Fire in the cockpit causes United Airlines Boeing 757 diversion

by B. N. Sullivan

Last night, May 16, 2010, United Airlines flight UAL 27 from New York-JFK to Los Angeles diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) after a fire broke out in the cockpit. According to press reports, the fire may have originated in a windshield heater on the Boeing 757-200 aircraft (registration N510UA). The incident began about 30 minutes into the flight. The aircraft diverted to IAD where it landed safely. No injuries were reported.

In its account of the incident, FlightGlobal.com reports that the pilots "noted the faint smell of smoke before hearing a 'sizzle' and seeing flames coming from a phenolic block that holds wires that carry power to the windshield heaters."

After donning oxygen masks, the crew extinguished the fire with a halon fire extinguisher, declared an emergency and diverted to Dulles.

Inbound to Dulles at approximately 500ft altitude on the final approach to Runway 19L, the Boeing 757's left front windshield apparently shattered with a "boom", according to a report from the crew. Despite the disruption, the pilots landed the aircraft without incident as fire and rescue crews looked on.

A preliminary report posted this morning on the FAA website said only that the aircraft diverted to IAD after reporting fire in the cockpit. No further details about the incident were provided.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation.

UPDATE May 21, 2010: In a press release today, the NTSB provided the following factual information about this incident:

On Sunday, May 16, 2010, about 9:17 pm (EDT) the pilots on United Airlines flight 27, a Boeing 757, N510UA, noted a strong acrid smell and observed smoke from the Captain's lower front windshield. The incident occurred about 30 minutes into the flight while the aircraft was level at 36,000 feet MSL. On board the aircraft were 7 crew members and 105 passengers.

The Captain and First Officer reported that they donned their oxygen masks and smoke goggles immediately after observing the smoke and fire. The Captain then gave control of the airplane to the First Officer and discharged a halon fire extinguisher. The smoke and fire dissipated but then re-ignited. The Captain obtained a second bottle from the Purser. The fire remained extinguished after this second bottle was discharged. At approximately 500 feet MSL on final approach to Runway19L at IAD, the Captain’s windshield cracked. The landing was uneventful. The airplane cleared the runway, after which ARFF (Aircraft Rescue Firefighting) entered the aircraft to check for residual heat and fire. None was found and the airplane was towed to the gate for deplaning. There were no evacuation and no injuries to the flight crew or passengers.

Preliminary examination of the cockpit area revealed that the inner pane of the Captain’s windshield had cracked. One of the five terminal blocks attached to the inside of the lower left windshield was consumed by fire and the portion of the wire harness associated with this terminal block was significantly damaged by fire. There was significant sooting and paint peeling to the left hand side of the windshield air frame support.

The Captain’s windshield was moved and will be examined by Board investigators at the manufacturer.

Two previous windshield fire events on B757-200 aircraft prompted the NTSB to issue Safety Recommendation A-07-50 http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2007/A07_49_50.pdf. The Safety Board investigators will look closely at the recovered hardware to determine if this latest event is related.

[Photo Source]

United-Continental merger plans announced

by B. N. Sullivan

This morning United Airlines and Continental Airlines officially announced their plans to merge. The announcement, which came as no surprise, confirmed rumors that had been circulating for some time. The companies' announcement billed the transaction as "a merger of equals" rather than as a takeover of one airline by the other.

Jeff Smisek, the current CEO of Continental, will run the merged operation. Glenn Tilton, the current president and CEO of UAL Corp., United's parent, will serve as non-executive chairman of the new company's Board of Directors for a period of about two years.

The new mega-carrier, which will serve 370 destinations around the world, will carry the United name, but with aircraft dressed in Continental livery. The holding company for the operation will be called United Continental Holdings, Inc.

The corporate headquarters for the new company will be located in Chicago, but also will have offices in Houston, where Continental is presently headquartered. Houston also will be the new airline's largest hub.

Quoting from the press statement that announced the merger:

The combination of United and Continental brings together the two most complementary networks of any U.S. carriers, with minimal domestic and no international route overlaps. The combined company will offer enhanced service to Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East from well-placed hubs on the East Coast, West Coast, and Southern and Midwestern regions of the United States. The combined company will have 10 hubs, including hubs in the four largest cities in the United States, and will provide enhanced service to underserved small- and medium-sized communities. The combined carrier will continue to serve all the communities each carrier currently serves. Together, Continental and United serve more than 144 million passengers per year as they fly to 370 destinations in 59 countries.

