Nearly 30,000 United Airlines flight attendants voted Tuesday to approve a groundbreaking five-year labor agreement that delivers their first salary increases in six years and establishes boarding compensation for pre-flight duties.
The contract provides an average 31% salary boost this summer, boarding compensation worth an additional 7% to 8% annually, and $741 million in back pay, the Association of Flight Attendants announced.
“The contract will immediately change the lives of United Flight Attendants, especially our thousands of new hires who have been hired since the pandemic,” said Ken Diaz, president of the union’s United chapter. “Our solidarity delivered the goods.”
Additional benefits include enhanced job protection, limitations on overnight flights, compensation for extended delays exceeding 2.5 hours, increased retirement contributions, 10 weeks of paid parental leave, and elimination of 24-hour standby reserve duty.
United CEO Scott Kirby and union representatives describe the mediated agreement as establishing new industry standards.
“The United Airlines Flight Attendant contract now leads the industry in total value for Flight Attendants — and it should,” said Sara Nelson, president of the AFA, which represents more than 55,000 flight attendants across 20 airlines.
Kirby praised the agreement on LinkedIn, stating United is “lucky to have the best flight attendants in the world to represent our airline!”
“I am very happy that they now have the industry-leading contract that they deserve,” he said.
Historically, airlines did not compensate flight attendants during passenger boarding, despite crew members helping travelers, managing seating conflicts, handling baggage issues, performing safety inspections, and preparing cabins for takeoff.
Delta Air Lines pioneered boarding compensation among U.S. carriers in 2022, with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines following suit.
The boarding pay issue gained international attention last August when approximately 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants staged a walkout, forcing the cancellation of over 3,100 flights. The strike concluded with an agreement that included passenger boarding compensation.
