American Airlines Withdraws Support for Flight Attendants In Need Amid Contract Standoff
Flight attendant starting pay is so low that Boston-based American Airlines cabin crew qualify for food stamps in their first and second year.
It’s not a high paying job at any commercial airline, even with seniority, and American’s flight attendants haven’t seen a raise since 2019. That’s when their contract became amendable. Negotiations were delayed by the pandemic, and public positions between the airline and its union remain far apart. In the meantime, inflation has eroded the value of pay by about 20%. Some report being unable to afford gas, and living off of first class snacks.
Since 1989 the Wings Foundation has offered help to American Airlines flight attendants who find themselves in critical need due to illness, injury, or disability or because a natural disaster damages their home. They’ve raised money in 3 ways:
- Employee donations via payroll deduction
- Events
- Revenue from recycling aluminum cans on board American Airlines planes
For the past 23 years funds from onboard recycling have gone to the Wings Foundation to support flight attendants. American Airlines has just pulled its support, as highlighted by aviation watchdog JonNYC.
“(Company let FAs collect cans for the FA specific charity (when sick time runs out, bills pile up, etc)) Now company says cans don’t make enough money to support it and you’re on your own)”
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) February 7, 2024
The airline says there’s ‘no longer enough money’ from recycling to donate to an organization run by flight attendants to help those in dire straits whose entire budget is about half a million dollars per year, and they’ve decided to end support for the charity.
As CEO Robert Isom told employees upon assuming the role, “We can’t spend a dollar more than we need to. And we shouldn’t. We have to be on the lookout for opportunities to save” and added “this is for everybody.”
Isom’s mentor, former Northwest Airlines CEO Doug Steenland who joined the American Airlines board during the pandemic, is known for furloughing employees, and supporting them by suggesting they go dumpster diving.
JonNYC draws contrast to former Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein who led that airline through bankruptcy. He didn’t take a salary during that period. Upon emergence from Chapter 11 he declined the compensation he was offered and donated it instead to start Delta’s Care Fund.
American Airlines flight attendants have a status conference with the National Mediation Board on March 13th over whether they can be released from negotiations and allowed to strike.
