DECEMBER 1 2008
AMERICANWAY 95
Staying
inTouch
MakingaCall IsEasy
In-flight satellite phones are available on all 777
and 767 aircraft. To place a call, put the phone
toyourear. Recorded instructionswill tell you to
dial 1 toplace a call or 2 to select a language.
Slide your credit card through the side of the
phoneand thendial 00+countrycode+areaor
city code + number, followed by the # key. For
example, to reach New York City, dial 00 + 1 +
212+555+ 1234+#. To reachLondon, dial 00
+44+20+7123+4567+#.
All calls
must be dialed as international calls.
Whencallingwithinor to theU.S. orCanada, dial
00 and 1 prior to the area code. Incoming calls,
faxes, anddata transmissions are not available.
A flashing yellow light indicates that you’re
waiting for a line. Aflashinggreen light anddou-
blebeepmeans thecall isbeingprocessed. Press
NEW toplace another call or END tohangup.
Rates are $5 to connect and $10 perminute.
Billing begins when a call is answered. Partial
minutes are billed as a full minute. The ser-
vice provider, Vizada, accepts Visa, MasterCard,
American Express, Diners Club, JCB Cards, and
Discover. No calling cards are accepted.
For dialingassistance, dial
toll-free
12#. This
will connect you to the Vizada Customer Care
RVA (recorded voice announcement). For as-
sistancewithanyother questions youmayhave,
contact Vizada Customer Care at (800) 685-
7898 (toll-free in the U.S.) or (301) 838-7700
(worldwide), by fax at (301) 838-7701, or by
e-mail at
.
Cell Phones
Personalelectronicdevices, includingcellphones,
may be used onboard during boarding until the
flight attendant’s announcement to turn them
off. Cell phonesmay be used on certain aircraft*
after landing, once authorized by a flight atten-
dant’s announcement.
Due to FAA regulations, passengers must
remain seated and all carry-on baggage must
remain stowed after landing until the aircraft is
safely stoppedat thegateand the seat belt sign
has been turned off.
Due toFAA regulations, unapprovedpersonal
electronic devicesmust remain off once the air-
craftdoor is shut atdepartureanduntil the seat
belt sign is turned off at the arrival gate.
*Does not apply toSAABandATRaircraftflights.
Our customers sometimes ask us about medical
conditions and air travel. American Airlines ap-
preciates its customers’ interest in health topics
and encourages passengers to consult with their
doctors before traveling.
What IsDVT?
Adeep vein thrombosis (DVT) is ablood clot that
develops in a deep vein, usually in a leg. This is
a serious condition. Sometimes these clots can
break away and travel through the bloodstream
to vital organs of the body and can cause severe
injury or death.
PossibleRiskFactors of DVT
Prolonged physical immobility, such as sitting for
an extended period, is considered in the medical
community to be a risk factor associated with
DVT. People with certain medical conditions or
who are taking somemedicationsmay also be at
higher risk of developing a DVT, including condi-
tions or medications that affect blood flow, al-
ter normal blood-clotting mechanisms, or cause
blood-vessel damage. Some of these are:
n
Blood-clottingdisorders
n
Cancer
n
Increasing age or smoking
n
Major illnesswith hospitalization
n
Obesity or heart disease
n
Oral contraceptive use or hormone therapy
n
Personal or family history of aDVT
n
Pregnancy
n
Recentmajor surgery or trauma
PossibleSymptoms of DVT
Many DVTs do not produce any symptoms. If
symptoms occur, theymay include pain, swelling,
or redness in the affectedarea. Severe chest pain
or problems breathing may indicate that a clot
has traveled to the lungs. Any concern should be
evaluatedby aphysician immediately.
YourPersonalHealth:
DeepVeinThrombosis (DVT)
PossibleWays toReduce the
Riskof DVT
American encourages all passengers to consult
with their doctors about DVT and other personal
health issuesbeforeflying. Because thecauseof a
DVT is oftennot known, thebestmethods of pre-
venting DVTs are still uncertain. To try to reduce
the risk of DVT, many passengersmay be advised
by their doctors to take the following measures
inflight:
n
Regularly change leg position, and periodically
moveand stretchyour legs and feetwhile seated.
Your doctormay suggest leg exercises— suchas
those described in the box below— at regular
intervals (at least every hour or so).
n
If conditions allow and the aisles are clear, you
maywant tooccasionallygetupandwalkaround.
But remember thatyoumust remain seatedwhen
the seat belt light is onand should remain in your
seat with your seat belt fastenedwhenever pos-
sible, becauseof thepossibilityof turbulence.And
all passengers are required to complywith crew-
member and/or FAA instructions — especially
those relating to remaining seated.
n
Avoid crossing the legs at the ankles
or knees.
n
Stayhydrated; drinkadequatenondiureticfluids
— such aswater, juice, andmilk— andminimize
alcohol and caffeine intake.
n
Wear loose-fitting clothing.
n
Wear graduated-compression stockings.
It is possible that no measure intended to
prevent DVT will be effective. It is also possible
that some of the measures listed above may not
be recommended for some passengers, depend-
ingon their health situations as assessedby their
doctors.
Therearemany sourcesof general information
about air travel andhealth. Formore information,
visit
and type “personal health” in
the searchbox.
Possible In-Flight Exercises
Ankle circles:
Lift your foot off
the floor and draw a circle in
the air with your toes pointed,
alternating direction. Continue
for 30 seconds. Repeat with
your other foot.
Foot pumps:
While keeping
your heels on the floor, point
your feet up as high as possible
towardyourhead. Putboth feet
back flat on the floor. While
keeping the balls of your feet
on thefloor, lift bothheels high.
Continue for 30 seconds.
Knee lifts:
Whileseated,march
slowly in place by contracting
each thighmuscle. Continue for
30 seconds.
Knee to chest:
Hold your left
knee and pull up toward your
chest.Hold for10 to15seconds.
Slowlyreturntofloor.Alternate
legs 10 times.
These exercises should not be
performed if they cause pain
or discomfort or if they are not
recommendedby your doctor.
In the event of any problemmaking a call, American Airlines’ and Vizada’s
liability is limited to the cost of the call.
