American Airlines Gives Flight Attendants $81 Million in Additional Raises

An American jet taking off

The union that represents American Airlines flight attendants announced that the airline’s CEO agreed to give its members an additional $81 million in pay.

Doug Parker, the airline’s CEO, Scott Kirby, its president, and Stephen Johnson, executive vice president met with the board of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants on Thursday, with the improved contract as the outcome.

“Today’s announcement is the beginning of a new chapter,” the union said in a statement on its website.  “Bringing together two large workgroups with very different cultures and contracts is an enormous task but together we have done exactly that in just over one year.”

In November, union members had rejected the tentative agreement on a new joint collective bargaining agreement that was worth $193 million more than the current contracts.   That package will now form the basis of the agreement that gives the flight attendants higher pay starting January 1, 2015 and includes top hourly pay that goes from $50.17 to $53.52.

“With this action behind us, we can look forward to the year ahead and beyond as one team,” the airline said in a statement, “and with great momentum as we continue our integration plans.”

(Photo: Accura Media Group)