Letter from United

Dear Flight Attendant:

I want to provide you with an update on the Onboard Service division's efforts to manage costs to offset rising fuel prices.  They are among many cost reduction and revenue generating efforts across all divisions.

Effective with the May schedule, North America 757s of flights of less than about five hours (excluding p.s., transcon and Hawaii) will be staffed with four flight attendants, bringing United in line with other U.S. carriers. Staffing procedures for UF and UE on the 757 are being re-written to reflect the modified staffing levels. All boarding positions and briefing locations currently reflect FAA minimum staffing (four flight attendants), so no changes are necessary.

Additionally, we will blend some p.s. flying with mainline flying from LAX and SFO; p.s. flying will continue to be flown by JFKSW.

Because of the reduction in the 737 fleet, we do not plan any additional new hire classes after the class that started on March 17, 2008, and have canceled all scheduled interviews for future classes. 

However, because of robust hiring in 2007 and 2008 to date, we plan to maintain our current level of schedule flexibility.

We are balancing the requirements to quickly and effectively meet these unprecedented cost challenges, minimize the impact on our people, and ensure that our customers can continue to expect a safe, reliable, clean flight with attentive, courteous service.

More details on these efforts are available on SkyNet.

Your ideas and suggestions on achieving savings while delivering safe, reliable service are welcome.

Thank you.

Mark Kilayko
Managing Director – Worldwide Scheduling
WHQSK

Letter from AFA

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This week United management announced that effective this May domestic staffing on the 757 for flights under 5 hours will be cut to 4 Flight Attendants.  This will not affect premium transcon or Hawaii flying.  Increased fuel costs are requiring the company to compensate with cuts and management explains that this move is part of Onboard Service's contribution to those company-wide cuts.  It's no secret that fuel costs are higher and airlines are being forced to respond.  Recent fare increases are an example of this.  Still, Flight Attendants know that the rise in fuel costs has not equaled a rise in good decision-making by these executives.  Clearly, several management decisions AFA has opposed, such as giving away $250 million to shareholders even as the industry remains in tumultuous times, were greed-motivated and contrary to the long-term success of our airline.  Flight Attendants, other workers and passengers continue to pay for the poor decisions of current United executives. 

While management may have the ability to determine aircraft staffing above the FAA minimum, it isn't always the right decision for passengers and Flight Attendants.  We have identified for management the consequences of this decision and the objections we have to the reduction in staffing.  Remember too that as we experience this staffing change in the operation, Section 4.L.2. provides AFA with the ability to address any staffing issue that creates a marginal service condition such as not being able to complete our standard practice work assignments within the allotted times.  We have the ability to address the inevitable problems we can all envision, but that requires working according to the standards in the FAOM and not making this work by altering procedures.  If you experience marginal service conditions write a report through DIS*123 and ensure that a hard copy of the report is provided to your Local AFA Office.

Management declares that "flight attendants can deliver courteous, attentive service" even with this staffing cut.  This is not realistic, and we cannot allow this management fantasy to exist.  This management statement disregards our primary function as safety professionals.  We cannot.  Our work as safety professionals begins with our preparation before every flight and continues with high activity during the boarding process.  The reality is that Flight Attendant #2 will now be responsible for briefing and verifying 20 passengers at six exits prior to closing the door, and in an emergency ensuring those six exits are opened.  Maintaining our boarding positions will become more critical than ever as we will be charged with monitoring a larger portion of the cabin. 

Predeparture and other service procedures are secondary to safety.  Do not be tempted to violate Federal regulations by taking orders or being up and away from your jumpseat for any reason other than safety during taxi.  Avoid working faster and increasing your risk of injury.  If the service cannot be completed, don't jeopardize your safety or the safety of the passengers in our care to make it work.