Employees will benefit from improved long-term career opportunities and enhanced job stability by being part of a larger, financially stronger and more geographically diverse carrier that is better able to compete successfully in the global marketplace. The companies believe the effect of the merger on front-line employees will be minimal, with reductions coming principally from retirements, attrition and voluntary programs. The company will provide employees with performance-based incentive compensation programs focused on achieving common goals. The combined company will be focused on creating cooperative labor relations, including negotiating contracts with collective bargaining units that are fair to the company and fair to the employee.

The carriers intend to close the deal by the end of this year, subject to approval by their respective shareholders and regulatory authorities.

For more information, visit http://www.unitedcontinentalmerger.com/

[Photo Source]

Drama on United Airlines Flight 663: A smoker, not a terrorist

by B. N. Sullivan

For the past several hours I have been watching a drama unfold -- 'watching' via my computer monitor, that is. The story I am about to tell emerged over a period of several hours, during which I monitored Twitter and many news Web sites. What follows is a summary of what is known so far, pieced together from numerous sources -- subject to amendment when information from official sources becomes available.

Earlier this evening there was an incident aboard a United Airlines flight while it was en route to Denver from Washington, DC. It seems that a male first class passenger decided to sneak a smoke in the forward lavatory of the Boeing 757-200, which was operating as United Flight 663. The smoke was noticed, the passenger was confronted by Federal Air Marshals (FAMs), and some sort of verbal exchange followed.

Apparently the behavior and/or statements of the passenger were perceived as suspicious enough that the crew requested that law enforcement officials meet the plane when it landed at Denver. In fact, early news reports suggested that the passenger may have been trying to set fire to his shoe (like the infamous shoe bomber back in 2001), although those reports were later tempered, implying instead that the incident arose from a "misunderstanding" rather than a true threat. (ABC News quoted an unnamed US security official who said the passenger may have made a "sarcastic" comment about lighting his shoes on fire when he was confronted by the FAMs, who had been told by flight attendants that smoke was coming from the lavatory.)

In any case, two F-16s from Buckley AFB were dispatched by NORAD to intercept the United aircraft and escort it during its approach to Denver. Upon arrival, just before 7:00 PM local time, the airliner parked at a 'remote location' at Denver International Airport. The passenger at the center of the drama was taken into custody, and the aircraft was searched for explosives; none were found. The Denver Post reported that the remainder of the 157 passengers and six crew members deplaned and were bused to an airport fire station where they were "interviewed by the FBI."

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a brief statement about the incident, saying only that "Federal Air Marshals responded to a passenger causing a disturbance on board the aircraft," that the plane had landed safely at Denver, and that the passenger was being interviewed by law enforcement.

At some point along the way, several news media reports said that the suspicious passenger was a diplomat from Qatar. This turned out to be accurate, given that the Embassy of Qatar in Washington, DC released the following statement, via its Web site, a short time ago:

FROM THE AMBASSADOR OF THE STATE OF QATAR TO THE UNITED STATES, H.E. ALI BIN FAHAD AL-HAJRI

PRESS REPORTS TODAY REGARDING AN INCIDENT ABOARD A COMMERCIAL FLIGHT FROM WASHINGTON, DC TO DENVER, CO INDICATE THAT A QATARI DIPLOMAT WAS DETAINED FOR SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR. WE RESPECT THE NECESSITY OF SPECIAL SECURITY PRECAUTIONS INVOLVING AIR TRAVEL, BUT THIS DIPLOMAT WAS TRAVELING TO DENVER ON OFFICIAL EMBASSY BUSINESS ON MY INSTRUCTIONS, AND HE WAS CERTAINLY NOT ENGAGED IN ANY THREATENING ACTIVITY. THE FACTS WILL REVEAL THAT THIS WAS A MISTAKE, AND WE URGE ALL CONCERNED PARTIES TO AVOID RECKLESS JUDGMENTS OR SPECULATION.

(Yes, it was all in capital letters, exactly as I have posted it.)

Moments before I began to write this post, several news media -- quoting unnamed law enforcement officials -- reported that no criminal charges will be filed against the Qatari diplomat.

UPDATE Apr. 8, 2010: Several news media are reporting today that Qatari government officials have informed the U.S. State Department that the Qatari diplomat who caused last night's incident would leave the United States, probably by the end of this week.

This morning, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano issued the following statement about the incident:

“I commend the Federal Air Marshals on board United Airlines flight 663 last night, who swiftly responded to a potential threat to passenger safety while the plane was in flight. These highly trained individuals took appropriate and immediate action to secure the aircraft and communicate the potential threat to authorities on the ground—ensuring that the flight was met by TSA and law enforcement officials when it landed safely in Denver. I spoke to the Air Marshals this morning, and I expressed my appreciation for their vital service keeping passengers around the world safe from potential threats of terrorism—work that nearly always goes unnoticed. We always treat security-related incidents seriously until verified otherwise, and thankfully this incident posed no actual security threat."

