Dysfunctional AMR

[Cleared Direct]

September 9th, 2003


[email protected] - CEO American Eagle Airlines

[email protected] - Vice President Of Inflight Services

[email protected] - Employee Relations

[email protected] - Employee Counsel

[email protected] - Regional Managing Director

Dear Senior Management Of American Eagle Airlines:

I am writing to you on behalf of one of our Chicago Based Flight Attendants. Her name is Debra McDougald. This is a name that I would like for you to remember very well. It is a name that has weighed very heavy on my mind in recent days.

Debra has fallen victim to one of the most horrific displays of this company's lack of compassion and loyalty to it's employees that I have ever seen displayed in the airline industry.

Debra was flying a 4-day sequence with a temperature of 104 degrees. She did not call in "sick" for fear of the repercussions that would take place because of American Eagle's sick policy and attendance control.

Upon the completion of her trip sequence, and her obligations to her employer ended, she was admitted into the hospital in Richmond, VA. (Her home)

During her overnight hospital stay, she received a telephone call to inform her that her son was murdered in Seattle, Washington.

Before I continue, I want you to think how horrifying of an experience that this must have been for Debra. In the hospital, sick, and finding out that her child has been murdered.

Debra immediately checked herself out of the hospital, against her Doctor's wishes. She contacted Melissa Hendrickson, ORD Flight Service Manager. Debra requested A9 Travel for herself and some family members to go to Seattle to identify her son's body in the morgue.

Debra had to return to Richmond to take care of funeral planning, travel arrangements for her son, and other pressing family matters while still dealing with serious health matters.

She contacted Melissa Hendrickson again a week later to request another A9 Pass to Seattle for herself and her daughter to attend the funeral. Melissa refused to give Debra and her daughter an A9 Pass because she had already used her A9 the week previously.

Debra was not in the right frame of mind to argue the point. So, she decided to D2 with her daughter to Seattle via Dallas. Only, it wasn't that easy. Upon their arrival in DFW, all of the flights from DFW to SEA were oversold.

Later, Debra found out that in fact a flight from DFW to SEA had left with 22 empty seats with no nonrevenue passengers onboard.

Debra contacted Melissa again to request assistance. Melissa offered none. Debra had to arrange for a hotel room for her and her daughter. The next day, the flights were still oversold. Debra contacted Southwest Airlines and they accommodated her on an ID-90 status.

Moreover, during her trip to Seattle from Dallas on Southwest, one of the stopovers created an oversold situation and all of the non-revs were asked to deplane. When Debra explained the situation to the agent for Southwest, the airline PAID $200.00 to two revenue passengers to deplane so that Debra and her daughter, two NONREVENUE passengers can get on the flight to Seattle.

It is pretty sad when you have to go to an airline in which you don't even work for to be accommodated during such turmoil. To be perfectly honest, I don't understand how American Eagle can be so incredibly heartless.

Debra has brought this to the attention of the Union. There were no contractual violations. No grievance will be filed. But, unlike the company's display, her Union is here for her to support her and offer assistance.

This tragedy that Debra has had to endure will not be out of her thoughts for years to come. She is permanently scarred from what she has been through. No employee of AMR should ever have to go through this.

Debra and myself have talked many hours about this. I asked her what she would like to see come out of all of this. Her selfless and unselfish response to me was "I want to make sure that this never happens to another employee ever again."

I'm going to help her.

I would like to request the following:

1. An immediate investigation to begin on Melissa's behavior towards Debra McDougald. Her lack of compassion to this situation makes me seriously doubt her ability to be in management and lead by example. Furthermore, her inability to assist Debra when it was so desperately needed has left herself with a reputation of someone who cannot be trusted.

2. A revamping of company policy on A9 Travel to include Union Representation for input on issues that we have learned from this tragic event. As a result of this incident, I have searched JetNet to find no information available to employees in need of emergency assistance.

3. A letter of commitment to every employee that American Eagle is dedicated to it's employees and will think outside the box for extenuating circumstances and will assist their employees whenever possible.

4. A letter of apology to Debra McDougald for having to endure such a lack of compassion on the company's part. While this will not erase what has happened, it is certainly a way to show that the company seriously does care for it's employees and identifies and acknowledges that there is room for major improvement.

5. A letter of recognition to Southwest Airlines Director Of Customer Service for showing such compassion to a F/A that is not employed by SWA.

6. A meeting with the recipients of this e-mail so that Debra can share her story with you firsthand. It is important that you put a face to the name. It is important that you hear how she was treated.

