on order and Flight Attendant attrition the Company now believes this recall will address their staffing forecasts. While I am certainly overjoyed that up to *600 hundred of our fellow members may be offered a recall I am concerned as a large number of reserves are currently not getting their time in. The Company calculations that led to their decision have not been fully explained. 

JUNE TRANSFERS AND POSSIBLE DISPLACEMENTS IN PIT AND CLT

As you know the May transfer bid has been rescinded and a new bid has been posted for June. Obviously the numbers appear a bit staggering. The announced increase of 375 positions for Philadelphia started a number of rumors, among which was the Company was closing a base or bases. There are no plans to close any base at this time. The Company has, however, made the decision to "right-size" the bases. Most of the additional flying during 2006 is planned for PHL. The new European flying being added this summer in addition to the traditional seasonal European flying along with increased domestic flying per the recently released May pilot bid makes the staffing additions in PHL necessary. Additional staffing increases are necessary in LGA, BOS and DCA to cover the existing and planned flying and the projected attrition rate. As mentioned in a previous ELINE, PIT flying will only be decreased by two primary lines as a result of the pilot bid. That decrease will be offset by increased secondary lines. Both PIT and CLT have been overstaffed for quite some time. In the past the Company has been reluctant to displace as the process is both expensive for the Company and traumatic for the affected Flight Attendants. The decision has been made to displace *100 Flight Attendants from PIT and *50 Flight Attendants from CLT. 

The sequence of the "right-sizing" will be as follows: transfers, displacements and then recalls. The transfer bid closes at 12:00 noon, Saturday, March 18, 2006. The transfer bid form is available on theHub and can only be submitted electronically. Displacements in PIT or CLT will be offset by any transfers out of PIT or CLT. If displacements need to occur they will be governed by Section 18 of our contract. We will be putting out additional displacement procedures and policies once any necessary displacements are announced. Once the transfers and possible displacements have been processed, furloughed Flight Attendants will then be recalled into the vacancies created as a result of such transfers and possible displacements. 

The Company's goal is to have the transfer and displacement procedure completed in time for each affected Flight Attendant to be able to bid for the June bid month in their new base.

TIMING OF THE COMPANY'S DECISION AND ANNOUNCEMENT

The Union was informed of the staffing decisions last Thursday evening. We were told the Company would announce the news on Friday during a media session in PHX. The Union was asked to delay any announcement to our membership until the Company announcement had been made. Apparently the Company plans for the announcement changed and the announcement is pending.

This decision to recall to the East has an additional direct impact on those involuntary furloughed Flight Attendants that have accepted a position at America West per the Transition Agreement. The Transition Agreement negotiations began in September 2005 and concluded in early January 2006, prior to the Company decision to purchase aircraft and add flying to Europe. The Company was informed by the Union that pursuant to the agreement it was our position that any Flight Attendant who had not commenced training would not be subject to the 365 day "hold" in PHX. The first class began today. In the opening session, which I attended, the involuntary furloughed US Airways flight attendants were informed of the recalls to the East and have been offered the choice to remain in PHX, or not commence training and return to the East if recalled. The Company will notify the involuntary furloughed US Airways Flight Attendants scheduled in the next classes of the recall potential and those affected will be offered the same option.

Any additional information from the Company regarding staffing decisions will be relayed to you as soon as possible.

*These are the numbers given to me by the Company today and are subject to modification. Normally I would not be putting out information ahead of the Company but in light of all of the rumors and the fact the Company relayed this information to the involuntary furloughed Flight Attendants this morning I feel compelled to inform the entire membership.

Thank you,

Mike Flores, President
US Airways Master Executive Council

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AFA Local Numbers

Council 40 PIT 724-695-3329
Council 41 DCA 703-212-8090
Council 69 BOS 781-289-8454
Council 70 PHL 215-492-0840
Council 82 LGA 315-736-3483
Council 89 CLT 704-527-0325

New Hotline Number Toll Free: 866-USA-AFA2
US AIRWAYS Benefits Information 800-872-4780

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