Delta cancels some Christmas flights because flight attendants unavailable

<p>Delta Air Lines delayed or canceled 33 Christmas Day flights because it didnt have enough flight attendants to get the planes off the ground, a company spokesman said.</p><p>The problem Thursday affected the Atlanta-based airline systemwide, but by early afternoon all the passengers who missed their flights were rebooked on later flights or on other airlines, said spokesman Joshua Smith.</p><p>The issue was isolated to flight attendants only, the crews that we did not have available were flight attendants, Smith said. As to the reason why they were not available, I cannot speculate.</p><p>Smith wouldnt say how many flight attendants were unavailable or if there was a coordinated effort by flight attendants to not show up for work on the holiday. Delta flew a total of more than 6,000 flights nationwide Thursday, Smith said.</p><p>Delta flight attendant Andrea Taylor said dozens of flight attendants called in sick Thursday, but she said it wasnt a coordinated sick-out.</p><p>Taylor, a union organizer who lives in New York City, added that many flight attendants are upset by cuts in financial and medical benefits that go into effect next year. For the last several weeks, flight attendants have been scrambling to schedule surgeries that will not be covered in the new year, Taylor said.</p><p>Its financial survival rather than retaliation, Taylor said. If the company wants to see it as retaliation, thats fine. Its not a concerted effort at a job action.</p><p>Flight attendants at the nations third-largest airline are not part of a union, but some have been talking about forming one in recent months because of the upcoming changes to their benefits.</p><p>Smith declined to respond to Taylors comments.</p><p>I dont want to paint flight attendants in this situation in being in the wrong, Smith said. It could have been the flu.</p><p>In October, some Delta flight attendants said they were worried new work rules that blend their base and overtime pay will mean less money and lower pension benefits.</p><p>Deltas roughly 14,000 flight attendants receive a base salary for the first 50 hours of work a month and an overtime rate for hours worked above that, with a maximum of 90 hours total.</p><p>New rules that go into effect next summer mean flight attendants will receive one pay rate for all hours worked, but the cap on the total number of hours they can work will be eliminated.</p><p>The changes mean an employee working 70 hours a month under the current system could work one hour less under the new system and make the same amount. However, an employee working 80 hours now would have to work one hour more to make the same amount.</p><p>Pension benefits are based on the amount of yearly earnings for three consecutive years during the last 10 years of a flight attendants service. A flight attendant could earn higher benefits by working longer hours, but if they kept their schedule the same in their later years their benefits might be less.</p><p>The airline has defended the changes, arguing that the new rules will allow ambitious flight attendants to earn more money.</p><p>Delta, which has suffered heavy losses for the last two years, has laid off 16,000 employees since the 2001 terrorist attacks. It recently canceled this years bonuses for executives as it seeks deep wage concessions from pilots.</p><p>___</p><p>On the Net:</p><p>http:/www.delta.com</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/12/180604