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Continental Asking Flight Attendants To Stay Grounded

Most people would gladly leave their jobs for the opportunity to do something else for a few months. However, taking a sabbatical is a tough choice when your company is the one initiating the leave.

Continental Airlines is asking their 9,500 flight attendants to think about taking voluntary leaves starting in September. Obviously the airline is looking to cut costs and save some cash during this period of slow travel and reduced spending.

Workers who opt to take a leave of absence can choose from five or nine month time periods—which is a long time to be away from the skies, considering all of the safety details and more that an attendant must have memorized. During their absence, the flight attendants will still maintain travel privileges, health insurance, and will accrue vacation time, but just won't be paid.

Clearly it’s hard to voluntarily give up your paycheck, but with an abundance of empty seats on planes across the globe, now might be a great time to take some time off to travel. The airline is looking for about 650 volunteers, and although the economic situation is bleak, we’re thinking they’ll have no trouble finding some folks willing to hang up their wings for a few months.

Related Stories:
· Continental Asks Flight Attendants to Consider Leaves [Houston Chronicle]
· Continental Celebrates 75th Anniversary By Buying Their Own Present [Jaunted]
· Continental coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: 787 Dreamliner]