United Airlines flight attendants work without pay on Haiti relief flight

by B .N. Sullivan

Five United Airlines flight attendants have volunteered their time and services, working without pay on earthquake relief flights between Chicago and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The flight attendants are representatives their union, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA). The outbound flight took aid workers and supplies to Haiti. The return flight brought earthquake survivors to the United States.

"We donated our work as flight attendants on the relief flight flown by United Airlines to help call attention to the importance of supporting the relief efforts organized by the American Red Cross," said Greg Davidowitch, president of AFA-CWA at United Airlines. "We encourage United Airlines passengers to join us in supporting the American Red Cross.”

Chicago based Flight Attendants Meg Mikesell, Paul Antuna, Kathy Browne, Tony Retkowski and Gerald Sermana recounted their experience when they returned to O’Hare International Airport:

“We were able to take part in the evacuation of orphans, families and elderly Haitians, all of whom were weary from their very horrendous experience. From darling little children to the kind woman you could imagine as your grandmother, all of these people were amazingly grateful,” Retkowski said. “I am unable to contribute a lot of money, but I was able to give my time. I hope my contributions inspire United’s passengers and others around the world to give all they can for these beautiful people. The experience of letting someone know they are cared for is an incredible reward.”

The flight attendants' union is supporting the American Red Cross with direct donations. The United Airlines Foundation has promised to match up to a total of $50,000 in donations to the American Red Cross.

United Airlines Airbus A319 accident at Newark

by B. N. Sullivan

A United Airlines Airbus A319 made an emergency landing at Newark-Liberty International Airport (EWR) this morning after its right main landing gear failed to deploy properly. The aircraft (registration N816UA) landed on its left main gear and nose gear, and came to a rest with its right wingtip touching the ground, according to news reports. The five crew members and 48 passengers on board evacuated the aircraft on the runway using emergency slides. No injuries have been reported.

According to a report about the accident by the Aviation Safety Network, the A319-131 aircraft, operating as United flight UAL 634 from Chicago-O'Hare International Airport to Newark, aborted its first approach to EWR after receiving an unsafe gear indication:

The flight was expected to land at Newark about 09:00 local time. While on finals, about 08:54 the crew apparently experienced problems getting the undercarriage down and locked. The crew carried out a missed approach and climbed to an altitude of 2000 feet. The flight circled the area West of the airport before a new approach was carried out to runway 04L.

Two photos from the scene were posted to Twitpic by @NYCinvestigates (Jim Hoffer), including the one above, which shows the accident aircraft resting on its number two engine nacelle.

UPDATE Jan. 11, 2010: The New York Daily News reports that the aircraft was removed from the runway at about 5:45 AM this morning.

"There was only minor damage," said FAA spokesman Jim Peters, adding that the right engine covering and wing will need repairs.

Moritz Loew, a director with MSNBC, was a passenger on United flight UA 634 and he wrote an account of his experience on the MSNBC blog, Field Notes. It's an interesting read: A funny thing happened on the way home from CES. He praises both the pilots and flight attendants for the great job they did in keeping everyone safe, so we'll just have to forgive him for saying the A319 was "dumping fuel" while in the holding pattern after the go around. (Wink.)

[Photo Source]

United Airlines flight attendants demonstrate at 17 airports

by B .N. Sullivan

Yesterday, United Airlines flight attendants braved the winter cold to demonstrate at 17 airports across the United States, Europe and Asia to protest their employer's "failure to negotiate a new contract on time." In accordance with the existing contract between United and the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), negotiations began on April 6, 2009, with the intention of getting a new collective bargaining agreement in place as soon as possible. According to the AFA leadership, "United has shown no interest in discussing improvements or reaching a new contract unless we agree to concessionary demands."

Greg Davidowitch, president of the AFA Master Executive Council at United Airlines said, "Flight attendants are angry because management seems only interested in delaying a new contract, refusing to discuss any improvements."

The existing labor contract, which became amendable on January 7, 2010, was negotiated while the airline was in bankruptcy. The flight attendants took cuts in pay and health care benefits; their work rules were revised; and their pensions were terminated.

"For too long this management has expected flight attendants to work harder for less. No more!" stated Davidowitch. "This is just the first of our public protests. Flight attendants vow to do 'Whatever It Takes' to get the contract we have earned."

United Airlines flight attendants picketed at airports in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Tokyo-Narita and Washington, DC. They were joined by flight attendants from other airlines in a show of solidarity.

