American just reported its Q1 2025 financial results, where we saw the airline lose $473 million, while both Delta and United reported significant profits for the same period. American’s flight attendant union is mad, which I don’t blame them for, but I do find the messaging to be a bit ironic.
In this post:
American flight attendants want management accountability
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents American’s 28,000 flight attendants, has just sent out a memo about the company’s lackluster financial performance, as flagged by @xJonNYC. The union points out how the disparity in the company’s financial results raises concerns about American’s long term competitiveness, and management’s current decision making.
There’s mention of how one reason for American’s underperformance is the company’s failed sales and distribution strategy, which former Chief Commercial Officer Vasu Raja was behind. The union points out how he received a $969K lump sum payment after his severance period concluded and this “sends a troubling message to frontline workers and investors,” and that “while leadership decisions have led to real financial setbacks for our company, those responsible are walking away with generous compensation.”
The note concludes with the following:
It is time that American Airlines executives are held to the same performance standards as the Flight Attendants. American Flight Attendants are held to more than a dozen performance-based chargeable events daily. It is time that our executives are held to not only the same standard but a much higher one.
Today, we are calling on American Airlines’ leadership to right this ship — enough with the excuses. Fix the product in all cabins and staff your airplanes to be the global leader in aviation.
The path to once again becoming a world-class airline starts with prioritizing people and performance. Flight Attendants are ready to do our part — but we expect the same from those at the top.
I agree with American flight attendants, except…
I very much agree with the union’s intent here, which is simply that American is continuing to underperform its competitors, and there’s a lack of accountability for the management team responsible for these results, and that needs to change. Like, Robert Isom shouldn’t be making $30+ million per year for continuing to lead the company as it underperforms (conversely, spending a million bucks to get rid of Vasu Raja is the deal of the century).
Here’s the part that gets me. The union thinks that executives should be held to the same performance standards as flight attendants? That’s the benchmark?!? Arguably the problem with American’s management team is that they’re held to basically the same standards as flight attendants. They get paid as long as they show up, and the longer they’re there, the more money they make, regardless of the results they deliver.
Folks, I’m not at all anti-union, and I very much respect hardworking flight attendants. But the problem with service at American is that it’s consistently inconsistent, and if flight attendants do a good job, it’s just because that’s the type of person they are, rather than because there are any repercussions if they don’t… which sounds exactly like the performance standards with management!
The union’s motive here seems clear. The union claims that the way to restore American to its former glory is to increase flight attendant staffing, which of course increases union membership. But that seems to be the union’s only proposal, and what it views as the key to success. It goes without saying that good inflight service goes beyond the number of flight attendants…
Bottom line
American’s flight attendants are angry about the company’s financial underperformance, and lack of accountability for management. I totally agree with the union, and I think management should be held accountable more!
What I don’t agree with the union on is suggesting that flight attendants at the airline are an example of what accountability looks like, as if consistently great service is something that people expect on American. Quite to the contrary, I’d argue the inverse is true, and that management and flight attendant ranks suffer from the same issue, which is lack of accountability and lack of performance based promotion.
Again, that’s not intended to be a dig at American flight attendants. There are lots of hard working and friendly crews out there. But the good ones don’t act that way because they have some standards they have to live up to, but instead, they do it because they take pride in what they do.
What do you make of the union’s note about American’s performance?
As a complete outsider, who has traveled to the U.S. for decades, yet, hardly at all domestically by air, I am appalled to read about the state of the domestic market.
I have discounted U.S. airlines for international travel simply because I believe them to be lagging behind the industry average. Reading the accounts of regular domestic traveler's herein, has done nothing to improve my preconceptions.
One has to wonder how the leading...
As a complete outsider, who has traveled to the U.S. for decades, yet, hardly at all domestically by air, I am appalled to read about the state of the domestic market.
I have discounted U.S. airlines for international travel simply because I believe them to be lagging behind the industry average. Reading the accounts of regular domestic traveler's herein, has done nothing to improve my preconceptions.
