Is this the “American” Way?
American Airlines Retirees Aren’t Taking the Back Seat Quietly
It was part of the master plan making up the restructuring of American Airlines. Using bankruptcy to adjust employee work rules and eliminate debt, American also offered long-time, higher paid workers voluntary early-out packages (VEOP) in order to replace them with newer, lower paid workers. Many employees were more than happy to accept the severance offers; especially since they included travel privileges; which seemed a perfect and appropriate reward for their many years of service even in the most turbulent years of airline history.
It should also be noted that American’s offer to flight attendants, for instance, was roughly 1/3 the amount which United and Delta Airlines offered to their employees asked to retire early. Despite the paltry early retirement offer of around $40,000, the travel privileges proved enough of an incentive for many to sign the papers and leave their jobs in the sky.
Click link to sign the petition: airlines-honor-commitments-made-to-american-airlines-retirees” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>
Tell American’s CEO: Honor commitments made to American Airlines retirees
American Welched on the Deal
It did not take long for American Airlines management to discover that it would be easy enough to change the terms of the travel privileges in order to save money. The most glaring change, places retirees behind nearly every other standby traveler– making it nearly impossible to be accommodated on most flights at a time when planes are flying at full capacity more than ever before.
So what can a bunch of retired air hostesses do about it? They’ve taken to social media to unite retirees from around the world and started petitions to draw attention to another form of corporate injustice directed to the very workers depended on year after year to deliver the “product” promoted as “Something Special in the Air”.
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Pie in the Sky for Execs and Board Members
While retired employees watch their hard-earned benefits being slashed and devalued; executive level employees, even those who’ve recently left in disgrace, enjoy lifetime first class travel for themselves and family members. Additionally, they also have lifetime access to Admirals Clubs and a host of other cushy perks which are being left untouched. They’re not the only ones, those who serve on American’s Board of Directors enjoy all these lavish perks as well; even when they only serve for short periods— great deal right?
These lifetime benefits, enjoyed by these chosen few, also require American’s gate agents to bump paying passengers to accommodate the “special” pass-holders and their families. If AA management has their way, there won’t be any retired employees taking up any space on board at all.