American Air recalls TWA flight attendants

Fort Worth, Texas -- American Airlines is bringing back 200 laid-off U.S. flight attendants, including former TWA attendants American let go after it bought TWA in bankruptcy.

American, the world's largest airline, will bring back the attendants -- including about 100 TWA workers -- in July to replace workers it will lose through normal attrition, spokeswoman Sue Gordon said.

The attendants will be assigned to Boston, New York or Washington, union leaders said.

American parent AMR Corp. bought Trans World Airlines -- which had filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection for a third time in 2001 -- for $742 million.

American, based in Fort Worth, Texas, still has about 2,100 attendants on furlough, most of them former TWA employees, Association of Professional Flight Attendants spokeswoman Leslie Mayo told the (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram.

Under their current contract, furloughed attendants lose their right to be recalled after five years. This has led many TWA attendants laid off in 2001 and subsequent years to attempt to change the rule so they can eventually return to work.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.