Layoffs for 345 more Air Canada flight attendants

Air Canada has announced to its staff that it will reduce its flight attendant work force by 345 in early March of this year. The layoffs are a result of the carrier's plans to use one less flight attendant in its business-class cabins on transatlantic flights. Canada's largest airline also is reducing the frequency of flights on certain routes, and using smaller aircraft on other routes. Air Canada currently employs some 5,700 flight attendants.

Several officials of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents Air Canada flight attendants, spoke to the media regarding yesterday's announced job cuts, saying they were unexpected.

Cidalia Ribeiro, president of CUPE Local 4092, told CTV.ca, "They're just saying it's a cost reduction exercise and they're cutting back service on some of our overseas flights."

Ribeiro said at least half of the affected flight attendants are based at Toronto. Air Canada reportedly told its employees that the layoffs are expected to be temporary, and that some might be recalled as early as April.

An article in the Montreal Gazette about the proposed job cuts quoted Paul Moist, national president of the CUPE, who said the loss of hundreds of additional flight attendant jobs means "more pain, and we’re extremely concerned."

Moist also expressed concern that reducing the number of flight attendants on flights on the trans-Atlantic route could have a negative effect on service, and could potentially compromise safety as well.

Air Canada reduced its work force by 2,000 employees in the summer of 2008. Among those laid off were about 600 flight attendants.

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Air Canada flight attendant praised after taking over for incapacitated co-pilot

The bad news: Last January an Air Canada pilot, working as First Officer on a trans-Atlantic flight, had some sort of 'emotional breakdown' while on the flight deck. He was physically removed from the flight deck by other crew members and had to be restrained in the passenger cabin until the aircraft landed and he was taken to a hospital.

The good news: A Flight Attendant, who happened to be a licensed pilot, took over the First Officer's seat and assisted the Captain during descent, approach, and landing. The unnamed Flight Attendant was praised in the report of the official investigation of the incident.

The details: On January 28, 2008, an Air Canada Boeing 767-333 aircraft (registration C-FMXC), operating as Air Canada Flight AC848, was 36,000 ft above the Atlantic Ocean en route from Toronto to London when the First Officer began to behave in a peculiar manner. According to a report issued today by Ireland's Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU), the First Officer "became belligerent and uncooperative which convinced the Commander he was now dealing with a crewmember who was effectively incapacitated." After trying unsuccessfully to reason with the man, the Captain called the Incharge Flight Attendant to the flight deck, first as a witness to the First Officer's behavior, and ultimately asking the Incharge Flight Attendant to "secure the First Officer away from the flight controls, then with the help of other crew members, remove him from the cockpit."

The Flight Attendants managed to get the First Officer into a seat in the passenger cabin, where he was restrained for the rest of the flight. They recruited two passengers who were medical doctors to help look after the disoriented pilot.

Meanwhile, back on the flight deck, the Captain consulted with Air Canada dispatchers, and decided to divert to Shannon. Quoting from the AAIU report (re-paragraphed for easier reading):

After making a PAN (distress) call, Shannon ATC were informed that the medical emergency was due to a pilot incapacitation (the First Officer) and the flight was now a single pilot (Captain only) flight for descent, approach and landing.

Prior to descent, the Commander asked the Incharge Flight Attendant to go [through] the Passenger Information List (PIL) to see if there were any flight crew on board who might be available to assist on the Flight deck for the remainder of the flight.

In the event no line pilots were on board, but one of the Cabin attendants held a Commercial Pilot’s Licence, with a Multi-engine Rating, and a non-current Instrument Rating. The Commander requested that the Flight Attendant occupy the right-hand (First Officers) seat for the remainder of the flight to assist as necessary.

The Flight Attendant provided useful assistance to the Commander, who remarked in a statement to the Investigation that she was ‘not out of place’ while occupying the right-hand seat.

As the descent was commenced the Passengers were informed that an early descent was to be made and diversion to Shannon due to a medical emergency. The descent, approach and landing were uneventful. The aircraft landed at 07.19 hrs and parked on Stand 39 at Shannon at 07.23 hrs.

The AAIU report concluded that the Captain and the entire crew handled the incident very well. The Analysis section of the AAIU report ends with this paragraph:

Incapacitation of a member of flight crew is a serious incident. The onset of subtle incapacitation is sometimes difficult to detect, and then in all probability more difficult to deal with. The Commander realising he was faced with a difficult and serious situation used tact and understanding and kept control of the situation at all times. The situation was dealt with in a professional manner, employing the principles of Crew Resource Management (CRM). As such the Commander and Flight Attendants should be commended for their professionalism in the handling of this event.

