Flight Attendant Attrition Rate

[jimntx]

Numbers are now in for August. Attrition rate was 81 of which 17 were retirees.

That means that the attrition rate has averaged 83 f/as per month for the past 3 months--not counting the 137 who did not return from the overage leave at the end of June. That rate annualized is almost 1000 f/as per year.

Total attrition year-to-date is 646. Total recalled since 01DEC03 is 538. So counting active flight attendants and those on leave other than furloughs, the company has 108 fewer flight attendants than they had on 30NOV last year.

Yet, they keep announcing new routes. You guys who are still flying must be really, really busy.

 

[SkyLiner]

Can you imagine what the holidays are gonna be like...Jim we better enjoy this one it may be our (or at least mine) last one off.

 

[jsn25911]

Numbers are now in for August. Attrition rate was 81 of which 17 were retirees.

That means that the attrition rate has averaged 83 f/as per month for the past 3 months--not counting the 137 who did not return from the overage leave at the end of June. That rate annualized is almost 1000 f/as per year.

Total attrition year-to-date is 646. Total recalled since 01DEC03 is 538. So counting active flight attendants and those on leave other than furloughs, the company has 108 fewer flight attendants than they had on 30NOV last year.

Yet, they keep announcing new routes. You guys who are still flying must be really, really busy.

[post="181509"][/post]​

If this is correct - have the number of flights reduced since Nov 2003?

How many did they recall since Nov 2003?

I thought with the recalls and overage leaves - it was more than 1,000.

 

[jimntx]

If this is correct - have the number of flights reduced since Nov 2003?

How many did they recall since Nov 2003?

I thought with the recalls and overage leaves - it was more than 1,000.

[post="181543"][/post]​

1. As a matter of fact, the number of flights has increased. That's why they keep running out of flight attendants.

2. 352 came back 01DEC03; 186 came back 01JUL04. These are the people who accepted recall. They actually recalled 390 and 233.

3. If you will refer back to my original post, I specified number of active flight attendants AND those on leave of some sort--medical, personal, overage. Those are all included in the flight attendant headcount. Furloughees are not.

So, regardless of how many were out on leave at any time, 538 have been added to the total with recalls. 646 have left through resignation, retirement, termination, or death. 646-538 = 108 fewer flight attendants today than on 30NOV03--the day before the December recall.

 

[HGIEFOswitch]

Let's hope a few more leave. After my wife and 10 month old flew full fare 2 months ago, it's evident that many more need to go. The worst and most unfriendly service ever witnessed. That's w/ 15 years of airline history to compare. Sad but true.

 

[s80dude]

Let's hope a few more leave. After my wife and 10 month old flew full fare 2 months ago, it's evident that many more need to go. The worst and most unfriendly service ever witnessed. That's w/ 15 years of airline history to compare. Sad but true.

[post="181576"][/post]​

but don't the airlines traditionally pull down their schedules after labor day? perhaps the new service is simply filling in the gap for the summer service that was dropped.

 

[AAStew]

At JFK Option II has been open every day this month! Flight attendants on reserve here are at their max or close to it on the 19th of the month! Our flights are going out without VMC's. Does anyone in the know care to elaborate on this? Is the company waiting for the mythical big retirement on October 16th? This is on the verge of ridiculous. How can we give the customers the service they deserve without adequate staffing? What happened to Pull Together, Win Together or is that a myth also?

 

[jimntx]

No, the company is not waiting for the results of the 777 payout, per se. That will be an issue in the next recall, though I think you will be surprised if you think there is going to be a mass exodus right after the payout. However, the company is simply doing what it does well through its experience at AE--namely, running an airline while seriously understaffed.

Reassignment (or junior manning as they call it at AE) has been the order of the day for years at AE. With the RPA, it has now become a way of life at AA. It is cheaper for the company to pay understaffing than to man the VM positions. And, if flying people until they are sick or just fed up increases the attrition rate of higher paid flight attendants, well, that's just jam on the bread, isn't it?

As far as I can tell from my seat on the sidelines, Option II opens early in the month at EVERY base. In August at SLT, LAX, and SFO, there were managers out flying trips by the 10th of the month because they were short of f/as. The average reserve at SLT already had 40 hours by the 10th of August.

The APFA should be all over the company about managers flying trips. Also, the APFA should be telling all flight attendants that they should NOT be picking up Option II trips. Picking up trips from HIBOARD benefits your fellow f/as. Picking up trips from Option II benefits the company by allowing them to delay recalling additional flight attendants.

 

[jsn25911]

Don't we have some posters that are from scheduling?

Could they respond on the attrition and how they see it from their point of view?

