For a long time, American Airlines management and the union representing flight attendants have been in contentious negotiations over a new contract. There was finally a positive update last week, when it was announced that a tentative contract has been agreed on. The details of the new contract have now been made public, as flagged by @xJonNYC.
In this post:
Details of tentative contract for American flight attendants
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) has today revealed the details of the new tentative agreement with American management over a new contract, which could see American’s roughly 28,000 flight attendants getting significant pay increases. Here’s how the union describes the tentative contract:
Our goal throughout these negotiations has been clear. We vowed to take on American Airlines management, to fight for the best contract we could achieve and to squeeze every penny out of this management team. We vowed to defend our work rules, to fight for the retroactive pay that we have earned, and to defend our contract against concessions.
This contract belongs to all Flight Attendants at American Airlines. As you all know, this has not been an easy fight. But through week after week of high-level mediation in Washington, D.C., your negotiating committee was strengthened by the unity and resolve of our membership.
If ratified, this new contract will be worth around $4 billion in incremental value over the previous contract. It includes hourly pay increases, retroactive pay, boarding pay, and profit sharing, among other things. The union claims that these pay rates would be better than at Delta, which otherwise sets the standard in the industry.
When it comes to pay increases, flight attendants would get an immediate 18-20.5% pay increase as of the date of signing, depending on their years of service. Then they’d get a 2.75% pay increase in the second year, a 3% pay increase in the third year, a 3% pay increase in the fourth year, and a 3.5% pay increase in the fourth year.
For example, American’s most junior flight attendants would go from earning $30.35 per hour, to earning $35.82 per hour upon the date of signing, to earning $40.42 per hour in the fourth year. Meanwhile American’s most senior flight attendants would go from earning $68.25 per hour, to earning $82.24 per hour upon the date of signing, to earning $92.79 per hour in the fourth year.
For those wanting to do some very basic math, flight attendants typically work somewhere around 1,000 hours per year — some a little less, and some a little more.
On top of that, American flight attendants would get significant retroactive pay, as a percentage of their earnings in previous years. They’d receive 3% retroactive pay for 2020, 4% retroactive pay for 2021, 4% retroactive pay for 2022, 10.8% retroactive pay for 2023, and 20% retroactive pay for 2020 (through August 31, 2024).
American flight attendants would also finally get boarding pay, calculated at 50% of the rate of standard hourly pay, and adjusted for how long the boarding process is. Since boarding is 30 to 50 minutes, this would range from $8.96 to $34.27, depending on seniority and boarding length.
Flight attendants are also getting an official new profit sharing benefit (though one wonders if there will be any profits to share, given American’s performance). Profit sharing will be equal to 10% of pre-tax earnings up to $2.5 billion, and an amount equal to 20% of pre-tax earnings above $2.5 billion. This is the same formula that other work groups at American receive, including pilots.
Will flight attendants ratify this contract?
I’m happy to see that there’s finally a tentative agreement, as negotiations between management and the union have been contentious, and have definitely impacted morale at the airline. Now the question is just whether this contract will be approved by members or not.
For flight attendants, this represents an absolutely massive improvement in terms of their compensation, from hourly pay, to boarding pay, to retroactive pay, and more. That being said, is it enough to get a deal done?
I think it’s interesting to reflect on the pay scale that the union released over a year ago during negotiations, which shared the current pay and what the union was proposing.
Essentially it seems that after four years, flight attendants will get roughly the pay that they initially wanted as of the date of signing, after the additional incremental pay increases. Will flight attendants “settle” for that, when the union has promised repeatedly that it wouldn’t settle for anything else?
I’m curious to see how the vote among flight attendants goes. American flight attendants deserve pay raises, so I’m happy to see them coming closer to an agreement.
Now, I am curious how American plans to pay for these wage increases, as the airline is barely making money, at least compared to Delta and United. Then again, the poor performance of American management in recent years isn’t the fault of frontline employees.
