Flight attendants' argument causes 4-hour delay

By NBC News staff

An American Airlines flight departing from New York's JFK Internatioanl Airport?was delayed nearly four hours Wednesday after two flight attendants got into a verbal altercation, forcing the pilots to return the plane to the gate.

Flight 3823 to Washington, D.C., was scheduled to leave New York City at 3:10 p.m. ET and had begun moving along the tarmac when two female flight attendants began to argue, witnesses told NBCNewYork.com.

The incident came a day after?The Wall Street Journal's veteran travel reporter, Scott McCartney, told travelers to avoid the carrier?because "American's operation is in shambles."

Flight cancellations have spiked at American Airlines, which is fighting with unhappy pilots ahead of a possible merger with Phoenix-based US Airways.

Read more on this story at NBCNewYork.com

Passengers told NBCWashington.com that the argument began when one of the women was?spotted using her cell phone during the crew?s pre-departure checks. It reported that the other woman made an announcement ordering everyone to switch off their cell phones and electronic devices ?including the other flight attendant.?

Travel writers are warning passengers to avoid American as the airline struggles with delays, and are now making plans to cut their scheduled flights by 1 to 2 percent through October. NBC's Tom Costello reports.

"We were informed we were going back to the gate because the flight attendants couldn't work with each other," passenger Dan Alexander told NBCNewYork.com

"I find it hard to believe the flight attendants couldn't work with each other for an hour," he added, noting the approximate flight time from New York to Washington.

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Passengers had to wait approximately four hours while the airline searched for a replacement flight attendant crew.

"It was incredible, totally unbelievable that there was such little professionalism between these women," passenger Marge Lopez told NBCNewYork.com.

Karen Grantham said it was "ridiculous" that the flight attendants became upset.

"Doesn't anyone teach good customer service anymore?" she asked. "You have to be thick-skinned to be in customer service. It just happens, you can't let this get the best of you."

The flight was operated under the airline?s commuter flight brand, American Eagle.

American Airlines told NBC News that the two flight attendants would be meeting with their manager on Thursday to determine what will happen next.

A statement from the company, sent to NBC News, said: "There was a disagreement between two flight attendants Wednesday afternoon prior to the departure of American Eagle flight 3823 from New York JFK to Washington Reagan. The aircraft returned to the gate to switch flight attendant crews, and the flight departed a short while later. We're looking into the matter."

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Source: http://overheadbin.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/20/13981195-american-airlines-flight-attendants-argument-causes-4-hour-delay-at-jfk?lite

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