Click here to view a copy of the leaflet handed out to passengers during the demonstration: United's Running Late... With My Pay!

[Photo Source]

Tis the season... for de-icing

by B. N. Sullivan

A wicked snowstorm in the eastern United States caused the cancellation of many hundreds of flights today. Several airports closed while snow removal got underway, and at others, air traffic was greatly reduced.

'Tis the season for snow in the northern hemisphere. We all can bet that there's a lot more snow to follow before Spring returns.

Earlier this month I left Denver International Airport (DIA) in the middle of a snowstorm. The accumulation was not enough to cripple the airport, but early morning departures required de-icing. Fortunately DIA is used to snow, and well equipped to handle it. Here are a couple of photos I shot on the de-icing pad at DIA on the morning of December 8, 2009. I had a pretty good view from my exit row window seat on a United Airlines Boeing 767. [Click on the photos for a larger view.]

The first photo shows a United Airlines Boeing 757 being sprayed with de-icing fluid.



And then it was our turn.



I wish all the readers of Aircrew Buzz a safe winter flying season. Stay warm!

Video: How to remodel the passenger cabin of a Boeing 747

This video was produced earlier this year by United Airlines. In a time lapse sequence, it shows the remodeling of "the first and business class cabins on its Boeing 747, adding new lie-flat beds and 15-inch personal TV screens that have more than 150 hours of entertainment."

(I don't know why I love stuff like this, but I do...)



If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.

United Airlines wants up to 150 new aircraft, asks Boeing and Airbus for bids

UAL Corp., the parent of United Airlines, is seeking to acquire up to 150 new aircraft, an order that could be worth up to $10 billion. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is reporting that UAL has asked both Boeing and Airbus to bid for the order.

Unlike some of its largest domestic rivals, United already flies both Airbus and Boeing planes, giving both manufacturers an incentive to try to grab a bigger share of a major airline's business. As part of its order, United is hoping to simplify its fleet by ending up with fewer different types of aircraft, a change that would cut its maintenance and crew-training costs.

Citing 'people familiar with the matter', the WSJ says the focus of the order will be replacement of "many of United's 111-airplane wide-body fleet, as well as some of its 97 aging Boeing 757 narrow-body planes."

Just a year ago, United announced plans to downsize its fleet, a move that would include retiring six Boeing 747-400 aircraft, and all 94 of the Boeing 737 type. The airline also is in the process of reintegrating the 56 Airbus A320 aircraft that have been operating all-economy Ted flights into the mainline fleet, repainting them in the standard United livery, and reconfiguring the seating to include a First Class cabin.

Hundreds of United pilots are furloughed at present, and the elimination of 100 planes from its fleet over the space of a year has meant that many pilots have had to be retrained to fly different types of aircraft in order to keep their jobs. I can't help but wonder how United's pilots will view this intended expansion of the fleet, especially from a single airframer.

The timing of this proposed order for new aircraft is as surprising as its potential dollar value: the WSJ report indicates that United "could sign a major order as early as the fall." But perhaps the timing is more shrewd than it might seem at first glance. Says the WSJ:

It's a notable move amid falling travel demand and a tight lending environment -- on top of UAL's recent heavy losses and poor credit rating. But even in good times aircraft builders will go to considerable lengths to lock in an order, using in-house financing arms and other maneuvers to help airlines buy...

In other words, UAL is in bargain-hunting mode, and the ace up its sleeve is the lure of a winner-take-all deal for either Boeing or Airbus.

Let the bidding war begin.

9/11 flight attendant Cee Cee Lyles memorialized by her home town

Cee Cee Lyles, a United Airlines flight attendant who was killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, was honored by her home town of Fort Pierce, FL, yesterday. A post office in Fort Pierce was dedicated in her memory, in a ceremony conducted by Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), and attended by family members, community leaders, and her fellow flight attendants.

Ms. Lyles was born and raised in Fort Pierce, FL. Prior to pursuing a career as a flight attendant with United Airlines, she was a Fort Pierce police officer for six years. She died at age 33, when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field outside Shanksville, PA.

A delegation from the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), of which Cee Cee Lyles was a member, attended the ceremony in Fort Pierce.

"Today's dedication of the Fort Pierce Post Office is a wonderful way to celebrate the professionalism and the memory of our flying partner and friend," said Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. "Her memory will live on through the Fort Pierce community for generations to come."

Last year, Congress passed a resolution, sponsored by Senator Martinez and Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), which officially designated the local U.S. postal facility to be named in honor of Lyles. In 2003, Fort Pierce erected a bronze statue in Liberty Garden in Veteran's Memorial Park to memorialize the United flight attendant and Fort Pierce native.

