
Flight attendants at American Airlines are being made to complete an online training course in how to de-escalate arguments between veteran crew members and new hires – especially when it comes to newer flight attendants getting assigned ‘premium’ international trips.
Like many airlines in the United States, American Airlines operates a strict seniority system for its flight attendants, meaning that veteran crew members not only automatically get paid more, regardless of their performance, but they also get to pick the best trips.
While some senior crew members prefer working domestic flights, long-haul premium destinations are generally seen as the reserve of flight attendants who have worked for the airline for quite many years, and most crew members on these flights will be regarded as ‘senior.’
That’s not to say that new hire crew members don’t get to fly to popular long-haul destinations like London, Paris, and Madrid, although these opportunities are generally few and far between and normally because the veteran crew member has called in sick at the last minute.
And because it’s relatively rare for younger crew members to be assigned these kinds of favored European trips, a common question asked by senior crew members is: “How did you even get this trip?”
It might seem like a relatively simple question, but it can sometimes be loaded with undertones that result in tension and animosity.
That tension has become so apparent, even to AA’s training teams, that they are now requiring crew members to complete an online training module to try to address this type of questioning.
There are, of course, other ways in which newer and more senior flight attendants are separated at American Airlines. Along with new hire crew members being required to ‘sit on reserve,’ they also benefited from a smaller pay rise when a new contract was approved last September.
While the most senior crew members received an immediate uplift in their pay of 20.5%, flight attendants who had only been working for American Airlines for less than seven years received a pay rise of 18%, while crew members with between seven and 12 years of service were awarded an immediate 19% raise.
That being said, the new flight attendant contract also includes ‘boarding pay,’ which benefits new hire crew members more so than senior flight attendants because of the disparity between domestic and international flights.
Because new hire crew members work more domestic flights with multiple legs per day, they will spend more time boarding and deplaning and, therefore, earn more in boarding pay.
Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying ever since... most recently for a well known European airline. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centric stories. Always keeping an ear close to the ground, Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage is frequently relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.
Ah…more union stuff! And one must wonder why the AFA wants to unionize Delta? Delta is GIVING EVERY EMPLOYEE a 10.4% (about a one month salary!) as part of the profit sharing. Delta does this on Valentine’s Day, too. If Delta goes union, this article will then apply to Delta, too.
This is bullshit. Mainline American FA here. No such thing is existing.
You should do your quarterly training… it needs to be done by Jan 20
I got a better idea. Tell them to ask management. You really can’t address an argument went you didn’t make the decision.
When you become a Flight Attendant, you are given the details of your pay then. If you don’t like the pay, don’t take the job.
Welcome to the adult world. Just be glad you don’t have to deal with the nepotism and “friends” of the boss when raises and bonuses are handed out. You can shine all year until evaluation time arrives and then magically become average all at once. Your only recourse is to become average and start looking.
is very sad how far arguments about payed money can rase fight among emploees.
This rules shoult be clear and strait to everybody .
is very simple when some one start first second has less option to pic .
if you do not understand it find another job with no union . you will see diffrence and amount of stress and will cry how i was stupid to quit.
Good luck to look a new job .
Get your facts straight! This is not a training provided by American, there is no such training. Matt, maybe you should reread your profile, it sounds a lot like your flaunting your seniority in it. I guess it doesn’t apply to you.