Flight Attendants Push Back on FAA’s Crew Cut Decision
Flight attendants at American Airlines are speaking out. They want the FAA to require one crew member for every exit door on big planes. They’re asking the new FAA leader, Bryan Bedford, to undo a decision that lets American fly its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with just seven crew.
Why American Airlines Crew Safety Is Raising Alarms
American Airlines received FAA clearance in the last month to deploy its new 787-9 Dreamliners, known within the company as 787P, with a seven-person flight attendant team.
But here’s the issue: all Boeing 787s have eight emergency doors. With just seven crew, one exit won’t have a person beside it. In an emergency, one crew member may need to manage two doors.
The flight attendants’ union, APFA, says that’s a big risk. If one door doesn’t get opened, passengers might take much longer to escape.
American says this won’t be normal practice. The plan is to always have a full crew. But if someone calls in sick at the last minute, the flight can still leave without delays or cancellations—even with just seven attendants.
If that happens, only one flight attendant will be at the back of the plane, where most passengers sit in Economy.
Union Takes Case to FAA Leader
A letter has been penned to Bryan Bedford, the FAA’s incoming chief, by the union. According to them, the seven-crew limit on the 787-9 is a cut that’s too deep. It puts money before safety.
Their letter says one person might have to get hundreds of people out of the back of a widebody plane, using two exits on opposite sides. That’s where the crowd is thickest.
The union is calling on the FAA to take another look at the policy. They’re asking for rules that put American Airlines crew safety first—every flight, every time.