Click here to read about the life of Cee Cee Lyles, from the archives of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

[Photo Source]

Pilots wary of proposed United Airlines/Aer Lingus partnership

Last month United Airlines and Irish carrier Aer Lingus announced "an innovative extension of their relationship on select long haul services between Europe and North America." Under terms of the agreement -- made possible by the Open Skies Air Services Agreement between the European Union and the United States -- the two carriers plan to offer daily service between Washington-Dulles and Madrid, beginning in March of 2010. While the fine details of the deal have not been publicly announced, this partnership appears to be something more than a mere code-share alliance, and crews on both sides of the Atlantic are unhappy with what they suspect will be an attempt to use the new arrangement to outsource their jobs.

The United Airlines/Aer Lingus joint announcement said:

It is intended that both carriers will equally share the commercial and operating benefits and risk, with Aer Lingus managing the operational aspects of the new partnership services and United Airlines taking responsibility for managing revenue generation. The Partnership route structure will be operated and sold under both Aer Lingus and United Airlines codes and will leverage both parties’ network capabilities.

Translation, according to word on the street, is that Aer Lingus will supply up to three A330 aircraft to fly the route, and United will do the marketing. The catch seems to be that neither carrier's crews will operate the flights.

How can this be? If the aircraft operate under the current Aer Lingus certificate, shouldn't Aer Lingus crews fly the aircraft? That's what the pilots are wondering.

Will the joint venture be issued a separate operator's certificate? And if so, would that allow them to recruit and hire crew members who are employed by neither United nor Aer Lingus?

The pilot unions at both airlines have signed a joint protocol agreement "to protect the interests of pilots from both airlines in light of the recently announced partnership between United and Aer Lingus." United pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and Aer Lingus pilots are represented by the Irish Air Line Pilots Association (IALPA).

"It is imperative that we work together on both sides of the Atlantic to prevent the anti-labor aspects of this agreement from impacting pilots from our two airlines," said Captain Steve Wallach, chairman of the United unit of ALPA. "This partnership between United and Aer Lingus will set a dangerous precedent regarding international air travel where pilots on both sides of the Atlantic will pay a steep price. We will explore every regulatory, legislative and legal avenue to protect the rights and careers of our members."

"We are very pleased to have entered into this protocol agreement with the United pilots and we will be working with them to confront the challenges this partnership poses to both our pilot groups," said Captain Evan Cullen, president of the IALPA. "We look forward to working with our United colleagues to explore every option to end our respective company’s blatant disregard and lack of loyalty to their pilots, as well as to their corporate identities."

UPDATE Feb. 3, 2009: Aviation news website FlightGlobal.com reported on this story today. Their article adds the following bit of information:

Aer Lingus today confirmed it is setting up a base in Washington to recruit pilots and cabin crew to support the operations, which are scheduled to begin in March 2010.

Hmmm, just as we suspected. Something tells me this is going to get nasty.

United Airlines Flight Attendants: No New Furloughs After All

There was some good news this week for flight attendants at United Airlines. The United Master Executive Council of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the union representing United cabin crew, sent a message to its membership yesterday to tell them that discussions between the Company and the Union have eliminated the need to furlough additional flight attendants as previously planned.

The message from the union to the flight attendants explained:

Instead of furloughing additional Flight Attendants and conducting a complete furlough rebid, the Company will increase staffing on certain international flights and maintain discretionary time off such as daily and 30-day ANP. This will provide some additional international flying opportunities while maintaining a level of schedule flexibility.

Greg Davidowitch, President of the United Master Executive Council, said, "We are encouraged by the resolution to this potential furlough and appreciate the efforts of [United Senior Vice President - Onboard Service] Alex Marren and United senior management in working with us on the issue. We have avoided the need for additional Flight Attendant furloughs and a rebid of the current furlough that would have potentially disrupted the lives of Members. We believe this resolution will also help to address the lack of flying reserves experienced in the fall through the staffing additions and opportunities for discretionary time off."

United Airlines reduced its flight attendant work force by 1,550 last year, through voluntary furloughs and an 'Early Out' Program for senior crew members.

United Airlines expected to furlough 250 more flight attendants in early 2009

United Airlines management has notified its flight attendants' union that additional furloughs are expected in early 2009. The United Master Executive Council of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the union representing United cabin crew, was told by the airline's management that 250 flight attendants may be laid off in this round of furloughs. Earlier this year, United reduced its flight attendant work force by 1,550.

