I’m a flight attendant for a legacy U.S. airline. Catastrophic income losses associated to the COVID-19 pandemic led to the furlough Oct. 1 of 8,100 of my fellow flight attendants. On that day, $5.8 billion in payroll help from the Coronavirus Help, Reduction, and Financial Safety (CARES) Act ran out.
In trade for the payroll help signed into regulation March 27, the airline agreed to not furlough staff till Oct. 1. By that date airline and authorities officers believed coronavirus considerations would have diminished and passenger visitors would change into extra strong. However that has not occurred.
Until Congress agrees on a second CARES Act, with further provisions to assist the airline business, the furloughs is not going to be mitigated. (As of but, no aid invoice has been handed)
In addition to the flight attendant furloughs at my airline, some 1,600 pilots have been laid off as have been 2,225 staff from fleet service, 1,275 from passenger service and lots of extra from upkeep, dispatch and different work teams.
A further 12,500 staff selected to take early retirement. One other 11,000 selected prolonged leaves of absence. All instructed, our airline now has 40,000 fewer staff than earlier than the pandemic.
The job losses are staggering, however behind the numbers are folks. Actual folks. A few of whom you’re employed with for less than sooner or later however nonetheless can’t overlook.
At my airline, we’re assigned to work flights staffed by as few as three flight attendants and as many as 13, relying on the dimensions and vacation spot of the plane.
Typically I work with folks I’ve identified for years; sometimes, I work with strangers. However inside our ranks strangers don’t stay that manner for lengthy. It’s not unusual for 2 random coworkers to change into BFFs by the tip of the flight.
There’s an instantaneous camaraderie amongst cabin crew members, a palpable stage of consolation that comes with sporting the identical uniform and dealing for a similar airline. Crew affinity is cast in cramped plane cabins throughout obligation days that may drag on for as much as 16 hours.
And when the airplane lands in Kansas Metropolis or London or Saõ Paulo, Brazil, we depend on one another as tour guides, security displays and dinner companions as a result of the crew is your out-of-town household.
I met a girl I’ll name Anna whereas working a flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Dallas. She exuded friendliness and greeted passengers as in the event that they have been company in her own residence. The girl was all smiles and happiness. When she mentioned, “Good morning” and “Welcome” and “Have a beautiful flight,” it was as if she have been belting out lyrics to a Disney music.
Shortly after finishing the snack and beverage service, Anna and I retreated to the galley, sat on the bounce seat and commenced to speak. She was surprisingly candid — even for a flight attendant. However her smile quickly pale. Her music got here to an finish. Anna’s dwelling life, I realized, was removed from Disneyesque.
Anna was 27 after we flew collectively. She had been a flight attendant for 5 years and earned, at my greatest estimate, about $35,000 per yr. She lived in a small one-bedroom house. If she had lived alone or with one or two roommates (as many flight attendants do and as I did at her age and older), making ends meet wouldn’t be terribly troublesome. However Anna’s residing association proved problematic.
She shared the tiny house with three folks: her boyfriend who had misplaced his job within the restaurant business; a teenage brother with a drug drawback and no prospects for employment; and her mom, who was battling most cancers and relied on Anna’s company-issued medical insurance coverage to assist pay for chemotherapy.
Anna paid all out-of-pocket healthcare prices.
Anna paid for groceries so 4 family members might eat.
Anna paid for utilities and a cellphone household plan.
Anna paid the hire.
And now, as a result of layoffs are decided on a reverse-seniority foundation (final employed, first fired), Anna is considered one of 8,100 flight attendants furloughed by my airline. The one comfort is that furloughed flight attendants maintain their healthcare advantages for 2 years. That’s a godsend for folks akin to Anna and her mom.
We will solely hope the chemotherapy works, that Anna’s boyfriend finds gainful employment, her brother enters rehab and that Anna finds non permanent work till the pandemic ends, passengers start reserving flights and furloughed staff are known as again to work within the months and years to comply with.
Till then, the information is lower than uplifting as a result of thousands and thousands of Annas are on the market.
