As Japan begins its investigation into the cause of a rare collision between a Japan Airlines Airbus 350 and a coast guard De Havilland Dash-8 at Haneda International Airport January 2, there’s one common thread across news outlets around the world – the incredible life-saving response of the in-flight crew.
All 379 people aboard the A350 had a miraculous escape. Following the collision, a dozen crew members went into action as the plane came to a stop, ensuring all 367 travellers got off the plane safely, mere minutes before it was engulfed in flames.
Five of the six passengers on the coast guard turbo prop were killed, with the pilot sustaining severe injuries.
While some travellers perceive flight attendants as simply “sky servers,” Tuesday’s incident is a powerful reminder of their real purpose – and value. They are trained air safety specialists whose job is to work alongside pilots to ensure the safety of all passengers in the event of an emergency.
Wesley Lesosky, President of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, which represents 9,500 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, stresses that safety is the primary responsibility of the in-flight crew role.
“Flight attendants are safety professionals first and foremost. While the public probably mostly thinks of us doing drink service and helping stow luggage, a lot can go wrong at 30,000 feet,” Lesosky says.
“From fires to first aid, we are extensively trained and prepared to manage all kinds of crises in the air and on the ground. Delivering the best service possible, while preparing for the worst-case scenario, is at the core of our job every single day.”
For an industry that’s been plagued with a pandemic, memorable service disruptions and multiple complaints of delays and lost baggage, Tuesday’s inspiring display of crew knowledge and capability should remind travellers of their importance now more than ever. But it also comes at a time when many flight attendants are feeling undervalued.
The incident came on the heels of Transat’s Flight Attendant Union negotiations, where earlier this week, the approximately 2100 flight attendants rejected a tentative agreement for the renewal of their collective agreement.
Core issues are unpaid work and better wages. Similar frustrations have been expressed by flight attendants from other airlines. A major peeve is that many flight attendants don’t start getting paid until the aircraft door closes. This means their role in boarding passengers and pre-flight safety checks is unpaid labour.
The rejected Transat deal was reported to include pay increases of 18% over five years.
“Over the past 15 years, our members have had to make significant sacrifices during challenging times for the industry,” said Dominic Levasseur, president of the Air Transat Component of CUPE.
“Now, faced with the dizzying rise in the cost of living and the industry’s favourable prospects, they are ready to take action. More than 50% of them have been forced to take on a second or even a third job to make ends meet, and their starting salary is only $26,577 per year,” Levasseur added.
For its part, Transat says it wants to get back to bargaining and find a solution.
"We had reached a tentative agreement negotiated in good faith, which met the interests of both parties. We are disappointed by this outcome, as we were confident that the tentative agreement would be accepted by the majority of our flight attendants. We are returning to the bargaining table, and our objective remains to find common ground as soon as possible."
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