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7 Pa Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation 3qu \ 

a w3g 1200 K Street. N.W.. Washington. D.C. 20005-4026 

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w JUN 3 0 2003 

Re: Appeal = Trans World Airlines, Inc. ("TWA") 

Retirement Plan for Employees - Mechanics and Related 

Employees, Dining Service Employees and Passenger 

Service Employees (the "IAM Plann) 

The Appeals Board reviewed' your appeal of PBGC's 

January 18, 2002 letter denying your eligibility for a 

disability retirement benefit under the IAM Plan. For the 

reasons stated below, the Appeals Board decided to grant your 

appeal by finding that you were unable to perform the duties of 

your job p classification and any other classification under the 

TWA/IAM agreement in which you held seniority, that you suffered 

from this disability before the IAM Plan terminated on January 

1, 2001, and that your condition was likely to be permanent as 

of that date. 

As a result of our finding, PBGC will determine your 

estimated benefit commencement date and your estimated monthly 

disability benefit. PBGC will begin paying you the estimated 

disability benefit amount in the near future. Once PBGC 

finishes process'ing the Plan, it will send you a new 

determination of your final PBGC monthly benefit amount and your 

final benefit commencement date. You will have 45 days to 

appeal that determination. 

Determination and Appeal 

You received a copy of an October 25, 2001 TWA memorandum 

which stated that you were not eligible for disability 

retirement because your physician said your condition was not 

permanent. The text of the memorandum gave a PBGC address to 

appeal "this Disability Retirement request." 

On November 1, 2001, attorneyJyl on your behalf, 

sent PBGC an "appeal of that eterminatlon," promising to 

supplement the appeal with medical evidence. 
PBGC sent you a letter on January 18, 2002, which denied 

your request for disability benefits and stated that: 

"(you) do not qualify because the medical information available 

does not substantiate a permanent physical or mental impairment 

which is so severe that it prevents you from performing the 

duites of your classification or any other claseification under 

the qA/IAM agreement in which you hold seniority. Also, you 

must have met these qualifications on or before January 1, 2001." 

The Appeals Board decided to accept 

November 1, 2001 letter, together with the 

denial of disability benefits under the IAM Plan. 

was later provided, as an appeal of PBGC's January 18, 2002 

Discussion 

The Appeals Board reviewed the IAM Plan's provisions 

regarding disability retirements (Enclosure 1) and reviewed 

documents that you provided and other documents available to the 

Board. The Board concluded that your TWA service record and the 

documents that describe your past and present abilities show 

that you met the IAM Plan's definition of disability before the 

IAM Plan's termination date and that your disability was "likely 

to be permanent" as of that date. 

Please see Enclosure 2 for the Board's analysis of the IAM 

Plan's requirements and your personal record. 

Decision 

Having applied the Plan's provisions to the facts in this 

case, the Appeals Board granted your appeal by finding that your 

disabling condition falls within the IAM Plan's definition of a 

disability, that you suffered from this condition before the IAM 

Plan's termination date, and that your disability was "likely to 

be permanent" as of the IAM Plan's termination date. 

We will send a copy of this decision to PBGC's Insurance 

Operations Department, the group responsible for determining 

benefits. They will contact you directly about the amount of 

your estimated disability retirement benefit and when payment 

will begin. 

In the meantime, if you need more information about your 

pension, you may call PBGC's Customer Service Center at 1-800- 

400-7242. 
Sincerely, 

Michel Louis 

Appeals Board Member 

Enclosures (2 ) 

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