American plans hourly flights on New York-LA route

[737823]

Correct that's what my IMA friend said, but I didn't realize it was only IMA/MIA that new hires are working purser. As for people refusing additional pay for additional responsibilities that's hardly unique to AA. Plenty of other industries and companies have the same problem filling certain roles for the same reason.

Josh

 

[jimntx]

Thanks IOR. Many of the MIA F/As wear the pursuer name tag on those flights but that makes sense.

Josh

Josh, you cannot take MIA f/as as the standard for what is correct at AA. Remember you are talking about a group of f/as who caused ALL AA female f/as to have to wear the scarf on duty because some of them were reputed to be wearing the vest with no blouse underneath.

They also almost caused us to lose the KnownCrewmember service at MIA because if they were randomly selected to go through regular security (which happens from time to time), they would go to another Knowncrewmember portal and try to get through there. TSA informed AA that if they had one more incident like that the service would be terminated at MIA.

 

[737823]

Dunno about any of that, but my understanding is the new hires that are in MIA (or will be transferring from DFW) are pursuer qualified. Seems like other bases throughout the system have a bone to pick with MIA?

Josh

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

You used to have to have a year seniority at least. If I recall correctly. Which they should. There is no way a new hire is going to come in and be able to succeed in the position without understanding the job and position first.

I was told that IMA needs pursers so they are waiving the seniority reqs.

Whether they do the same in New York because they need Airbus pursers is a question I can't answer. I'd like to do it, but I am a new hire, although I do have flight attendant experience at a previous carrier (and all of it on Airbus).

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

Dunno about any of that, but my understanding is the new hires that are in MIA (or will be transferring from DFW) are pursuer qualified. Seems like other bases throughout the system have a bone to pick with MIA?

Josh

Just FYI, none of the newhires from my class that got IMA (which is almost all of them! oy) are purser qualified, you can check the transfer list on the Flight Service website, none of them have FFP next to their names

 

[boston]

Josh, you cannot take MIA f/as as the standard for what is correct at AA. Remember you are talking about a group of f/as who caused ALL AA female f/as to have to wear the scarf on duty because some of them were reputed to be wearing the vest with no blouse underneath.

They also almost caused us to lose the KnownCrewmember service at MIA because if they were randomly selected to go through regular security (which happens from time to time), they would go to another Knowncrewmember portal and try to get through there. TSA informed AA that if they had one more incident like that the service would be terminated at MIA.

 

[boston]

Oh now, Jim where did you hear about the Known Crew Member on this ice in Miami? I did talk with TSA last week and said that if out of base Int crews keep insisting to pass thru the TSA adjacent to customs, and there was a retired pilot with an old ID that gave it a try, it will go away. In Miami there are 3 KCM Check point 1,2 &4 are for us. Check point 3 is no way Jose, you need to proceed to the back of the line. I sure hope we don't lose it, for it really has taken a bit of the edge off. I know JFK, from my friend based there, thinks they can traps on in, then get mad because they sent to the back or to another check point, so everyone gets an attitude.

 

[kirkpatrick]

AA has pursers on the 757 everyday. It's called the 757 from LAX to Hawaii!

Yes, but those are "international" flights in that they require overwater certification.

MK

 

[kirkpatrick]

I was told that IMA needs pursers so they are waiving the seniority reqs.

Whether they do the same in New York because they need Airbus pursers is a question I can't answer.

I can't see them needing huge numbers of pursers in NY. After all, the current 767 transcons have pursers and they can simply switch to the Airbus. There may be more flights with the Airbus but that shouldn't require large numbers.

Not to mention that the cancellation of a LHR departure and HND will leave JFK with an excess. Watching open time at LGA I've seen quite a few "AR" addition codes, the code for cross utilization. They've been pulling quite a few pursers to do domestic widebodies.

MK

 

[IORFA]

No, newhires are not qualified and have no such option. As stated in a later post, you need a year, but the company can draft if they don't get enough proffers. I understand newhires are doing this in IMA since they have such a shortage, but I'll have to look into it.

It says something when the company cannot find people to do the purser job. Perhaps cutting the pay as they've done makes the added responsibility not worth it? If they want qualified people to run the show they'll have to be willing to pay a bit more.

MK

....and loosen the trip trading/dropping/picking up rules for purser. It is wAAy too restrictive. That is also a major problem.

 

[jimntx]

Oh now, Jim where did you hear about the Known Crew Member on this ice in Miami? I did talk with TSA last week and said that if out of base Int crews keep insisting to pass thru the TSA adjacent to customs, and there was a retired pilot with an old ID that gave it a try, it will go away. In Miami there are 3 KCM Check point 1,2 &4 are for us. Check point 3 is no way Jose, you need to proceed to the back of the line. I sure hope we don't lose it, for it really has taken a bit of the edge off. I know JFK, from my friend based there, thinks they can traps on in, then get mad because they sent to the back or to another check point, so everyone gets an attitude.

What do you mean, where did I hear it? An HI6 or company email (I don't remember which) was sent out warning all f/as that attempting to bypass regular security when randomly selected at KCM portal was going to cause AA to lose KCM privileges. I learned from someone in Flight Service mgt that it was MIA or IMA f/as attempting to circumvent random security check, and that it had occurred more than once. Because it did not appear to be happening at any other location than MIA, AA was put on warning by the TSA that another such occurrence would mean that AA employees would lose KCM privileges at MIA. Believe it or not, I don't really care.

 

[700UW]

http://airchive.com/blog/2014/01/07/flight-review-american-airlines-inaugural-airbus-a321t-lax-jfk/

 

[Rogallo]

At one time, big jets such as Boeing 747's and Douglas DC10's were mainstays on AA’s JFK-LAX/SFO transcon flights,
 
Someone refresh my memory please. How many 747's did AA have? SP model? And where did they fly?

 

[FWAAA]

The guy knows of what he speaks - Airways magazine is generally pretty factual.
 
AA flew several 747-100s on transcons throughout the '70s and DC-10s flew transcons for about 30 years until they were retired in about 2000.    
Here's the 747 seating chart from 1977:    http://boardingarea.com/frequentlyflying/2011/07/28/vintage-airline-seat-map-american-airlines-boeing-747-100/
 
The 747SPs were short-timers,  flown to NRT in the late 1980s until the MD-11s arrived and later, LHR until they were returned. 

 

[Rogallo]

Thanks.
I ain't been with AA long enough to remember the 747-100's, but I do remember seeing the SP model.