Good topic, Mikey...
US Airways announced the furlough of 2800 flight attendant positions following September 11th. With the excellent voluntary furlough program that was offered, it only resulted in the involuntary furlough of 900 plus. The flight attendant population at the time was 11,000 plus. The Voluntary Program offered unlimited passes, accrual for pay purposes, and health care provided by the company for 24 months. A lot of jobs were temporarily saved.
As for the upcoming furloughs, no one can say exactly how many as it depends on the types of aircraft to be grounded. U has announced the grounding of 3 B757 and some 30 B737s, and announced the furlough of 250 pilots for November and another 250 pilots sometime in Q1 of 2003. The flight attendant numbers are due out soon.
The new furlough protections granted in the recently ratified concession contract states the company must offer an Voluntary Seperation incentive package (fixed number of passes based on years flown), and another voluntary furlough with passes for 24 months. Doubt they will offer the health care package, but U will not contest unemployment claims by voluntary furloughees.
I do wish, however, that they would offer a job share program like that proposed at American.