Flight Attendants Demand Fair Pay Amid Industry Shifts

Alaska Airlines flight attendant Rebecca Owens highlights industry-wide discontent over pay policies. Flight crews, currently paid partially, advocate for compensation starting from passenger boarding. Recent negotiations signal potential change as industry profits rise and workers' demands for livable wages increase.

Flight attendants at Alaska Airlines, including Rebecca Owens, are voicing frustration over an outdated pay structure that compensates crew members only when planes are in motion, rather than for the full duration of their work hours.

In August, a majority of Alaska flight attendants voted against a proposed contract despite a planned pay increase, due to lingering discontent over the lack of comprehensive boarding pay. This pivotal contract could set a new standard in the airline industry, prompting other major carriers to rethink their policies amid ongoing labor negotiations.

Backed by improved airline profits and favorable deals secured by pilots and factory workers, flight attendants are negotiating confidently, striving for fair wages matching their demanding schedules. The industry is closely watching these developments as unionized cabin crews push for significant reforms in pay structures.

(With inputs from agencies.)