4.22.17 – Incident on SFO DFW Flight
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Shane Staples
[email protected], 305-992-4817
Jamie Horwitz, [email protected], 202-549-4921
Statement by Bob Ross President The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) Representing Flight Attendants at American Airlines on Incident on SFO to DFW Flight
FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 22, 2017) – The goal of our 26,000 members is to make every flight safe and secure for our passengers and crew. All passengers deserve to be treated with respect. We also must assure that our Flight Attendants are treated respectfully and safely on board.
Our dedicated Flight Attendants at American strive every day to make the passenger experience the best in the industry. However this has become more challenging due to tight schedules, overcrowded planes, shrinking seats, and limited overhead bin space. All of these factors are related to corporate decisions beyond the control of passengers and Flight Attendants
There are really two stories here related to this incident aboard a San Francisco to Dallas flight. One, we don’t know all of the facts related to a passenger who became distraught while boarding a plane and therefore neither the company nor the public should rush to judgment.
Second, it appears another passenger may have threatened a Flight Attendant with violence, which is a violation of federal law and no small matter. Air rage has become a serious issue on our flights.
We must obtain the full facts surrounding these incidents. Our passengers and the Flight Attendants deserve nothing less.