United Airlines will test satellite bases for flight attendants

Even as United Airlines appears determined to move ahead with cutting staffing in the carrier’s premium Polaris international business class cabin staring Feb 1, the airline also is moving to test new ‘satellite’ flight attendant bases. In a letter distributed to more than 24,000 United flight attendants who are members of the AFA, United senior VP of Inflight Services John Slater said there are plans to open satellite flight attendant bases in markets that are not United hubs, but locations where significant numbers of United FAs live, including San Diego, Phoenix and Orlando. The letter from Slater went out just before AFA last week announced that United flight attendants would hold a system-wide day of protest Dec 13 over staffing cuts and other matters. <br/>