1.22.24 – APFA DCA Base Brief – 2023 Year In Review

2023 Year In Review

Monday, January 22, 2024

DCA/BWI/IAD Flight Attendants encountered many things in 2023. We grieved and survived too many losses of our Flight Attendant Family. We gained hundreds of new faces through hiring and transfers. Based on your feedback, let’s review some highlights and lowlights of the previous year.

Required 777/787 Equipment & Service Training

Mandatory (not Voluntary) for aircraft not flown in the DCA base. The Company tries to bill this as “Win/Win.” DCA Flight Attendants we hear from aren’t buying it until we see those aircraft in the bid packet.

Staffing

The Company continues to justify high Reserve numbers and a lack of scheduling flexibility due to absenteeism and open time. There is a reluctance to acknowledge this is often a direct result of poorly constructed, fatigue-inducing trips in our ever-changing environment. We know it is even more challenging during reassignments and operational delays. i.e., The Chicken or the Egg Theory 🐥🥚 Which leads us to…

Allocations

The Senior Vice President of Inflight said he “used to fly five leg days” when approached about the frustrations with DCA trips. Does that indicate a willingness to change or work with us for improvements? And was that while navigating through a Global Pandemic or flying during record-high numbers of unruly passengers? The bottom line is that our responsibilities and workloads have increased with jam-packed cabins, less room, and bigger and heavier overhead bins.

Stress

There were over 2,000 FAA reports of unruly passengers in 2023 alone. Consider how many may have slipped through the cracks or gone unreported at American or other airlines. All we have to do is observe the news and see how Flight Attendants continue to be attacked, both verbally and physically, at alarming rates.

Crew Conflicts

Did you know? DCA is a 3-Time Customer Service Cup Award Recipient which we all can be proud of! 🏆🏆🏆

Thankfully, that overshadows the double-digit figure of Crew Conflict Meetings that John and I represented in 2023. And it is not counting the cases our DCA Professional Standard/Employee Assistance Team of Claudia, Charlotte, and Keisha took on. This total is much higher than in previous years. With 27,000 of us, we may fly with people we don’t like or enjoy, and that’s okay.

This does not mean looking the other way or enabling when encountering rude or bullying behavior. Sometimes it may be a lack of following onboard safety & service procedures.

No matter what the issue, it takes strength to speak up. Every voice matters when it comes to your health & well-being as a Frontline Safety Professional. Talk about speaking up!

Informational Picketing Events

With the help of the Contract Action Team, including Dylan, Gina, and Sara, and the Government Affairs Team of Lori, Allie, and Alex, over 490 of you, along with thousands of Flight Attendants systemwide, including United and Southwest, linked arms and stood side-by-side to say “Enough!”

No matter how junior or senior, legacy or Base, we found common ground, which led to a whopping 99.47% strike vote….one of the highest in the industry.

Many even have shared heart-wrenching & intimate testimonials about their personal experiences with a restrictive and unforgiving Flight Attendant Performance & Dependability Program while battling cancer, health crises, or family and financial challenges.

We Are Ready to finally see long overdue positive changes and improvements in 2024!

​DCA Worldwide Solidarity Picket
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 11:00 AM
Washington National Airport

IAD Worldwide Solidarity Picket
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 2:00 PM
Dulles International Airport

As the largest airline in the world, it starts with an industry leading contract. It can be achieved when we continue to work TOGETHER.

Here’s to DCA and smoother skies ahead!

In Strength & Solidarity,

Dianne Britton
APFA DCA Base Vice President
[email protected]

John Pennel
APFA DCA Base President
[email protected]

and Your APFA DCA Base Council Representatives