The requests that I have made are not unreasonable. The company is accountable for it's actions, as we, the employees are. I will await to hear from you in regards to the requests that I have made.

In closing, I would hope that this e-mail speaks for itself. You are the senior members of management for American Eagle Airlines. The rule makers so to speak. You have the power to ensure that this never happens again. Now that you know, I hope that you do something about it diligently. There are thousands of employees in this company and we count on you to do the right thing. Now, here's your chance.

Debra McDougald - a loyal employee of American Eagle. Remember her name well.

Regards,
Bill Hennessey
MEC President
American Eagle Airlines

 

[hobbsmeter]

Wow...

...I hope the company honors your requests and does the right thing. Kudos to Southwest for showing such selfless compassion.

 

[UALX727]

What can I say, Southwest is an awesome company. Congrats to all of the poolies out there.

 

[Cardinal]

That is a simply stunning story.

 

[Skygod]

AAmazing

A friend of mine used to be a flight attendant for American Eagle. While on a 4-day trip she became ill. Doubled-over throwing up in the bathroom ill.

She toughed it out from the outstation to the hub (ORD) where she threw up again, and went into the inflight office to give them a heads-up that she would have to call in sick. They reminded her that she better not use her D2 card to non-rev home to Milwaukee as that is against the rules.

In tears, she begged to take the 30 minute flight rather than pay for a one hour and fifty minute bus ride. She was too sick to work, but OK to fly. No No No. "This is a non-negotiable attendance and travel privilege issue."


She later left Eagle and joined Midwest (at that time Midwest Express). Her first week on reserve, she was called and asked to come to the airport ASAP. No uniform needed. What?!

A Midwest flight attendant had been injured that morning due to wake turbulence on approach to LGA, and was in the hospital with a sprained ankle. She was a new-hire, and the inflight dept. did not know who her friends were. So they called the training dept and asked. The training dept called that classes main instructor. And then they looked to see who was on reserve at that moment. This was our ex-Eagle F/A

She was asked to deadhead to LGA, along with a supervisor, just to "help your injured friend." "There is nothing worse than being sick or unwell or injured hundreds of miles from home." The supervisor paid the cab fares and carried the hurt F/A's bags, while our reserve F/A just comforted and helped as she could.


That is what a company with a heart does.

It's called the right thing.

It's people looking after people.

It's passion and caring.

And it doesn't need a rulebook of D2 and A9 regulations that have to be followed at all times every time like a robot.

 

[njcapt]

Reading these stories caused a flood of emotion and recollection of the short period I spent working under the AMR cloud (at Eagle). I experienced not one ounce of compassion from anyone I came in contact with in management and very few of my fellow employees during my tenure there. I am not surprised in the least at the experience of this poor F/A.

Not a shining example of how to treat loyal employees.

 

[Eagle-ista]

Unfortunately, this is just the way things work at AMR, at least at Eagle. The flight attendants and the rampers have it even worse than the pilots because their respective unions aren't as strong.

The only form of management the flight attendants witness is management by fear. Sure, they have alot of cheer-leader style fluff in training, but when they get to the line, it's a whole different ball game. I have had to tell two flight attendants that I was going to remove them from the flight because they were obviously too ill to work. I'm talking runny eyes, fever, coughing, lost their voices. One even asked me to read her PAs for her! One was sent back to the plane because no-one was available to replace her. This was while two, line qualified, supervisor flight attendants sat on their butts in the office. I had to get off the plane and call the chief pilots office to get her released to go home. She was too afraid to stand up to her manager. The flight was eventually cancelled.

All this for a starting wage of less than $20,000/year and no pay during training.

Makes you think all the really smart ones are long gone... Either that or flying low under the radar...

 

[frank rizzo]

Another example of Southwest taking care of others like family, This just goes to show you the idiots at these big carriers running them all into the ground. Another five years and these sky nazis wont be around !

 

[eaglefly]

"...and it is the people of American Eagle who have made our company what is is today."

-American Eagle management.



What do you guys think ?

 

[WrightAvia]

I know a few of the AMR simmons guys that got forced out of the company during captain upgrades. I have also talked to AMR guys that had to F/O there for seven years. We also just got done firing a guy that was an ATR and Shorts typed captain at AMR. From what I have heard, I'll never put a resume in there...nor will they ever have to worry about me putting in a resume there.

 

[Cleared Direct]

Check out this site for more info:

http://www.afa-ae-web.org/

 

[English]

This is floating around as well....




