APA News Digest

Nov. 15, 2024

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In This Edition ...

American Extends Ban on Haiti Service Through Feb. 12

On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced a 30-day ban on Haiti service by U.S. carriers after aircraft operated by American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Spirit Airlines were struck by gunfire in Port-au-Prince. American subsequently extended its service suspension through Feb. 12, 2025. The U.S. Department of State’s Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti cites “kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care.”

In a membership update, APA President FO Nick Silva emphasized that “APA will remain in close contact with the company about the situation in Haiti, and we will be involved in any decisions by American Airlines and the FAA regarding the resumption of service. Ensuring the safety and security of our crews and passengers will always be our highest priority.”

Positive Rate Episode 35: Joint Implementation Action Committee

In the latest episode of APA’s “Positive Rate” podcast, Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with Joint Implementation Action Committee (JIAC) Chair FO Matt Stanley and Negotiating Committee Chair FO Adam Rutherford about the effectiveness of JIAC in facilitating contract implementation.

Each episode of “Positive Rate” features various APA leaders and the subject-matter experts working on the membership’s behalf. The podcast is available through popular streaming services, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can search for “Positive Rate” or “Allied Pilots Association” on your platform of choice to subscribe and download. Your first opportunity to listen will be via AlliedPilots.org/Podcasts.

We welcome your feedback on this format. If you have a question or comment, please send it to Communications Director Gregg Overman via goverman@alliedpilots.org.

Grievance Filed Regarding International Deadheads

This week, APA President FO Nick Silva filed a Presidential Grievance concerning deadheading on Company aircraft on international flights. Silva Presidential Grievance No. 24-137 protests the Company’s violation of CBA Section 19.D.2 by unilaterally changing the process by which pilots can deviate on their international last-leg deadhead to base and/or residence or designate city. More specifically, the Company requires pilots to make a listing after arrival from the last operating leg and then requires the pilot to contact Crew Tracking to upgrade their seat to the highest class aboard if deviating to base, or business class if deviating to the pilot’s residence or designated city, if available to the time of booking. Additionally, the Company unilaterally changed the seat assignment for the first leg of international deadhead deviations by failing to provide the highest class of seats and, instead, requiring the pilot to deadhead on their scheduled flight in the highest class, use non-revenue travel, or jumpseat instead of allowing deviation.

APA is seeking the following relief:

  • An order directing the Company to immediately cease and desist breaching Section 19.D.2., all related sections, and past practices.
  • An order directing the Company to immediately comply and maintain compliance with Section 19.D.2., all related sections, and past practices.
  • An order directing the Company to make all affected pilots whole plus interest.
  • Other relief as deemed appropriate.

If your international deadheading experience is not contractually compliant, please submit an Online Grievance Form and attach supporting documents. Upon receipt, APA Legal will review your situation and advise if you are eligible to be listed as an affected pilot. 

Use ECS for Hotel/Limo Needs

This is a new message from the APA Hotel Committee.

The Hotel Committee is monitoring the progress of Electronic Communication System (ECS) usage for crews’ hotel/limo needs. We have seen the numbers increase, and the response times have been much better than the historical call-in data. We encourage pilots to use ECS for hotel/limo needs.

We are still seeing multiple members of a crew request a room on ECS and/or call in, which slows the process for other crew members while not expediting the process for your crew. Please have one person make the request for room/transportation while selecting the option to book for the entire crew. Additionally, we have seen crews use BizHero while also telling the company via ECS that they need a room. This leads to double bookings.

Below is a piece we ran in the Sept. 6 edition of the News Digest that provides a full description of the options available to crews when using ECS for hotel/limo needs.

With the rollout of the Electronic Communication System (ECS), pilots have multiple options to reach the Hotel/Limo Desk. By pressing the blue “Contact AA” button and selecting the “Hotel/Limo” option at the bottom of the menu, you can send the Hotel/Limo Desk notification of a problem such as no assigned hotel and/or limo. You also can inform them that your transportation is late.

