American Airlines flight attendants’ tentative contract deal was announced on July 19, 2024, after years of negotiations. It was not final at that point: members of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) ratified the five-year agreement on September 12, 2024. APFA said the contract added $4.2 billion in value to the existing agreement and included wage increases, retroactive pay, boarding pay, and changes to work rules.
What was in the American Airlines flight attendants’ deal?
APFA said the tentative agreement covered compensation, work rules, and retroactive pay. In announcing ratification, the union described several of the contract’s financial and scheduling provisions:
- Wage increases: APFA said immediate increases were as high as 20.5%. That is a maximum reported by the union, not a uniform raise for every flight attendant.
- Retroactive pay: The agreement included significant retroactive pay, according to APFA. The cited announcement does not establish an individual employee’s payment amount.
- Boarding pay: The contract added pay for boarding. APFA President Julie Hedrick said flight attendants became the first unionized workgroup at American to secure boarding pay.
- Long-sit compensation: APFA highlighted a “sit rig,” a provision for compensation when flight attendants have long waits between flights.
- Work rules: APFA also cited changes involving scheduling, rescheduling, and reserve rules.
APFA valued the agreement at $4.2 billion added to the existing contract. The union did not provide a personalized pay calculation in its announcement, so the headline wage figure should not be treated as an estimate of any one worker’s raise or total compensation.
Did flight attendants approve the contract?
Yes. APFA announced on September 12, 2024, that members had ratified the five-year agreement. The union said 95% of eligible flight attendants voted and 87% voted in favor. These figures are APFA’s reported participation and vote results.
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The agreement’s wage increases took effect October 1, 2024. APFA said the contract becomes amendable on October 1, 2029; “amendable” is the union’s stated term for when the agreement can be reopened for negotiations.
Why did the tentative agreement take years to reach?
APFA’s July 19 announcement said the agreement followed a final week of bargaining and assistance from the National Mediation Board (NMB). The union had also used public picketing and other outreach, and reported that 99.47% of participants in a strike-authorization vote supported authorizing a strike. APFA credited those efforts with adding pressure, but that is the union’s account of what helped bring the sides to an agreement.
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The July announcement confirms that negotiations had gone on for years, but it does not specify an exact start date. The “three years” in the original headline is therefore best understood as a description of the negotiations’ length, not a precise date range established by the announcement.
Could American Airlines flight attendants have gone on strike?
A strike-authorization vote is not itself a strike, nor does it mean a strike is automatically imminent. Under the process described by APFA, airline labor disputes go through NMB mediation. A union’s request for release to strike is subject to the board’s decision; if release is granted, a 30-day cooling-off period follows. APFA also notes that a tentative agreement must go to members for ratification.
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In June 2024, the Associated Press reported that the NMB had denied American flight attendants’ earlier request for release. The July tentative agreement and September ratification were later developments; neither should be confused with an actual strike.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the agreement means for flight attendants’ pay
The union’s reported maximum immediate increase, retroactive pay, and added duty-related compensation point to several separate parts of the deal rather than one across-the-board percentage. An employee’s actual change would depend on the applicable pay scale and contract provisions. APFA’s public announcement does not give enough detail to calculate an individual’s new rate or retroactive check.
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