As if we didn''t have enough to deal with right now! This letter was written by an American Airlines captain.
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Posted on Fri, May. 02, 2003
Proved Point
Star-Telegram
American Airlines flight attendants finally showed a modicum of intelligence by ratifying the concessions. Of the three main work groups, they were asked for the smallest concession package, and yet they blindly almost drove our airline into bankruptcy. The flight attendants are among the highest-paid nonskilled labor groups in the country. Although some have college degrees, they''re not required. A training course of six weeks gets you into a job with some of the best
benefits around.
You''ve proved your point -- now let''s get back to work.
Capt. James Simmons, American Airlines, Fort Worth
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And some responses:
In defense of flight attendants
Star-Telegram
In his Friday letter, Proved point, American Airlines Capt. James Simmons wrote: American Airlines flight attendants finally showed a modicum of intelligence by ratifying the concessions.
Assuming from that statement that he voted for the concessions, it is he who showed much less than a modicum of intelligence.
The voting was in many cases coerced, bullied, tainted and reeked of foul play.
The document that Simmons signed up for was ever-changing and still not complete when the votes were counted. Even today, Simmons has no idea, in total, what he signed up for.
Simmons also wrote that the flight attendants were asked for the smallest concession package, and almost drove our airline into bankruptcy.
The only reason that we were, and still are, on the verge of bankruptcy can be laid squarely at the feet of the executives of American Airlines.
Simmons'' arrogance in blaming bankruptcy on a group of hard-working, underpaid employees, because they stood up for a fair and legal vote, showed that his intelligence, like so many of our employees, is on furlough.
American Airlines Capt. John Wrinkle, Southlake
Simmons has a short memory. Doesn''t he recall that many flight attendants supported the pilots when the pilots'' union last negotiated a contract?
I don''t agree that flight attendants are well-paid, but if Simmons believes that they are among the highest-paid nonskilled labor groups in the country, he had better do more research.
I personally know an American Airlines flight attendant who is a member of the Texas Bar Association and another who is a pediatrician and a member of the New England College of Surgeons.
Neither of them found the happiness they expected in their professions and are keeping busy as flight attendants. Both intend to return to their professions eventually.
I understand that at least 20 other attorneys, several dentists and two other medical doctors work as flight attendants. The next time Simmons looks into the eyes of a flight attendant, he had better do so with some humility.
The flight attendants had good reason to balk at accepting concessions. After concessions and lost benefits, the salary of a flight attendant may not be enough to live on. Of course pilots can feel differently about concessions because of their extremely high salaries.
Simmons'' letter was very condescending and an insult to his co-workers. A gentleman would offer an apology, and a great corporation would send such an employee to a six-week training course in human relations.
Paul L. Emond, Fort Worth
Simmons proved one thing in his letter, Proved point: He isn''t a team player. Indeed, I was surprised that this unwarranted criticism of flight attendants came from an American Airlines employee.
My only real interest in American Airlines is being a satisfied customer. Although you can''t fly without pilots, it takes a team to properly run an airliner.
From my experience, the backbone of the company has always been the flight attendants. I can''t remember ever having a problem with one of them, and several have really saved the day for my family and me over the years.
Describing flight attendants as nonskilled labor is like calling the pilots button pushers and lever pullers.
Given the job and responsibility involved, I highly doubt that flight attendants are overpaid.
One of the greatest advances in flying was about 15 years ago, when most flights became smoke-free. The person most responsible for that lifesaving measure was an American Airlines flight attendant, to whom we can all be grateful.
David Fusco, Arlington
I''ve been a flight attendant for 22 years (19 with American Airlines), and I have to respond to Simmons'' statement that we are nonskilled labor.
I''m trained on the Super 80, 757, 767, 777 and Airbus. I fly to D/FW once a year for two days of recurrent training.
As flight attendants, we''re trained in fighting fires in flight, decompression, evacuations, first aid, ditching, etc. We''re also trained in security matters that we can''t discuss with the public.
Just ask flight attendants on AA Flight 63, from Paris to Miami, on Dec. 22, 2001. By helping to stop the shoe bomber, they saved more than 200 lives.
On Sept. 11, 2001, flight attendants did the heroic. On AA Flights 11 and 77, they made phone calls that provided authorities with vital information about the hijackings and influenced American Airlines to ground its fleet before the Federal Aviation Administration made the same decision. Flight attendants on other flights that day held it together, not knowing if they might be next to be flown into buildings.
Simmons should try to explain to the families and friends of Rene May, Michele Heidenberger, Ken Lewis and Jennifer Lewis his comment about nonskilled labor. They were flight attendants aboard Flight 77, which was flown into the Pentagon.
By his disrespect for our profession, Simmons became a discredit to his.
