6.05.25 – A Call to Action: 787-9P Minimum Staffing

A Call to Action: 787-9P Minimum Staffing

Thursday, June 5, 2025

In December of 2024, APFA exposed management’s intention to work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to certify the new 787-9P in alignment with other carriers’ 787 (or similar aircraft) minimum staffing, namely United Airlines, who has the ability to staff their 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 series with an FAA minimum of seven (7) Flight Attendants, and Delta Air Lines, who has the ability to staff similarly sized A330- 200/300 aircraft with an FAA minimum of six (6) Flight Attendants.

One day before our inaugural service begins on the new 51 Business Suite 787-9P service between Chicago/ O’Hare and London/ Heathrow, management issued an Inflight Manual (IFM) revision stating the aircraft will temporarily remain certified with a minimum crew of eight (8) Flight Attendants, instead of the planned minimum crew of seven (7). American continues its push to certify the aircraft with a minimum of seven (7) Flight Attendants.

APFA has rejected—and continues to fight against—the reduction of the minimum crew on the 787-9P to seven (7) Flight Attendants, regardless of what competing airline management deems “safe.” Such a reckless decision would leave a single Flight Attendant solely responsible for evacuating both rear doors (4L and 4R) in an emergency, putting lives at risk and blatantly disregarding the safety culture American claims to support.

American’s Inflight leadership brings a background rooted in safety, making it all the more perplexing that a minimum of one Flight Attendant at every widebody door isn’t on the top of the priority list. Instead, recent decisions appear focused on operating flights with the lowest possible Flight Attendant staffing, a direction that contrasts sharply with the “safety first” culture that Inflight management claims to uphold.

Ironically, American is highlighting National Safety Month throughout June as a lead story on Jetnet— but where is that same commitment to “safety first” when it comes to staffing and onboard safety standards?

A Call to Action: Email Management Today!

It’s time for American’s upper management to hear directly from the 28,000 Flight Attendants who keep our operation safe every day. American has an opportunity to lead the industry by putting safety first. Please take a moment today to email [email protected], EVP, Chief Operating Officer, and urge him to reject the industry trend of reduced minimum staffing.

Sample email:

My name is ___, and I am an American Airlines Flight Attendant. I join my APFA Representatives in urging management to reject any effort to normalize unsafe staffing levels across the industry. We call on you to commit to maintaining a minimum of eight (8) Flight Attendants on the 787—ensuring one Flight Attendant at every widebody door in the event of an emergency.

While we will continue to advocate for increased onboard staffing levels to support American’s much-needed product enhancements to our cabin service, the minimum crew is about one thing only: safety.

In Solidarity,