After five years of negotiations, United Airlines and the union representing the carrier’s 28,000 flight attendants have reached a tentative deal on a new contract.

“Industry-Leading” Tentative Deal Struck Between United Airlines And Flight Attendants

A tentative agreement between the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and United Airlines was stuck on Friday after years of negotiation stretching back to the pandemic. We don’t have the exact details of the new tentative agreement yet, but per the union, it includes:

• Industry-leading compensation
• Hotel, scheduling, reserve, and other quality of life improvements
• No PBS or reference to PBS
• In the first year alone, flight attendants will gain 40% of total economic improvements
• Industry-leading retro pay

PBS is short for Preferential Bidding System. PBS is a system in which you bid for things that you want or want to avoid (such as LAX layovers, single-day trips, redeyes, or certain aircraft types). An algorithm then takes those preferences and builds trips based on seniority. This is in use at American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

Instead, the older line bidding system will continue to be used, in which flight attendants bid for pre-constructed trips that are awarded based on seniority.

Until we have the precise details, it is too early to say whether the back pay, compensation going forward, and fringe benefits are industry-leading.

A source has told Live And Let’s Fly that the union caved into many of United’s demands in exchange for generous back pay, which was the main sticking point for ongoing negotiations.

The next step will be for union negotiators to present the deal to United’s Master Executive Council (local union leaders). This will occur next week, starting on May 29, 2025. Should the council vote to send the agreement to members, it will go to United’s 28,000 flight attendants, who will have three weeks to vote yay or nay on the new deal.

The text of the new tentative agreement will be posted here in the days ahead.

United has praised the deal, saying, “United Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA announced an agreement that will provide industry-leading wages and many other improvements for United’s 28,000 flight attendants if ratified.”

Scott Kirby, United’s CEO, said:

“Our flight attendants are the best in the industry and have earned an industry-leading contract. I often say they are the face of our operation and the role they play every day – to keep people safe and deliver great service – helps make United the biggest and best airline in aviation history.”

Sounds like Kirby indeed…

Both the AFA and United have praised the National Mediation Board for its efforts to bring the two sides together.

CONCLUSION

United Airlines and the union representing flight attendants have announced a tentative deal that will award backpay, leading wages, and new workplace to flight attendants.

Only when the details of the contract become public, will we be able to dissect it and see just how “industry-leading” it is.

But this is good news…this is a step forward toward finally putting this issue to rest.