US Airways says search for A340s exacerbated by 787 delay

[700UW]

Funny according to Speednews there are A340s available:

1996 Airbus A340-313 View Details
Engine: CFM56-5C4, MSN: 146
Comments: Owned by Safran; lease to Iberia expires in October 2008; 42J/218Y configur... more
Listed by ALM Aircraft Leasing
& Mangement View Seller Information
Contact Seller

2007 Airbus A340-500 View Details
Configuration: Pax, Engine: Trent 553
Comments: A340-500 QTY 4 YOM 2007 only for Sale
Listed by CB MAC Aviation

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

Douglas Parker, US Airways' chief executive officer, added that the airline realized after running a poor operation last year that it needed a satellite headquarters, with senior managers based in Philadelphia "who don't need to wait for Phoenix to wake up" before making decisions.

Michelle Green said as much when CCY was running things. It's funny-ask someone who was born and raised and after 10 years someone will listen to you.

 

[sharktooth]

Funny according to Speednews there are A340s available:

Yeah, but, Tempe only has dial-up.

 

[FlyDeMetrius]

Glad they went ahead and recalled all those f/a's, so we could hire chinese lodo's. Make alot of sense.

The company can't hire any Chinese LOD/O's until all invols and VF are recalled. I wonder how many current flight attendants speaks chinese now. There is the possibility that our planes could go to China without one Chinese LODO onboard. Maybe some of the current f/a's should start learning Chinese.

 

[beachboy]

I think we have a few Chinese speakers on property. And Tempe hey, man up like GM and Ford and offer a buyout that's worth something you will get attrition. Until then they can ZIP it with the LODO issue. Cry me a river.

 

[bigbusboy]

The company can't hire any Chinese LOD/O's until all invols and VF are recalled. I wonder how many current flight attendants speaks chinese now. There is the possibility that our planes could go to China without one Chinese LODO onboard. Maybe some of the current f/a's should start learning Chinese.

You are correct. No hiring until all invols and VF F/As are recalled. Although you can easily get around the language issue by just hiring language speakers. They are not qualified as F/As. They occupy pax seats and not the jumpseat. They don't work as crew members. They are just onboard to translate and do announcements. That's it. I think both UA and NW did this for a while. It just sounds to me as if they were never serious about China from day one.

 

[flyingcat]

The company can't hire any Chinese LOD/O's until all invols and VF are recalled. I wonder how many current flight attendants speaks chinese now. There is the possibility that our planes could go to China without one Chinese LODO onboard. Maybe some of the current f/a's should start learning Chinese.

I think the odds of there being not one native Chinese speaker in the current ranks are very slim.

I know of several. US may have its trouble but it is shared among many people with various backgrounds.

 

[700UW]

You are correct. No hiring until all invols and VF F/As are recalled. Although you can easily get around the language issue by just hiring language speakers. They are not qualified as F/As. They occupy pax seats and not the jumpseat. They don't work as crew members. They are just onboard to translate and do announcements. That's it. I think both UA and NW did this for a while. It just sounds to me as if they were never serious about China from day one.

Making announcements are part of the FA's job.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

When US got the China route awarded, they thought that was their China "Glassware" for the East. Have another Drink Parker, you (Bleep)drunk! :rant:

 

[bigbusboy]

Making announcements are part of the FA's job.

You are right...but only in english. The FAA certified F/A would make all required announcements in english first then hand the PA over to the language speaker to translate. It's a practice that has been done by both UA and NW.

 

[EMBFA]

Whether or not there are a couple of Mandarin speakers at US, it doesn't necessarily mean they want to be based in Philly, commute to Philly, fly transpacific routes, or represent such a terrible product in such a competitive arena. You can't be forced to be a LODO and many people with languages drop out of or don't participate in the program.

Northwest had interpreters until recently (I believe I heard they went to a more traditional speaker program). Interpreters were non-union and on short term contracts. They did not perform F/A duties, but had a 'cabin service' position and most certainly made anouncements. They were placed on US-Japan flights, and later on inter-Asia flights from NRT, along with the Japanese National F/As who work those flights. I think now they just staff a few of the Japanese National F/As on transpac flights along with the mainline US based flight attendants. Maybe one of our NW friends can explain it better. I don't know that UA has ever had interpreters, they have language qualified F/As for US to Asia and foriegn national F/As (they call them Regional F/As) for inter-Asia.