If you would like to speak with a Hotel/Limo agent about a more complicated issue, there is a feature that puts you in the queue for a call back, versus having to wait on hold. Most options will ask for flight number, station, and how many people on your crew require assistance. Only one member from the crew needs to complete the request. We do not recommend you or members of your crew make an ECS request and call the desk simultaneously. You will receive an acknowledgement message and a message that the action is complete in the “All Messages” function of the ECS app. If you have requested a call back, it will come from the AA VIP Crew Line, which is the same phone number that Crew Scheduling and Crew Tracking use when they call pilots.

If you have any issues related to ECS and the Hotel/Limo Desk, please submit a Hotel Debrief so we can address with the company.

Since we published that, the company has added options to request a day room or cancel your room.

For more information, check out the QRH – Quick Reference Hotels document. This resource answers 99 percent of all hotel, transportation, and layover questions while providing helpful solutions. Suggestion: Download this QRH document to your AA iPad for easy access in the future.

Logbook Beta Testing to Begin Next Week

This is a new message from the APA Information Technology Steering Committee.

We are excited to announce that we are adding a Logbook feature to the APA Pilot app. This feature will provide a detailed log of your flight history, including other pilots with whom you have flown.

Logbook will be made available to a select group of beta testers next week. This will allow us to gather valuable feedback and ensure a seamless user experience.

Soon after this limited testing phase, Logbook will be released to all members.

Issues With Fatigue Reporting Tool

This is a repeated message from the APA Flight Time/Duty Time Committee.

Your Flight Time/Duty Time Committee understands that many pilots have had issues submitting fatigue reports due to an inability to sign in to the reporting tool. This issue is apparently related to a recent upgrade to AAPilots and a resulting internal conflict with Fatigue Event Manager. While not a formal workaround, we have found that using an “incognito” browser is often effective in countering this difficulty.

The official method for submitting a narrative when the reporting tool is unavailable is via an email to frms@aa.com. Should you need to use this means to submit your report, we recommend including your name and employee number in the subject line, then the narrative and recommendations in the main body. Please copy us at fatigue@alliedpilots.org so we can help ensure your event is received and processed by AA Fatigue Risk Management (FRM).

This is a known problem and is beyond the control of AA FRM. They are prepared and ready to accept reports via email in the event you are unable to access the reporting tool. As always, please contact us via email at fatigue@alliedpilots.org if you have further issues or questions.

Fini Flight Honors Retiring Pilots

This is an updated message from the APA Family Awareness Committee.

a pilot with his family and a cake

CA Kirk Rogers was honored at DFW on Oct. 4. He had flown for American Airlines since 1985.

Fini Flight is an APA program designed to honor our retiring members. If a pilot chooses to participate, we meet them at the gate after (or sometimes before) their final flight as an American Airlines pilot. We include friends and family, play some music, bring a cake, and make their last flight memorable!

You can see more photos of October celebrations on APA’s Facebook page.

For more information on how to get involved, as an honoree or as a volunteer, email finiflight@alliedpilots.org.

Congratulations to Newly Upgraded Captains

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

We would like to recognize and congratulate these pilots who upgraded to captain in October. They are listed by their post-upgrade base and equipment:

BOS 737: William Bilton

CLT 320: Bryan Brearley, Jeffrey Owen, Benjamin Pendergrass, John Shanaberg, and Christopher Wendt

DCA 737: Michael Basileo, Robert Bey, William Clarke, Arturo Coronel, William D’Onofrio, Charles Faith, Aaron Kelley, Kevin Robb, Conward Thompson, Daniel Vail

DCA 320: Yonas Bekit, Kevin Hoppin, Douglas McEnerney, Rachel Rea, and Boma Tamuno

DFW 777: Michael Bumgardner

DFW 737: George Arbuckle, Christopher Barnard, Goliath Demisie, Corey Leuwerke, Luis Ornelas, Flemming Rix, and Brian Storck

DFW 320: Raymond Crownhart and Jay Morgan

LGA 777: Brent Dye and Lauren Nalbandian

LGA 787: Dan Frank

LGA 737: Stephen Orban and Anand Vaswani

MIA 777: Michael Allred

MIA 737: Jose Alvarado, John Baker, John Blanc, Brian Brown, William Browne, Fernando Contreras, Alexandre Dal Medico Chain, Tal Frumerman, Eleodoro Garza, Javish Hernandez Rivera, Erick Izzeppi, Silas Johnson Zdybel, Andrew Kiefhaber, Donald Nin, Thomas Palmer, Humberto Ramirez, Syed Rashid, Christopher Smoak, Ashenafi Tadese, Hampton Terry, and Keith Weaver