Bill Hennessey
MEC President
Association of Flight Attendants AFL-CIO
17349 SW 142nd Court
Miami, FL 33177

Dear Bill,

We received your letter describing the tragedy endured by Chicago based flight attendant
Debra McDougald and your assessment of American Eagle’s responses to her requests for assistance.

Out of respect for Debra’s situation, we don’t intend to broadcast a detailed response to
all of the accusations you outlined. However, upon receipt of your letter we immediately
began an investigation into the statements you made and the facts presented regarding
Ms. McDougald’s situation and will continue that work so that we understand exactly what occurred. Clearly, if all the statements in your letter are accurate, we should have done a
much better job of responding to Ms. McDougald’s plight. To this point, however, we have
been unable to verify at this time that events unfolded as you say.

I assure you that every manager at American Eagle is committed to assisting our employees
in any way we can when tragic, emergency situations like these occur. In fact, the company’s
A9 policy will be re-iterated to our flight managers within the coming days.

Ms. McDougald’s situation is indeed tragic and we are extremely sorry for her loss.
We have reached out to her directly, and will assist her in whatever way we can.

In the meantime, I encourage you to call me directly so that we can both get a better understanding of what happened and how things could have been handled better.

Sincerely,



Linda Kunz
Vice President – Flight Services

 

[seagle]

This is clearly the reason they call AMR "The Evil Empire." Management does not have one ounce of shame. I applaud SWA for coming through for that poor F/A under those most difficult circumstances. Bottom line, Bowler and company don't give a rats a$$ about their employees.

 

[AAflyer]

What is really sad about this?

Is it SWA as a company or is it it's people that are better?
I won't argue about the treatment I have received at SWA, they are great, but I have met some great people at AE and AA.

I think many can testify to the quality people that fly for, work on the ramp for, fix the airplanes for, and take care of our passengers in flight for AE and AA are also high quality.So what is the difference?

I think it is what we are empowered to do. I think we all need to take back our company!!! A few at the top do not seem to be setting the right tone.

What totally blows my mind!!!!!!!!!! A company gives power to their employees, employees help other employees, employees now enjoy working for company, passengers see this and fly on airline where they are treated well because emloyees are happy.Where in the Harvard and Princeton MBA classes is this not taught?

There seem to be a lot of poeple with a lot of FORMAL education that are actually pretty freakin stupid.

AA

 

[Salty Dog]

It IS taught. Over and over again, with examples (they're called "case studies" to sound hi-tech and justify rediculous tuitions) galore.

Harley-Davidson, Chrysler, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, Waste Management, etc. etc...

How a dynamic leader with good character can build or re-build a company by forming a winning team.

AA won't get any better until all of the d!ckheads that Crandall formed in his own image are swept out. Starting with every schmuck that was slated to get one of those rediculous bonuses - not just Carty.

I hate to sound cynical, but while "take our company back" sounds good, it will only make the jerks at the top think what they're doing is working.

 

[Eagle-ista]

Changing upper management...

Nice idea, but it will never happen.

I'm starting to think the only way to save the major carriers in the USA is for all of them to go bankrupt and have a judge replace the managers. Something along the lines of, "you couldn't manage the company before bankruptcy, what makes you think you can after bankruptcy?"

Also, have you noticed that the words "American Eagle" are no longer part of Gerald Arpey's vocabulary? In the first few weeks at his new job, it was always "American and American Eagle". Now it's just "American". Am I just oversensitive?

When I watched the CEO of jetBlue on C-span the other night, I remember hearing him say, and I paraphrase..."empower your employees to be ambassadors for your company". Has anyone at AMR thought of this approach? An encounter with a senior gate agent at DFW while trying to non-rev on a busy flight will let you know you the kind of "empowerment training" they have recieved. Especially when they note you work for a division of AMR other than American.

 

[rptrain]

Reuters
American Eagle calls for mediation in labor talks
Wednesday September 17, 2:12 pm ET


DALLAS, Sept 17 (Reuters) - American Eagle, the regional jet carrier affiliated with American Airlines, said on Wednesday it has applied for federal mediation to help resolve a long-standing contract negotiation with the union that represents the airline's flight attendants.

American Eagle, a unit of American's AMR Corp. (NYSE:AMR - News), filed the application for federal mediation last week in order to help resolve contract talks that have been going on for 28 months, said Lisa Bailey, a spokeswoman for American Eagle.

"We feel like we have not made the progress that we would have liked to," Bailey said.

The union that represents some 1,200 flight attendants at American Eagle said the airline asked the U.S. National Mediation Board to step in after a dispute over what it says was callous treatment by the airline toward a flight attendant who was facing a family crisis.

