MSY- Relief Info/ Disaster Help/ Flight Info

[robbedagain]

Does anyone know if US Airways is or are sending any aircraft to MSY for humanitry services? CNN has said that AA, SWA, and NWA as well as FedEx are or have sent plane loads of supplies in and ferring evacuaees out of MSY. I think this would be a wonderful gesture.

 

[a320av8r]

I called scheduling to volunteer since I'm on vacation, they said that they haven't heard anything about it. We'll see.

 

[kao]

Does anyone know if US Airways is or are sending any aircraft to MSY for humanitry services? CNN has said that AA, SWA, and NWA as well as FedEx are or have sent plane loads of supplies in and ferring evacuaees out of MSY. I think this would be a wonderful gesture.

[post="295274"][/post]​

I actually sent an email suggesting this last night to HP and they said they donated 10,000 dollars...I sent it because many of us can not even afford to send 2 dollars...but we can send clothing, supplies ect....HP has nothing planned that I know of....someone please please keep me posted as I would volunteer in a heartbeat....

 

[700UW]

With the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina continuing to unfold in New Orleans, US Airways New Orleans Station Manager Bryan Smith is working today in the airline's Dallas/Fort Worth offices, busily seeking to assure the welfare of his 73 employees. "We know that we have some loss of homes, but nobody knows for sure, or to what extent, because nobody has seen their homes," he said. "There just isn't any way to get back to see them." He last saw his own home on Saturday.

Smith said he is just thankful that everyone is safe. Nearly all of US Airways' New Orleans employees and their families evacuated before the hurricane struck, he said. A handful remain in New Orleans, including one employee who is staying in the airline's airport offices, which has power from the airport's generator. Smith said he has been in contact with nearly every employee and is attempting to locate the rest, who apparently were among the evacuees.

Smith was part of a group of 17 US Airways employees and family members who were aboard an American Airlines flight from New Orleans to Dallas on Tuesday. The emergency flight had flown into New Orleans to deliver supplies and evacuate employees. Smith and his fellow workers had been staying in a New Orleans airport area hotel, planning to wait out Katrina before resuming operations, as they had done during previous severe storms. But the hotel had no power and no running water and its food supply was almost gone. "We had no choice but to leave," said Smith.

For the moment, Smith is hoping that his employees will be able to keep working even if New Orleans operations are not quickly restored. He knows that many employees will require assistance. Because his phone is constantly busy, he asks that if there is a need to contact him, employees should use Lotus Notes; he expects to have access by tonight.

Countless employees from around the system have expressed a desire to assist those affected by the hurricane, offering to send supplies, money, or personally travel to help repair and rebuild. At this time, the Red Cross has said that monetary assistance is the best alternative, so that necessary supplies can be purchased and directed to those most in need. US Airways is working closely with the Red Cross, and also has created the US Airways Employee Relief Fund.

Employees who wish to contribute to the Fund may send checks (made payable to the US Airways Employee Relief Fund) to the Piedmont Aviation Credit Union, 3810 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27105.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

I understand that MSY station staff will have to use vacation days if they wish to be paid for hours not worked while the station is closed. Although US has as of today only cancelled flight through 6 September, it is quite possible that operations may not resumer for some time after that.

How about CWA/IAM approaching the company with a plan for station agents (inside and outside) to donate vacation days to their colleagues in MSY? A very informal - and highly unscientific - poll shows that a number of CWA/IAM member would be willing to do so.



Worth a chance!

 

[youngblood]

I understand that MSY station staff will have to use vacation days if they wish to be paid for hours not worked while the station is closed. Although US has as of today only cancelled flight through 6 September, it is quite possible that operations may not resumer for some time after that.

How about CWA/IAM approaching the company with a plan for station agents (inside and outside) to donate vacation days to their colleagues in MSY? A very informal - and highly unscientific - poll shows that a number of CWA/IAM member would be willing to do so.
Worth a chance!

[post="295462"][/post]​

As I said before, it has never ceased to amaze me that there is such a willingness to help others within the company as far as labor is concerned. I have just spent the better part of an evening trring how I could contribute something. Seeing that I don't have the money available. or the vacation time left after unemployment, I would be more than willing to lift my hands in manual labor tohelp. All you have to do is ask. Fema, Red cross, and Salvation Army are all looking for moetary funds not time. God bless and PM me if there is anything I can do.