MIA 320: Felix Adjorlolo, Jason Coley, Stephen Crews, Ian Cutting, Jonathan Hope, Arash Khezri, Sinclair Lagergren, and Christopher Stoddard

ORD 320: Michael Balling and Michael Whiting

PHL 320: Joseph Boyer, Christopher Brown, Rondal Davis, Ian Henry, Kevin Krause, Alejandro Langa, Evan Maxwell, Gregory Michne, Patrick Monahan, Brian OConnell, Michael O’Malley, Alexandru Raileanu, Shahrukh Rais, Robert Riggs, Xavier Rivera Colon, Disapong Silberman, Alex Smither, Andrew Steele, Thomas Tryon, Brent Wenz, and Matthew Winkler

PHX 737: Jeremi Avakian, Karen Barnett, Marc Britton, Garrett Davis, James Ferguson, Cory Havens, Zac Johnson, Alexander Meyberg, John Owens, Edward Russell, and William Urling

APA Welcomes Leadership Class

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

a group of pilots in a lobby

Click the image for a closer look.

On Nov. 13, the APA Membership Committee hosted a casual dinner for the following pilots who were in Fort Worth for American Airlines’ Professionalism, Leadership, and Mentoring class: William Bilton Jr., Michael Bumgardner, Anthony Callahan, Jason Coley, Alexandre Dal Medico Chain, William Engle, Garrett Hodges, Aaron Kelley, Alexander Meyberg, Andrew Olson, Noel Peyton, Christopher Stoddard, Hampton Terry, Michael Weatherley, and Christopher Wendt.

Gone West

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of these pilots, whose deaths we learned of in October: Gene Libert, 93, on July 5; Edward Dunn, 66, on Aug. 14; Bob Shepperd, 75, on Aug. 27; Arnold Newman, 66, on Sept. 12; Jack McGowan, 90, on Sept. 14; Sam Grotte, 89, on Sept. 15; Greg Kincheloe, 72, on Sept. 22; Jesse Cobb, 93, on Sept. 23; Colin Reynolds, 80, on Oct. 7; Martin O’Leary, 89, on Oct. 9; and Kent Rothrock, 85, on Oct. 19.

APA Medical Minute – Situational Depression

In the latest edition of the APA Medical Minute, APA Medical Advisor Kathy Parr discusses situational depression and its implications for pilots and the FAA.

You can watch previous Medical Minute videos on APA’s YouTube channel.

Domicile Events

a group of pilots in a hotel ballroom

Click the image for a closer look.

The DFW Domicile hosted a party at the Hilton Southlake Town Square on Nov. 9 to honor pilots who had retired since November of 2023.

Visit AlliedPilots.org/Calendar to RSVP for any of these upcoming domicile events:

TWA Flight 514 Ceremony Scheduled for Dec. 1

TWA Flight 514 crashed in Bluemont, Va., on Dec. 1, 1974, resulting in the loss of 92 lives. Significant aviation safety enhancements resulted from the accident, including improved communication procedures between air traffic controllers and pilots and the mandatory installation of terrain avoidance systems on commercial aircraft.

The 50th anniversary of the accident will be marked with a ceremony that will include the unveiling of an indoor bronze plaque and an outdoor black granite memorial at the Bluemont Community Center (33846 Snickersville Turnpike, 20135). The ceremony is scheduled for 1300 Eastern on Dec. 1. Relatives of those lost are invited, as are members of APA, the Air Line Pilots Association, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

If you have any questions, contact United Airlines CA Scott Seeberger, who is a member of the Bluemont Citizens Association: 303-949-6910 or scott.seeberger@alpa.org.

Dream Flights Crew Marks Veterans Day

a group of pilots in a lobby

Pilots for Dream Flights train year-round at Castroville Municipal Airport near San Antonio, and on Veterans Day, the nonprofit teamed up with a local skydiving operation for a patriotic display. APA Communications Department staffer Drew Boterf took Monday off so he could see the show, and he was lucky enough to hitch a ride in an empty seat. You can see more of his photos on APA’s Facebook page.

