Are all cities above the wing and/or below the wing or both?
Staffing Adjustments: An Important Message from COO Robert Isom
September 1, 2011
Dear Fellow Employees,
I am writing today to share some news about Airport Customer Service (ACS) staffing changes that are being made in the coming months.
Throughout the year, we adjust flying to best allocate our resources, creating changes in the staffing needed to handle our schedule. As part of a recent schedule adjustment, beginning this fall we will no longer be offering point-to-point service from Las Vegas to Boston, Dallas, Fresno, Calif., Los Angeles and San Francisco. The majority of the Las Vegas flight schedule adjustments will occur in late November with the remaining minor adjustments completed by January. When complete, the number of flights to/from Las Vegas will be reduced from 35 to 21 daily departures.
We will also be discontinuing the handling of ramp function by mainline employees in Albuquerque, N.M. and Manchester, N.H. this fall, followed by Indianapolis; New Orleans, La.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Oakland, Calif. and Orange County, Calif. in January.
As a direct result of the discontinuance of some point-to-point service and changes in ramp handling in seven cities we will be reducing approximately 31 airport customer service and 250 fleet service employees in the cities affected. At this time there are enough openings in the system for those that are able to relocate. In fact, this December we will be in-sourcing the ramp function in Atlanta, creating an additional 40 open positions as a result of increased mainline departures. Those that do take furlough status will be provided with transition benefits as explained in their collective bargaining agreement.
Decisions to reduce staffing never come lightly, but are a reality of the industry we operate in and the broader economic environment of the country. We must constantly be on the lookout for ways to be more productive and reduce costs – and that means taking steps like these to ensure the survival of our company and stable employment for more than 32,000 employees. We simply do not have the luxury to carry resources that are excess to what we need or cost more than our competitors.
We are working to minimize the impact this action imposes on our colleagues. Meetings are being held at the affected stations and employees will receive options as outlined in their collective bargaining agreements. Company representatives will also be on hand in the coming days to provide more information.
I ask that we all continue to focus on the operation and providing the level of service our customers enjoy. I thank each of you for your continued contributions and support.
Sincerely,
Robert
YOUR ANSWER IS 250 RAMP and 31 CUSTOMER SERVICE........We work for such a loving company!!!!!
