Summary
- Union and American Airlines reach tentative agreement after years of negotiations; flight attendants’ concerns addressed.
- Flight attendants still need to vote on the new contract, should the board approve.
- Following Delta and Alaska Airlines, flight attendants nationwide are fighting for boarding pay, with success at Alaska Airlines.
American Airlines and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract for the airline’s flight attendants.
Light at the end of the tunnel
Labor negotiations in the aviation industry are long and arduous, usually taking years. That is exactly the case with
American Airlines
and its flight attendants, who had been negotiating for the better part of three years. This is a positive note after the union asked to be released from mediation in preparation for a strike.
Earlier today, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) announced it had reached a tentative agreement (TA) with the airline. After contract negotiations broke down in Washington, D.C., last month, the two sides spent time negotiating in Phoenix this week and finally came to an agreement. As the union still needs to convene a board meeting, which will take place next Wednesday, no details about the contract have been made public at this time.

Related
American Airlines Flight Attendant Contract Talks Break Down Without Agreement
If approved by the National Mediation Board, American Airlines flight attendants will be able to strike after a 30-day cooling-off period.
A union statement said,
“We want to thank all of the Flight Attendants who came together to speak with one voice as we fought for respect for our profession and for the work that we perform. By backing our bargaining with a 99.47% strike vote, and countless pickets and other actions, our membership made all the difference in bargaining. We look forward to providing you with more information and thank you in advance for your patience. Stay strong and united.”
Though no details were revealed, the union did say that its concerns with compensation, retroactive pay, contractual improvements, and preserving our hard-won work rule were addressed. Should the board approve the deal, the 28,000 AA flight attendants will vote on whether to ratify the agreement.
Photo: APFA
American Airlines told Simple Flying,
“We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. It’s a contract that will provide immediate financial and quality-of-life improvements for American’s flight attendants. It’s a contract we’re proud of and one our flight attendants have earned.”
Following other airlines
Based on the agreements reached first at Delta Air Lines in April 2022 and Alaska Airlines last month, one of the major things that flight attendants at airlines nationwide are fighting for is boarding pay. Delta became the first major airline in the US to offer this to its flight attendants, paying 50% of the hourly rate earned when flying, during the boarding process. With Delta having set the standard, Alaska Airlines’ flight attendants pushed to be compensated for boarding and eventually won their battle.
Photo: Delta Air Lines
Alaska Airlines flight attendant union says that its boarding pay is effectively higher than Delta’s, and that overall, pay will increase by 8% with the addition of boarding pay. Additionally, the contract includes retro pay for the time the flight attendants worked under an expired contract and pay will rise an average of 32% over the next few years. Only a tentative agreement was reached and the voting process begins on Wednesday and runs through August 14.