Originally Posted by
HNLbasedFlyer
Transfers would be fairly limited though, wouldn't it? I know a FA in Honolulu based in NRT, so she can transfer. But if she was a Japanese National she wouldn't, correct?
Correct. Transfers would have to have the right to live and work in the U.S. (so citizens and green card holders). A lot of F/As in the non-U.S. domiciles are Americans who used to be based in the U.S. and transferred to a non-U.S. domicile (like maybe your HNL friend?). They will be able to transfer back to the U.S. if they want.
But most of the local hires won't be able to do that (again unless they have the right to live and work in the U.S.). They will be screwed, unless they could somehow manage to transfer to LHR (but it is unlikely LHR will be accepting transfers or displacements for a very long time given current international travel restrictions and resulting international flight reductions) and manage a commute from their home country to LHR, or move to the UK if they have the right to live there.
Even your HNL friend may have a challenge if she wants to be based back in HNL. That is an extremely senior domicile, and with the limited flights to HI now HNL might not be open to these displacements, at least at her seniority. So she might have to bump into another more junior domicile on the mainland for the foreseeable future if she wants to stay with UA.
Tough choices for a lot of people, sadly.