By Terry Maxon

tmaxon@dallasnews.com

While American Airlines retirees weren’t happy that the carrier’s new travel policy puts them behind active employees in getting available seats, US Airways employees weren’t happy that the seats won’t be handed out based on who has the most seniority.

US Airways flight attendants learned Thursday that an arbitrator ruled against them in their grievance over the move to “first come, first seated” on American and US Airways flights.

The grievance was filed by the Association of Flight Attendants, which has represented US Airways flight attendants. Although flight attendants at both American and US Airways are now represented by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the AFA continues to represent the US Airways employees on this issue.

“It is with great disappointment that we inform you that Arbitrator Joshua Javits formally denied our pass travel grievance…” grievance committee chairwoman Glenda J. Talley told AFA members in a message Thursday.

The new policy went into effect Wednesday. The new management of American kept the American way – first come, first served – rather than the US Airways method of seniority. It kept the US Airways way – actives first, retirees afterward – rather than the American method that did not differentiate between active and retired employees.

Some retired American Airlines flight attendants filed a lawsuit in a Chicago state court Wednesday to overturn the new policy, which puts them behind active employees in line.