EULESS, Texas, April 20 (UPI) -- Union flight attendants said they would form picket lines in 12 U.S. cities Wednesday to protest bonuses given to American Airlines executives.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants said they would hand out leaflets to protest executives who "shamelessly stuff their pockets with millions in bonuses," despite union workers giving up $304 million annually since 2003 in concessions to the airline.
"This insatiable greed will be the focus of our picketing and leafleting events on April 20, the day these gluttons once again collect their most undeserved rewards," the union said.
The union said it would form picket lines in airports in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach, Fla., Raleigh-Durham, N.C., San Francisco, St. Louis and Washington.
AMR Corp, which owns American Airlines, said Wednesday it lost $436 million in the first quarter of 2011, despite revenue up 9 percent from the same quarter in 2010.
In a statement, AMR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gerard Arpey blamed "high fuel prices" for the loss. The airline, he said, needed to "aggressively increase revenues, reduce capacity, control non-fuel operating costs, and bolster liquidity."
He also said, "I want to thank our people for their commitment to serving our customers, and I am confident that our overall strategy positions American well to address our current challenges and sets the stage for long-term success."