If US Airways was a real airline, the appropriate aircraft would already be arriving on the property. Pilots would already be in transition training. Flight Attendants would be going through service and cultural awareness training. The company and the union would be working together to think like a real airline and address big-boy issues like Purser Programs, language speakers, crew rest areas etc. The training department, marketing, and dining and cabin would be examining competitors and alliance partner's service and designing a signature service for both Envoy and Economy. Marketing would be advertising the launch in key cities and negotiating closer codeshare and interline agreements with Star Alliance partners.

What is US Airways doing? Voting on a beverage cart setup, studying plastic cups, and blaming it's woes on jetstreams, greedy customers, and ironically, the Chinese New Year.

US Airways is so unbelievably out of it's league here. Only under Wolf/Gangwal could transpacific service have been launched responsibly, realistically, and with an appropriate product. I think a few things are at work here, firstly, I don't think they thought they'd get it. Secondly, they thought they'd be all sqaured away as a part of Delta or some other experienced global carrier by the time it came up. They have NO idea what they are doing here.

This airline can't cater or configure properly an E190 from Philly to Raliegh. Pull the award from this joke of a company.

 

[700UW]

Contractually it is covered under the AFA Scope language.

Funny only in english? Then why does the AFA/US CBA have LODO provisions?

I know UA and the AFA have in their scope for foreign nationals to be FAs, in their CBA.

AFA/US CBA:

H

. "Language of Destination/Origin (LOD/O)" Flight Attendant is a
20 designated flight attendant awarded or assigned to a flight requiring a
21 foreign language qualified flight attendant, who has successfully passed a
22 Company-approved proficiency test in the language used at the point of
23 destination/origin. For example, on a PHL-FRA flight, the LOD/O flight
24 attendant would be German qualified.
25
26 As an exception to the above, the Company may utilize LOD/O flight
27 attendants based on the language requirements of a particular charter (i.e.,
28 Spanish qualified LOD/O flight attendants may be utilized on a flight from
29 CLT to LGW o

E. Foreign Domicile
30
31 1. The Company will give the Union at least ninety (90) days written
32 notice of its intent to open a foreign domicile. Foreign domicile positions
33 will be available for bid and awarded by system seniority. Flight attendants
34 awarded and/or assigned to foreign domiciles shall be covered by all terms
35 of the Agreement and the Railway Labor Act. The Company shall not
36 claim in any arbitration or court proceeding that the flight attendants are not
37 covered by the Agreement and the Railway Labor Act.

