American Airlines struggled to fix its operation Monday but still canceled more than 400 flights as disruptions caused by staffing shortages at the big carrier continued for a fourth straight day. American accounted for more than half of all canceled flights in the US, and by mid-afternoon another 500 of its flights were running late, according to tracking service FlightAware. Monday’s performance was an improvement over Sunday, when American scrubbed more than 1,000 flights — more than one-third of its schedule. Like other airlines, American encouraged thousands of workers to quit last year when air travel collapsed during the pandemic, only to be caught short-staffed this year when travel recovered faster than expected. “Flight attendant staffing at American remains strained and reflects what is happening across the industry as we continue to deal with pandemic-related issues,” said Paul Hartshorn Jr., a spokesman for the union representing American’s flight attendants. Flight attendants said many reached their maximum allowable hours for October during the final days of the month, leaving many flights without cabin crews. About two-thirds of American’s cancellations Sunday were due to a lack of flight attendants, with most of the rest due to pilot shortages, according to internal airline figures. American’s troubles started Thursday and Friday, when high winds reduced flights at its busiest hub, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. American was unable to get pilots and flight attendants in position for upcoming flights, leading to about 1,900 cancellations nationwide from Friday through Sunday, according to FlightAware.<br/>
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US prosecutors in Colorado on Monday charged a 20-year-old California man with assaulting a flight attendant on an Oct. 27 American Airlines flight that forced its diversion. The New York to Santa Ana, California, flight made an unscheduled landing in Denver after the alleged assault in which witnesses said a flight attendant was punched in the nose, resulting in bleeding and a concussion. Brian Hsu, of Irvine, California, who is also charged with interference with a flight crew, was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond by US Magistrate Judge Autumn Spaeth after making an initial appearance in a district court in Santa Ana on Monday. Spaeth ordered him to appear in Denver on Nov. 15 for a hearing and directed him to submit to a mental health evaluation. An FBI agent said in an affidavit a witness reported Hsu punched the flight attendant in the face near the lavatory. The flight attendant felt dizzy after the flight and was removed by stretcher. She was taken to the hospital where doctors told her that she had a concussion and she told the FBI she "currently has pain in her nose, head, and sinuses." Hsu told the FBI he was returning home to California from New York after receiving brain surgery in Rhode Island. Hsu said he accidentally bumped a flight attendant and claimed the flight attendant then "charged at him and hit her nose against the palm of his right hand."<br/>
British Airways boosted its financial firepower by agreeing an extra GBP1b in UK Export Finance, adding to the resources available to its parent company IAG. IAG said on Monday that BA would not necessarily need to use the facility. Most airlines across the world have had to take on huge new loans to help them survive during the pandemic, but travel is now recovering. “British Airways intends to draw down only if and when required and the facility will not be utilised upon signing,” IAG said. The new GBP1b UK Export Finance guaranteed 5-year credit facility is in addition to the GBP2b BA was granted in December 2020 and drew down in March 2021. IAG said it has total liquidity of E10.6b, not including the new facility and it would update investors on Friday when it presents third quarter results.<br/>