11.15.21 – Staffing Levels Reporting Form

Monday, November 15, 2021

Staffing Levels Reporting Form

The Company recently posted a revision to the Position Chart to coincide with the reduction in staffing on some of our aircraft. APFA has heard from many of you regarding the increased workload created by the elimination of some positions, especially now as services and amenities are returning to pre-pandemic levels. On December 2, 2020, APFA filed a Presidential Grievance regarding the reduction in staffing levels on the Airbus 321T, Boeing 777-200, Boeing 777-300, and Boeing 787-9.

Management continues to blatantly refuse our request to restore staffing levels to pre-pandemic levels. With full services now returned and, in some cases, additional service levels added, APFA is demanding that staffing levels be restored. Our Flight Attendants take pride in delivering a premium product to our customers. Management appears only to be concerned with lowering labor costs with no regard to the impact of staffing reductions on our Flight Attendants and their ability to provide a high level of service, especially in our premium cabins on the 777-300 and A321T.

It is evident that Management never thoroughly evaluated the impact of one person performing a premium service that includes much preparation, multiple meal courses, plating, and delivering a premium service in our highest premium cabins. Based on the reports we have already received, the workload has become unreasonable and unrealistic for one person to effectively complete service to the level that our customers expect.

Clearly, our industry has changed. Our Flight Attendants have faced many challenges since the pandemic began, including many of our Members experiencing unruly passengers who resort to verbal and physical attacks. Now with flight loads increasing and full services returning, Management expects you to ensure the safety of our customers all while continuing to provide our customers with the level of service they have come to expect. All with less staffing! This is unacceptable to APFA and its Members and Management must immediately return staffing to pre-pandemic levels.

We understand and recognize our Flight Attendant’s frustration and have created a new Staffing Levels Reporting Form for Flight Attendants to share their concerns and feedback regarding the staffing and service levels. It is available on the homepage of APFA.org. We encourage anyone who has experienced issues due to the reduction in staffing levels on the A321T, 777, or 787-9 to submit this form. This form is for data collection purposes only and will not generate a response from APFA. We will use these submissions in our upcoming Staffing Presidential Arbitration. We also suggest you email Brady Byrnes, Vice President, Flight Service ([email protected]), with your feedback regarding staffing changes.

Thank you for the hard work and professionalism you display every day as we work through the issues created by the pandemic!

In Solidarity,

Larry Salas
APFA National Vice President
[email protected]