Union attacks United’s plan for fewer attendants
The union that represents flight attendants for United Airlines is objecting to plans by the Chicago carrier to eliminate one flight attendant position on most of its long-haul international flights, starting in February.
The airline says the move won’t “impact our customer experience” and is meant to align United’s staffing levels and “remain competitive” with those of its rivals, Delta and American airlines, United spokesman Jonathan Guerin said.
But the Assn. of Flight Attendants, which represents 50,000 flight attendants at 21 airlines, complains that one fewer flight attendant on each flight means a bigger workload for the remaining crew.
“It means fewer flight attendants to respond to medical emergencies, back each other up with aggressive passengers, maintain a safe space for everyone and follow through on addressing any issues of sexual assault or hostile situations,” the group posted last week on its website.
The union said the airline is being run like a hedge fund, with a focus only on short-term gains.
Under the change, United Airlines’ widebody international flights will operate with 10 flight attendants starting in February, down from the usual 11. Those flight attendants removed from the flights won’t be fired but will be reassigned to other flights, Guerin said.
One way the airline can reduce staffing is by preparing or “pre-plating” meals when planes are on the tarmac, instead of having a flight attendant do that task in the air.
Guerin said the staffing change does not reflect any financial hardship at the airline. He said United plans to add up to 2,000 new flight attendants by 2019 to meet the growing demand for air travel. United Airlines employs 23,000 flight attendants. “We want to continue to invest in the growth of the company,” he said.
Airlines bow to f liers’ nut allergies
Passengers with nut allergies soon will be able to board American Airlines flights early to give them time to wipe down their seats and tray tables to get rid of nut crumbs or dust.
Food allergies have become a growing concern in the airline industry. In August.
Southwest Airlines stopped serving peanuts to passengers, even though the snack had become a popular marketing gimmick for the Dallas carrier.
American Airlines joins Delta, Southwest and United airlines in allowing fliers with nut allergies to board early when they notify gate agents at the terminal.
In addition, Delta has stopped in-flight service of foods that contain peanuts when a passenger who is allergic is on board. On those flights, attendants also make a cabin announcement, asking passengers not to open peanut packages they may have brought with them.
The new boarding policy at American Airlines begins Dec. 12.
American said it no longer serves peanuts but cannot guarantee that passengers won’t be exposed to peanuts or other tree nuts during a flight.
“We strongly encourage those with allergies to take all necessary medical precautions before flying,” American Airlines spokesman Curtis Blessing said.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, a nonprofit advocacy group, praised the airline’s move, calling it “overdue.”
“We encourage all airlines to do the same,” spokeswoman Angel Waldron said.
She noted, however, that airlines face a tougher challenge addressing passengers who are allergic to animals while continuing to serve people who fly with service or emotional support animals.
Waldron said both groups are protected by the Americans With Disabilities Act.
A simple solution, she said, would be for airlines that are notified when they are carrying a passenger with animal allergies to seat that flier several rows away from the animal.
Travel satisfaction is on the rise
It may be difficult to believe, but travelers say they are increasingly satisfied with nearly every aspect of their trips.
Even airports, with their crowded food courts and baggage-claim carousels that often resemble a poorly lit factory conveyor belt, are getting positive reviews.
But the most satisfying part of travel today is the car-renting experience, according to a new survey by J.D. Power of 12,068 business and leisure travelers who rented a car at an airport in North America.
On a 1,000-point scale, renting a car at an airport received a rating of 830 points in the satisfaction survey, a 4-point increase over the rating in 2017. That compares with the 825point rating hotels received in a similar J.D. Power survey this year. Airlines were rated 762 in another satisfaction survey this year while airports got a rating of 761 in a separate survey. The ratings for airlines, airports and hotels all increased in the last year.
A big reason for the improved ratings is that the cost of airfares and hotel stays have remained relatively flat in the last few years.
Meanwhile, airports in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston are investing heavily in upgrades, according to J.D. Power.
Rental car businesses received the highest satisfaction rating in the 23-year history of the J.D. Power survey, an increase that is attributed to the quality of the cars, the price, the improved reservation process and the mobile apps, said Michael Taylor, travel practice lead at J.D. Power.
A representative for Enterprise Holdings — the parent company of Enterprise Rent-a-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car — said it upgraded some of its apps and websites in the last year to make it easier to find the right car and book a reservation.
“Overall, the car rental business keeps getting more robust, competitive and technological,” said Chrissy Taylor, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Enterprise Holdings.