The minimum number of flight attendants on an aircraft is set by the U.S. federal government. While flight attendants claim to be there for your safety, they are also the people in most direct contact with customers delivering an airline's service.
Full service airlines have historically staffed flights with more than the legal minimum. Even before the swine flu, that was changing, but it was getting worse when they weren't giving much service.
Three years ago, American Airlines reduced flight attendant staffing. The same flight attendants should be spread out to cover everything, even though the premium economy cabin has higher standards. United Airlines reduced flight attendant staffing in business class as well.
American Airlines reduced flight attendant staffing.
International widebody and transcon flights are regulated by the FAA.
To the legal minimum for the Boeing plane.
Here is the current staffing levels.
That may have made sense during the time of the Pandemic.
There were very few people.
There was very little service to offer.
Next to zero premium demand from business travel.
Service elements are returning to American cabins.
The union for American Airlines flight attendants shared that this is a problem in a note last month. How are they supposed to deliver service with staffing levels designed to meet legal minimum safety standards?
The Purser now leaves First Class passengers to work in a different cabin on the aircraft. First class passengers on the premium A321T transcontinental aircraft are served by the galley Flight Attendant, diminishing the service they have come to expect. Premium customers deserve better.
In a new note, the union said they were frustrated and suggested they use their influence to get the airline to increase staffing.
Management refuses to restore staffing levels to pre-pandemic levels. APFA is demanding that staffing levels be restored after full services are returned and additional levels are added. The Flight Attendants are proud of delivering a premium product. The management seems to be only interested in lowering labor costs and not the impact of staffing reductions on our Flight Attendants and their ability to provide a high level of service, especially in our premium cabins on the A321T.
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Management never thoroughly evaluated the impact of one person performing a premium service that includes a lot of preparation, multiple meal courses, and a premium service in our highest premium cabins. The workload has become too much for one person to effectively complete service to the level that our customers expect, based on the reports we have already received.
The union wants more work for its members and ultimately more members. Flight attendants are needed to deliver service. This is a challenge even on a reconfiguration of the A321 aircraft with 20 first class seats.
American Airlines should make a deal that involves more flight attendants in premium cabins and accountability for cabin crew to provide the service levels required. That the union won't agree to it.
American Airlines is dropping a flight attendant from their Boeing 757s in March because they think the ratio of flight attendants to economy passengers will be the same as before the retrofit product. American has more widebody aircraft than any other.
February 27,
"Airlines"
Adding flight attendants to planes to make them happy temporarily so they can fly cool places is the definition of crazy. Reductions in cost are promised when mergers are done. Adding a flight attendant to the plane.
November 24,
"General"
Flight attendants respond to emergencies, bear the brunt of passenger frustration and poor behavior, and staffing levels on some flights have been cut leading to more work. Maybe they're not paid enough. I want to argue that airlines pay too much for flight attendants.
August 19, 2019.
"Airlines"