Bottom line
American flight attendants finally have a tentative agreement on a new contract, as management and the union are now on the same page. The details of the tentative agreement have been released, and it’s certainly a rich contract. It includes $4 billion in incremental value over the life of the contract, including hourly pay increases, boarding pay, retroactive pay, and more.
I’m curious to see how the membership votes on this contract…
What do you make of this tentative American flight attendant contract?
A starting flight attendant gets $30 per flight hour and by year 4 gets $40 per flight hour. Since FAs are only getting paid for 1000 flight hours a year, this is the same as earning $15 or $20 for a normal job. They are getting paid the same as a fast food worker in NY or CA. If you want quality employees, you need to pay market wages.
Flight Attendants are the most overpaid group in the entire world for what they do.
There for your safety? Way too many stories of FA's panic during emergencies. Ever see video footage? very eye opening.
They spend their time complaining about their jobs and playing on their phones.
Trust me. They are a waste!
-TravelinWilly
Furloughs, layoffs, and bankruptcy! Thanks AFPA!!!
Looks like American is trying to go bankrupt again
And then? Furloughs and layoffs!
Any word on what they are having to "give up" or lose ground on in order to gain these pay rates...??? There has to be "take" in "give and take"...
There are some amazing fFAs working for American but they are a rarity, Many of their colleagues don’t deserve to keep their jobs, let alone get a raise
Bottom line is that fares will need to go up and airlines will cut capacity. Anyone that thinks will have 1960s and 1970s load factors of 60% to 70% (as much as I would love that) doesn't know this industry. So when capacity gets cut so do jobs.
I liquidated all my stocks in AAL, UA and DL. These pay raises are unsustainable. Chapter 11 on the horizon. Chapter 7 for SAVE and JBLU.
I don't know how AA financially pulls this off given its present balance sheet. The risk that the FAs should consider is that the airline will raise fares, lose passengers but maintain revenue through the higher fares, then improve profitability by lowering costs through needing less fuel and fewer employees (including FAs) to serve the smaller passenger load. I believe it's in the best interest of the FAs, especially the junior FAs, to take the...
I don't know how AA financially pulls this off given its present balance sheet. The risk that the FAs should consider is that the airline will raise fares, lose passengers but maintain revenue through the higher fares, then improve profitability by lowering costs through needing less fuel and fewer employees (including FAs) to serve the smaller passenger load. I believe it's in the best interest of the FAs, especially the junior FAs, to take the deal and forego demands for a better deal, then work like hell to grow the business and increase profitability to keep everyone employed. Otherwise the new contract could turn into a suicide pact.
Fares will have to increase, and increase substantially. American already nickel-and-dimes its customers shamelessly; and offers a very average product in return; so it will be interesting to see the market’s response.
If the FAs do not take this offer, just strike already. When they do ratify, AA will blame the next three quarters of losing money on the new contract. Then the furloughs will begin.
Glad to know that with a high school education a flight attendant makes more than a teacher with a Masters Degree, which is about $40.00 an hour on average.
Your ignorance about the cabin crew profession shows quite clearly. I’ve been flying with one of the USA big 3 for over 35 years as an international purser. Most of my colleagues have degrees yet decided a 9 to 5 job lifestyle was not for them. The brand new hire that I recently had on my trip to Tokyo is a licensed registered nurse. I fly with practicing doctors, dentists, attorneys, CPA’s, teachers, architects, etc,...
Your ignorance about the cabin crew profession shows quite clearly. I’ve been flying with one of the USA big 3 for over 35 years as an international purser. Most of my colleagues have degrees yet decided a 9 to 5 job lifestyle was not for them. The brand new hire that I recently had on my trip to Tokyo is a licensed registered nurse. I fly with practicing doctors, dentists, attorneys, CPA’s, teachers, architects, etc, etc. I myself have a Harvard degree & speak three languages & earn six figures.
And not once when doing CPR on a passenger did they ask about my education or pay. Or putting out an oven fire over the Pacific. Or preparing the aircraft for evacuation. Or handling the young woman that had a miscarriage in-flight. And it goes on and on.