Christine

 

[SegmentKing]

I know when Hurricane Dennis & Katrina shut down my station, none of my hourly employees got paid. I decided to work last Friday (till they told us to evacuate the terminal at 1130am) and was the only one to work Saturday-- someone needed to be there to help our customers. (speaking of which, if i wasn't there, we'd have 23 EXTREMELY Pissed off customers --- 23 is the amount of ticketing errors I had to fix courtesy of our Rent-A-Res Agents)

Anyway, even though we (supervisors & managers) are salaried, we do take hits when we're not open or don't work.

It would be //WONDERFUL// if USAirways implemented some sort of financial assistance program for employees affected by natural disasters in some form of "loan" or "grant" against their pay, or allow us to help out at other stations to keep some level of income coming in.

 

[Harry Callahan]

We were told last night at a briefing by a shift manager that MSY employees would be able to come in & work at other stations untill they can return. If this pans out it is great.

 

[gso2pit]

Another possibility would be to have people donate gift cards/certificates to major restaurant and clothing/hotel/retails chains(ie Old Navy/Gap/TGI Fridays/Marriott) etc. Although it's not $$, it could help offset the costs of hotels for employees who are displaced, get a hot meal, buy clothes/other essentials)

 

[gso-crew]

CWA Union Plus Credit Card Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund

The new Union Plus Credit Card Disaster Relief Fund is available to help Union Plus Credit Card holders who are facing financial hardship due to Hurricane Katrina. Union cardholders are eligible to apply for a Disaster Relief Fund grant ranging from $500 to $2,000. The money does not have to be repaid.

MORE INFO

 

[gso-crew]

Delegates Vote $4 Million for CWA Hurricane Relief
August 30, 2005

Moved by the devastation to the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, delegates to the CWA annual convention voted to send up to $4 million in aid from the union's Members' Relief Fund to help CWA families in the region recover.

Delegates from the area, along with CWA District 3 Vice President Noah Savant, reported that many members in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have flooded and damaged homes, and said some members are still trying to contact their families to find out if they're safe.

Local 1180 President Arthur Cheliotes, whose local is based near Ground Zero in New York City, reminded members how quickly CWA came to the aid of fellow members in New York after September 11th. He moved for the $4 million contribution, which delegates unanimously supported.

Savant said he and newly elected CWA President Larry Cohen "will work together to get as many resources as we can to ease the suffering of our sisters and brothers in that area. What has happened over there certainly has broken our hearts, it may break our pocketbooks, but it will not break our spirits."

 

[BoeingBoy]

It almost sounds like CRAF is being activated - or at least something similiar....

First, this article:

"Northwest Airlines Corp. will reportedly join 14 other carriers in airlifting as many as 25,000 refugees out of the stricken city of New Orleans, under an emergency federal disaster-relief plan."

"The plan, developed by the Department of Homeland Security, is so new that some of the airlines involved weren't even aware of its existence, the Times reported."

"Other airlines participating in the New Orleans airlift include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, ATA, AmericaWest, JetBlue, US Airways, Southwest Airlines, Continental, Delta Air Lines and some charter carriers."

Article

Then came this press release:

"US Airways will participate in the airline industry's effort to help in evacuation efforts for New Orleans. Flights will begin later this afternoon and continue at least through the weekend. US Airways will provide a 126-seat Boeing 737-300 aircraft, as well as other aircraft as needed."

Press Release

Jim

 

[etops1]

i just sighned up . would be glad to work one.

 

[etops1]

usairways is sending airplanes over. i just called system bid charter to volunteer. they are taking names and employee numbers of f/a's . then they will call you to let you know if they need you or not. surprisingly, there hasen't been a huge response.

 

[BoeingBoy]

This is on the ALPA Code-a-phone:

"In an effort to assist in the hurricane Katrina relief effort, US Airways will begin flights later today between MSY and either IAH, HOU (Hobby), or Lackland AFB, near San Antonio. This flying will be conducted on spare B-737 aircraft and will initially be crewed out of the CLT domicile. If you are interested in this flying, please contact your Daily crew scheduler to be placed on the AIL list for this flying. The Flight Operations Department will be sending out more details to pilots using the CBS message system and ALPA will continue to send out updates using the code-a-phone and pilots only website. US Airways and ALPA appreciate your support in this important effort."

Jim