Americans across the nation face unprecedented economic challenges due to the pandemic and its management. One group which has been hit particularly hard is flight attendants. I share the story of Anna, a furloughed American Airlines flight attendant, to underscore that mass layoffs are not merely statistics, but impact real people.
How An AA Flight Attendant Provided For Her Family
Syndicated columnist Elliott Hester, an American Airlines flight attendant, shares why flight attendants get along so well…with each other:
There’s an instantaneous camaraderie among cabin crew members, a palpable level of comfort that comes with wearing the same uniform and working for the same airline. Crew affinity is forged in cramped aircraft cabins during duty days that can drag on for up to 16 hours.
And when the plane lands in Kansas City or London or Saõ Paulo, Brazil, we rely on each other as tour guides, safety monitors and dinner companions because the crew is your out-of-town family.
Flight attendants of all backgrounds united by a common uniform reminds me of my time in the military. There is something so unifying about wearing the same uniform. Now, of course, flight attendants face mass furloughs due to the pandemic.
To humanize the situation, Hester tells about his colleague “Anna.” Anna, 27, has been a flight attendant for five years and earns $35,000/year…well, she did earn $35,000/year. She lived in a one-bedroom apartment and struggled to make ends meet. Why didn’t she live with roommates to share expenses, like many flight attendants do?
She shared the tiny apartment with three people: her boyfriend who had lost his job in the restaurant industry; a teenage brother with a drug problem and no prospects for employment; and her mother, who was battling cancer and relied on Anna’s company-issued medical insurance to help pay for chemotherapy.
Anna paid all out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
Anna paid for groceries so four household members could eat.
Anna paid for utilities and a cellphone family plan.
Anna paid the rent.
And now Anna has been laid off due to a system that protects flight attendants solely based upon seniority. Thankfully, Anna gets to keep her healthcare for two years as a furloughed AA flight attendant…many Americans don’t have that benefit.
Anna’s story is hardly unique. American Airlines laid off over 8,000 other flight attendants, many who could tell a similar story. We’ve seen layoffs like this across many industries. This is a winter of discontent for millions. Let us not forget the cost of mismanaging this virus and now the cost of continued lockdowns.
Some of us are in good shape. Some of us are in a position to help those in need. Let’s do it. Maybe it’s just spending time with a friend who is doing poorly. Maybe it is a little cash. Or maybe it is just carefully voting in less than two weeks. But let’s understand the momentous struggle so many of our neighbors find themselves in.
Anna, you’re brave. I admire your sacrifice and your love of family. I pray for your mother will prevail in her battle against cancer, healing for your brother, and that you and your boyfriend will soon find fulfilling work. In the meantime, I tell your story to remind many more that we must set aside our political divisions to help those around us. It starts with understanding.
Being hyper-picky,
But in this case, it’s “doing poor,” not “doing poorly.” Doesn’t sound right. but it is what it is.
Otherwise, a very humane article.
Anna does NOT get to keep her health insurance for two years! She gets to keep it at an active duty rate for 2.5 months until her furlough severance pay is over. She can then opt to pay for Cobra at TWICE the price she is paying now!
Respectfully,
Another Furloughed AA FA
Deb, do you know Elliott Hester? He made that argument in his column (link in my story).
That is the reality of airline industry.I worked over 40 years as the stewardess and flight attendant for few airlines. in Europe and in USA. I was few times on furlough list and lived for months with major stress of loosing job .One has to face the facts ,This is a leisure business, and in any crisis this is the first to go down. If you want to work in travel field you should have a back up profession. And the seniority system works great, which you will appreciate as soon as you get some seniority. I also noticed how times changed.When I was close to being on the street nobody gave a danm g67about me.Now this is a BIG issue.I had to to be on my own and I learned to be prepared for the worst. Just like everyday on the job.
Grace, your mentality is very ignorant. Just because you had to go through all of that it doesn’t mean that others have to as well. And you’re right, times do change! For the better! And that is a good thing. Are you envious you did not have the same opportunities in the past? You shouldn’t be. You should always wish good on others instead of wishing others go through all the difficulties you did. We should strive to make the world a better place for future generations!
I wish it were two years! I might actually sleep at night. I’m a furloughed FA from AA and my health insurance expires on November 2nd of this year. That’s one month. Please everyone go and vote for the candidate who supports a public option that would allow folks like me to have access to health care even if we lose our jobs!!
People
Have a heart in this special circumstances
The teenage brother needs to get his act together. If he is 19, he may have 50 years of potential job related income that he could earn. If the teenage brother works and Anna finds a job, then the unemployed boyfriend can take care of the mother.
There is work that needs to be done but sometimes the need is not conveyed. I have a difficult time finding a lawn boy. The Mexican man that does my lawn is very unreliable. He always comes on a Saturday as agreed upon but he is unreachable and doesn’t come all the time. When he comes, he does at least 2 other neighbor’s houses, earning $150 in cash for 60 minutes work ($50 for 20 minutes is his rate, which he works super fast but very sloppy).
Anna is entitled to unemployment benefits.
Unfortunately, some men who want pocket money sell drugs or, if a younger woman, become prostitutes because the income potential is greater than many jobs. I suppose a gay man could be a male prostitute if so inclined.
In Oregon, strippers can still work. Nude webcams can earn some money if not overweight unless there is an overweight fetish market. Ugh. Hope Covid-19 gets better. Stay home and wear masks when going out is absolutely necessary.
The teenage brother is battling addiction, and unfortunately resides in a country that doesn’t treat addiction as an illness.
The people who need to “get their act together” are those who are in charge that provide no aid or compassion to this type of suffering.
“and her mother, who was battling cancer and relied on Anna’s company-issued medical insurance to help pay for chemotherapy.”
Aside, I’ve never heard of an employer-based health insurance plan covering parents. Maybe I’m reading wrong.
Anna paid all out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
Anna paid for groceries so four household members could eat.
Anna paid for utilities and a cellphone family plan.
Anna paid the rent.
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Anna needs to start using the word “no” especially to the brother and the boyfriend otherwise Anna is going to have a nervous breakdown and they will all be on the street. I’m sure there are avenues of help for the mother separate and apart from what Anna can do. As far as the mooching brother and boyfriend, she is a total enabler.
Though I feel for ALL people that have been furloughed or worse, lost their jobs permanently, I really can’t understand all this and what appears to be ONLY SYMPATHY FOR AIRLINE EMPLOYEES. Yeah, there is a family feel and great espirit-de-corp in the airline jobs but millions of people are in the same boat. Really, five years of seniority ?? That’s like five minutes in the airline business. People keeping their jobs that I know have upwards of 25-30-40+ years in so, though I feel for Anna, I do not feel some bailout should continue to be given while neglecting millions of others working in hundreds of other industries or jobs.