By Adam Holdridge
Staff Writer
To quote the career-revitalized Paula Abdul, the weather in Los Angeles on Jan. 3 is best described using her two words: “fa nominal.”
The same sentiments were felt by the few passengers and crew on United Airlines flight 15 from New York’s John F. Kennedy airport bound for Los Angeles upon its descent. Earlier that morning in New York, while West Coasters were still sleeping, it was snowing and chillingly cold. Los Angeles, on the other hand, was simply stunning, at 72 degrees on a radiant January day. The clear skies would lift anyone’s spirits who looked out the window.
As an L.A. native, I can’t remember a day more beautiful than that day. It was the kind of day that makes people want move here and become actors.
However, it wasn’t as beautiful on-board flight 15, but rather, a memorial service for “the way things were” was underway. The load factor on this 168 seat Boeing 767-200 jet was unusually light. Economy was half-full with discounted fares, business class had eight occupied seats out of the possible 32 available. According to the flight manifest, first class was completely occupied with non-rev’s (airline employees traveling for free). With a crew of nine, two pilots and seven flight attendants, enough fuel for the six-hour journey, free food, beverages, headphones and that day’s expense of salaries, along with room and board fees for the crew, I can state with certainty that flight 15 was operating in the red.
As we began to land, the master of ceremonies, the captain began: “Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain. We have begun our descent into the Los Angeles area and will be arriving within 20 minutes. I just want to take a moment to thank you for flying with United Airlines. Now more than ever,” he emphasized, “we appreciate and rely on your business.”
Then he added in a very somber voice, “…We are the greatest airline in the world. We are going to survive.”
I will never forget that. And, as we continued our descent into Los Angeles, I began to think, would the bankrupt United survive? Will the airline industry pull up from the tail spin it is in?
The morale of airline employees couldn’t be any worse. With constant rounds of lay-offs and pay cuts, is it any wonder why? American Airlines has furloughed its flight attendants that have five years of seniority or less, and other airlines have followed suit.
A 25-year-old flight attendant I’ll call John was laid-off in November by American Airlines, and now works at Abercrombie and Fitch on the Promenade. He told me that he dedicated his life to American instead of going to college, and although his flight benefits were just cut off in January, he would still be willing to do any job available except being a baggage handler. American Airlines currently has no job openings.
The airline industry will do anything to generate revenue; they simply want to break even. America West Airlines now charges passengers a fee if they want to eat an in-flight meal. Airlines want their employees to start paying for their personal travel at discounted rates, ending the “non-rev” benefit. United even made me an offer: for $25, I could keep my coveted 1K membership, a level for elite travelers who fly more than 100,000 miles each year. In 2002, I barely hit 25,000 miles.
Jobs for flight attendants, if any are available, now start at $15,000 a year. In 2001, United pilots were the highest paid in the industry, with some of the most senior pilots making salaries of $230,000 (including benefits). The pilots have agreed to significant cuts to save the dying airline — and their jobs.
Flight attendants are now working longer hours and are tired. Plus they have to deal with the unpleasant traveling public. A United flight attendant on a flight I recently took from Chicago O’Hare to Washington Reagan’s National in December said that “… after 9-11 it was really pleasant. People were so kind and courteous. But that didn’t last so long.”
Aryeh Primus, a 2 million-plus miler on American Airlines, said attitude has been split.
“Some employees are more customer-centric, but most seem apathetic,” he said. “It is as if they are resigned to whatever their fate will be.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that on an Alaska Airlines flight, an overworked and tired flight attendant decided she needed to rest and fell asleep in one of the empty first class seats during the flight she was working. Passengers were stunned.
However, Jet Blue and Southwest had a profitable year with expectations of continued success in 2003. If you’ve flown Southwest recently, you probably felt that it was business as usual and just fine. According to the Wall Street Journal, Southwest has allowed its flight attendants to continue on with their usual shtick. It reported flight attendant Yvonne LeMaster went right ahead and while people were boarding a flight from Baltimore to Cleveland over the loudspeaker. she said, “OK, people, it’s open seating, just like at church — saints up front, sinners in the back.”
United and the rest of the “Big 6” airlines aren’t laughing. Primus said that basically “when I get on a plane in the U.S. now (my expectation) is simply to get to my destination.”
As I pulled up to the gate on United Airlines flight 15 on that beautiful day, I made it to my destination 10 minutes early. I have no clue who will survive in the industry, but for getting me to Los Angeles safely and in one piece, United can certainly have my $25.
January 16, 2003