FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) _ American Airlines Inc. today notified flight attendants that it intends to furlough up to 410 of them on April 1 if it does not have enough volunteers for early leaves, retirements and other programs.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants said the airline told the 410 most junior of its members that they were subject to furlough.
The union told its members of the impending furloughs in a hot line message this afternoon.
Susan Gordon, a spokeswoman for American, said the airline is facing an overage of flight attendants and is not trying to cut jobs.
She told The Associated Press tonight that the airline has an overage of approximately 400 flight attendants.
She said flight attendants can voluntary opt in until March 6 and after that the furloughs will be effective April 1.
The airline had offered leaves of absence, travel privileges for people quitting and job shares to try to lower the number of flight attendants but haven’t had many takers.
She told The Dallas Morning News the economy is factor in people staying employed longer.