Crew fight delays American Airlines flight

An American Airlines flight from New York to Washington was delayed 4 hours by a fight between two flight attendants, witnesses said. American Eagle Flight 3823, scheduled to depart New York's JFK International Airport at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, was returned to the gate after two flight attendants got into a verbal altercation before takeoff, passengers told NBC-TV, New York. "We were informed we were going back to the gate because the flight attendants couldn't work with each other," Dan Alexander told the TV station. The flight was delayed 4 hours while American Airlines sought a replacement crew. "It was incredible, totally unbelievable that there was such little professionalism between these women," said Marge Lopez. Karen Grantham said it was "ridiculous" that the flight attendants were so 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 airline said Wednesday it sent out 11,000 layoff notices to union workers and expected to lay off at least 4,400 employees.