Will Aa Respond To Dls Jfk Announcement?
- Thread starter jj
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jimntx
Veteran
I doubt it also. If we are willing to go head to head with JetBlue that has substantially lower costs, why would we not compete with an airline that has equal or higher costs?jj said:
I've heard some rumors that a "big announcement" is due from Centerport any day now. Someone still at the company told me that there were to be flight attendant recalls scheduled for April. He didn't know how many, and he heard that the company was going to cancel overage leaves rather than recall furloughed flight attendants. He also heard that despite the [relatively] huge proffer for LAX-I for 250 flight attendants that there was going to be another proffer because the company has decided that LAX-I will need more than 250 to support the new flying to NRT, LGW, and SJU. So maybe things are starting to improve more rapidly.
To those who are in the same boat with me...Don't get your hopes up too much. The company's official line is still that they anticipate no additional recalls of furloughees during 2004. And, even if there were a cancellation of 600 overage leaves, that would still be only half of the people currently on overage leave.
jimntx
Veteran
Sorry about the double post. Both my cell phone and home phone rang at the same time right after I hit the post button. When I got off the phone(s), I forgot that I had already posted and hit the button again.
jimntx
Veteran
Of course, I don't think anyone is bidding for planes or people--just Shuttle landing slots. And, everyone and his dog wants landing slots at LGA and DCA.L1011Ret said:
Here's a thought...
Maybe US Airways has no intention of selling the Shuttle. Maybe this is just a ploy to establish a "market value" that they can then take to the financial community to do additional financing.
Royal Ambassador
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- Nov 24, 2003
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Or a ploy to scare the unions in to giving more concessions not unlike AA did with the bankruptcy threats.jimntx said:
kirkpatrick
Veteran
Even if the company cancels 600 overage leaves effective Apr or May, won't the remaining be up on July 1? I've been wondering what the company would do if they didn't need all 1200 or so on OVL's to come back this year. Is there a provision to extend leaves or offer them again, or can they only do this when they furlough?jimntx said:
Whatever they do, I can't imagine only needing 600 for the whole year. Attrition for 2003 was 993, and we can expect another 1000 this year, maybe more if some overage people quit rather than go back on the line.
MK
jimntx
Veteran
Under our "contract"--well, what's left of it after JW's superior negotiating skills gave most of it away in the restructuring agreement fiasco--if the company declares an overage of flight attendants, they have to offer overage leaves prior to furloughing anyone.kirkpatrick said:
At least once since 9/11, they did not have enough people taking overage leaves, but the company decided to live with the overage for a time in hopes that attrition would take care of it. But, that's the company's choice. If they declare an overage of 100 flight attendants and only 99 take overage leaves, the company is within its rights to furlough the one extra person.
Because all benefits except non-rev travel were eliminated from the overage leaves, I don't expect many people to take them in the future unless they have no choice--i.e., family illness or some such. Look at the last time. The company declared an overage of 5100 flight attendants. Less than 2000 took any sort of a leave.
There are always people trying to apply logic to the recall process--i.e.,
1. The senior flight attendants are going to retire soon. They are only hanging on until (pick one) April, so they can exercise their stock options/October, so they can collect on the 777 arbitration award/or the twelfth of Never (which is probably closer to the truth).
2. The number of people on the sick list means that a lot of people are burning their sick leave in anticipation of retirement/resignation/whatever.
There is a [semi]hidden advantage to the company to be seriously understaffed. Of course, there are fewer flight attendants on the payroll, but more importantly, the company may "encourage" the more senior, higher paid people to leave through constant reassignment due to "operational necessity."
The company can count also, and I'm sure that they know that some of the people currently on overage leave may not return. Look at the December recall. They needed 350 f/a's. They estimated a 10% refusal; so, they recalled 390. They had 352 return to work. Pretty slick. They also can estimate 2004 attrition. Even with all that, the Dec. 15th furloughee hotline (did you know there was such a thing?) stated that the company had completed its staffing requirements for 2004 and there were no plans to recall additional furloughees.
All that being said, there are a lot of recall rumors floating around, and, personally, I'm hoping that every one of them is true.
LiveInAHotel
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- Nov 5, 2003
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It also depends if these f/a's on OVL's want to comeback. I have 2 friends that our currently on an OVL and have no plans to comeback when they end.
jimtx, I hope to see you and the rest of our f/a's back from furlough soon. These rumors of recalls in April are very strong on-line these days. I have also heard rumors of recalls for June and the end of Summer 04'.
jimtx, I hope to see you and the rest of our f/a's back from furlough soon. These rumors of recalls in April are very strong on-line these days. I have also heard rumors of recalls for June and the end of Summer 04'.
kirkpatrick
Veteran
People won't be quitting in droves because of the above, but these things will help keep attrition on the high side of average.jimntx said:
I would hope the number of OVL's who quit will exceed the traditional 10%. After all, these people have shown they just don't want to fly, even with no benefits except passes. Any way you look at it, all OVL's and partnerships have to be absorbed back into the system before any TWA people see recall letters.
MK
I dont think anyone will be retiring soon. These senior people are determined to live the rest of their lives onboard AA. As long as there continues to be loopholes for them not having to fly, and this "so called" union continues to tell them not to retire, recalls won't happen for a VERY long time. I would hope though these senior flight attendants are smarter than that, and take the retirement soon. Keep in mind that your retirement is based on one's last four years of service. With the concessions and cut in pay, the retirement pay will begin to drop for quite a few very soon. <_<
AC AA LA FA
Veteran
Question-when (if) OVL people come back-how do they fit into the yearly minimum hr threshold (420 hrs?) -for health benefits? did I miss something here-or will these people come back with no helth/dental/ect..ins till they fly their 420?