Thanks

 

[MiAAmi]

The APFA should be all over the company about managers flying trips. Also, the APFA should be telling all flight attendants that they should NOT be picking up Option II trips. Picking up trips from HIBOARD benefits your fellow f/as. Picking up trips from Option II benefits the company by allowing them to delay recalling additional flight attendants.

[post="182233"][/post]​

Although that sounds good it really doesnt work. If option II is open usually the VM positons are not even built so the flights go out understaffed anyway. Besides the way the bid sheet is built sometimes its easier to pick up Option II trips because the trips in HIBOARD won't fit on your schedule. Sometimes when Option II is open they break up the sequences to make them more attractive to people who only want to pick up a turn or 2 day. Another attractive thing about option II is getting incentive pay without having to 2 for 1. This makes it alot easier for speakers and pursers who would normally have to 2 for 1 trips to get incentive pay which is not easy to do without paying a trip trade service for help. That incentive pay adds up quick and were all here to make $$$$$. I think we are all anticipating another recall before the end of the year, I don't think it will make a difference one way or another if flight attendants pick up Option II trips until then.

 

[jsn25911]

Although that sounds good it really doesnt work. If option II is open usually the VM positons are not even built so the flights go out understaffed anyway. Besides the way the bid sheet is built sometimes its easier to pick up Option II trips because the trips in HIBOARD won't fit on your schedule. Sometimes when Option II is open they break up the sequences to make them more attractive to people who only want to pick up a turn or 2 day. Another attractive thing about option II is getting incentive pay without having to 2 for 1. This makes it alot easier for speakers and pursers who would normally have to 2 for 1 trips to get incentive pay which is not easy to do without paying a trip trade service for help. That incentive pay adds up quick and were all here to make $$$$$. I think we are all anticipating another recall before the end of the year, I don't think it will make a difference one way or another if flight attendants pick up Option II trips until then.

[post="182308"][/post]​

Miami - you are actually shooting yourself in the foot! By working the additional trips AA can avoid calling the maximum f/a's back to work. Don't be surprised when people do not pick up the trips over the holidays and AA reverses.

I also find it someone selfish that you are so concerned with making that extra few dollars by working OPTION II rather than just pick up trips from Hiboard.(when we have people losing their homes, needing to put food on their table, can't qualify or afford insurance, etc). You have a salary, so can you get by until ALL furloughees are called back - so that those that have lost their homes, unemployed, desperate can get back to work.

If you want Unity amoung the f/a's (for any future union purpose) - you have to start with being considerate of ALL f/a's. This is called UNION 101!

 

[MiAAmi]

If I don't pick up a trip from option II it will still be flown by a reserve or by a reassigned flight attendant so its not like I'm taking flying away from anyone. The comany is just not going to recall until its absolutely necessary. By flying option II you are at least helping out the flight attendants that don't want to be reassigned. Flying option II is not going to delay anyone on furlough a recall, the company will recall when they recall. Hopefully we will see some movement on that before the holidays. I know you think its selfish but really its not. I don't understand your associating HIBOARD trips with people losing their homes and putting food on the table. If I can help someone out on HIBOARD I will but if I can't (due to qualifications or schedule conflict) I will pick up from Option II.

 

[ArtTang]

MiAAmi writes:

Flying option II is not going to delay anyone on furlough a recall, the company will recall when they recall.

I respond:

I respectfully and ardently disagree with your rationalization, MiAAmi. When f/as fly option II it does alleviate the company's staffing crunch, thereby allowing scheduling to utilize reserves and f/as on availability in other ways. The company is thus able to resist recalling furloughed crewmembers. There are so many trips in hiboard I fail to see why anyone would pick up from crew scheduling instead of from a colleague.

Art Tang
MIA-D

 

[jsn25911]

Maybe I am confused but I thought:

Hiboard was where f/a's wanted to drop their trips - so that would be okay to pick up.

However, I thought Option II was trips that the company needed to cover. If f/a's do not pick up then the company has to cover with reserves. If reserves are already flying the maximum - then the company would have to make provisions for additional reserves- thus recall more f/a's.

I do appreciate that you will try to pick up from hiboard first. I am just sensitive about this because one friend has lost her home because she couldn't afford it, then her husband went to court to take the kids from her because she did not have a "roof over their head". She stayed with me until we could find a little "shotgun" house for her - however, her husband is still trying to say that she can't support the children. She needs to return to work fast.

 

[MiAAmi]

No, your right about HIBOARD....Its where f/a's can Trip Trade or Drop Trips....I think you are confused about how often Option II is open. Option II is only open occasionally. HIBOARD is avail to f/a's all month long were as Option II is only avail part or none of the month. Usually only around holidays and big weather events is Option II avialable. Sorry to hear about your friend and hopefully the rumors of a recall will happen soon for you two.