American Airlines announces it will hire 1,500 new flight attendants
Posted on October 19th, 2012 Read time: 1 minutes
While American Airlines has faced some internal turbulence since filing for bankruptcy last November, the airline took many by surprise when it announced it will hire approximately 1,500 new flight attendants.
This move comes as a result of more than 2,200 current American Airlines flight attendants accepting buyouts to reduce payroll costs. These attendants are expected to begin leaving in December, according to USA Today.
Leslie Mayo, spokeswoman for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, told the newspaper that American Airlines should have hired new attendants long ago.
"It's been 11 years since we've seen a new flight attendant,'' Mayo said. The buyouts, she explained are a way for senior flight attendant to leave "with some dignity and $40,000." Mayo also pointed out that junior attendants will be granted upward mobility in a system that hasn't seen movement in over a decade.
According to Reuters, American Airlines' parent company AMR Corp reported $238 million in losses for the quarter, but has been performing better than expected, with revenue rising 1 percent. In addition to hiring newer and fewer attendants, the airline is developing other cost-saving and revenue generating strategies. Reuters provides the example of the airline's recent focus on demand for business-class and first-class tickets, especially on international flights.
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Posted on October 19th, 2012 Read time: 1 minutes
While American Airlines has faced some internal turbulence since filing for bankruptcy last November, the airline took many by surprise when it announced it will hire approximately 1,500 new flight attendants.
This move comes as a result of more than 2,200 current American Airlines flight attendants accepting buyouts to reduce payroll costs. These attendants are expected to begin leaving in December, according to USA Today.
Leslie Mayo, spokeswoman for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, told the newspaper that American Airlines should have hired new attendants long ago.
"It's been 11 years since we've seen a new flight attendant,'' Mayo said. The buyouts, she explained are a way for senior flight attendant to leave "with some dignity and $40,000." Mayo also pointed out that junior attendants will be granted upward mobility in a system that hasn't seen movement in over a decade.
According to Reuters, American Airlines' parent company AMR Corp reported $238 million in losses for the quarter, but has been performing better than expected, with revenue rising 1 percent. In addition to hiring newer and fewer attendants, the airline is developing other cost-saving and revenue generating strategies. Reuters provides the example of the airline's recent focus on demand for business-class and first-class tickets, especially on international flights.