And I’m ex-original Pan Am. I can run circles around Emirates & Singapore when it comes to service regardless of the cabin. I know what you want before you do.
Get a life buddy.
No shot you have a Harvard degree. You and I Both know that. Dont lie
Well, the point is that you need that degree to become a teacher or doctor or attorney. You need no degree to become a flight attendant. That people with academic degrees chose to become flight attendants doesn’t suddenly justify higher salaries, because their degrees are irrelevant in their job, for all intents and purposes.
This is so very un-American -- where's pay for performance?
Looks like a socialist plan, except worse because newcomers get poverty pay to subsidize the lavish pay for the senior people. I guess Communist?
Communism? Looks more like a typical union pay scale to me.
This is crazy. Medicare is being cut. They are cutting payment about 2%. So American Airlines FA should get a 2% pay CUT, not a 18% raise.
What?
Politicians are terrible because they always underfund health care. That is why universal health care in every country is bad. American versions of universal health care are not so great, Medicaid, Medicare, and the VA. Medicare is being cut 2% this year. Biden forgot to give a pay raise and confused negative for positive. Trump thinks doctors and nurses are suckers.
A professional job is someone that does extensive training 4 to 8 years in College. FA is a profession that requires a high school degree, have a nice personality, and go through 8 weeks of training.
To say that American's poor performance isn't the fault of the front line employees is a bit off. The reason a lot of people say they don't fly American anymore is because of the poor customer service, cranky flight attendants, etc. Will more money help? Hard to say. Clearly changes need to be made from the top down, and attitude adjustments are needed on the front lines. I hope they make those changes.
Celebrate now but don't take on any car or home loans based on the new pay scale. See your post about AA not making any money. FA's and pilots will see very little of their huge new contracts when they get cancelled in Chapter 11. Haven't we seen this movie before?
@Sean M
Pay parity only applies to the same job. Unless male flight attendants are paid more than female flight attendants for the same amount of work, otherwise claiming FAs should have salary increases on par with pilots is, quite frankly, crazy talk.
It’s looking like it’s going to get overwhelmingly voted down. The company should have at least offered raises that kept up with inflation.
This contract offer is a disgrace. Delta is the industry-leading airline in every regard including the quality of their flight attendant union, which puts the American FA's union to shame.
As an American FA I'll take this over wearing that plum uniform anyday!
Delta doesn't have a f/a union soooo
Um.. Weren't you guys stranded at airports this past week due to the computer glitch? No hotels for crew?? Get a union .Then come talk trash .
Sean M
That is the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a while. I am not a flight attendant nor a pilot but do fly more than most people and I just like anyone that has even one eye, know that pilots and flight attendants are not the same, they don’t do the same job, don’t have the same level and time for training and experience and have vastly different responsibilities. They do not do...
Sean M
That is the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a while. I am not a flight attendant nor a pilot but do fly more than most people and I just like anyone that has even one eye, know that pilots and flight attendants are not the same, they don’t do the same job, don’t have the same level and time for training and experience and have vastly different responsibilities. They do not do the same job so your comment about it being 2024 and equal pay for equal work is idiotic. Now obviously male and female flight attendants just like male and female pilots with the same experience and time of service should get paid equally, but pilots have immensely more responsibility and stress and literally have the lives of hundreds of people in their hands every flight. Stop with your stupidity.
Lol I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic
@Ken, if he's being sarcastic, he needs to do a better job of it. I agree with @Jack. @Sean sounds like an idiot.
These numbers are still well below what the pilots were able to negotiate.
The (overwhelmingly female) flight attendants should be ashamed of their union for settling for a penny less than their (overwhelmingly male) colleagues in the flight deck receive.
This is 2024. We need to see equal pay!
Hahaha oh my… supply and demand my friend… supply and demand
@sean lol
You’re delusional
The cost and time to become a pilot vs FA is vastly incremental
I posted on a different comment, but I'm pretty sure this is sarcasm from Sean
What's sad about this day and age is he could be serious...
