American Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of AMR Corporation, saw their flight attendants picket at airports on Friday, to protest working conditions. Leaders of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the union of American Airlines flight attendants, said that they too felt the pain of new fees and stuffed flights. When asked to comment, a spokesperson for American Airlines said the airline “respects the rights of employees to express their opinion.” The spokesperson also states that the airline is currently in talks with the union to draft a new contract that benefits both flight attendants, in an attempt to keep their airline competitive with other airlines. ”Our goal is simple. We want to strengthen our airline so we can provide security and opportunities to the thousands of men and women who work for us,” said the American Airlines spokeswoman.
It’s no surprise that this happened. Eventually something about the financial crisis within airlines was bound to hit flight attendants. The overbooked flights and in-flight fees cause hassle for flight attendants. My most recent trip on American Airlines, from Philadelphia to Tucson (connecting in Dallas / Fort Worth), gave me a glimpse. Fortunately, drinks are free (except alcoholic beverages) on American. At least US Airways went to Cashless Cabin for their drink fees. Nonetheless, baggage fees are forcing passengers to carry-on their luggage. Sometimes, and it usually happens to at least one passenger on a flight, the passenger’s luggage will not fit in the overhead bin. They are then forced to check the bag for the fee, thus creating more hassle for the flight attendant.
From what the spokeswoman said, it appears as though American Airlines agrees with the flight attendants. In the upcoming contract renewal, I’d hope to see that their flight attendants get fairly compensated for the extra labor.
Now onto Gate Agents and all the overbooked flights…
Image: flickr.com