Congratulations to the crew for their expert handling of what must have been a very stressful situation. Special applause to the Flight Attendant who temporarily took over the First Officer's position and apparently did a fine job.

I wonder if she got to officially add a little B767 time to her pilot logbook. I hope so.

Here is the link to the entire report: Serious Incident: Boeing 767-333, C-FMXC, Oceanic Reporting Point MALOT, 28 January 2008: Report No 2008-027 - AAIU (Ireland), Nov. 19, 2008 (5-page 'pdf' file)

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Air Canada Airbus A319 incident at Denver

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued its preliminary report about an incident at Denver last week involving an Airbus A319 aircraft, operated by Air Canada. Judging from the description of events provided by the NTSB, it sounds as though the crew had one very frustrating afternoon.

The aircraft (registration number C-FYJP), operating as Air Canada Flight ACA1042, was departing Denver International Airport for a scheduled passenger flight to Toronto's Pearson International Airport on the afternoon of July 23, 2008. According to the NTSB report, the captain heard a "whistling noise" during the takeoff roll. Suspecting an unsecured window, he rejected the takeoff. The aircraft taxied back and a second takeoff was initiated.

Here's what happened next (quoting from the NTSB report):

Gear retraction, which was delayed to allow the brakes to cool as a result of the previous rejected takeoff, was normal.

When the flaps were retracted, an F-LOCKED message was received. An emergency was declared.

When the airplane was configured for landing, the following messages were illuminated: RIGHT UNLK ON PANEL; L/G DISAGREE; L/G NOT DOWN. A go-around was made and dispatch and maintenance were contacted.

It was later determined that the landing gear was down and locked, and a flaps 3 landing was made on runway 16R. There was a noticeable vibration on the right side of the airplane, and minimal braking was used to slow the airplane on the 16,000-foot runway. Inspection revealed the right inboard tire had failed.

After discussions with the cabin crew and some passengers, indications were that the tire failed at rotation on the second takeoff. Rubber fragments were found on the right side of the runway at the 6,000-foot mark.

There were no injuries reported among the two cockpit crew, three flight attendants, and 94 passengers on board at the time of the incident.

Sounds like that airplane just didn't want to leave Denver!

Air Canada to lay off 632 flight attendants, close bases

Air Canada has informed its flight attendants' union of plans to lay off 632 cabin crew in the coming months. The layoffs of 9% of the carrier's flight attendants are a part of its Air Canada's capacity reduction plans, announced last month, which will result in cuts of up to 2,000 positions across all levels of the organization.

Air Canada officials said that 300 flight attendant positions will be eliminated from Vancouver, due to a decrease in international long-haul flights from that base. In addition, Air Canada will close its flight attendant bases at Winnipeg and Halifax as of November 1. As a result, 145 flight attendant jobs in Winnipeg, and 187 in Halifax will be lost. According to news reports, Air Canada may offer some flight attendants who are losing their jobs at those bases an opportunity to transfer to Toronto or Montreal.

Air Canada flight attendants are represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). An article about the Air Canada layoffs on the CBC News website quotes Lisa Vivian Anthony, president of CUPE Local 4090 in Halifax, who said, "We are shocked and we are in a state of disbelief. Our base has been in operation in Halifax for 32 years, so this is essentially the end of an era for us."

Air Canada to cut 2,000 jobs in capacity reduction

Citing the impact of record high fuel prices, Air Canada announced earlier today that it will reduce the size of its fleet and its staff in coming months. The planned capacity reduction will result in cuts of up to 2,000 positions across all levels of the organization, according to an announcement made by Air Canada's President and CEO, Montie Brewer.

"The loss of jobs is painful in view of our employees' hard work in bringing the airline back to profitability over the past four years," said Mr. Brewer. "I regret having to take these actions but they are necessary to remain competitive going forward. Air Canada, like most global airlines, needs to adapt its business and reduce flying that has become unprofitable in the current fuel environment. If fuel prices remain at current levels, we can anticipate further capacity reductions," he added.

According to information released today by Air Canada, in the fourth quarter of 2008 and first quarter of 2009, the carrier plans to reduce domestic capacity by 2.0 per cent, U.S. transborder capacity by 13.0 per cent and international capacity by 7.0 per cent, for a total system capacity reduction of 7.0 per cent for the two quarters compared to the prior year's period.

The revised capacity reduction plan includes the previously announced suspension of Toronto-Rome non-stop service (with resumption planned for the peak summer season) and the withdrawal of Vancouver-Osaka non-stop service effective October 26, 2008. A revised fall and winter schedule, and specifics about fleet reduction, have not yet been announced.

