Outside the Beltway

American Airlines Takes Pillows From Jets

James Joyner · Wednesday, November 17, 2004 · 2 comments

American Airlines Takes Pillows From Jets (AP)

Say goodbye to pillows on American Airlines MD-80 jets. The Fort Worth-based airline this week removed pillows from its 334 MD-80s in a move expected to save time and money by enabling workers to clean the cabins faster, said spokesman Tim Wagner. “It will streamline our cabin service,” he said. Since crews won’t be spending time picking up pillows, they should be able to make cabins cleaner, Wagner told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for a story in Wednesday’s editions.

Wagner estimated the airline would be saving “in the mid-six figures” because of the move. The pillows will be relocated to its other planes, Wagner said. The airline doesn’t plan to remove pillows on other aircraft. MD-80 passengers should be able to use the adjustable headrests in place of the pillows, he said. American has 704 planes. The MD-80s are used for shorter flights and are assigned to its hubs at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and O’Hare Airport in Chicago.

This is a brilliant move. American Airlines is bankrupt and facing a strike by its flight attendants. This will solve both problems: The flight attendants will suddenly be happy, since they will no longer have to hand out or pick up pillows, and the mid-six figure savings will end the financial woes of the company.

Or maybe not.