Regional carrier ASA recruiting flight attendants

by B .N. Sullivan

Looks like ASA (Atlantic Southeast Airlines) is hiring flight attendants. ASA is a regional airline in the United States that provides service under contract to Delta Air Lines (as Delta Connection) and United Airlines (as United Express).

According to the job vacancy page on ASA's Web site, the airline is accepting applications for flight attendant positions at their Atlanta base from today, Jan. 28, 2010, through February 4, 2010 (so if you're interested, better hurry!).

Here's the link to information about Flight Attendant Careers at ASA. There you will find a list of the requirements, and instructions for how to apply online.

Good luck to those who apply!

United Airlines flight attendants work without pay on Haiti relief flight

by B .N. Sullivan

Five United Airlines flight attendants have volunteered their time and services, working without pay on earthquake relief flights between Chicago and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The flight attendants are representatives their union, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA). The outbound flight took aid workers and supplies to Haiti. The return flight brought earthquake survivors to the United States.

"We donated our work as flight attendants on the relief flight flown by United Airlines to help call attention to the importance of supporting the relief efforts organized by the American Red Cross," said Greg Davidowitch, president of AFA-CWA at United Airlines. "We encourage United Airlines passengers to join us in supporting the American Red Cross.”

Chicago based Flight Attendants Meg Mikesell, Paul Antuna, Kathy Browne, Tony Retkowski and Gerald Sermana recounted their experience when they returned to O’Hare International Airport:

“We were able to take part in the evacuation of orphans, families and elderly Haitians, all of whom were weary from their very horrendous experience. From darling little children to the kind woman you could imagine as your grandmother, all of these people were amazingly grateful,” Retkowski said. “I am unable to contribute a lot of money, but I was able to give my time. I hope my contributions inspire United’s passengers and others around the world to give all they can for these beautiful people. The experience of letting someone know they are cared for is an incredible reward.”

The flight attendants' union is supporting the American Red Cross with direct donations. The United Airlines Foundation has promised to match up to a total of $50,000 in donations to the American Red Cross.

Flight attendants: Please participate in this worthwhile research project

by B .N. Sullivan


Help Wanted: A graduate student at Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia needs currently employed flight attendants to fill in an online survey. For his thesis in Psychology, Jason Campbell, a former flight attendant himself, is researching the emotional demands of cabin crew work, and the ways flight attendants cope. This survey is a part of Jason's thesis research.

Here is the link to the survey, which takes less than 15 min. to do: http://opinio.online.swin.edu.au/s?s=7243

Just so you know, this is strictly an academic study -- nothing commercial about it. Your answers to this questionnaire are anonymous and completely confidential. It doesn't matter where you live, or which airline you work for. Flight attendants everywhere are needed as participants.

I have traded several emails with Jason about his research. He is studying to be a counselor, and he is very interested in how crew members cope and take care of themselves and their colleagues. Before returning to school, he worked as an airline flight attendant for 16 years, so he really understands what the job is all about. With this research he hopes to shed more light on 'emotion regulation' on the job, the association between emotion work and burnout, and the impact of humor on this relationship.

As with all scientific research, the larger the amount of data collected, the more reliable the results will be. Please help Jason by filling in his survey, and please pass along this article (or the link to the survey) to as many of your flying partners as possible.

United Airlines flight attendants demonstrate at 17 airports

by B .N. Sullivan

Yesterday, United Airlines flight attendants braved the winter cold to demonstrate at 17 airports across the United States, Europe and Asia to protest their employer's "failure to negotiate a new contract on time." In accordance with the existing contract between United and the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), negotiations began on April 6, 2009, with the intention of getting a new collective bargaining agreement in place as soon as possible. According to the AFA leadership, "United has shown no interest in discussing improvements or reaching a new contract unless we agree to concessionary demands."

Greg Davidowitch, president of the AFA Master Executive Council at United Airlines said, "Flight attendants are angry because management seems only interested in delaying a new contract, refusing to discuss any improvements."

The existing labor contract, which became amendable on January 7, 2010, was negotiated while the airline was in bankruptcy. The flight attendants took cuts in pay and health care benefits; their work rules were revised; and their pensions were terminated.

"For too long this management has expected flight attendants to work harder for less. No more!" stated Davidowitch. "This is just the first of our public protests. Flight attendants vow to do 'Whatever It Takes' to get the contract we have earned."

United Airlines flight attendants picketed at airports in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Tokyo-Narita and Washington, DC. They were joined by flight attendants from other airlines in a show of solidarity.

Click here to view a copy of the leaflet handed out to passengers during the demonstration: United's Running Late... With My Pay!

[Photo Source]

Video: Southwest Airlines response to Air New Zealand's challenge

by B .N. Sullivan

Back in June of this year, Air New Zealand (ANZ) came up with a unique way to get passengers to pay attention to their safety briefings with their Bare Essentials of Safety video, in which ANZ staff appeared in body paint. Awhile later, Air New Zealand invited Southwest Airlines -- known for flight attendants with musical talent -- to collaborate with them on producing a new musical safety briefing.

Now Southwest Airlines has responded to ANZ's good-natured challenge. Here is Southwest's entertaining video reply, featuring David Holmes ( a.k.a. the rapping flight attendant), Maximilian, and friends -- plus a very special guest appearance at the end!

If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.

British Airways cabin crew union votes to strike over the holidays

by B .N. Sullivan

Yesterday Unite, the union that represents British Airways cabin crew, announced the results of a strike vote. According to the union, 80% of those eligible voted; of those 92.5% cast votes in favor of striking. The strike, which will last for 12 days, is set to begin on December 22, 2009.

