Open Letter Issued After Industry Competitor Receives New Aircraft Pledge From American Airlines

Envoy Air flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), issued a statement after American Airlines management announced the placement of 20 new Embraer 175 regional jets with an industry competitor.

"The hard working professionals across our company have made the American Eagle brand the gold standard within our industry for over 25 years," the union said in the statement released to the media. "We were promised a fresh start after bankruptcy, with a new look, new energy and, most of all, new airplanes. American Eagle (now Envoy) employees, whether represented by unions or not, selflessly gave the concessions demanded by management in order to secure these new airplanes and bring our company into a new era of prosperity after emerging from a very dark period in our history.

"What thanks have we received? Apparently NONE. The equipment is being sent to another company which had no connection to the financial restructuring in which we engaged to insure that our company would achieve the profitability it now enjoys – the same profitability which allows it to obtain this new aircraft. For both American Airlines and Envoy Air management to now turn their backs on our award-winning employees by providing no comment as to the future of our airline is unconscionable.

"The demoralizing effect of these misguided decisions continues to weigh heavily on our operation, while long term damage from the loss of in-house profits, loss of qualified pilots, and continued contraction of our aging fleet is quickly approaching critical mass.

"AFA calls upon management to do something very simple, something very American: Make it right. Honor your commitments. Take the high road. Give your 16,000 employees the tools required to return our company to the best-in-class leader we always have been. Now is the time to set Envoy Air on the correct course."

FMI: www.afacwa.org