APA is a proud supporter of Dream Flights, which characterizes its mission as “giving back to those who gave” by giving veterans rides in its World War II-era biplanes.

Week in Review

Here are some recent messages you may have missed.

Are You Willing to Serve?

Each of these national committees or subcommittees has the indicated number of vacancies:

  • Aeromedical Committee (0)
    • Critical Incident Response Program Subcommittee (1)
    • Disabled Pilot Awareness Subcommittee (3)
    • Human Intervention Motivation Study Subcommittee (1)
    • Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2)
    • Project Wingman Subcommittee (2)
  • Captain’s Authority Committee (2)
  • Communications Committee (0)
    • National Communications Network (2)
  • Economic and Financial Analysis Committee (1)
  • Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (2)
  • Information Technology Steering Committee (1)
  • Professional Standards Committee (1)
  • Training Committee (4)
    • Checkmate (1 on 777)

If you would like to serve on one or more of these committees, visit the Member Engagement Portal.

Professional Standards FAQs

Can a resolved submission to Professional Standards be referenced in a future action?
No. A resolved issue cannot be used to support other disciplinary actions. An agreement exists with management that Professional Standards referrals are never part of an employee’s permanent record. Professional Standards volunteers will never be asked to relate any case information in the employee discipline process. Confidentiality rules apply to management also. Once an issue is released to the Professional Standards program, it is as if management “forgets” the issue ever occurred.

To read all of the FAQs, click here.

Professional Standards’ 24/7 hotline: 817-402-2181

Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a national nonprofit whose primary mission is to fulfill its motto of “Remember, Honor, and Teach” – that is, remember our fallen U.S. veterans, honor those who serve, and teach your children the value of freedom.

Part of that mission includes coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies each year at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 4,700 other locations.

We are continuing our campaign of American Airlines pilots adopting a national cemetery in each of our domiciles, including BNA, STL, and GSW. This will enable our pilots to give as one group while supporting deceased veterans at their home base.

Please visit the AA Pilots – Wreaths Across America website and click the link for your domicile. You will find information on this year’s ceremonies and opportunities to help the local coordinators. There is also a link at the bottom of the main page to find a cemetery near you if you do not live in your domicile and wish to help your local area.

This year’s wreath laying will be on Saturday, Dec. 14, and the deadline to sponsor wreaths is Friday, Nov. 29. We encourage you to support this worthy cause by sponsoring wreaths at your nearest national cemetery.

If you have any questions, please contact CA Dave Branzell at dsb81@live.com.

Sharing the Holiday Spirit with Christmas Epaulets

This popular, long-running program benefits the families of our nation’s fallen heroes and young people seeking ways to further their education, as detailed in a December 2023 Aero Crew News article by CA Tim Knutson and Episode 32 of our Positive Rate podcast.

CA John Knutson – U.S. Army veteran and a pilot for North Central, Republic, and Northwest Airlines – lost his battle with cancer in 1997 at age 56. To honor his memory, John’s widow, Mary, decided to start making Christmas epaulets. Mary originally directed all proceeds to the Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Scholarship Foundation, because John was a 1959 graduate of Chetek High School. In an acknowledgement of John’s love of country, the proceeds have been shared between the Gary Sinise Foundation/Snowball Express and the Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Scholarship Foundation in recent years.

You may buy your epaulets here for $20 plus $5.50 for shipping and handling. They’re also available at Crew Outfitters stores at DFW and IAH. If you have any questions, please contact CA Tim Knutson via info@christmasepaulets.com.

Thank you for supporting this worthy cause.

If You’re 50, Join The Grey Eagles

Are you a pilot for American Airlines, at least age 50, active or retired? Please join The Grey Eagles for food, fun, and fellowship. We offer cruises, conventions, monthly luncheons, retirement dinners, professional mentoring, and assistance to surviving spouses – all for a one-time lifetime fee.

Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars

Future & Active Pilot Advisors’ next Pilot Job Fair and Future Pilot Seminar are scheduled for Nov. 22 at PHX. Click here for more information.

Industry News

For more about what’s happening in the industry, be sure to visit the Industry News page on AlliedPilots.org.

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