At the same time staffing will be cut, management's new baggage policy of charging $25 for a second bag will go into effect.  Passengers will likely bring an increase of carry-on baggage.  Again, monitoring passenger boarding will be critical to maintain the safety of the cabin throughout the boarding process, and safety always comes first.  There will likely be a greater number of bags checked at the gate, but management has made no announcements about increasing the number of customer service or ramp personnel to handle this activity.  Remember there are many reasons we do not tag bags.  We do not have the dangerous goods training necessary to do this work, nor is it a part of the scope of our jobs as Flight Attendants.  Our procedures on board prior to departure require all of our attention for the safety and security of the flight.  When the bags are piling up just remember – don't tag the bag!

Management is attempting to wring another concession from us by making Flight Attendants work harder by decreasing staffing on the 757 while failing to increase our pay.  We are professionals and we will continue to work as such.  As professionals we will ensure that safety always comes first and that our safety procedures are completed first before any service.

As always, take care of yourself and each other.

In Solidarity,

Greg Davidowitch, President
United Master Executive Council

Q&A from United

1. Does this affect all 757 flying?
No. It does not affect flights in markets like transcon and to/from Hawaii that are over about five hours in length, or p.s. 757 flights.

2. How does this specifically change staffing and procedures?

• Service procedures in UE are being re-written to reflect staffing of two flight attendants, even when the load in UE exceeds 126 (which will continue to be the breakpoint on transcon and Hawaii flights).
• UF procedures are also being re-written to define how and when the second flight attendant flexes back into UE.
• All boarding positions and briefing locations already reflect FAA minimum staffing, so there will be no change.

3. When will this change take place?
This will go into effect for May flying.

4. Why are you doing this?
We are responding to the rapid increase in fuel prices – our fuel costs could increase by more than $1 billion this year – so we need to explore every possible way to find savings – across the enterprise. We will continue to look for cost savings opportunities across the company. We welcome any ideas and suggestions flight attendants may have for cutting costs, increasing revenues or improving our service to customers. Please continue to use DIS*123 for these suggestions, or provide them to a domicile supervisor.

5. Doesn’t this reduce service to our customers?
This change brings United’s UE staffing in line with other U.S. carriers, while allowing us to continue to deliver safe, reliable service. The decision to adjust staffing to FAA minimum levels reflects the economic challenges that we and the industry face in 2008. With some of the adjustments noted above, we are confident that our flight attendants can deliver courteous, attentive service to our customers.

6. Isn’t it true that Continental has five flight attendants in economy?
They do, but they serve meals on most flights, even in economy. All our other competitors have four in economy, with certain exceptions such as we are making (transcon and Hawaii).

7. How much is this going to save United Airlines?
This is part of Onboard Service’s contribution to the Company’s overall cost-savings target and one of many cost reduction and revenue generating efforts across all divisions, such as increased fuel hedging and reduced capacity on the cost side, and fare increases and charging for a second bag on the revenue side.

8. Will p.s. flying still be handled by JFKSW?
Yes.

9. Will all p.s. flying be blended IDs?
No. We estimate that less than half of all p.s. flying will be blended IDs, but we don’t have that information yet.

10. When will this change take place?
This will go into effect for May flying.

11. What cities will p.s. crews be flying to from LAX or SFO?
This will vary depending on changes to the aircraft schedules, but anticipate that it will include cities such as San Diego, Portland, Seattle, Denver and Las Vegas. Stay tuned for further information.

12. How much is this going to save United Airlines?
This is part of Onboard Service’s contribution to the Company’s overall cost-savings target and one of many cost reduction and revenue generating efforts across all divisions, such as increased fuel hedging and reduced capacity on the cost side, and fare increases and charging for a second bag on the revenue side.

13. Will flight attendants still have scheduling flexibility?
Yes. Given our robust hiring over the last several years, flight attendants will continue to maintain the current level of schedule flexibility.

14. How many flight attendants did United hire in recent years?
United hired more than 1,400 new flight attendants in 2006, 1,000 in 2007, and we anticipate hiring approximately 400 in 2008.