United Airlines will recall another 1,200 of the 2,700 flight attendants it furloughed in the wake of 11 September attacks because of planned increases in its April flight schedule.
A United spokesman says the recall will leave only 700 flight attendants on involuntary furlough after April, as the airline has already been able to recall 800 because of greater-than-expected demand on the part of other flight attendants to take the voluntary leave packages United was offering.
In the wake of the 11 September attacks United cut 22% of its flight attendant workforce, but 3,000 of the 5,700 total furlough came through attendants choosing voluntary leave packages. Voluntary
Subsequently further flight attendants decided to take voluntary leave, allowing the carrier to recall the other 800 attendants.
The spokesman says United has previously said it would probably furlough fewer pilots than originally planned and so may not recall any pilots from furlough to help crew the increased April schedule. However, he says, United has not finalised its April schedule yet so does not have a firm number for the pilots it will require.
Source: Flight Daily News
