4.05.20 – Cruise Ship Employees and Passengers Travel on an American Airlines Flight

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Cruise Ship Employees and Passengers Travel on an American Airlines Flight

Today, we were made aware that a large number of employees and passengers from cruise ships in the Port of Miami were scheduled to fly on American Airlines from Miami to Dallas/ Ft. Worth. Understandably, the crews scheduled to work these flights were concerned for their safety. APFA has been in discussions with American management since this morning to ensure that individuals scheduled to work these flights were fully informed so they could decide as to whether or not they felt comfortable working. For those that chose to work the flights, Personal Protective Equipment was provided, and the flight was scheduled with a larger aircraft to increase personal distancing.

After careful consideration of our limited options and the short amount of time, we required, as a one-time exception, qualified Flight Service Managers to fill vacant Flight Attendant positions. Flight Attendants are our eyes and ears on the front line, so we appreciate that we were made aware of this issue early this morning.

APFA’s primary concern is your safety and well-being. We will continue to advocate for enhanced protective equipment onboard every aircraft, to enforce social distancing, and curb unnecessary leisure travel. We are deemed essential front-line workers, and we should be treated as such.