Originally Posted by
PeoDeMIA
Does that mean that on a MIA-EZE flight they will split the crews by base i.e. 50/50 EZE/SCL or EZE/APFA? Both scenarios seem totally ridiculous. I've been waiting outside the YPF gas station outside the EZE airport and it is great for 'people watching' as all the locally based crews (American, Alitalia, Iberia, etc.) just walk out to their cars and drive home. If the crews are mixed on these, AA would then have to find a hotel for only half a crew--seems very odd. (I've never seen mixed crews to EZE or SCL)
Or, is the splitting of crews limited to their secondary or non-based cities that are flown out of MIA?
I think two different things are getting boggled together:
1. Splitting can occur on any Latin American flight staffed by non-APFA flight attendants. There's nothing in the South American unions' contracts (there are five unions representing most of the F/A's at the four SA bases, 1 each in EZE, SCL, and LIM, and 2 in BOG) that prohibits mixed crews. Only the APFA contract porhibits mixed crews. That doesn't mean it happens on every flight and every route, but it is quite common. I've been on SCL/BOG flights to both MGA and PTY and on EZE/SCL flights to GRU. I would assume MIA-SCL and MIA-EZE flights would only rarely be operated by mixed crews since it's already a challenge to give enough hours to the EZE and SCL F/A's without putting them on extra-long trips (they are not big bases to begin with).
2. In terms of my reference to EZE and GIG being split according to a formula, I didn't mean the on-board staffing is split, I mean the number of flights assigned to the APFA and non-APFA bases each month is split. The EZE formula is very arcane and dates back to the days when AA was bidding for the contract to manage EZE and was contemplating an expansion of South American service from EZE. The idea was that as EZE crews took on more EZE-South America flying, MIA would take over more MIA-EZE flying. The airport contract unfortunately went to AA2000, which has no relation to American Airlines, and EZE-MVD is the only intra-South American flight from EZE, but the formula remains in place.
By the way, it is interesting that you note the AA F/A's based in EZE drive themselves. I can't speak for the other bases, but I have heard some APFA members complain about BOG being picked up and dropped off at their homes.