The AA Flight Attendant Numbers are in...

I have been flying with AA for almost 12 years now. I will hit my 12 year anniversary August 8, 2010. It truly is hard to believe how quickly time flies (no pun intended)! Although for all of this time I don't have a whole lot to show for it.

I have been based at three different bases. Starting in SFO, transferring to LAX, MIA and then onto the wild and crazy IMA. I have always been on reserve which meant being at AA's beck and call 3 times a year, every 4th month. I have received pay increases and even though we've had a major concession I at least have never lost any vacation days. I just haven't gained any either!

Perhaps the number below show the reason why at least flights, schedules, etc. have been stagnant for years. In the airline industry, in order to 'move up' or gain seniority is only possible when a company hires new people below you. So through the growing pains, the shrinking, the pay cuts, longer hours, less sleep, less food, etc. I am quickly arriving at my 12th year mark in a job I still love, visiting places I love to explore, working with wonderful people (most of the time) and still 'hanging in there'... Here's to the job of being a flight attendant!
1st Column is year hired
2nd Column is how many remaining from that year
3rd Column is Age of f/a's ub 2010
4th Column How many years with the company
5th Column is what their occupational seniority
1958 2 73 52 1 21960 2 71 50 3 4
1962 11 69 48 5 15
1963 8 68 47 16 23
1964 8 67 46 24 31
1965 26 66 45 32 57
1966 70 65 44 58 128
1967 66 64 43 129 194
1968 140 63 42 195 334
1969 134 62 41 335 4671970 138 61 40 468 605
1971 126 60 39 606 731
1972 150 59 38 732 881
1973 207 58 37 882 1088
1974 48 57 36 1089 1136
1975 112 56 35 1137 1248
1976 285 55 34 1249 1533
1977 176 54 33 1534 1709
1978 286 53 32 1710 1995
1979 447 52 31 1996 2442
1980 104 51 30 2443 25461981 39 50 29 2547 2585
1982 161 49 28 2586 2746
1983 259 48 27 2747 30051984 829 47 26 3006 3834
1985 617 46 25 3835 4451
1986 711 45 24 4452 5162
1987 1150 44 23 5163 6312
1988 1142 43 22 6313 7454
1989 1242 42 21 7455 8696
1990 1026 41 20 8697 9722
1991 1077 40 19 9723 10799
1992 952 39 18 10800 117511993 81 38 17 11752 11832
1994 3 37 16 11833 11835
1995 560 36 15 11836 12395
1996 38 35 14 12396 12433
1997 219 34 13 12434 12652
1998 1122 33 12 12653 13774
1999 1391 32 11 13775 15165
2000 737 31 10 15166 15902
2001 208 30 9 15903 16110 Cut off
Total 14868
127 Fellow AA f/a's are age 65 and older this year
604 Fellow AA f/a's are between the ages 60-64 this year
802 Fellow AA f/a's are between the ages 55-59 this year

Basically just over 1,500 AA f/a's 'qualify' for retirement this year!


We love these amazing professional coworkers, but please know when to say when!
That time is about now, don't you think?

DNF List

DNF.... This little acronym is starting to take a VERY important part in my life at work. Can you guess what it means? I'll give you a little hint with how a trip went about 3 weeks ago.

This is part of my last posting... that happened on Nov. 10th... I had a co-worker of mine who just happened to commute from a VERY long distance (ok it was Australia) and during our LONG delay on the 10th he had an issue with a passenger. He stated to us, agents, captain and whoever else would listen that either 'That lady goes or I go'. Well no one really knew what the lady had done... so the captain and everyone else decided to let her go... this particular coworker (f/a) decided that he was going to go too.

The next day we had our departure pushed back REALLY late and finally when we were on our way... this is what took place:
During boarding I asked this long distance commuter if he was going to direct (help people find their seats) and he responded that he only spoke English and therefore wasn't going to direct.

After takeoff the FO wasn't feeling well and he pulled the #5 (galley f/a) into the cockpit because it was an emergency. I had just brought up the 2nd pickup cart to the mid galley when my friend f/a #5 Jamie asked if I could go into the cockpit quickly because the captain too wasn't feeling very well. I went right up into the cockpit. I was up there for at least 5 minutes. When I came out, my coworkers had already started the service and were halfway finished. I asked if help was needed and was told to just pickup. This LD commuter came up to f/c and slammed the customs forms on the counter and said "Why don't you do these, since you are sooo good at it" and walked away.

I picked up one side of m/c and was about to complete the other side when the LD commuter insisted that he pick up. I said ok... In the meantime of picking up.... Jamie had already passed out the customs forms. We also had a passenger who was drinking wine. We comped him 2 bottles and I charged him for the additional 3 due to the delay. Towards the end of the flight I was changing the videos and this LD commuter spoke across the f/c aisle... telling me that he needed to speak to me, 'NOW'. I walked up front and this guy who stands at least 5'9 or so... asked if I was going to meet w/ my supervisor when we got in... due to my late signins... and I said yes. He said we could go together.... I said ok..

Then what happened next totally caught my off guard. He began yelling at me... (in front of the #1 & #5) telling me I was the most uncooperative f/a in 20 years. I didn't do what I was told ( When I said this is not the time nor the place for this... can we talk about this later w/ our supervisor)... he laid into me saying it was 'all about me'... etc. At that point I knew there was nothing I could do, but wait until he was finished....

After he finally left... I was visibly upset... shaking, trying not to cry, etc. My other coworkers tried to help me calm down. I tried to avoid him the rest of the flight... until the end. Another coworker who worked for TWA for 35 years and AA for 6-7 years had talked to him... he apologized to me.

So with this story being told.... in my 7 months of flying IMA (Miami International) and having 3 BAD experiences w/ coworkers.... I have created a DNF... this acronym if you haven't guessed yet means... DO NOT FLY list!

BTW I did talk w/ my supervisor later that evening about this incident. I have to say that in 10+ years of flying I finally have a supervisor that is professional, smart, compassionate, etc. She stated she was going to have all options available to this person to get help. She also apologized for his behavior!. She also removed my 2 late signins... All I can say is that I'm happy to finally have a decent supervisor at AA and some f/a's really are CRAZY!