US Airways Aircraft Turn Into Flying Vending Machines

WASHINGTON, July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the airline industry
continues to be dominated by high fuel prices and passengers face a multitude
of fees and extra charges, US Airways management recently made the
announcement to charge for non-alcoholic beverages in flight. Beginning
Friday, August 1, US Airways will start charging passengers $2 for soft drinks
and $1 for coffee and hot tea. Flight attendants at US Airways and America
West, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), are
adamantly opposed to this unprecedented decision due to lack of proper
planning and poor notification to passengers.

"Rather than charge the fare necessary to produce their product, management
has chosen to resort to the tactics of ultra low fare carriers such as
Allegiant Airlines and Irish carrier Ryanair," said US Airways AFA-CWA
President Mike Flores. "This model resorts to a nickel and dime approach to
the airlines most valuable asset -- the passengers. Flight attendants are
trained and certified safety professionals, not cashiers to be used in
management's futile attempt to bolster US Airways bottom line."

Exempt from the charge will be passengers traveling on transatlantic flights
and on the US Airways Shuttle. Unaccompanied minors will also be exempt and
those with medical conditions will be assessed by flight attendants and
offered a free soft drink under what the airline calls "the good judgment of
our flight attendants."

Lisa LeCarre, America West AFA-CWA President representing the Phoenix-based
flight attendants of US Airways, reiterated the concerns brought forward to
management saying, "Selling these items detracts from the focus on safety for
both passengers and crew. While we understand management's intent to add
revenue, this program will put both flight attendants and passengers in a 'no
win' situation proven by the myriad of problems arising from the Buy-Onboard
program currently in place."

The carrier's current onboard purchasing has already been plagued by issues
such as of lack of inventory, inadequate money change and an unsatisfactory
product selection for passengers, adding to additional frustration from an
already irritated traveling public. Management plans to install handheld
credit card readers sometime in 2009.

"In the current industry of customer frustration, the last thing flight
attendants want to do is add fuel to the fire," said LeCarre.

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as
the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in
the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 55,000 flight attendants at 20
airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world's largest flight attendant
union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of
America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afanet.org.

SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO

US Airways: Mike Flores, +1-704-576-3174, America West: Lisa LeCarre,
+1-480-855-1002