A. Staffing 45
6 1. The Company will determine the number of flight attendant(s) to
7 be required on each flight who must be qualified to speak the foreign
8 language spoken by the majority of persons at the destination/origin of that
9 flight. The maximum number of LOD/O flight attendants that may be
10 required are as follows:
11
12 a. Aircraft with one hundred seventy-five (175) or more seats:
13 one (1) LOD/O flight attendant per class of service (i.e., First, Business, and
14 Economy as applicable), up to a maximum of three (3).
15
16 b. Aircraft with less than one hundred seventy-five (175) seats:
17 one (1) LOD/O flight attendant.
18
19 2. Notwithstanding Paragraph A.1. above, for any flights originating
20 in or terminating in Fort Lauderdale (FLL) where language services are
21 needed, if said flight(s) are staffed with two (2) LOD/O flight attendants,
22 both shall be “ADD†flight attendants and not part of the “REQ†flight
23 attendant complement.
24
25 3. A LOD/O flight attendant shall be required to exercise his/her
26 foreign language skills on flights that require that language qualification,
27 including when not filling a designated LOD/O position on such flights.
28
29 4. The LOD/O flight attendant will be a member of the original bid
30 line crew complement on transoceanic equipment, pursuant to Section 9.J.
31 Otherwise, the LOD/O flight attendant may, at Company option, be a
32 member of the original bid line crew complement or may be considered the
33 Supplemental flight attendant on any aircraft used for international flying.
34 Upon mutual agreement between the Company and the MEC President,
35 LOD/O Supplemental trips may be constructed into lines which will be
36 created by the Flight Attendant Scheduling Committee as per the
37 Agreement.
38
39 B. 1. LOD/O Premium Pay and Guarantee
40
41 A LOD/O reserve shall be paid and credited a minimum monthly guarantee
42 of seventy-one (71:00) hours at his/her hourly rate of pay. Effective
43 January 1, 2006, such guarantee will be increased to seventy-three (73:00)
44 hours. International pay of three dollars ($3.00) per hour on transoceanic
45 destinations and non-transoceanic premiums apply to the guarantee pay.
13 - 2
1
2 2. A LOD/O flight attendant will be paid two dollars ($2.00) an hour,
3 prorated to the nearest minute, for each block hour flown on a flight
containing a LOD/O trip segment. 45
6 3. When the Company requires more than one (1) LOD/O flight
7 attendant on a trip, each required LOD/O flight attendant will be paid the
LOD/O premium. 89
10 4. A LOD/O flight attendant, qualified in the language specified for
11 the required LOD/O position(s), who is on the flight but not filling a
12 required LOD/O position, will be paid one dollar and twenty-five cents
13 ($1.25) per hour, prorated to the nearest minute, for each block hour flown.
14
15 5. Except as noted in Paragraph B.3. and B.4 above, a LOD/O flight
16 attendant who happens to be on the flight solely in his/her capacity as a
17 regular flight attendant will not be required to use his/her language skills.
18
19 C. Qualification/Testing
20
21 1. Entry into the LOD/O program shall be voluntary, except for
22 persons newly hired into the program. Participation shall be limited to a
23 flight attendant who has successfully passed a Company approved foreign
24 language proficiency test in a domicile containing LOD/O flying. Such test
25 shall be administered at Company expense by a language expert selected by
26 the Company.
27
28 2. Provided the LOD/O qualification continues to be required, the
29 Company may offer language examinations for LOD/O qualification at any
30 time but shall do so not less than once each calendar quarter.
31
32 3. If a flight attendant fails the Company-approved proficiency test,
33 he/she shall be given the option of re-testing within a ninety (90) day time
34 frame. If the flight attendant fails the second proficiency test, he/she may
35 retake the proficiency test after six (6) months.
36
37 4. A flight attendant who successfully passes the examination shall
38 not be subject to re-testing except in instances where the Company has a
39 good faith and reasonable belief that the language proficiency of a flight
40 attendant has waned to the extent that the performance of her/his LOD/O
41 duties is adversely affected. Such retesting, if required, shall be at
42 Company expense.
43
44 5. A flight attendant who has qualified for the LOD/O program by
45 successfully completing the required proficiency exam will be required to
13 - 3
1 bid into the program no more than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date
2 of the award. With the exception of new hires, each flight attendant who
3 successfully passes the proficiency exam shall receive three (3:00) hours
pay/no credit. 45
6 6. A flight attendant who is awarded a LOD/O bid may be required to
7 remain in that designation for a period of twelve (12) months from the
effective date of the bid period. 89
10 D. Education
11
12 1. The Company will, in accordance with the existing US Airways
13 Continuing Education Assistance program, reimburse a flight attendant for
14 foreign language courses.
15
16 2. A LOD/O flight attendant who is required by the Company to
17 participate in language training to enhance her/his foreign language skills
18 beyond the level required for entry into the LOD/O program shall be paid as
19 provided in Section 3. J. Such training will be at Company expense.
20
21 E. Scheduling
22
23 1. a. Lines containing LOD/O flying will be awarded at the
24 applicable base on a seniority basis as provided in Section 9. Such lines
25 will be available for bid only at those base(s) designated by the Company.
26
27 b. A LOD/O lineholder shall be required to fulfill his/her
28 monthly obligation with LOD/O flying. Example: A Spanish LOD/O flight
29 attendant’s line of flying contains seventy-eight hours (78:00). Therefore,
30 absent use of the ETB or drop using the TWOP provision as set forth in
31 Section 9, he/she would be obligated to seventy-eight hours (78:00) of
