Saying they are tired of the constant "operational meltdowns" that have resulted in several instances of delays and cancellations over the last nine months, Spirit Airlines flight attendants have begun picketing at airports across the country to draw attention to their plight and what they call a series of contract violations.
The first protest by the group, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), happened Monday at Orlando International Airport.
The flight attendants are scheduled to picket at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Thursday, with similar demonstrations happening in Chicago, Las Vegas, Ft. Lauderdale, and Detroit in the coming weeks.
"Spirit Flight Attendants are picketing at airports across the country because this has gone on for far too long. We should not be forced to clean up Spirit's messes while working 20+ hours with no answers and nowhere to lay our heads at the end of the day," AFA President at Spirit Airlines, Jason Kachenmeister, said in a statement provided to TravelPulse. "Management needs to get the operation together, and stop making promises to passengers and crew you won't keep."
Spirit has had at lease four instances of delays and cancellations caused by a variety of factors, including staffing shortages, weather and technical breakdowns, over the last several months. That causes a ripple effect for crew members.
"Enough is enough. For months now, Spirit Flight Attendants have been stuck picking up the pieces and dealing with angry passengers after numerous operational meltdowns. These internal failures are not just one-offs; just last week Spirit management was forced, once again, to cancel over 30 percent of all flights leaving us stranded with little to no accommodation," Kachenmeister said. "We share the same concerns that much of the public does; every time we face an operational meltdown, passengers and crew have to scramble to find a hotel to stay in or sleep in airports overnight until we all find out what's happening. This is not acceptable."
Southwest sympathized with its flight attendants.
"We are grateful for our incredible Spirit Family, and we're committed to finding ways to better support our Team Members and address the issues of most importance to them," the airline said in a statement to clickorlando.com. "We've been through so much together throughout the pandemic, and we are committed to making the necessary investments to build a stronger and more resilient airline for both our Team Members and Guests."
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