Hoping Their Carrier Stays Afloat

United flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO, will be leafleting at airports nationwide on Monday, March 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. asking passengers to sign postcards calling on Congress to protect the airlines and airline workers from the devastating financial impact the war with Iraq is having on the industry and its workers.

The airline industry is already a casualty of the war on terrorism, the association said. Fuel costs skyrocketed as tensions built in the Middle East, and revenues are down due to fewer people flying because of the increased threat of terrorism during war. One hundred and fifty thousand airline workers have already lost their jobs, and many of those who remain have been forced to take significant pay and benefit cuts to keep their companies afloat. The airlines are predicting another 70,000 job losses and even deeper cuts due to the war in Iraq.

The flight attendants called on Congress to act immediately to protect the airline industry and its workforce by:

• Reimbursing security costs imposed after September 11
• Opening the strategic petroleum reserve
• Repealing the passenger security tax and air carrier security fees
• Extending the Aviation Insurance Program
• Providing additional direct economic aid to prevent a collapse
• Extending unemployment benefits to affected workers
• Helping laid off families cover healthcare costs
• Assisting furloughed employees with job re-training.

Picketing At Major US Airports

The flight attendants will be collecting signature cards from passengers supporting their campaign. The postcards will be delivered to members of Congress on March 26 and 27. Flight attendants will be at the following airports:

• Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Terminal 1 -- United
• Los Angeles International Airport, Upper Level Terminal 7 -- United
• Miami International Airport, Concourse F,
• New York La Guardia Airport, Terminal C -- United
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, United Ticket Counter
• San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 3 -- United
• Washington Dulles International Airport, Upper Level United Airlines Check-in

More than 50,000 flight attendants, including the 24,000 flight attendants at United, join together to form AFA, the world's largest flight attendant union.

FMI: www.unitedafa.org