One has to wonder how the leading economy in the Western World will survive in the coming years, if the airline industry is anything to go by?
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the...
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” —Theodore Roosevelt
@ben
I’m both an AA FA and a union rep and I’m wondering if you’d ever be willing to have a phone call with me. I personally consider myself an extremely hard worker, and I know you’re not discrediting those that are, but I really would love to talk thru the entire picture with you when it comes to how management disciplines flight attendants at AA. It’s a lot more frequent, punitive and harsh than you would think.
Are these same flight attendants that threw legacy AA mgmt under the bus and install Discount (or DUI) Doug Parker as CEO?
"It is time that American Airlines executives are held to the same performance standards as the Flight Attendants."
Oh God I hope not!
I fly AA a lot as an elite, and I can say with some authority...
AA FAs (most, but not all) are among the WORST FAs in the industry.
Lazy, mean, snotty describe AA FAs.
I feel bad for the good AA FAs. There are some. (And they are great.) But most are simply awful and are overpaid for the work they do.
As a long-time previously devoted Aadvantage and One World member, I fully support the flight attendants demand that management finally step up to the plate. AA has seemed lost in space the last decade or so, pretending to provide world class service to its customers while at the same time reducing staffing, cutting and cutting leg room, removing entertainment screens, and lagging behind the American and especially other world carriers in delivering a high end...
As a long-time previously devoted Aadvantage and One World member, I fully support the flight attendants demand that management finally step up to the plate. AA has seemed lost in space the last decade or so, pretending to provide world class service to its customers while at the same time reducing staffing, cutting and cutting leg room, removing entertainment screens, and lagging behind the American and especially other world carriers in delivering a high end traveler experience.
Personally, I've had consistently good experience with flight attendants, with a few minor exceptions; however, I agree with the speaker that they only can offer us customers what the airline provides to staff. Food is never the same from one flight to another. Sometimes good and more often either nonexistent or of poor quality. The domestic first class seat product is not up to par, with barely comfortable seating and no access to flagship lounges unless you're on a rare flagship designated flight (nothwithstanding the fact that the first class fares are still the same or even higher). Further, the Aadvantage program has slowly but surely been eroded. with fewer real benefits to warrant my working to retain my executive platinum status.
Bottom line is that this demand, the one from pilots, and from decade long customers like me, should be heeded by management. American seriously needs to up its game or its going to lose customers like me who is already on the fence about abandoning American for other better performing carriers.
What AA needs to do is to make Pursers on every flight actual Pursers, i.e. inflight service mangers, to make sure that the FAs deliver a consistent service to all customers. On a flight from MIA to SXM, I asked a flight attendant for some ice, her response was, “I am not working this part of the aircraft”! And this was on an empty flight. Not to mention no PDBs, no hot towels, no walk...
What AA needs to do is to make Pursers on every flight actual Pursers, i.e. inflight service mangers, to make sure that the FAs deliver a consistent service to all customers. On a flight from MIA to SXM, I asked a flight attendant for some ice, her response was, “I am not working this part of the aircraft”! And this was on an empty flight. Not to mention no PDBs, no hot towels, no walk throughs every 15 minutes…But of course the APFA would never allow inflight service managers. AA at MIA reminds me of Eastern Airlines circa 1989….enjoy the boarding pay while it lasts!
Because of unions we now take for granted:
Paid vacation, Paid sick leave , Paid maternity leave, A 5 day work week
The 8 hour work day, The 40 hour work week, Overtime Pay
Minimum wage... Just to name a few.
Remember this before you start hating
Only losers work just 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, or 40 hours a week.
High-end professional service (not just law) firm associates and partners/directors/principals work an average of 80 hours a week 365 days of the year. And that is active work not counting on-call availability. The nature of client service at a high level is to be available to your client literally all the time. Vacation merely means working from a different location.
Arps has claws today lol
I'm glad you're working so hard for people like me, Arps. Send your bill to my accountant in the usual fashion, and she'll deal with it. I'm off to the Maldives while you slave away at your 80 hour weeks and dream the impossible dream of being anything more than "my lawyer" to the members of high society.
