Greetings,

Say it ain’t so Joe!

As was announced, our In Flight department will be experiencing yet another change in senior leadership.  Having lost managing director Jeff Butler to a vice-presidency in Airports just over a year ago after over 10 years with In Flight, we bid adieu to vice-president Joe Sprague, with us less than a year, as our as he moves to a vice-presidency in Air Cargo.

These kinds of changes have impact on several levels.  Certainly there is impact on our personal relationships and, as with Jeff, Joe will be missed.  He worked hard to reach out to all levels of Inflight  personnel and we appreciated his efforts and valued his successes.  The pragmatic impact, in the administration aspect of the position is equally important.  This involves the “buck stops here” on discipline and termination and working with our contract and with your contract administrators within AFA.  While both are on going, the latter will be at the forefront very soon as we will be, pursuant to the early opener in the 2006 contract, be commencing the negotiations process this summer with the selection of the Negotiating Committee.  We will be exchanging contract openers next spring.

Ann Ardizzone, managing director of Customer Experience, will soon be joining us as the vice-president of In Flight. Ann’s current position has had her very much involved in what transpires on board the aircraft, as well as all the most of the peripheral aspects of the inflight experience. That said, Ann will have a full plate with the timing of this move, but best she is here before it all gets started!  And?she gets to go to Flight Attendant Initial Training!

As we bid Joe a heartfelt farewell and wish him all the best in Air Cargo, never mind his decision to work with pallets versus people, we impart our congratulations and sincere welcome to Ann from all of us in your AFA leadership, and on behalf of you, our membership.