Minimum Cabin Crew staffing AF

[SXB]

I was on AF2653 from Kiev to Paris today and because of strike action taken by cabin crew our flight, a nearly full A318, only had 2 staff members in the cabin. My question being is there a minimum, legal, staffing requirement on each aircraft type ?

As a result of the industrial action our flight ran a reduced meal service, some locally sourced cold food which was inedible, certainly not the normal foie gras, fish, brie and roquefort and excellent dessert normally enjoyed in C class with AF.

The cabin crew on my flight were extremely busy for the whole duration of the flight and they have my thanks for agreeing these reduced staffing levels, I'm sure they could have refused to staff the flight if they'd wanted to, therefore leaving me in Kiev.

I've used AF a lot in the last year and despite previous bad experiences in the 90's I think today they are a top class airline, they have a first class network and very good CC. Their customer services on the ground could be improved be this is a criticism which could be aimed at any airline in Europe.

[Final 3 Greens]

Hi SXB

Don't know about France, but the UK rule is one CC for every 50 seats fitted.

How many seats on a 318? (I went on one last year and it was a veeery short cabin), but I guess over 100?

Maybe French law is different or they had some type of dispensation?

BTW, completely agree about AF - a good airline.

[SXB]

Hi F3G
I think an A318 carries about 120, this flight was fairly full so if the rule is 1 cabin crew member per 50 pax they were, probably, within that. Still I don't think the crew would want to do that on a regular basis.

On the subject of the AF strike I understand it will continue through the weekend, I did see some cancellations at CDG yesterday but not at huge amount, maybe one in three shorthaul being cancelled, long haul seems to be unaffected.

[Final 3 Greens]

SXB

the UK rule is one CC for every 50 seats fitted

So for 1 pax on an airliner with 150 seats, you need 3 CC.

But it may be different in France.

[840]

Air France A318s have between 106 and 118 seats depending on how many are in C-class.

Is there any way you could theoretically put some seats out of service if you wanted to drop the number?

[Final 3 Greens]

Is there any way you could theoretically put some seats out of service if you wanted to drop the number?

I believe that some airlines remove the seat cushions to do this.