Valerie Everett, Alexandria, Va.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on Fri, May. 02, 2003
Proved Point
Star-Telegram
American Airlines flight attendants finally showed a modicum of intelligence by ratifying the concessions. Of the three main work groups, they were asked for the smallest concession package, and yet they blindly almost drove our airline into bankruptcy. The flight attendants are among the highest-paid nonskilled labor groups in the country. Although some have college degrees, they''re not required. A training course of six weeks gets you into a job with some of the best
benefits around.
You''ve proved your point -- now let''s get back to work.
Capt. James Simmons, American Airlines, Fort Worth
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And some responses:
In defense of flight attendants
Star-Telegram
In his Friday letter, Proved point, American Airlines Capt. James Simmons wrote: American Airlines flight attendants finally showed a modicum of intelligence by ratifying the concessions.
Assuming from that statement that he voted for the concessions, it is he who showed much less than a modicum of intelligence.
The voting was in many cases coerced, bullied, tainted and reeked of foul play.
The document that Simmons signed up for was ever-changing and still not complete when the votes were counted. Even today, Simmons has no idea, in total, what he signed up for.
Simmons also wrote that the flight attendants were asked for the smallest concession package, and almost drove our airline into bankruptcy.
The only reason that we were, and still are, on the verge of bankruptcy can be laid squarely at the feet of the executives of American Airlines.
Simmons'' arrogance in blaming bankruptcy on a group of hard-working, underpaid employees, because they stood up for a fair and legal vote, showed that his intelligence, like so many of our employees, is on furlough.
American Airlines Capt. John Wrinkle, Southlake
Simmons has a short memory. Doesn''t he recall that many flight attendants supported the pilots when the pilots'' union last negotiated a contract?
I don''t agree that flight attendants are well-paid, but if Simmons believes that they are among the highest-paid nonskilled labor groups in the country, he had better do more research.
I personally know an American Airlines flight attendant who is a member of the Texas Bar Association and another who is a pediatrician and a member of the New England College of Surgeons.
Neither of them found the happiness they expected in their professions and are keeping busy as flight attendants. Both intend to return to their professions eventually.
I understand that at least 20 other attorneys, several dentists and two other medical doctors work as flight attendants. The next time Simmons looks into the eyes of a flight attendant, he had better do so with some humility.
The flight attendants had good reason to balk at accepting concessions. After concessions and lost benefits, the salary of a flight attendant may not be enough to live on. Of course pilots can feel differently about concessions because of their extremely high salaries.
Simmons'' letter was very condescending and an insult to his co-workers. A gentleman would offer an apology, and a great corporation would send such an employee to a six-week training course in human relations.
Paul L. Emond, Fort Worth
Simmons proved one thing in his letter, Proved point: He isn''t a team player. Indeed, I was surprised that this unwarranted criticism of flight attendants came from an American Airlines employee.
My only real interest in American Airlines is being a satisfied customer. Although you can''t fly without pilots, it takes a team to properly run an airliner.
From my experience, the backbone of the company has always been the flight attendants. I can''t remember ever having a problem with one of them, and several have really saved the day for my family and me over the years.
Describing flight attendants as nonskilled labor is like calling the pilots button pushers and lever pullers.
Given the job and responsibility involved, I highly doubt that flight attendants are overpaid.
One of the greatest advances in flying was about 15 years ago, when most flights became smoke-free. The person most responsible for that lifesaving measure was an American Airlines flight attendant, to whom we can all be grateful.
David Fusco, Arlington
I''ve been a flight attendant for 22 years (19 with American Airlines), and I have to respond to Simmons'' statement that we are nonskilled labor.
I''m trained on the Super 80, 757, 767, 777 and Airbus. I fly to D/FW once a year for two days of recurrent training.
As flight attendants, we''re trained in fighting fires in flight, decompression, evacuations, first aid, ditching, etc. We''re also trained in security matters that we can''t discuss with the public.
Just ask flight attendants on AA Flight 63, from Paris to Miami, on Dec. 22, 2001. By helping to stop the shoe bomber, they saved more than 200 lives.
On Sept. 11, 2001, flight attendants did the heroic. On AA Flights 11 and 77, they made phone calls that provided authorities with vital information about the hijackings and influenced American Airlines to ground its fleet before the Federal Aviation Administration made the same decision. Flight attendants on other flights that day held it together, not knowing if they might be next to be flown into buildings.
Simmons should try to explain to the families and friends of Rene May, Michele Heidenberger, Ken Lewis and Jennifer Lewis his comment about nonskilled labor. They were flight attendants aboard Flight 77, which was flown into the Pentagon.
By his disrespect for our profession, Simmons became a discredit to his.
Valerie Everett, Alexandria, Va.