I deal with a- holes like you daily, usually Americans , including those in that company. If your client thinks you should be at their beck and call 24/7 you’re the loser. Many of us simply don’t need to work all those hours.
IF you are not a doctor going thru their residency and yet working 80 hours per week, it demonstrates to me that you are a terribly inefficient worker. Evidence and data show that humans cannot concentrate effectively for long periods of time. Someone working 80 hours per week is not working productively after 40-50 hours. So keep boasting.
But are union negotiations in the last decade been about health, safety or work conditions shared by the rest of society or about continually securing more money… spiraling above and beyond the entry level qualifications of peer jobs (EMT’s, nurses, schoolteachers, train stewards, cruise ship crew…). I feel unions are now extorting wages. Civilised work rules are now written into law.
Americans don’t have any of those rights. Only country without sick pay. No maternity leave let alone paternity. No redundancy legislation and more. You have almost no rights as an employee in the US. Republicans hate the idea of unions, workers rights and universal healthcare.
Number one yes American management has the ULCC mindset in many ways. But certain FAs that work the number one position think their job is to stare off in space during boarding and make sure the service is so slow that there's only one round of beverages and meals are being served with less than one hour of flight time left. Pre departure beverages are less than 50%. Sure late catering happens but a good...
Number one yes American management has the ULCC mindset in many ways. But certain FAs that work the number one position think their job is to stare off in space during boarding and make sure the service is so slow that there's only one round of beverages and meals are being served with less than one hour of flight time left. Pre departure beverages are less than 50%. Sure late catering happens but a good flight attendant will apologize. No hot nuts? Get some pretzels from the back and apologize that catering screwed up.
If flight attendants don't want the extra demands of working the premium cabin then work strictly coach. And of course there's no longer a second beverage service in coach on longer flights.
100% agree with this analysis. AA FAs can, if they wish - and they often *do* wish - skate by with little to zero effort put into customer experience.
As long as D+0 and "don't spend a dollar more than we have to" are still company policies, these results will continue...or even get worse.
Fish rotting from the head down?
The best and worst flight attendants I’ve ever had have both been on American Airlines. You are absolutely correct, Ben.
I really don't understand how there are any frequent flyers who are pro union. The Pilots unions in particular are more responsible than anyone else for the insane cost structures of US legacy carriers - and are therefore partly responsible for the treatment of FAs.
Ben has a good point on the issues of seniority. In particular with regards to FAs - the more senior they are the worse the service (not always true, but...
I really don't understand how there are any frequent flyers who are pro union. The Pilots unions in particular are more responsible than anyone else for the insane cost structures of US legacy carriers - and are therefore partly responsible for the treatment of FAs.
Ben has a good point on the issues of seniority. In particular with regards to FAs - the more senior they are the worse the service (not always true, but its directionally true). Hopefully the trump administration can do something right and allow us to break these organizations holding the american flying public hostage.
I'm pro-union because the alternative, no unions with the existing lack of employee rights and protections, would only make things worse for the average American. Unions aren't always right, and what they say should be evaluated on the merits, as should any call for change. But the right to unionize and collectively bargain must exist to ensure good behavior by management, especially when the country does so little to protect private sector employees from unfair...
I'm pro-union because the alternative, no unions with the existing lack of employee rights and protections, would only make things worse for the average American. Unions aren't always right, and what they say should be evaluated on the merits, as should any call for change. But the right to unionize and collectively bargain must exist to ensure good behavior by management, especially when the country does so little to protect private sector employees from unfair and unethical management practices.
@Dusty i'd argue your statement isn't entirely true. Good behavior by management can be equally incentivized by consumers who vote with their dollars.
Management treats their employees well, employees treat their customers well, customers bring more business to the company. Management can also get rid of the bad apples, further bettering the service to the customers, further increasing business to the company.
Management treats their employees poorly, employees leave to somewhere they are treated...
@Dusty i'd argue your statement isn't entirely true. Good behavior by management can be equally incentivized by consumers who vote with their dollars.
