United Continental Holdings asks flight attendants for flexibility

United Continental Holdings is asking flight attendants for flexibility in an effort to avoid potential furloughs in 2012 (AP, 12-May-2011). The company will have almost 1800 flight attendants too many when that same number return from a voluntary furlough. At Continental, they will be 900 flight attendants short. Currently flight attendants at United and Continental have separate unions and are not allowed to work on each other's flights. United Continental Holdings is working to change that to avoid involuntary furloughs.