Flight attendants approve contract offer

FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines flight attendants have approved the bankrupt carrier’s “last, best and final” contract offer, with 59.5 percent voting in favor of the cost-saving terms, the union said Sunday.

But that doesn’t mean members of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants have warmly embraced the carrier’s restructuring plan.

“We will now continue our strong and concise message that we have zero confidence in this management team,” said a written statement from union President Laura Glading and other APFA leaders.

With the ratification, the airline’s pilots are the only union at American to have rejected contract terms and face the prospect of having their existing contract tossed out in bankruptcy court.

Despite voting for the new contract terms, which require bankruptcy court approval, the flight attendants say they will continue to back a proposed merger with US Airways. Its chief executive, Doug Parker, a former American employee, has negotiated tentative term sheets with American’s unions.

American saw the vote results as a victory.

“Ratification of the flight attendant agreement is an important step forward in our restructuring,” said airline spokesman Bruce Hicks. “We know this was not an easy decision for our flight attendants and we are very pleased with the choice they made.”