In other words, British Airways flights will be greatly disrupted over the Christmas and New Year holidays if the strike goes forward. But will it?

Today British Airways announced its intention to mount a legal challenge to the strike vote -- a move that was not unexpected. Earlier today, the airline said in a news release:

We have today written to Unite, highlighting irregularities in the union’s strike ballot, which we believe renders the ballot invalid.

The airline called on Unite to call off the industrial action by 2pm today, 15 December 2009. The union has not done so and British Airways is now seeking an injunction to prevent the strike going ahead.

Today’s letter was the third sent to Unite, pointing out the balloting flaws, since last Friday. The union did not reply to the first two letters.

As a back-up to the legal action, British Airways managers have been establishing which cabin crew might wish to work normally during the strike period.

We are absolutely determined to do whatever we can to protect our customers from this appalling, unjustified decision from Unite.

I spent a good bit of time yesterday and today reading what people have to say about the proposed strike. Media reports focus largely on the negative effects on passengers' holiday plans and on British Airways' bottom line. Likewise, there seems to be little support for a strike at this time on message boards and forums frequented by airline employees, including those who work for BA. The prevailing view seems to cast Unite as a collective Grinch.

I think that British Airways cabin crew have some very legitimate beefs with their airline's management, and I have written in support of their cause in the past. I fully understand their wish to maintain reasonable working conditions, and to keep their standard of living intact. I do wonder, though, if the timing of the proposed '12 Days of Christmas' strike is unduly risky for the union.

Updates to follow as this story unfolds...

UPDATE Dec. 18, 2009: The British High Court has issued an emergency injunction to stop the strike planned by the British Airways cabin crew. According to the Financial Times, "Judge Laura Cox ruled that the vote in favour of a strike was invalid because it had included people who had already agreed to take voluntary redundancy."

The Unite union issued a statement that said:

Unite, while not ruling out a future appeal, is expected to move swiftly towards a fresh ballot, believing it to be the surest way to ensure members' voices are heard, so we will be concentrating on this and not a protracted legal process.

The union said it would re-ballot its members on the possibility of a future strike.

Video: SkyTeam flight attendants and new aircraft livery

by B .N. Sullivan

This video presents a nice collection of still photos representing the airlines of the SkyTeam alliance. Included are images of flight attendants from Aeroflot, Aeroméxic, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern, Delta Air Lines, KLM, and Korean Air, in their uniforms. Also displayed are images of aircraft from those same carriers, some painted in their company livery and some in the new SkyTeam livery.

If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.

Massachusetts patrol boat named for 9/11 flight attendant Amy Sweeney

by B .N. Sullivan

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has announced that an Environmental Police patrol boat recently was renamed in honor of Madeline Amy Sweeney, an American Airlines flight attendant who was killed in the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. At the time of her death, Ms. Sweeney was a Massachusetts resident, and her husband, Michael Sweeney, was an Environmental Police officer.

Ms. Sweeney -- known as "Amy" -- was working on American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on 9/11. She is credited with contacting airline officials as the hijacking was underway, and relaying crucial information about what was happening, and about the hijackers. Amy Sweeney had worked for American Airlines for 14 years.

Present at the ceremony to rename the patrol boat in Amy Sweeney's honor were Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray, state Environmental Police Director Col. Aaron Gross, American Airlines representatives and Environmental Police officers. The ceremony took place at the Massport commuter pier.

Earlier, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts created the Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery, which is awarded to Massachusetts citizens who demonstrate exceptional bravery, without regard for personal safety, in an effort to save the life or lives of another or others in actual imminent danger.

[Photo Source]

Compass Airlines flight attendants choose AFA to represent them

by B .N. Sullivan

The flight attendants at Compass Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, recently held a union election vote in which they chose the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) to represent them. AFA had filed a petition for election in September of this year after a strong majority of the over 300 Compass flight attendants signed cards authorizing an election. The union election vote was conducted by the National Mediation Board (NMB).

Catriona Bagley, the transitional AFA Compass President, said of the election, "Compass flight attendants look forward to negotiating a contract that will provide security, as well as advance our careers. As AFA-CWA members, we will have a voice at the bargaining table and work alongside management in creating a leading regional airline contract that recognizes our role as safety professionals.”

“Compass flight attendants recognize the benefits of a legally binding contract and the opportunity to advance their career through AFA-CWA representation,” said AFA-CWA International President Patricia Friend. “Compass flight attendants joined together to achieve their goal. They spoke in favor of having a voice in their workplace and today management heard their message loud and clear.”

This is the fourth flight attendant group to elect AFA-CWA as their bargaining representative this year.

[Photo Source]

Video: US Airways Flight 1549 flight attendants recall Hudson River ditching

by B .N. Sullivan

Donna Dent and Sheila Dail -- two of the three flight attendants who evacuated US Airways Flight 1549 after it was ditched in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009 -- were interviewed recently by David Learmount, operations and safety editor of Flight International. The occasion was the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators annual awards banquet on October 29, 2009, which took place in England at the Guildhall in the City of London. (The third flight attendant from Flight 1549, Doreen Welsh, was unable to attend the banquet.)

In the interview, the flight attendants recount their impressions of the water landing and the subsequent evacuation of the aircraft. Here is a video clip of that interview, first posted on Mr. Learmount's blog, Operationally Speaking.