Flight Attendants Hold Summit on Fatigue, Hours

More than 30 officers and members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA met with their colleagues from two other unions to address the growing problem of flight attendant fatigue.

The "Fatigue Summit" was co-hosted by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, representing flight attendants at American Airlines, and Transport Workers Union Local 556, representing flight attendants at Southwest Airlines. The meeting was held at APFA headquarters outside Dallas.

With airlines slashing aircrews to compensate for economic losses, flight attendants are required to work shifts as long as 18 hours, raising serious safety concerns.

"This is a major safety issue for flight attendants nationwide," said AFA-CWA President Patricia Friend. "Flight attendants end up with only five or six hours to sleep, and oftentimes less. Airlines are cutting every corner to keep flight attendants on duty, and that's affecting our health and raising concerns over our ability to properly safeguard our passengers."

In 1996, the Federal Aviation Administration implemented the Flight Attendant Duty and Rest rules that require 8- and 9-hour rest periods. But those "rest periods" include all transportation to and from the airports, plus the meals and preparation for bed at night.

Attending from AFA-CWA were flight attendants from 11 airlines: United, US Airways, America West, Hawaiian, Alaska Air, AirTran, Mesa, Independence Air, Atlantic Southeast, PSA and American Eagle.

AFA-CWA will continue to work with other flight attendant groups to address this serious issue.