Union officials were told that an acceleration of the TED aircraft reconfiguration, coupled with further reduction in capacity, is leading to schedule changes. Management is reviewing the aircraft schedule and has stated they will not make the final decision about flight attendant furloughs until January 9, 2009.

In accordance with the terms of the contract between the AFA and United, flight attendants will be offered voluntary furloughs first; involuntary furloughs will be imposed only if an insufficient number of flight attendants bid for voluntary furloughs. The earlier reduction of United's flight attendant work force was accomplished by voluntary furloughs and an 'Early Out' program offered to senior crew members, obviating the need for involuntary furloughs.

United Airlines begins daily non-stop Washington-Dubai service

United Airlines has begun daily non-stop service between Washington, DC and Dubai. The inaugural flight, which departed Washington's Dulles International Airport last evening, October, 26, 2008, marks the first-ever non-stop service between the two cities.

United will operate Boeing 777 aircraft on the route, offering combined passenger and cargo service. The passenger features four different seating selections: United First, United Business, Economy Plus and Economy. In addition, the B777 aircraft has the capability to carry about 15 tons of cargo from Washington Dulles to Dubai and about 7 tons of cargo from Dubai to Washington Dulles, according to United.

In a press release about the new service, Kevin Knight, United's senior vice president-Planning, said, "Dubai is one of the fastest growing tourist and commercial centers in the Middle East. This route answers customer demand for more convenient, nonstop service to the Middle East and strengthens our international network by connecting these important cities like never before."

Dubai is the second Middle East destination served by United from Washington, DC. The airline also offers non-stop service between Washington and Kuwait.

United Airlines in Boeing 747 'wet lease' agreement with Fiji's Air Pacific

United Airlines is leasing a crewed Boeing 747-400 aircraft to Air Pacific for a period of two months. According to Air Pacific, the so-called 'wet lease' is intended to ensure "that schedule integrity is maintained" while one of the Fiji-based carrier's own B747-400 aircraft undergoes refurbishment in Singapore as part of a planned maintenance program during October and November, 2008.

Under terms of the all-inclusive lease agreement, the United aircraft will be flown by United pilots, and the passenger cabin will be staffed by United Airlines flight attendants, assisted by two Air Pacific cabin crew on each flight. Catering will be provided by United. In addition United will be responsible for all maintenance for the plane, as well as all insurance fees.

The aircraft is one of the six Boeing 747s that will be retired later this year as part United's capacity reduction plan. Service on behalf of Air Pacific, which began on September 28, 2008, will include two weekly flights between Los Angeles and Fiji, three weekly flights between Fiji and Sydney, and Saturday-only service between Fiji and Auckland. The current contract runs through November 23, 2008.

A second Air Pacific Boeing 747-400 is scheduled for refurbishment in February and March, 2009.

[Photo Source]

United Airlines will furlough 1,550 flight attendants

United Airlines has announced plans to reduce its flight attendant work force by 1,550, effective Oct. 31, 2008. The announcement came in a letter issued this morning to the the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the union representing United Airlines cabin crew.

Today's announcement had been anticipated for many months. United Airlines had suspended recruitment of new flight attendants in March of this year. At that time, the flight attendants' union was notified that the airline was planning to downsize its fleet. In early June, United Airlines first made public its capacity reduction plans, and offered some of its senior flight attendants an 'Early Out' Program that provided incentives to voluntarily separate from the company. Weeks later, United announced that 950 of its pilots would be furloughed in the Fall of 2008.

In accordance with the provisions of the labor contract between United Airlines and the AFA, the airline must first offer voluntary furloughs to its flight attendants before imposing involuntary furloughs. According to the AFA, flight attendants who choose a voluntary furlough will continue to accrue seniority and receive many benefits, including retention of medical and dental benefits as well as travel benefits. Voluntary furloughs of durations ranging from six to 21 months are being offered.

Should fewer than the target number of 1,550 voluntary furloughs be awarded, a secondary method for reducing the number of involuntary furloughs, called the Partnership Flying Program, may be offered in bases with an overage of flight attendants. Partnership Flying, essentially a job-sharing scheme, will be offered only if an overage of flight attendants still exists after all voluntary furloughs have been awarded.

For more information about aspects of the United Airlines flight attendant furloughs, visit the website of AFA's United Master Executive Council.

United Airlines' shocking lawsuit against its own pilots

by B. N. Sullivan

Yesterday United Airlines made a shocking announcement: they have filed a lawsuit in federal court against their own pilots. The suit alleges that the pilots' union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and certain individual pilots, deliberately organized "unlawful job actions that resulted in hundreds of flights being canceled and impacted thousands of customers and employees."

