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Dear Members,

RECENT POLICY CHANGES
ALERT BULLETIN 03-2006


The Company issued Alert Bulletin 03-2006 on September 8th. The Union was notified of the contents of the Alert Bulletin on Friday September 1, 2006. A meeting was held between AFA and the Company on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 to discuss the contents of the bulletin

The Alert Bulletin is the first of many that will detail changes to our policies and procedures as the merger progresses. The timing, release and notification to the Union of the bulletin are continued evidence of the Company's shortsighted approach to change. The Company continues to trip over itself as it rushes to synchronize policy and procedural differences between the East and the West. 

While it is true, assuming there is ever a merged collective bargaining agreement, the two carriers will merge into one, the two companies operate separately at his time. I can't disagree with the thought process that we need to work under the assumption that we will one day operate as one carrier and begin planning for that day. I am however very disturbed by the Company's approach to the process so far. There continues to be a rush to put policies and procedures in place without adequate notice, training or forethought

The recent galley pack out and cart set up procedures are prime examples of a "rush to policy change". After extensive feedback from AFA and groups of Flight Attendants, new cart setup procedures and new galley pack out procedures will be forthcoming. The point is that we are fixing things twice. The same thing will be happening with some of the new policies and procedures contained in Alert Bulletin 03-2006.

ALERT BULLETIN 03-2006

There are a number of changes to our policies and procedures in Alert Bulletin 03-2006. For identification purposes the changes to our policy is denoted by a "change bar" to the left of each sentence in the bulletin. I would like to address some of the more significant changes in this Eline. 

• Airbus narrow body fleet reconfiguration- the "seat maps" on the A 319 and A 320 will be changed on East aircraft to match the West aircraft. The 319 will have an additional 10 coach seats bringing the total to 130 (12/F and 118/C). The only way to accomplish this addition is to squeeze in one row of six and one row of 4 seats into the cabin. The row of 4 seats will be row 9. This change will make BOTH row 9 and 10 emergency exit rows. There will be no changes to any of the emergency equipment on the 319. 
  
  The 320 is a different story altogether. The aircraft will be reconfigured to hold 150 passengers (12/F and 138/C). The addition of capacity to the fleet seems to fly in the face of industry-wide and company decisions to reduce capacity in order to raise fares. Our recent profit has been largely attributed to the reduction in capacity. 
  
  The major change to the A 320 will be the elimination of the FWD closet and the removal of Galley #2. Although removing the closet and the galley will allow for the addition of an overhead bin on each side of the aircraft, AFA does not believe this will be enough to accommodate all of the coats carried on. We on the East have a winter season and space WILL be a problem. The removal of the closet will also force the relocation of the emergency and video equipment to the first overhead aircraft left, further decreasing the overhead space. No one from the company has been able to adequately explain to me the reason for the capacity increase or a workable solution to the overhead space problem we will encounter. 
  
• CHANGES TO THE CALL BELL SIGNALS
  
  During the reconfiguration process for East aircraft the call bell signals will be changed to a High/Low Ding/Dong type signal. This change will affect all aircraft. Effective September 8, and continuing until each aircraft's call signal system is reconfigured; the call signals will be modified to match the West bell signals. Please review the chart on page 6 of the Alert Bulletin. The Captain is responsible for including the bell system changes in his pre-flight briefing and whenever there is an aircraft change. If the Captain fails to do this, please bring the change to the Captain's attention so the entire crew is on the same page. 
  
• Removal of the Braille Booklets
  
  The Braille booklet that has been on the East aircraft was actually the first of its kind within the industry. Neither the FAA nor any other government agency requires the booklet. Once the FAA adopted the initial booklet has been updated several times. In order to continue using the booklet after the merger it would need to be updated to accommodate the West fleet. The company has made the decision to abandon the booklet rather than update it. 
  
• BOARDING DUTIES
  
  This section has been revised for one reason only-to allow the "C" Flight Attendant to assist in accomplishing a First Class pre-departure beverage service. After the company proclaimed that a pre-departure beverage service was to be done on the 321 several discussions ensued between AFA and the company. AFA stressed that the use of the "C" would not allow he/she to adequately perform the other required barding duties. A conference call was held with the FAA to determine their acceptance of the company's position that the "C" could assist the "A" and be away from his/her boarding station at the 2/L door. The FAA's position was the "C" could be away from their boarding station for a "short period of time", but would not define exactly what a "short period of time" was. Ron Cole decided to develop a procedure and test it out and the FAA could then decide if it was acceptable. Apparently the procedure was simply to insert the change in the Alert Bulletin. We are going to revisit this with both the Company and the FAA because we do not feel that a pre-departure service on the 321 with the current staffing level is in compliance with our required duties. In the meantime please remember that any pre-departure beverage, even if it is a bottle of water, must be collected prior to taxi.
  
• CREWMEMBER CARRY-ON BAGGAGE
  
  The policy limits working crewmembers, deadheading or commuting crewmembers and those traveling on company business to three carry on bags. According to the company, the FAA has mandated this based on the company's weight and balance program. This begs the question-how have we been doing something different for so long? We are working with the company to exempt lunch coolers from the three-bag limit and address our concerns with our transatlantic crews and their baggage requirements. The policy will allow crewmembers to "Gate Valet" check additional baggage. "Gate Valet" checked bags will be returned to the jetway. 
  
• PERSONAL TRANSPORT KIT
  
  The ten-page addition to the manual that details the description and use of the Personal Transportation Kit (PTK) is quite a departure from our one sentence, "assist as necessary" policy in our manual. I have been told that the AWA PTK procedure was in response to an FAA violation filed against the company. The procedure was developed to satisfy the FAA and can't be deleted due to the merger. 
  
  AFA believes the procedure should not be implemented on the East simply by including it in an Alert Bulletin. The company has agreed that East Flight Attendants must receive proper training before it is implemented. Therefore, as part of our differences training scheduled for the first quarter of 2007, we will receive the necessary training. The company will begin placing the kits on the aircraft in late October but we will not be required or allowed to use them until we have completed our differences training. 

There are a lot of changes that will be coming over the next year. AFA will continue to stress to the company that before changes occur we are notified and our input will be considered. This has not been the way America West conducted business in the past but we are trying to change their philosophy and I hope that as time goes by we will see a more cooperative approach to the changes. We are able to affect changes to the policies and procedures but at this time it is usually after they have been announced. I believe it would be much more efficient to collaborate beforehand rather than going back and fixing problems that never would have exited had our input been solicited before the policies were finalized. 

Thank you,

Mike Flores
MEC President
US Airways Master Executive Council
AFA-CWA

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