Management treats their employees well, employees treat their customers well, customers bring more business to the company. Management can also get rid of the bad apples, further bettering the service to the customers, further increasing business to the company.
Management treats their employees poorly, employees leave to somewhere they are treated well, no one is there to serve the customer, the customer takes their business elsewhere.
Get rid of unions, and a lot of problems go away. But as long as unions exist, piss poor management is allowed to survive. Everyone likes to think of the first order consequences (in which unions make sense), but fail to take into account the fourth and fifth order consequences.
@JustinB
Consumers have a hard time voting with their dollars when regional monopolies exist. And once a company is big enough, they're nearly immune. Example, Delta. I live in Atlanta, so the best choice is typically Delta. I used to fly Southwest reasonably often since they did have a decent-sized Atlanta operation and direct flights to the places I traveled to, but with Southwest's changes they may not be nearly as desirable an option...
@JustinB
Consumers have a hard time voting with their dollars when regional monopolies exist. And once a company is big enough, they're nearly immune. Example, Delta. I live in Atlanta, so the best choice is typically Delta. I used to fly Southwest reasonably often since they did have a decent-sized Atlanta operation and direct flights to the places I traveled to, but with Southwest's changes they may not be nearly as desirable an option anymore. AA and United both have very few flights and most would require connections for me, and I've had AA screw me twice with a flight cancelled in the dead of night 8 hours before departure. Delta could brutalize their FAs and I'd still be beholden to them to fly to most places.
And I guess AA wasn't treating their FAs badly enough that they felt the need to leave, we've had a fully employed economy for several years at this point so by your logic all those FAs could have gone to United, Delta, Southwest, Hawaiian, etc. and screwed AA. But they didn't, and as bad as AA is even without that hypothetical, where would all the Dallas, Charlotte, Philly, Phoenix, and Miami flyers go? Not like they have many other options, nor could other airlines rapidly pick up the slack. Sure consumer behavior can theoretically drive management to do the right thing, but reality isn't as clear cut. See Wells Fargo still surviving after a bunch of other banks merged, despite the cross-selling scandal.
@JP
Are you out of your mind? Are you insane or are you this ignorant of the role that unions have played to corporate life? Or are you being sarcastic? I have never been a union member; despite this, their contributions to the world of work have been nothing short of revolutionary/legendary. If it weren't for the efforts of unions workers would not have:
Paid vacation
Paid sick leave
Paid maternity leave
@JP
Are you out of your mind? Are you insane or are you this ignorant of the role that unions have played to corporate life? Or are you being sarcastic? I have never been a union member; despite this, their contributions to the world of work have been nothing short of revolutionary/legendary. If it weren't for the efforts of unions workers would not have:
Paid vacation
Paid sick leave
Paid maternity leave
A 5 day work week
The 8 hour work day
The 40 hour work week
Overtime Pay
Minimum wage
Just to name a few.
You people need to chill....
The real problem starts at the top: The Board Of Directors who, since the USAir merger, have unflinchingly embraced glaring ineptitude by the ULCC-minded CEO's they hire. Then, after their hires prove to be incompetent bunglers, they reward the bunglers for not being willing or able to do their job.
Just as a capable (see other airlines for example) CEO creates incentives for quality work among employees, any Board with a modicum of ability will...
The real problem starts at the top: The Board Of Directors who, since the USAir merger, have unflinchingly embraced glaring ineptitude by the ULCC-minded CEO's they hire. Then, after their hires prove to be incompetent bunglers, they reward the bunglers for not being willing or able to do their job.
Just as a capable (see other airlines for example) CEO creates incentives for quality work among employees, any Board with a modicum of ability will go through CEO's until they stumble on one who can capably lead rather than attempt to manage, by incentivizing recognizable progress. After many, many years of AmericaWest's failed mentality it's been painfully apparent that improving things for passengers and loyalists is the best route to success. Now American just needs a moderately capable CEO who can see that. Seemingly that means a new Board Of Directors who won't reward failure.