From the United Airlines press release about the suit:

The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction against ALPA and four named pilots for organized sick leave abuse in opposition to the company’s plan to reduce its fleet size and furlough pilots and to pressure United into renegotiating terms of a collective bargaining agreement that remains in effect through 2009. The lawsuit also seeks an end to a public campaign of intimidation that discourages pilots from picking up additional flying, effectively engaging in a slowdown.

This lawsuit is beyond belief, and the press release announcing it is disgraceful.

Let's get this straight. There is a labor contract in force between United Airlines and its pilots, but the airline is bringing suit, complaining not that the pilots are in violation of their contract, but because they are working according to the rules of the contract. A refusal by some pilots to pick up additional flying -- that is, working on what had been scheduled as their contractually legal days off -- is construed as a slowdown? Nope, I don't buy it. It sounds to me like the problem is poor manpower planning.

Aside from what is apparent on the surface -- that the pilots are not obligated to pick up extra trips -- there are other factors at work here as well. In short, United Airlines has done little in recent years to inspire the confidence of its employees, or to motivate them to work above the requirements of their contracts out of the goodness of their hearts.

Here we have an airline which, during its bankruptcy, begged its pilots and other line employees to agree to huge concessions in pay and benefits. They agreed to the concessions in order to save the airline and their jobs. In addition to having their salaries greatly reduced, their company-funded retirement plans were sacrificed and replaced with paltry pensions administered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). Then, after emerging from bankruptcy, top company executives were (and continue to be) awarded huge bonuses, while line employees' pay concessions have not been restored.

It is well known that the airline is flying crews at, or close to, the maximum number of hours allowed by FAA rules, with allotted rest time -- particularly on multi-day trip layovers -- at or close to the legal minimum. Yet United Airlines is formally complaining that some pilots are refusing to pick up extra trips, i.e., flying on what should be their days off.

In fact, pilots and flight attendants alike say that they are tired all the time, and feel pressed to show up for work even when they don't feel well. To quote a buzz phrase I hear all the time, "Crews are sick and tired of being sick and tired."

Now United Airlines is preparing to furlough close to a thousand pilots in conjunction with retiring 100 aircraft as a capacity reduction move. ALPA has been negotiating with United Airlines since before the furlough announcements to try to lessen the impact of the capacity reduction on pilot livelihoods, but the talks yielded "meager progress," according to union officials.

To my knowledge, there is no provision for trading contractually accrued sick leave time for monetary compensation upon furlough. So who would be surprised if some pilots -- knowing that they are about to be furloughed -- are taking off some time that is due them by the terms of their contract? (Who knows: they may even be using some of their accrued sick days to search for a new job!)

United Airlines has launched an unfair publicity campaign against its pilots by publicizing the lawsuit it has filed, knowing full well that the pilots would not be able to publicly present an immediate rejoinder. It is apparent that most news media reports about the suit are relying solely on publicity supplied by the airline. Since the pilots' union is named as a party to the lawsuit, ALPA officials have had to refrain from commenting on the details of the suit pending a review of the legal case by the union's attorneys.

United's flight attendants, who are not a party to the suit, are not subject to these constraints. They have issued a public response, condemning the airline's lawsuit against its pilots. In a statement to the press, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the union representing United Airlines flight attendants, accused airline management of "a very serious attack on employees by issuing an inaccurate and misleading media statement concerning the pilots at United Airlines."

Greg Davidowitch, President of AFA's United Airlines chapter said:

"This latest union-busting tactic is condemned for what it is: a corrupt attempt to distract workers and travelers of United Airlines from the failures of current executives. Their actions add nothing to the debate over the future of our airline, but instead serve to further inflame an already poisonous labor relations atmosphere.

"The notion that any frontline employee of United Airlines is responsible for the failures of United executives is laughable. Not content to destroy labor relations, and to destroy the passenger experience, the geniuses that run this airline have also destroyed shareholder value in the past year. With all the major metrics of corporate performance at an all-time low, current management has lost its reason to continue in charge of the airline."

Mr. Davidowitch called the United Airlines lawsuit against its pilots a "new low in labor relations." I certainly agree.

9/11 Flight Crew Memorial dedicated

A memorial to the pilots and flight attendants who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was dedicated today in Texas. The 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial, which is located in Grapevine, TX, was created to commemorate the heroism of the 33 crew members who lost their lives after their aircraft were hijacked by terrorists on that awful morning in 2001.

