As we approach the anniversary of September 11^th, many of us will begin to plan how we’ll recognize this day. Anniversaries offer an opportunity to acknowledge our memories and experiences, to connect with others who share in them, and to pay tribute to our individual and collective journeys.  They can also serve as personal and professional milestones of our healing and resiliency.   For some, September 11th will be marked with private personal gestures such as observing a moment of silence, spending quiet time reflecting, or dedicating our flying to our profession.  For others, it will be marked with collective activities such as ceremonies and memorial services. 

There is no right way or better way to recognize the anniversary; but, there are some suggestions that may prove helpful as we approach the anniversary of September 11^th.  

• Observe the anniversary in a way that’s comfortable for you.  Say no to events or activities that you sense may flood you with too many feelings.  Find more gentle ways of honoring the anniversary.

• Don’t compare yourself to how others around you appear to be dealing with the September 11^th anniversary.

• Acknowledge that we all heal at different rates, in different ways, and with different outcomes.

• Give yourself permission and time to be affected.  Though uncomfortable, anticipate and plan for having a stress reaction as the anniversary approaches.  Trust that if you have moments of difficulty, you’ll be able to pull yourself back together.

• Try not to isolate yourself. Pre-plan now to be with people if you know you have this tendency.

• However you choose to structure your day this September 11^th or however it just naturally unfolds, please remember that your AFA EAP committee representatives welcome being a part of it.  If you or a flying partner needs a confidential ear, please call us at 1-800-424-2406 or find your local EAP representatives’ contact information at www.afanet.org.  Remember, we’re just a phone call away. -- Submitted by MEC EAP Chair Rosemary Miller

Your MEC Officers met with the company this week to discuss upcoming staffing changes effective in October.   

Changes to the Business Elite (BE) service on international flights and the upcoming switch to a “hand-run” delivery model have created the need for increased staffing.  In October, that will mean an extra position added to some B747 TPAC flights.  Crew Scheduling will publish one additional flight attendant position in the October analysis for B747 aircraft certain days of the week based on strong passenger load factors.  During the month, Scheduling will review loads of TPAC flights and add the extra position as a 40000-digit add pattern when warranted.   

Current BE staffing grid requirements for B747 TPAC flying is 1:13 – that is one flight attendant per 13 BE passengers.    In October the ratio will be 1:11, and in Spring 2010 the number will be 1:9.  Please note that no staffing changes are planned for the A330 until 2010.   

Finally, flight attendants are reminded to input their LFA status when flying on aircraft equipped with the Delta ACARS system (currently select B757 aircraft.)  On the home page of ATLAS, select “LFA MAINTENANCE” under the Hot Links tab.  The system will recall any eligible flights you have flown on these aircraft, similar to what you have seen with electronic Fast Forms or IIRs. 

AFA is pleased to see that our collective reports and the grievances filed about these issues have resulted in a resolution for these issues.  There will be ongoing wear testing of the tie and vest and a second set of wings will be provided “soon”.  The vest and tie quality issues have been around for a while at Delta, but it took collective action from AFA members and Delta flight attendants to convince the company that there was in fact a need to correct it.  Our thanks go to all who carefully documented their concerns and quality issues regarding the new uniform pieces and wings.  The AFA MEC Uniform Committee has been invited to participate in the wear testing.      

Flight Attendants travelling positive space to training should be aware of several things, including a few key differences between pass travel on “NW metal” and “DL metal.”  With schedule cuts, flights run very heavy.  Be sure to make Company Business flight reservations on DeltaNet as soon as you receive your training award, but no more than 45 days out.  Flights listed in the training pattern on ACCESS are for per diem purposes only, but you are not booked on a flight until you make your own reservations. 

If you are travelling on a NWA flight, you can go to www.nwa.com to check in from home or to an airport kiosk, receive your seat assignment, and print your boarding pass up to 24 hours before your flight departs.  If you are travelling on a Delta flight, however, online check-in is not currently an option. The check-in process on Delta metal must be completed at the airport (or the training center kiosk) more than 30 minutes prior to departure, or advance seat assignments are cancelled.  This discrepancy in the way check-in is handled between carriers has caused much confusion, resulting in flight delays, and several instances of denied boarding to training.  While we hope Delta will discontinue cancelling positive space seats reserved for training, it is highly recommended those travelling to training arrive as early as possible in the meantime, to avoid playing the “Cancelled Seat Shuffle”. 

Some Flight Attendants have been unable to make reservations on the most convenient flights returning from ATL, due to heavy loads.  There is a kiosk in the lobby of the ATL Training Center on which you may check in and print your boarding pass on your last day of training.  There is also an on-screen option to check in for your confirmed flight and also place your name on the standby list for an earlier flight, if it becomes available, within the same PNR.  This way, everything is recorded in the same place, and your later reservation will be cancelled if you receive a confirmed seat on an earlier flight. – Submitted by DTW LCR Belea Bower 

The AFA Hotel Committee would like to thank all of the flight attendants who have been using the electronic Hotel Report form on the Hotel Committee website at http://www.afahotels.org/  With your documentation, some positive changes to our hotels include:

PVG - The crew lounge is now a non-smoking area with 24 hour access. The round the clock hours will enable crew to use the computers for work and for Internet use anytime during the day and night. A mini-van is now available for the exclusive use of the crews for transportation around town. Please check with the concierge for details. For your safety, additional seatbelts have been installed in the airport buses.

FRA - All NWA crew members will move to a new hotel in Weisbaden, Germany effective November 1. 

Please be advised that problems documented on the FCR's, Flight Crew Report, found under the Hotel Tab on Atlas, that pertain to crew hotel and transportation problems are not being forwarded to the Hotel Committee at this time. We encourage all of our flight attendants, both pre-merger Northwest and pre-merger Delta, to use the electronic "Flight Attendant Hotel Report Online Form" found at the Hotel Committee website http://www.afahotels.org/  to document all issues found with the hotel or transportation to the hotel. With your documentation, we can resolve outstanding issues with our hotels and van transportation system-wide.

While surfing the net looking for something entertaining, we came across a You Tube video titled "Apollo The Pickpocket Video". Take a moment to view the video at www.afahotels.org and read the article about thievery techniques used by pickpockets for millennia. We think you will enjoy it as much as we did. – Submitted by MEC Hotel Chair Anne Odenwald