American to cut 921 flight attendants' jobs

[n2doc]

DAVID KOENIG
AP Airlines Writer
5:14 p.m. CDT, September 1, 2009

DALLAS (AP) — American Airlines is cutting 921 flight attendant jobs as it deals with an ongoing downturn in traffic and lower revenue.

The airline said Tuesday that the cuts will take effect Oct. 1 and reduce its flight-attendant ranks by about 6 percent.

American, the nation's second-largest airline, said 228 employees will be furloughed — laid off but with rehiring rights — and the company will put 244 more on leave for two months. Another 449 will take voluntary options such as leave.

Nearly half of the flight attendants to be furloughed are based at New York's LaGuardia Airport.

more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-us-american-airlines-layoffs,0,1043313.story

[medeak]

1. wasn't American rated worst airline? n/t

[spartan61]

2. Actually AA is laying off 1200 FAs.

The APFA contract states that before laying off any FA, they must open up Voluntary leaves and partnership flying to the FAs with seniority who did not receive a warn letter. Today is the day the announcement will be made as to how many volunatary leaves and partnership flying pairs will be awarded, thus saving the jobs of many on the lower end of the seniority ladder. This has been a nervous time for all FAs. All furloughed FAs will have recall rights for 5 years. My heart is breaking for all those FAs who will be furloughed. BTW, AA FAs made massive concessions in 2003 with pay, work rules, and vacation and are still working under that contract. Unfortunately, upper and middle management have made sure to award themselves millions in bonuses each April. And, NO, AA is NOT rated the worst airline.

[FarCenter]

3. The business travelers won't be coming back; they have found other ways to do business via telecom

American's traffic plunged 10 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same period of 2008, as the recession grounded many travelers.

The airline's woes were compounded by a steep drop in high-paying business travelers. Second-quarter revenue at parent AMR Corp. tumbled 21 percent from a year ago.

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The days of 40% of the load being business travelers paying 2 to 4 times what the tourists were paying are over.