United Airlines, flight attendants reach labor deal, with raises

If ratified by flight attendants, it would make United the last of the major carriers to secure a labor deal with cabin crew members since the Covid-19 pandemic ended.

United said the agreement will include immediate raises and top pay of $100 an hour at the end of the contract, as well as pay for flight attendants during boarding and “a signing bonus for every flight attendant worth a total of $740 million.”

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the flight attendants union, didn’t provide specific details about the deal but said that in addition to higher base pay, it includes additional compensation for flight disruptions and new restrictions on overnight flight assignments.

The labor deal comes as United is planning an aggressive expansion of its higher-touch premium cabins, with new seats featuring elevated dining options and seats that convert into beds.

United flight attendants last July rejected a previous labor deal that would have included immediate, 26% raises.