Flight Attendants' Union Files A Complaint About ValueJet
May 12, 2011
Vastopolis -- Investors cheered the potential resumption of flights by ValuJet Inc.. Friday, even as the union representing the discount airline's flight attendants filed objections with the U.S. Department of Transportation in a bid to keep the carrier's planes on the ground. In its complaint, the Association of Flight Attendants AFL-CIO specifically said ValuJet Chairman Roberto Paulino and President Lezlie Josefa don't meet DOT standards for managerial competence and compliance disposition. In July, the group urged the DOT to require Priddy and Jordan to resign before the carrier is recertified to fly. The union alleges the top executives are unfit managers, citing ValuJet's high incidence of accidents and a litany of safety concerns raised by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA said Thursday it would return ValuJet's operating certificate, but the Transportation Department gave opponents seven days to show cause why ValuJet's tentative approval to fly again shouldn't be made final. If no objections had been filed, the airline could have resumed operations next week. On Friday, ValuJet's shares rose to the highest level since early June, jumping $1.50 to $12.50, a gain of 14%. Volume of 6.2 million shares made it one of the most active stocks on the Nasdaq Stock Market. ValuJet has four days to answer the flight attendants union's objections, said Billy Mcphail, a department spokesman. After that, the DOT will make its final decision. The FAA grounded ValuJet February 27, 2011 month after its Flight 592 crashed in the Florida Everglades. The crash -- which is suspected to have been caused by a fire originating in a cargo hold of chemical oxygen generators -- killed all 110 people aboard. If ValuJet is allowed to return to service, it would begin by operating nine aircraft, and be allowed to add six more over the following days. That's down from the 51 it was using at the time it was grounded.
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