AA could give us the tools to be successful. A real buy on board program, sufficient catering, amenities, blankets, etc etc etc. Reality is that we can only offer what we have.
I pride myself on consistently going above and beyond, but there is only so much I can do when I have 3 fruit and cheese plates for 165 people in coach. Reduced staffing onboard has directly led to service cuts. AA can easily bring back a service culture and actively chooses not to.
@ AA FA -- I totally agree that American doesn't give frontline employees the tools to succeed and to deliver a great experience (though many flight attendants -- like you, I imagine -- still manage to provide great service, because they take pride in what they do).
I would love to see a little more accountability for the under performers, who I feel drag down the experience, when others try so hard. But yeah, ultimately...
@ AA FA -- I totally agree that American doesn't give frontline employees the tools to succeed and to deliver a great experience (though many flight attendants -- like you, I imagine -- still manage to provide great service, because they take pride in what they do).
I would love to see a little more accountability for the under performers, who I feel drag down the experience, when others try so hard. But yeah, ultimately giving flight attendants the ability to deliver a great product is the first step...
Agreed that management should provide employees with tools to succeed. But the reality is that good providing service can be done should the person delivering the service want to provide it. I had the worst chicken of my life last night on AA, but the FA was helpful, asked to refill my drink, didn’t get snotty when I asked for water. That increased my overall satisfaction even though the “tools” were not there.
As a passenger one can only echo what Ben has reported and commented upon too.
AA FA, afterthought question, please forgive my ignorance of such matters …. Are employment conditions in the U.S. aviation industry not conducive to changing airlines?
You (maybe) and your FA partners are HUGE part of the problem.
AA FAs are generally lazy. You could get up immediately after the bell and start service. You could offer full PDB. You have the tools. You are just too lazy to use them.
AA FAs are generally not nice. It costs nothing to be nice. Get off your damn phone. Stop playing games.
And maybe you is not you... but it is the vast majority of AA FAs.
Another school day and more information to pack into the lonely brain cell, thank you Ben.
There’s no such thing as a hardworking flight attendant because of FAA limitations on duty hours. Such hours don’t apply to attorneys.
Flight attendants could learn a thing or two from large law firm associates and partners about what hard work and client service really look like. I have colleagues billing 22 hours a day for a week straight (including weekends) because they’re giving their all for their client in high stakes M&A or litigation....
There’s no such thing as a hardworking flight attendant because of FAA limitations on duty hours. Such hours don’t apply to attorneys.
Flight attendants could learn a thing or two from large law firm associates and partners about what hard work and client service really look like. I have colleagues billing 22 hours a day for a week straight (including weekends) because they’re giving their all for their client in high stakes M&A or litigation. And all lawyers do non-billable work without whining, meanwhile FA unions whine about not being paid during boarding (which doesn’t matter; it’s your year-end total pay that matters. If that’s a fair number, it doesn’t matter where that pay came from).
For goodness sake Arps, whatever do you think you are gibbering on about?
FA’s certainly are hardworking, however, clearly not as hardworking as you are at posting utter nonsense.
Please think before you post as you are loosing all credibility …. best that you return to your tea boy duties before someone realises that the tea is cold.
And your M&A peeps are not as hardworking as an emergency room doctor who makes 1/4 of what your m&a guys make and yet who are providing a more valuable service to the planet at the end of the day.
Meh, by and large it's all relative. If I ran a country, I would get rid of M&A industry.
Arps only says he has colleagues billing 22 hours a day because he knows he can't admit that they're billing 25 hours a day.
Nobody billing 22 hours a day is doing-so without being cranked off their nut. Whether it's cocaine, meth, or illicitly obtained Adderall, they're junkies.
Nobody who works that much is adding value to the business or doing their best for the client. It's moronic.
Dude.....you are an idiot. Truly. I've worked MANY a 12 hour overnight flight in First and Clipper and I can tell you the 20 minute breaks were not often.
You have absolutely NO idea what F/A's do. Look around next time you are on a long trip.