32 flying via pairings that require use of his/her language skills. If the base
33 maximum in a bid month is ninety (90:00) hours, the additional flying time
34 (LOD/O or non-LOD/O) that he/she elects to take from Company time shall
35 be at his/her discretion.
36
37 c. A High Option Group LOD/O lineholder may augment the
38 value of his/her LODO line with LOD/O or non-LOD/O pairings to reach
39 100-105 hours.
40
41 d. Separate reserve lines for LOD/O reserve coverage will be
42 created in accordance with the Agreement. A non-high option group
43 LOD/O reserve shall be required to fulfill his/her monthly reserve
44 obligation with LOD/O flying. A LOD/O reserve in the high option group
13 - 4
1 may utilize LODO/O or non-LOD/O trips to acquire the additional flying
time between his/her reserve hours and 100-105 hours. 23
4 2. LOD/O bidding procedures will be established in accordance with
the following: 56
7 The Company will designate which position(s) will be filled by LOD/O
8 flight attendants. Such designated LOD/O position(s) shall be reserved
9 until bid by a participating LOD/O entitled to bid in seniority order for any
10 available line in the domicile (LOD/O or non-LOD/O) until the total
11 number of open LOD/O lineholder and LOD/O reserve position(s) is
12 equivalent to the total number of remaining LOD/O flight attendants in the
13 base. At such point, only bids for the open LOD/O position(s) will be
14 honored from among the remaining LOD/O flight attendants. In the event
15 the remaining LOD/O position(s) is not bid, the LOD/O flight attendant(s)
16 will be assigned the first available designated LOD/O line position or
17 LOD/O reserve line within her/his seniority.
18
19 3. Open LOD/O flying will be covered first by a flight attendant
20 qualified in the appropriate LOD/O language who has indicated on the AIL
21 a preference for such trips in accordance with Section 9.E. In the event
22 open LOD/O flying is not covered by such a flight attendant, the trip will be
23 offered to the appropriate LOD/O qualified reserve. In the event the trip
24 still remains uncovered, it will be assigned in reverse order of seniority to
25 LOD/O flight attendants. If such trip still remains uncovered, it will be
26 awarded or assigned to the appropriate non-LOD/O flight attendant.
27
28 4. A LOD/O reserve flight attendant will not be considered for non-
29 LOD/O quick call assignments or OPR unless all non-LOD/O reserve flight
30 attendants have been utilized.
31
32 5. A LOD/O flight attendant whose system seniority within his/her
33 base would allow him/her to hold a non-LOD/O line in such base and who
34 is bidding for non-LOD/O trips will be awarded such trips on the basis of
35 his/her system seniority within the base provided LOD/O flying is covered.
36 A LOD/O flight attendant whose system seniority within his/her base would
37 not allow him/her to hold a non-LOD/O line in such base (i.e., he/she would
38 hold a reserve line) and who is bidding for a non-LOD/O trip(s) will be
39 awarded such trip(s) on the basis of least time order (LTO) within the base
40 provided LOD/O flying is covered.
41
42 6. A LOD/O flight attendant whose seniority would qualify him/her
43 for selecting a non-LOD/O trip from the AIL or according to his/her LTO
44 shall never be financially disadvantaged when being restricted to fly a
45 LOD/O trip.
13 - 5
1
2 7. Charters requiring a LOD/O flight attendant will be bid and
3 awarded in accordance with normal charter closeout procedures and
Paragraph 3 above. 45
6 8. The Company system developed to identify those flight attendants
7 who have successfully qualified for the LOD/O program for reference in bid
8 awards and trip assignments will not be used, construed, or interpreted to
9 establish separate seniority lists or permanent position assignments. A
10 flight attendant who has successfully qualified in more than one LOD/O
11 category will have each LOD/O identifier likewise placed by her/his name.
12
13 F. General
14
15 1. A flight attendant who no longer wishes to participate in the
16 LOD/O program shall give the Company ninety (90) days written notice,
17 except that a sixty (60) day written notice by a flight attendant will be
18 honored where base staffing levels, as determined by the Company, are
19 sufficient to allow it.
20
21 2. Notwithstanding the above, a LOD/O qualified new hire flight
22 attendant may be required to remain in the LOD/O program during his/her
23 first eighteen (18) months of service.
24
25 3. a. Once a flight attendant has left the LOD/O program, he/she
26 shall not be required to perform LOD/O duties, unless he/she voluntarily re27
enters the program. Notwithstanding the above, in the case of a lack of
28 qualified LOD/O flight attendants, the Company may assign the LOD/O
29 qualified flight attendants to the LOD/O program for a period of time not to
30 exceed ninety (90) days. Such assignment shall be made by inverse order
31 of seniority.
32
33 b. A flight attendant involuntarily assigned into the LOD/O
34 program in accordance with Paragraph F.3.a above shall be entitled to
35 receive LOD/O premiums for all trips flown (LOD/O and non-LOD/O)
36 during the period of such involuntary assignment.
37
38 G. Vacancies
39
40 1. LOD/O vacancies will be posted and filled in accordance with the
41 provisions of Section 18 (Filling of Vacancies).
42
43 2. In the event the Company opens a new domicile or satellite
44 domicile, a LOD/O flight attendant will be eligible to exercise his/her
45 seniority to bid such domicile and shall be awarded vacancies in accordance
13 - 6
1 with his/her system seniority. A LOD/O flight attendant who has not
2 fulfilled his/her applicable minimum LOD/O commitment period is covered
3 by this Paragraph only if his/her language qualification is needed in the new
domicile. 45
6 H. All applicable provisions of this Agreement and any related Side
7 Letters included in this Agreement shall apply to Language of
8 Destination/Origin flight attendants except as specifically modified in this
9 Section.