Did you take into consideration boarding time. The Junior FAs will get a lot more boarding pay than a senior FA. senior FA working DFW to LHR 3 or 4 times a month versus the Junio FA working 10 flights on 1 4 day trip. There's more to it the 18/19/20% on pay rates.
@ Phillip -- The last pay scale in this post that was the proposal in 2023 also assumed there would be boarding pay. Yes, junior flight attendants probably get more boarding pay on average, but that was already assumed at the time.
I can't imagine junior flight attendants are particularly happy seeing that they're getting around 50% of the raise that was proposed, while senior flight attendants get everything they asked for, and then some.
thats not true at all . compare the DOS rates to what was proposed as DOS
you are comparing the year 4 pay to what was proposed as DOS
the junior and senior FAs are getting on year 4 what the union proposed as DOS
@ Phillip -- Whoops, you're totally right, I'm sorry. Post updated to reflect that. All I can say is that it has been a very, very long week, especially for late July, when there's supposed to be no news. :p
Of course everyone looks to the top $
;)
The average hours is around 80 to 90 per month. Some more some less
The union knows 50% or slightly more of the the FAs are on 13 Year pay. Those on first ir 2nd year pay is a small per e tahe of those voting . Don't politicians usually sell out to their biggest voting block?
Rate seems a bit high. For 13 year FA - if you did 165 hours per month - you are getting $193K per year to server drinks/food and sit on an airplane. How many people with a non-professional job get that much?
@ Randy -- I don't think any American flight attendant flies 165 hours per month.
They also limit the service they provide.
Yes it’s not possible to fly that much flight attendants usually do 72-100 hour months these are the flying hours only ( usually from pushback to arrival ) So some turnarounds will give you 9 hours of pay credit but it can be a 12 hour duty day. It’s not healthy either to fly over 100 hours! The airline companies have a limit. I work in Canada & we cannot exceed 100 hours.
Randy obviously isn’t familiar with the facts of a flight attendant’s monthly schedule, so Randy should not be commenting as he is uninformed and passing along misinformation.
A flight attendant’s monthly schedule is typically 75-80 hours flight time. And a high time flyer averages 95-100 hours. 165 hours is extremely rare if not actually impossible. And it is actually a profession, so he is very mistaken there also.
Now…what does Randy do for a living? Hmmm.
A flight attendant who's able to hold long hauls and does high time might get 90 hours a month. Then you tack on another 20-30 hours of uncompensated prep work (getting to/from the airport, security, briefing, onboard prep, etc.), and 6-12 nights a month away from home. Add in the PITA factor of having to keep the peace with entitled jerks, nervous flyers, drunks, ass pinchers, etc. etc, and the $99,500 top-end pay seems low to me...
Paid for getting to/from the airport aka work? Who else gets that?
Just about everyone that drives to a job doesn't get paid for it. Top end pay is overpaid. I'm an engineer, average 55 hours a week, make $10k more than their top pay. The entitlement of these FAs. Oh, and I fly weekly for work...
I'm a nurse practitioner with a Master's degree and 21 yrs of experience, mostly in oncology, both inpatient and outpatient areas. The FA at the upper end of the scale will make more than me.
@Randy Most working F/A's in the US fly a range of 80 to 100 hours per month. Those F/A's that are at the top of the scale are most likely to be in their late 40's to early 60's. Though it IS possible to fly 165 hours per month, this sort of flying is at the extreme and detrimental to the human body. Few F/A's would ever be able to sustain this extreme amount of...
@Randy Most working F/A's in the US fly a range of 80 to 100 hours per month. Those F/A's that are at the top of the scale are most likely to be in their late 40's to early 60's. Though it IS possible to fly 165 hours per month, this sort of flying is at the extreme and detrimental to the human body. Few F/A's would ever be able to sustain this extreme amount of flying month after month. For F/A earnings potential that is more realistic to the majority of US-based F/A's, try running your numbers based upon a 100-hr per month flying schedule