FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) has temporarily paused its 7 crew plan to operate ultra-premium Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flights with just seven flight attendants onboard.
The decision impacts routes including Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Los Angeles (LAX) and onward to London Heathrow (LHR), where the new 787-9P configuration was recently introduced with upgraded cabin features.
Photo: WikiCommonsAmerican Airlines 787 Crew Plan
American Airlines’ proposal to reduce the minimum flight attendant crew from eight to seven on its new 787-9P aircraft has been shelved, for now, due to a lack of certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The aircraft, which began domestic service on the ORD–LAX route and is slated for international deployment to LHR, is currently required to maintain the existing eight-crew minimum due to FAA regulations concerning emergency exit coverage.
The 787-9P, where “P” stands for Premium, features 51 Flagship Business class seats with sliding doors and four larger Flagship Preferred Suites.
Despite its premium upgrades, the reduced staffing plan drew strong opposition from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA).
Which argued the change would jeopardize emergency response protocols, particularly as each of the eight exits currently requires an individual crew member.
According to internal documents released this week, American Airlines has not received FAA approval for its request.
Therefore, the aircraft is entering service under the existing staffing guidelines, although the airline continues to pursue its case with federal regulators.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva – https://www.flickr.com/photos/130961247@N06/49735427976/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=88934523Union Pushback
The APFA remains firmly opposed to the staffing reduction. In a memo, the union warned that operating the aircraft with just seven flight attendants would place an undue burden on individual crew members during emergencies.
Specifically, one flight attendant would be responsible for managing both rear exits, doors 4L and 4R, compromising safety.
“Such a reckless decision would leave a single Flight Attendant solely responsible for evacuating both rear doors…putting lives at risk,” the APFA wrote, adding that the move reflects a shift away from American’s claimed “safety first” approach.
While airlines like United (UA) and Delta (DL) have FAA-approved reduced crew configurations on similar widebody aircraft, such as the 787-10 and A330, respectively, APFA insists that these examples should not dictate safety standards.
Internationally, European regulators allow a minimum of six flight attendants on the Boeing 787, but typically only in cases where one falls sick and a replacement isn’t available, a model that American appears to be emulating.
As reported by PYOK, American is still seeking approval for the seven-crew setup to avoid flight cancellations in the event of short-notice absences during international layovers.
Photo: American AirlinesOperational Challenges
The 787-9P represents one of the most significant product overhauls in recent years for American Airlines.
The premium cabin design, including private sliding doors, sets a new benchmark for Flagship Business.
Yet, some features, such as the sliding doors, have not been fully certified by the FAA and must remain open during flights.
American is compensating affected passengers while it works toward full certification.
This rollout coincides with the airline’s broader revival of premium services, including the reinstatement of a second beverage service on domestic flights exceeding 1,500 miles and enhancements to main cabin service on transatlantic routes.
However, APFA has criticized these service improvements, noting they increase workload without adding more staff, especially following 2020’s COVID-era reductions, where certain international and premium transcontinental flights saw flight attendant numbers cut.
Photo: N828AA American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner s/n 40698… | FlickrImplications for Cabin Safety
American Airlines’ staffing debate reflects a larger industry trend of balancing premium service upgrades with cost-efficient crew operations.
As it stands, the FAA’s crew-to-exit ratio remains a critical hurdle for the 787-9P’s full deployment under reduced staffing. The airline is walking a fine line seeking operational flexibility while defending safety and service standards amidst union resistance.
The outcome of the FAA’s decision will likely influence future crewing strategies not just for American Airlines but across the US aviation industry.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News
American Airlines to Make New Announcement on Premium 787 Debut and Order
The post American Airlines Boeing 787-9P Less Crew Plan Faces Union Pushback appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