UPDATE July 10, 2008: Air Canada has notified its flight attendants' union of plans to lay off 632 cabin crew. The airline also intends to close its flight attendant bases at Winnipeg and Halifax as of November 1, 2008.

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Survey findings: Air Canada pilots' morale extremely low

A researcher from the John Molson School of Business at Montreal's Concordia University who conducted a survey of nearly a thousand Air Canada pilots last year found a climate characterized by extremely low morale. Dr. Martin L. Martens found that "the pilots' sense of fairness, justice and trust in executive management were unusually low and points to very poor morale and a negative working environment."

"There are hundreds of published studies that have examined justice and fairness and we're not aware of any research out there that has produced scores this low, it's extremely unusual," says Dr. Martens, whose survey polled the attitudes of 900 Air Canada pilots. "The numbers that we have are a very strong indication that the people responding (to the survey) on average do not trust the company or do not trust the senior management for whatever reason."

"This study proves what we knew all along; now we see that it's even worse than we thought," says Capt. Serge Beaulieu, spokesperson for the Air Canada Pilots Association. "Our pilots are committed to do a safe and professional job, but when we're not treated fairly, that has to affect the airline's performance."

Problems, says Beaulieu, range from day-to-day contract violations by Air Canada to a general lack of respect for employees. Beaulieu also points to problems stemming from the company's recent bankruptcy where employees gave up $6-billion in concessions over six years to stave off liquidation. Now that the company is financially healthy, he says, shareholders and executives are, "Not sharing the gain with those who shared the pain."

Dr. Martens will present his findings at an Academy of Management conference in Philadelphia on Monday, Aug. 6. For a preview of what he will present, have a look at the Backgrounder - Air Canada Pilot Workplace Climate Study.

How long is your duty day?

The Toronto Star has published on its website, TheStar.com, an interesting story about how aircrew duty hours sometimes get stretched, and stretched and stretched....

The story relates a succession of exchanges between the crew of an Air Canada flight, and the company. The flight, an A340 carrying 261 souls, was on a scheduled run between Delhi and Toronto, and was late pushing back from the gate.

Here is an excerpt of what transpired:

While waiting on the ground for instructions to leave the gate, the pilots informed Air Canada dispatch that they might have to land before reaching Toronto.

Instead of a 16-hour scheduled flight, the ground delay meant pilots were looking at a duty day of more than 20 hours --— a breach of regulations. "We may be landing short due to crew duty day requirements," the crew wrote in a text communication to airline dispatch in Canada, obtained by the Star. "Or (would you) like us to stay here (in Delhi)?"

Word came back two minutes later: "Press on." Later, while still waiting to take off, the crew messaged dispatch that the plane's flight attendants "will only go 18 hour duty day."

Instructions came back that if flight service attendants agreed to return to Toronto, they would get bonus pay. After takeoff, the pilots responded: "Flight service is not going to (Toronto). (Canadian air regulations) do not, I say not, in any case allow us to go (to Toronto)."

It was too late to make that decision, the pilots were informed by their managers.

"The flight attendants are legal to go to (Toronto) and that is the bottom line. We interpret their contract and they pushed off from gate. That's it. They are coming to (Toronto). ... We will deal with them when they arrive in (Toronto)."

At one point, the clearly frustrated captain sent a message saying he was "weary" of playing labour negotiator with managers. "We are going to (Halifax). I will not deal with (flight) service crew (schedule) any more. ... This ass---- in (crew scheduling) just told me (flight attendants) do not control the airplane, I do. (Please) instruct Mr. (flight crew scheduling manager) to not contact this aircraft again. We are entering Afghan (airspace). Very busy."

There were financial pressures at work, a follow-up message from Canada said. Dispatch pointed out that regional flights "will have to be cancelled in order to get a crew to (Halifax)" if the pilots choose to land there.

The flight crew asked dispatch to contact Air Canada's on-duty pilot for a ruling to ensure Canadian duty time regulations were not being broken.

Dispatch responded with that confirmation, stating the crew's duty day is scheduled for 18 hours and 33 minutes "which is within (air regulations)."

Not so, the pilots responded. "Simple arithmetic shows (that calculation) to be in error." But, with firm instructions coming from managers, the captain agreed to push on.

After the flight, one of the pilots filed a complaint with the airline, citing violation of duty day regulations.

Read the whole article here: Heated exchanges with ground reveal cockpit frustrations - TheStar.com