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Our Compensation & the Power of AFA

Delta management has always kept our hourly pay on par with the pay scales at the unionized airlines, United and American, in an effort to keep us from unionizing. While top line compensation like hourly pay may look the same or even a little better, there are hidden costs and missed compensation for us at Delta.

Where do we miss compensation? Here are just a few examples:

  • No cost of living raise in 2020

    • Flight Attendants at AFA airlines received two raises (seniority and contract) in 2020.

  • Lack of healthcare options, and current options have significant deductibles

    • United Flight Attendants have no minimum flying requirements to qualify for medical benefits.

  • Work rules with pay like “Sit Pay”

    • Alaska AFA Contract: Scheduled or actual ground time in excess of two hours between flights in the same duty period will be paid an additional one TFP (Alaska’s version of a “Flight Hour”).

  • No pre-departure COVID testing pay

  • No minimum hours per bid month

  • And more…

Join our Fireside Chat on Tuesday, March 30 at 5pm ET to learn more about how much more Delta Flight Attendants could make with the power of AFA!

A pre-pandemic MIT study of Flight Attendant total compensation – wages, benefits, and profit sharing – found that on average Delta Flight Attendants made $14,000 less than a United Flight Attendant.

Without profit sharing in 2020, the difference is even larger—even if you account for furloughs. The furlough pay and protections in AFA contracts and the Payroll Support Program requirements meant most furloughed Flight Attendants lost almost no pay or healthcare.  

Delta Flight Attendants should never have to count on profit-sharing as a part of our base compensation because in downturns like the one we experienced last year we take a huge hit to our income. In 2020, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported, “[Delta CEO Ed] Bastian acknowledged a chunk of employees' compensation could evaporate if the economy falters and Delta's profits fall. He called it a tool ‘to help manage a little bit of the volatility of the business, the ups and downs.’”

A contract can change that. Join our Fireside Chat on Tuesday, March 30 at 5pm ET to learn more.