Bailey said the contract talks and the dispute over the treatment of the flight attendant are separate issues.

The main stumbling blocks in the talks have been work rules and compensation.

 

[Cleared Direct]

American Eagle Management Files for Mediation in Flight Attendant Negotiations

Management Breaks from Cooperative Spirit in Negotiations over Rift after Callous Mistreatment of a Flight Attendant

DALLAS, TX - American Eagle management has asked the National Mediation Board to intervene in its negotiations with the airline's flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO, not because contract talks have broken down, but because management was unhappy that the union exposed the callous mistreatment of a flight attendant attempting to fly to the funeral of her murdered son.

Eagle management's Sept. 12 filing came as a surprise. The parties were discussing a joint application for mediation, which would have continued the spirit of cooperation shown at the negotiating table to date. Usually mediation is sought when talks break down. But Eagle cited the union's exposure of management's heartless treatment of a flight attendant, as the reason contract mediation is needed. The flight attendant was trying to fly to her son's funeral but was denied personal emergency travel on flights that had empty seats, Southwest Airlines provided emergency travel to the flight attendant in need after Eagle refused.

The full story of Eagle management's treatment of flight attendant Debra McDougald, who was attempting to fly home to attend the funeral of her slain son, can be viewed at http://www.afa-ae-web.org , click the Sept. 9, 2003 link.

Eagle management's action stunned AFA Master Executive Council President Bill Hennessey, who wrote in a letter to Eagle Vice President Rose Doria, that Eagle management's action, "constitutes nothing more than a pathetic attempt to divert attention from American Eagle's pitiful reaction to a flight attendant's grave personal tragedy. This is a tactic I have unfortunately come to expect from this company."

If mediated contract talks fail to produce an agreement, the NMB declares an impasse in negotiations, and either party refuses to submit open issues to arbitration, a 30-day countdown to self-help will begin. Self-help for flight attendants means CHAOS™.

CHAOS stands for Create Havoc Around our System, and includes random, unannounced work stoppages. Flight attendants may strike any flight, at any time, leaving management unable to respond, and passengers sitting in airports, rather than getting to their destinations.

More than 36,000 flight attendants join together to form AFA, the world's largest flight attendant union, including the 1,200 flight attendants at American Eagle. For more information, visit http://www.afa-ae-web.org .

 

[Cleared Direct]

Dear American Eagle Employees:

My name is Debra McDougald and I would like to thank all of you for your support during this trying time. I am overwhelmed to know that there are so many of you standing together and by my side to make things right. You are my Brothers and Sisters in Unity and I am extremely grateful.

As I am sure everyone knows, it is not an easy thing to have your personal life exposed. However when I took the time to really think about my experience, I felt that it was necessary. While it was a difficult decision to go public with my situation, I felt it necessary because of all of the other employees at American Eagle whom have suffered so much because of the lack of compassion shown to them in their time of need. After hearing so many stories of similar incidents since my story went public, I confirmed that I have made the right choice.

I have only one goal. That is to ensure that no other employee of this airline will ever have to endure the hardships that I have had to deal with. Call it my motherly instinct, but, I really do care about my fellow coworkers and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure that this, indeed, will never happen again.

I initially wrote a letter telling my union my terrible ordeal. I knew that there was nothing “contractually” that could be done, but I wanted to the Union to know that I was mistreated and I didn’t want to just sit back and not do anything about it. I want the problem fixed, not brushed under the rug._The Flight Service Managers are here to help us. While they may not have to demonstrate sympathy for our personal issues, they should, at the very least, show empathy.

It really is a sad situation when all your asking for, is an apology, acknowledge that an error in judgement was made and look into the situation so no one else has this happen to them. Instead of this simple solution, we face inaccurate emails being sent out and attempts to discredit myself, along with the Union that represents and speaks for me._

I am looking forward to putting all of this behind me and having the ability to move on. However, I do not want this these issues to go unanswered. I want my Union to represent me. My Union speaks for me and I support them 100 percent._

In Solidarity,
Debra McDougald
American Eagle Airlines
Chicago Based Flight Attendant

Submitted By:
__________________
Bill Hennessey
AFA MEC President
www.afa-ae-web.org
[email protected]

 

[Eagle-ista]

I hope Debra becomes the rallying cry when the company is unable to reach an agreement with the Flight Attendants.

I would love some time off while the company deals with the "Self-Help" that might ensue. Do you think the value of a "major" airline that is being prepared for a sale would "diminish" just a bid by a public demonstration of poor labor relations?