During our last CWA negotiations, our hotel standards were questioned, and suggestions of airport hotels and lower standards of hotels were on the very real agenda. The ALPL Board and members of the Hotel Committee (HC) fought very hard to ensure that we keep the standards and as a result a “Hotel Policy” was drawn up. This fulfills the basic requirements for crew accommodation. Our crew accommodation over the years has remained stable, changes have been rare, and the standard in most cities is good.
However, while we see business improving, management are making what we still see as a constant threat to our accommodation standards and inevitably degraded conditions as they try to save costs! The fact is that management have received almost NO flight delays, and very few Voyage Reports (VR) or Air Safety Reports (ASR) with regards to hotel standards and crews not being able to obtain undisturbed rest. We are monitoring carefully the next steps as management are using external consultants to suggest possible hotel changes. We have made it clear that the standards must not be challenged in order to save costs.
The HC members have put in alternative suggestions about our problem hotels, yet our inputs go ignored and in some stations, we are left with accommodation that is below the acceptable standard. Below we have also added additional information and ask you to adhere to the requirements.
JFK
There is still an ongoing problem whereby crew are over extending their breakfast allowance, and not paying for it! You are allowed 1 main, 1 side dish, coffee and juice. Anything else you must pay for, and insist on a bill for it from the server. This bill must be settled by you. Even if the server says, “don’t worry about it”, Cargolux is billed for all the extras and we are in very real danger of losing this hotel. Hopefully in the new contract, if we can stay there, this will be resolved, but until then, please make sure that your bill is settled.
DXB
With the move to the DWC airport, we have seen an increase in travel times from our current hotel, this and the general decline in standards of the crew hotel in Dubai has meant that we need feedback should you encounter issues with rest, condition of rooms or travel times. Be aware that the partnership with Emirates will most likely be strengthened and we will see more layovers in DXB. Please send all feedback via a VR or FR in the iQSMS application.
KRW
Please send a VR via the iQSMS if you are put in a room with no black out curtains, this is the only way we can address this issue with hotel management. We have also asked that crews are not put into rooms on the ground floor.
LUX
With the back to back operations, crews are accommodated at a variety of hotels. The HC believes and has addressed the issue that none of these hotels in Luxembourg conform to the EASA requirement as the a/c or heating is regulated by the hotels central system. Hotels must have an independent temperature control for the rooms. If you find that the temperature requirements are not satisfactory please fill out a VR or FR if your rest was impaired.
BQN
Very little choice on the island, but we are aware of some disturbances that have occurred at the hotel and are trying to address this with their management.
Airport hotels
The hotel policy says quite clearly that airport hotels are not to be used. We have seen this creep in whereby crews are put up at airport hotels in Europe for ACMI operations. We have alerted the company to this fact and are working on a solution.
Disruptions by acts of nature
Many of you might have been affected by recent acts of nature and ended in not our normal accommodation. At times like this we must be sensible about the reality of what is going on and work together with the company and the ground stations who will be trying very hard to ensure a suitable outcome for all.
In general, should you find yourselves at a hotel whereby your rest is disrupted, we ask you to fill out a FR and if necessary delay the next flight should you require additional rest. If you have completed a report, please forward this to the HC at cvhotels@alpl.lu so that we may keep a track of where the problem areas are.
To address issues with management we need a paper trail from either VR or FR. It is up to you to help us and yourselves in this matter! Without the input from you, we cannot guarantee that the standards we have can be maintained as we could well see a steady erosion of standards.
Additionally, if you have read this, please speak with your less well informed colleagues and encourage them to help themselves by reporting via the appropriate channels!
