US Airways Flight Attendant Reciprocal Cabin Seat/Jumpseat Agreements Needed Now

Reciprocal Flight Attendant Cabin Seat and Jumpseat Agreements between carriers are becoming common place throughout the aviation industry. 

Progressive and respected carriers such as Southwest, Jetblue, Delta, American, Air Tran, ATA, Spirit, and Frontier Airlines to name a few, see the benefits associated with these types of agreements.

Solidarity Unity and Action Leads to Success

RECIPROCAL CABIN SEAT/JUMPSEAT AGREEMENTS ONE STEP CLOSER TO REALITY

Last week both the AFA West and East MEC launched an advocacy campaign to bring to the Company's attention the need for reciprocal cabin seat and reciprocal cabin jumpseat agreements with other carriers.

Through you and your fellow Flight Attendant's actions and commitment to solidarity, over 2,000 emails were sent to management regarding your need for the company to seek out and enter into agreements with other carriers for Reciprocal Cabin Seats and Cabin Jumpseat privileges for US Airways Flight Attendants. The Company has heard you loud and clear and has begun the process of securing such agreements. While the timetable for implementing these enhanced travel benefits is not yet determined, the company is actively pursuing the matter.

Thank you for supporting our efforts and demonstrating what Solidarity, Unity, and Activism can achieve!

In Unity,

Gary Richardson and Mike Flores

WEST and EAST MEC Presidents at US Airways   

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Flight Attendant Reciprocal Cabin Seat/Jumpseat Agreement

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Flight Attendant Reciprocal Cabin Seat and/or Jumpseat Agreements with other carriers are becoming common in the aviation industry.

Progressive and respected carriers such as American Airlines, American Eagle, Southwest, Delta, Jetblue, Frontier, ATA, Air Tran, and Spirit Airlines, just to name a few, have seen the benefits of entering into these forward thinking and innovative flight attendant reciprocal cabin seats and jumpseats agreements.

Reciprocal Cabin Seat and Jumpseat Agreements enhance US Airways ability to attract and retain quality employees and will produce tangible and mutually beneficial results for the Company and the Flight Attendants in its service.

A large percentage of Flight Attendants at US Airways commute on a daily basis. This is increasingly becoming more difficult as service reductions, downgrades, and full flights are forcing Flight Attendants to seek alternate and costly means of transportation just to get to work.

Flight Attendants would much rather focus on the success of their Company rather than expending time, energy and compensation on searching for ways to report for their assignment.

US Airways has fallen behind the tide of other airlines in offering these types of reciprocal travel benefits for flight attendants; a benefit I might add that has been extended to pilots at US Airways for years.

Putting aside any contractual issues or negotiations proposals for the moment, US Airways could immediately enter into a Reciprocal Cabin Seat Agreement with other carriers similar to agreements in place at Southwest and American Airlines today. A Reciprocal Cabin Seat Agreement with other carriers would not violate any current contractual provision in the East or West contract.

US Airways failure to participate in these type of agreements will only exacerbate an already contentious relationship with Flight Attendants. Management's seemingly disinterest certainly does not lend itself in support of all our combined efforts to be recognized as a leading airline for customers, employees, and investors.

Immediate action on your part is required; Flight Attendants can no longer accept a corporate attitude that disregards such a fundamental program that stands to benefit our Company. AFA Leaders continue to stand ready to work with US Airways on implementing enhanced travel benefits for its members.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 19, 2007


Background Information

Dave Albers, a Flight Attendant for US Airways knows painfully well how difficult it can be to commute these days. With service reductions, aircraft downgrades, and full flights being the norm; Dave has spent hundreds of dollars over the last few months for tickets on other airlines just to get to work. 

Reciprocal Cabin Seats Agreements would help Dave, and other flight attendants like him, focus on his job and not on the frustration of knowing whether or not he is going to be able to get to work.  

When American, American Eagle, and Southwest Airlines announced the first large scale test of Flight Attendant Reciprocal Cabin Seat Agreements in the aviation industry on November 15, 2005 they were truly industry leading.  The program was deemed so successful that on May 8, 2006 the travel privilege moved from a trial basis and was extended into the foreseeable future. 

Other forward thinking and enlightened carriers have seen the benefits of entering into these types of travel agreements for their employees.

AFA-CWA has made Reciprocal Flight Attendant Cabin Seat and/or Jumpseat Agreements a priority when in November of 2006 the Board of Directors passed the following resolution:

WHEREAS, economical transportation alternatives that match the benefits currently enjoyed by some of our members as well as our colleagues in ALPA and our Flight Attendant colleagues at American, Southwest, American Eagle and Jet Blue would substantially enhance our worklives, increase onboard safety and security, and reduce company costs associated with missed assignments.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that all twenty AFA-CWA represented carriers in our Union join together to begin an AFA-wide campaign of Membership Mobilization with the goal of obtaining reciprocal cabin seat and/or jumpseat benefits for the 45,000 Members in our Union. 

In 2004/2005 during Section 6 negotiations at America West, the AFA Negotiations Team led by Chairperson Lewis Brent attempted to negotiate Flight Attendant Reciprocal Cabin Seat/Jumpseats for its members.  Management was not interested at that time to enter into such agreements and the proposal was tabled.

Now that we are in Single Contract talks, AFA's Joint Negotiations Committee has once again proposed that US Airways enters into Flight Attendant Reciprocal Cabin Seat and/or Jumpseat Agreements with other carriers.

Management should not feign disinterest any longer. Flight Attendants at US Airways require Reciprocal Cabin Seats Agreements now and will not accept no for an answer