Flight Attendant Union Implores United Airlines to Permanently Retire Flight Numbers 93 and 175

Reinstating September 11th United Flight Numbers Disrespects Employees, Passengers and Families Still Grieving Loss of Heroes

CHICAGO, May 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing Flight Attendants at United Airlines and 20 other carriers, today advised United Airlines management that using flight numbers 93 and 175 is not an option and that these flight numbers should have already been permanently retired.  The union implores the airline to respond quickly out of respect for the Flight Attendants, Pilots, Customer Service Agents and passengers who lost their lives on those flights as well as all of the families, friends and colleagues who still grieve the loss of our heroes.

"September 11, 2001 forever changed our airline and our country.  Everything changed that day and we will never forget the heroic actions of our friends and colleagues or the pain of their loss," stated Greg Davidowitch, president of AFA at United Airlines. "We have advised United Airlines that reinstatement of flights 93 and 175 is a terrible misstep.  Out of respect for those who lost their lives and those who will always remember our heroes, United Airlines must do what should have already been done - immediately and permanently retire these flight numbers."

"Twenty-five Flight Attendants died on September 11th," Davidowitch said.  "Today, and every day, we honor their memory.  We will never forget:"

For over 65 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill.  Including the 15,000 Flight Attendants at United Airlines, the nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants at 21 airlines come together to form AFA, 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.unitedafa.org.

SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO