[longshot2011]

6:15 AM flight from San Jose, CA to Houston delayed for more than an hour because a flight attendant feels sicker. Full plane, over a hundred people impacted because someone didn't just call in sick and Continental needs over an hour to get a relacement. Customer friendly loses to corporate convenience?

[longshot2011]

Update: connection in Houston missed and only other choice is 8:00 PM flight arriving at midnight. Missed my evening meeting so the rest of the trip is pointless. Cancelled flight and was told a refund "might be offered" if customer service approves.
So...a flight attendant feels sick but comes to work anyway; feels sicker and can't complete the flight; flight delayed over an hour until another attendant can be called in; over 100 people impacted, many with connections missed; captain says "sorry, but people get sick"; and a refund might be approved....
With respect for the attendant who feels ill; this is one bad choice after another.

[The_Judge]

Ya know......my job now, (non-airline, in a hospital, actually) people call in sick all the time. Numerous people out on injury. What happens is, the remaining employees suck it up and get the job done.

Not always possible for F/A's due to minimum staffing requirements per the FAA but my point is, people call in sick at any job. F/A's, auto-workers, snow-shovelers and probably even CEO's.

And as far as only an hour delay........that's pretty darn short time to locate and replace a sick flight attendant. Contractual issues, especially with pilots, allow them at least 2 hours or more.

And lastly, I'm not sure what's convenient about it for the company. I've been the guy calling F/A's and trying to coordinate sick calls replacing them. Not easy at all then trying to fill the replacement with a replacement and so on.

[missylynn]

I totally agree with you Judge. One thing that people dont think about with Pilots and Flight Attedndants is that they may not see thier home base until the end of their trip. She may have felt fine when she reported but some illinesses come on quickly. It is better to be replaced at her base where there are reserve flight attendants than at a city where there is no reserves. People get sick. Plain and simple.