The memorial depicts two pilots, two flight attendants, and a child passenger. The sculpture also includes two eagles, signifying the two airlines -- United and American -- that lost aircraft and crew on 9/11. Unveiled today, July 4, 2008, the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial is the only memorial dedicated solely to the flight crews who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

Sculptor Dean Thompson created the memorial, which is 18 feet high. His wife, Valerie, is an American Airlines flight attendant. Speaking about the memorial to a reporter at CBS 11 TV, Valerie Thompson said, "I hope people recognize that we were the first responders on that day. We had a very important role in helping protect the public."

A message on the website of the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial Foundation explains:

The name of the bronze art is VALOR – COMMITMENT – DEDICATION. The valor was demonstrated in the professionalism and courage shown by those who perished on that fateful day from the most vicious attack ever on American soil. Their names will always be engraved into stone and history and in our hearts. The crews who climbed back aboard when the sky was reopened demonstrated unparalleled valor going into the unknown to bring everyone home to their loved ones.

Commitment was later demonstrated along with the same courage when their companies called upon them to keep their companies alive by giving up pay that they earned, to keep solvency available in the terrible years following. They still have not been repaid for this courageous effort, but they demonstrated commitment and continue to work under conditions worse than ever.

Dedication to their jobs making safety in the sky their number one issue is paramount. They have been pushed to the limit with rest time barely reaching minimums. Flying safe aircraft has been questionable as recently demonstrated by actions taken by FAA to this regard.

We are honoring all flight crews of all airlines internationally. We are placing this memorial under the flight path into one of America’s largest and busiest airports, Dallas Fort Worth International. It will be visible from the sky when approaching from the North or departing to the North.

For information about the memorial, and more photos, visit the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial Foundation website.

[Photo Source]

United pilots decry furloughs as 'drastic over-reaction'

What a difference a year makes: Last July, I wrote in this blog that United Airlines was recruiting 100 new pilots. Now, barely a year later, United has announced plans to furlough 950 pilots, with the first furlough notices scheduled to go out next month.

It should surprise no one that pilot furloughs were coming in the wake of of United's decision to reduce capacity by eliminating all Boeing 737 aircraft from its fleet, along with six Boeing 747-400s. Neither should it be surprising that the United pilots' union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), is not happy about these developments.

Yesterday, the United Master Executive Council (MEC) of ALPA issued a message to United pilots in which MEC Chairman Captain Steve Wallach expressed frustration with negotiations between management and the pilots' union regarding plans for fleet reduction and the effect on pilot livelihoods, saying "Even while discussions were taking place last week, the company continued to treat their planned furlough numbers as confidential information, and, as such, we were not able to report their manpower proposal to you."

Wallach said that, while the union is continuing to talk with management about ways to lessen the impact of involuntary pilot furloughs, they have made "meager progress." Wallach stated:

We believe United’s fleet reduction, as compared to our competitors, is a drastic over-reaction to current market realities. We think that the company is being overly pessimistic about our ability to compete. And we know that the company’s timetable for accomplishing their manpower reduction is overly ambitious, if not simply unachievable.

While we remain hopeful that we can reduce some of the furloughs, manpower reduction will be the near term reality for United pilots until the company alters its business plan. For the sake of our pilots and other employees, the customers, and United’s shareholders, we hope that our management isn’t placing our company in yet another untenable and poorly considered market position.

Acknowledging that the wait to learn their fate has been "agonizing" for United pilots, Wallach said that the MEC expects to have negotiations completed by the end of next week.

Furloughs coming for 950 United Airlines pilots

United Airlines disclosed today that 950 of its pilots will be furloughed by the end of 2009. This move comes in the wake of United's announcement earlier this month that it will retire six Boeing 747-400 aircraft, and all 94 of its Boeing 737s in an effort to reduce overall capacity.

An article in the Wall Street Journal about the United Airlines pilot furloughs quoted the airline's chief pilot, Keith Rimer, who said that "due to the number of pilots on military and personal leaves, furlough notices will be sent to more than 1,400 of the airline's least senior pilots in order to cut the active roster by 950." The furloughs will begin in September when United will lay off 100 pilots. CBS 2 in Chicago, quoting a United Airlines spokeswoman, says the initial furlough notices will go out in mid-July.

So far there is no official press release about the pilot furloughs on the United Airlines website. Neither has the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union representing United's 6,500-plus pilots, issued any statements or public announcements.

There is no word yet on the number of furloughs in the works for flight attendants, mechanics, or other unionized employees at United Airlines. However, if the carrier plans to furlough nearly 1,000 pilots, furloughs for other work groups are sure to follow.

UPDATE: The Chicago Tribune has published the full text of the Memo from United management to pilots.

[Photo Source]