It’s that time of year again - the days are growing shorter and colder, the leaves have left the trees for your lawn, and you’re about to pull out that trusty snow shovel and put it to use. That is unless you live in a warmer climate where the weather is just about perfect and is payback for the hot summer you endured. Regardless, you’re being bombarded with Black Friday ads while watching the weather a little closer. You’re either all packed up and ready to travel or the spare bedroom has been cleaned and prepped for guests. It must be “turkey time” (aka Thanksgiving)!
It used to be that most businesses closed on Thanksgiving out of respect for the holiday and time spent with family and friends. Today, more and more retail establishments are open on Thanksgiving as the Christmas season and shopping rush seemingly begins earlier and earlier each year. Some might argue that the almighty dollar has supplanted the entire Thanksgiving holiday and made it disappear, but as airline employees, we are accustomed to working the holidays and ensuring that families are traveling in the safest manner possible. Those of us scheduled to work accomplish our shifts on the line or in the hangar earnestly waiting to get back to our families who have graciously delayed eating that turkey until our shift ends. Those of us lucky enough (or senior enough) to have Thanksgiving off are most likely enjoying the day with family and friends on a more traditional timeframe.
AMFA urges you to be thankful and enjoy the time spent with your family and friends. We choose our livelihood for the purpose of providing for our families and their needs. This is the time where you can sit back, be thankful, and recharge so you can come back to work energized after the holiday. For those of you who have to work, be kind and accomplish your shift with the pride of knowing those who work next to you are another kind of family - we are brothers and sisters who share a craft and important mission of providing safety to millions of travelers each year. We will most likely spend decades closely working with one another.
If you are traveling, please be safe, wear your seatbelt, and prepare contingency plans for weather that you might face. If you are working, you should also be safe so that your family can share the holiday with you when you return home. The AMFA National Executive Council would like you to know that we are thankful for each of our members and the high standard of our craft that you help maintain. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
