American to close San Francisco crew base in early 1Q23

American Airlines is closing its flight attendant base at San Francisco, CA on January 31, 2023, potentially displacing around 400 crew members in a move widely regarded as linked to new California labour laws that require regular rest and meal breaks. On September 14, 2022, the airline already notified its flight crews that it was closing its San Francisco flight attendant base and Sacramento Int'l satellite base. The only other American Airlines crew base in California is at Los Angeles Int'l, but the crew will not be permitted to relocate there as Los Angeles already has a lengthy waiting list of about 200 crew members, the airline said in an internal letter. While American Airlines did not mention the new labour requirements, industry analysts believe its decision was clearly sparked by the new crew rest rules coming to California, which require that flight attendants get a 10-minute break every four hours, and a 30-minute meal break every five hours. During these, they may not be on call. John Masslon, a lawyer with the Washington Legal Foundation, believes American Airlines wants to minimise the effect the California regulations will have on its operations, which was why crews weren't allowed to transfer to Los Angeles. <br/>