The CBA prohibits anyone except FAs from working the flight.

 

[CLT-Douglas]

Don't worry, I am sure they will come up with some ridiculous A340 surcharge to go along with the baggage fee on your next ticket purchase.

 

[700UW]

Tempe is lying:

I found two on Speednews and here are more listed on other sites:

1994 Airbus A340

Total Time 53,530 hrs
Total Cycles 5940 cycles
Engines CFM56-5C4
Seating 40/28/187 seats in three class
Range 6700 NM
Will be delivered from fresh C-check
Air Bear Aviation
(Mike Garcia)
Toll Free 1-866-924-7232
Email: [email protected]

Only A340-213 (8000) in the world.
Date of manufacture: 18 May 1998
76 hours total time and 84 cycles since new.
Extra Long range tanks for over 8000 Nautical mile range with full payload
We have already completed a VVIP floor plan for the aircraft and a three class airline interior. Aircraft can be sold “As isâ€￾ or with a sate of the art VVIP interior or a standard airline interior. Interior will be completed in the US.
Air Bear Aviation
(Mike Garcia)
Toll Free 1-866-924-7232
Email: [email protected]


YEAR:............... 1998
REGISTRATION: TBD
AIRFRAME TOT: 1000
ENGINE TIME(S):
LOCATION: California, United States
DATE ADDED: 10/26/2006
LOGBOOK SUMMARY:
Special A340 available for sale. Buyer/mandate.
PRICE: $ Call
CONTACT
INFORMATION:
Please mention Aircraftbargains
BI Group
N. Brown
CA
Phone1:
Phone2:
Fax: 1-818-887-9932
Email: Send an email to dealer !

Model : A340-313
MFD : 1996-05
Hours : 48355
Cycles : 7034
Sale/Lease : Sale
Price :
Available : 2008-10
Country of Operation : SPAIN
Region : .EUR
Serial Number : 146
Line Number :
Engine Model : CFM56-5C4
MTOW(LBS) : 573196
Configuration : C42Y218
Months on Market : 2
Comments :
Listed on : 12/20/2007
Contact Information-1 :
Contact Name : Alan Robinson
Company : ALM - Aircraft Leasing & Mgmt
Phone : +44 1293-567-656
Fax : +44 1293-567-821
Email : [email protected]

 

[FlyDeMetrius]

Here is the next issue when the seat belt sign was on pax must be seated. Same problem at Hooters ..... the Hooter Girls and the flight attendants kept getting into it on the planes. Because they could only be up when the seat belt sign was off and some pax thought that the hooter girl where the flight attmdants.