January FA Attrition

[kirkpatrick]

Attrition was a bit disappointing for Jan, with 44 active FA's dropping off the seniority list. In addition, 14 more TWA people retired from furlough status.

Let me say that in general attrition numbers are low in January. From 2003 through 2005 Jan attrition was 42, 58, and 66. Let's hope for some bigger numbers in the next few months.

The list breaks down as follows: 99 natives, followed by 3014 TWAers, then 851 AA hired after the acquisition, and finally 73 TWAers whose online was after the date of acquisition.

MK

 

[czerny]

As always, thanks for the numbers MK. Any ideas about how many planes and what fleet types will be grounded? We need about 75 or more per month to supersede the number of fas that would have been needed to staff the cancelled flights.

 

[kirkpatrick]

I don't know of any fleet types or any aircraft being grounded. I think two or three MD80's were added to the ones already parked, but I've heard of nothing else.

The company has announced a 4% reduction in domestic service for 2006 with a 4% increase in international, so it's just about a wash as far as capacity is concerned. As for flight cancellations, the handful of trips on high frequency markets cancelled after Katrina amount to less than one percent of domestic capacity.

MK

 

[B.O.B.]

I think two or three MD80's were added to the ones already parked, but I've heard of nothing else.

Yes, AA has parked 3 additional MD80's. These all where TWA 80's from what I was told. These are on top of the aircraft already parked.

 

[czerny]

Very dissapointing round of news from APFA. THB has signed yet another side letter of agreement without any votes from active members. Number of speakers have been oficially limited to 2 per Asian route and 1 per European route so thereby, reducing the need for a recall. I have emailed THB and have not received any responses reg. the Shanghai flight needing 3 speakers or at least 2 in main cabin, one on each side. Imagine one person having to translate for the entire main cabin row after row.

The only chance we furloughees have of ever having a recall before our rights expire in 2008 is to have massive retirements/attrition and I'm not very optimistic about that.

 

[kirkpatrick]

They haven't cut the staffing on those flights, just the speaker requirements. I don't see how that affects recalls, since no one can be recalled out of seniority order even if language qualified.

MK

 

[AAStew]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the way I read the letter of agreement is staffing of speakers will be kept at two per wide body and three per Asian routes. In the event that there are not enough speakers to cover this staffing level, they can be reduced to 1 and 2 respectively, with no forced transfers because of language needs.SO nothing has really changed. It is what AA has been doing all along (except for the forced transfer). The letter does have the upside for us speakers in that we won't be forced transfered, and open time speaker trips will not be pre-plotted so there is more to TT with in open time. The uspside for non-speakers and downside for speakers, is reserves will not be forced off reserve to cover speaker trips. This seems like a win-win for all concerned. Why gripe?

 

[czerny]

If I read the APFA hotline correctly, because they can limit Asian speakers to two per aircraft, the eliminates the need to recall the last 2 AA classess that do have Mandarin speakers. There are 5 official Mandarin speakers in my class. Right now, IOR has 23 speakers, and they were looking for 30. Because of this new ammendment that NOBODY got to vote on, the Chinese speakers in my class are again left out in the cold. They have been waiting patiently to get recalled, thinking that we would be back by now. I dont' understand how changes can be made to a contract and members are not given the right to vote on these changes.

 

[s80dude]

If I read the APFA hotline correctly, because they can limit Asian speakers to two per aircraft, the eliminates the need to recall the last 2 AA classess that do have Mandarin speakers. There are 5 official Mandarin speakers in my class. Right now, IOR has 23 speakers, and they were looking for 30. Because of this new ammendment that NOBODY got to vote on, the Chinese speakers in my class are again left out in the cold. They have been waiting patiently to get recalled, thinking that we would be back by now. I dont' understand how changes can be made to a contract and members are not given the right to vote on these changes.

But the only way these speakers will be recalled is when the need for a flight attendant, regardless of language qual's, is needed. As stated in a prior post, the company does not recall out of seniority order for language (you have to go to Delta for that from what we have read). Speaker status has nothing to do with how and when you are recalled.

 

[Skymess]

But the only way these speakers will be recalled is when the need for a flight attendant, regardless of language qual's, is needed. As stated in a prior post, the company does not recall out of seniority order for language (you have to go to Delta for that from what we have read). Speaker status has nothing to do with how and when you are recalled.

That is correct. The new language for the speaker program limits AA's ability to draft "active" flight attendants to another base to cover language needs. This is a relief to some of the language speakers at other bases who were sweating it out thinking they would be transferred against their will. AA is not allowed to recall furloughed FA's out of seniority order regardless of language. That will be in the next letter of agreement.

 

[jimntx]

Attrition was a bit disappointing for Jan, with 44 active FA's dropping off the seniority list. In addition, 14 more TWA people retired from furlough status.
MK

MK, for once you appear to have been off by a few.

According to the Flight Service website, the attrition for January was only 36. Here are some numbers...

Domestic - 26
Interntl - 10
Total - 36
Of the total 36, 15 were retirements

Average Seniority of those who left - 18 years
Average Seniority of retirees - 30.06 years

For the overall average to be pulled down almost in half, there must be some rather junior non-retirees leaving.

Possibly interesting trivia: Among the 15 retirees, there were 4 who had seniority of 13, 14, 20, and 27 years respectively. All other retirees were over 30 years--several with almost 40 years.

 

[kirkpatrick]

MK, for once you appear to have been off by a few.

Could be. I have no access to the Flight Service website and no way of verifying the number I'm given each month.

MK

 

[jimntx]

Oh, I'm just kidding you. I've been most interested that you have been dead on with the numbers up until now. Also, the number you were given might have been "planned retirements." I know there is some deadline date during the month by which paperwork must be completed or you can't retire effective the end of the month.

I think those people are shown as retired on the first day of the next month. I.E., instead of retired 31Jan06, they show as retired 01FEB06. However, IIRC they don't get their first retirement check until 01Mar06.

I don't know if it still is a requirement, but ERISA used to require that retirees could not collect a check until the first day of the month following their retirement month. That's why most people show as retired on the last day of the month.

 

[eolesen]

You are correct, Jim. Looking at actual retirement dates since 2000, the majority seem to be on the 1st or the month, with the last day on payroll being the last day of the preceeding month. There's also the issue of VC accrual.

 

[AirLUVer]

You are correct, Jim. Looking at actual retirement dates since 2000, the majority seem to be on the 1st or the month, with the last day on payroll being the last day of the preceeding month. There's also the issue of VC accrual.

Actually it is probably more for insurance purposes than VC accrual. You are given three calendar months for cobra benefits as well as insurance is paid out for the full month that you retire in. So if you retire the last day of a month, you are self-insured the very next day. If you retire on the first day of the month, your insurance is covered by the company thru the end of the month.