Letter to the Editor - New York Times
From
This letter was printed in the December 16, 2007 edition of the New York Times in response to an article titled "Where Did Service Go?"
To the Editor of the New York Times:
If you think that flying has become a miserable experience for the passengers, just try to imagine what it is like for the flight attendants. I have been a flight attendant for American Airlines for close to thirty years and I would like the flying public to be assured that the flight attendants are solidly on their side.
I am sure that at times our sympathy doesn't shine through, however, I can not begin to explain the frustration and humiliation that we feel coming to work to do almost nothing but apologize for things for which we have absolutely no control. We would love to have the meals, pillows, blankets, clean airplanes and leg room back. And oh how we wish for on time arrivals and departures.
And if the working conditions are not enough to make us cranky and depressed consider the fact that most of the flight attendants working in this country have had, not only their food and rest taken away, but have a minimum of 30 percent of their salaries ripped away as well. Everything about our work lives have changed over the past six years, none for the good.
What I do not understand is why there is not more outrage from the coach passengers. Not just because they are cramped in a seat with a seatback resting on their chest, hungry, thirsty and cold, but thanks to their suffering and the employees' sacrifices, the airline executives are able to award themselves hundreds of millions of dollars annually in executive bonuses.
I think that most passengers would agree that although the illustrations by Ron Barrett are cute and clever, they are far from accurate. Perhaps he should have created sketches that show the flight attendants wearing tattered uniforms with dark circles under their eyes and exasperated expressions on their faces. We are all too familiar with that ninth circle of hell.
From
This letter was printed in the December 16, 2007 edition of the New York Times in response to an article titled "Where Did Service Go?"
To the Editor of the New York Times:
If you think that flying has become a miserable experience for the passengers, just try to imagine what it is like for the flight attendants. I have been a flight attendant for American Airlines for close to thirty years and I would like the flying public to be assured that the flight attendants are solidly on their side.
I am sure that at times our sympathy doesn't shine through, however, I can not begin to explain the frustration and humiliation that we feel coming to work to do almost nothing but apologize for things for which we have absolutely no control. We would love to have the meals, pillows, blankets, clean airplanes and leg room back. And oh how we wish for on time arrivals and departures.
And if the working conditions are not enough to make us cranky and depressed consider the fact that most of the flight attendants working in this country have had, not only their food and rest taken away, but have a minimum of 30 percent of their salaries ripped away as well. Everything about our work lives have changed over the past six years, none for the good.
What I do not understand is why there is not more outrage from the coach passengers. Not just because they are cramped in a seat with a seatback resting on their chest, hungry, thirsty and cold, but thanks to their suffering and the employees' sacrifices, the airline executives are able to award themselves hundreds of millions of dollars annually in executive bonuses.
I think that most passengers would agree that although the illustrations by Ron Barrett are cute and clever, they are far from accurate. Perhaps he should have created sketches that show the flight attendants wearing tattered uniforms with dark circles under their eyes and exasperated expressions on their faces. We are all too familiar with that ninth circle of hell.
