5 Shocking Disputes Rocking American Airlines Flight Attendants After The New Contract Ratification

The labor landscape at American Airlines has entered a volatile new phase, even after the ratification of a landmark collective bargaining agreement (CBA). While the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) secured a major contract victory, including first-of-its-kind boarding pay, as of December 17, 2025, the relationship with management remains deeply contentious, marked by high-stakes grievances, disciplinary actions, and a looming strike threat at a key regional carrier. The focus has shifted from negotiating a deal to aggressively enforcing its implementation, revealing five core disputes that are currently rocking the airline.

This article dives into the fresh and unique conflicts defining the American Airlines flight attendant dispute in late 2025, detailing the specific pay issues, disciplinary crackdowns, and the strike authorization that continue to threaten smooth operations and summer travel plans across the American Airlines Group. The fight is no longer about *getting* a contract—it’s about *what it means* in practice and the ongoing battle for respect and fair compensation.

The Post-Ratification Battleground: 5 Core Disputes Defining the 2025 Conflict

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), representing the mainline American Airlines flight attendants, achieved a significant milestone with the ratification of their new contract. This agreement included a substantial immediate wage increase and, notably, the industry's first-ever boarding pay provision. However, the victory was quickly overshadowed by major implementation disagreements, disciplinary actions, and labor unrest at American's regional partners.

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1. The Presidential Grievance Over 'Sit Rig' Time and Pay

One of the most immediate and contentious post-contract disputes centers on the interpretation and application of "Sit Rig" pay. Sit Rig refers to a contractual provision that ensures flight attendants are compensated for time spent waiting or on-call under specific circumstances, often related to minimum rest requirements.

• The Core Issue: In mid-2025, APFA filed a Presidential Grievance, the highest level of contractual dispute, alleging that American Airlines was violating the newly negotiated Sit Rig pay provisions (CBA 11.D.6).
• Union Stance: APFA demands that the company correctly apply Sit Rig as paid time, asserting that the company's current interpretation is costing flight attendants significant earned wages and violating the spirit of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• Impact: This dispute highlights the ongoing struggle to translate contractual language into real-world compensation, a common friction point in labor relations.

2. The Crackdown on Trip-Trading and Crew Incentives

A surprising and aggressive move by American Airlines management in late 2024 and 2025 involved the termination of several flight attendants over an informal practice known as "dropping" a trip for cash or incentives.

• The Practice: Flight attendants, seeking to adjust their schedules, would offer other crewmembers cash or gifts to pick up their assigned trips. This was a long-standing, unofficial practice within the industry, often facilitated via social media or private groups.
• Management Action: American Airlines deemed this practice a violation of company policy, threatening and ultimately firing flight attendants who engaged in the activity.
• Union Response: APFA strongly condemned the firings, arguing that the crackdown was a new and unfair enforcement of a policy that had been historically overlooked. The union views this as an overreach and a hostile action against its members.

3. Implementation Challenges for Boarding Pay

The new contract famously made APFA the first unionized flight attendant group in the U.S. to secure pay for scheduled boarding time, a major win that addresses the historically unpaid time flight attendants spend preparing the cabin before takeoff.

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• The Victory: Boarding Pay is a game-changer, acknowledging that a flight attendant's duty begins well before the aircraft door closes.
• The Dispute: Despite the contractual win, the implementation has not been seamless. APFA has had to issue multiple "Contract Implementation Updates" throughout 2025, clarifying the rules and ensuring the company is correctly calculating and issuing the new pay. The ongoing updates suggest a continuous need for union oversight to ensure the company adheres to the new pay structure.

4. The Looming Strike Threat at PSA Airlines (American Eagle)

While the APFA dispute is with mainline American Airlines, a critical, parallel labor conflict is unfolding at one of its wholly-owned regional carriers, PSA Airlines (operating as American Eagle). This dispute directly impacts the entire AA Group's operations.

• The Strike Vote: In late 2024, flight attendants at PSA Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), voted overwhelmingly—a staggering 99.2%—to authorize a strike.
• The Demands: PSA flight attendants are demanding better pay and benefits, arguing that they are "living in poverty" despite working for a major airline group.
• Status: Negotiations are ongoing under the oversight of the National Mediation Board (NMB). A strike at PSA Airlines would severely disrupt regional service, putting immense pressure on American Airlines management to resolve the issue quickly.

5. Union Dues and Membership Disciplinary Actions

The internal dynamics of union membership and dues payment have also become a point of contention, leading to disciplinary actions that have spilled into the public eye in 2025.

• The Conflict: American Airlines management has been involved in disputes related to union membership and dues. In one reported instance, two flight attendants were fired in late 2025 after being expelled from the union for refusing or failing to make required payments.
• Legal Context: While non-members are covered by the union contract, the issue of dues and membership expulsion remains a complex legal and labor matter, sometimes leading to termination when union membership is a condition of employment or when the company assists in dues collection.

The Future of Labor Relations at American Airlines

The culmination of these disputes paints a clear picture: the new contract was a ceasefire, not a peace treaty. The APFA's contract victory, which included a 20 percent immediate wage increase and retroactive pay, was a historic win achieved through a credible strike threat.

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However, the ongoing grievances over Sit Rig pay, the aggressive disciplinary actions against trip-trading, and the need for constant oversight on Boarding Pay implementation demonstrate that the fight for fair working conditions and pay is far from over. The union's vow to "fight for the best contract they could achieve and to squeeze every penny out of this management team" continues to define the relationship.

The situation at PSA Airlines adds a layer of complexity, as a strike there could serve as a powerful bargaining chip for other labor groups within the American Airlines Group. As U.S. flight attendants across the industry express solidarity and a shared frustration with stagnant wages and poor working conditions, the American Airlines labor dispute remains one of the most closely watched conflicts in the aviation sector. The coming months will be crucial as the APFA pushes for full compliance with the new CBA and as the NMB attempts to broker a deal to avert a strike at PSA Airlines.