Delta, the CARES Act and Why We Need a Minimum Guarantee for Flight Attendants

U.S. airlines across the industry received $25 billion in federal grants to keep Flight Attendants and other frontline aviation workers on the payroll through September 30th. Our collective action helped Delta management secure $5 billion alone to pay Delta Flight Attendants, pilots, gate agents, and more Delta workers.

Even with that payroll assistance, more than 14,000 of our flying partners have taken some type of leave, mostly unpaid. Our workgroup is doing our part to help Delta through this time of crisis. Yet, management still won't guarantee minimum hours for Flight Attendants. 

Our competitors at American and United will pay Flight Attendants at least the minimum 71 hour line guarantee and 75 or 78 hours reserve guarantee, per their contracts. (And obviously more if the Flight Attendant flies over those hours.)

Even though the company is awarding schedules over 70 hours, our trips get cancelled and we end up having to sit availability, earning less money and subject to the will of management from our originally scheduled release to report. For example, one Delta Flight Attendant explained their May schedule, "I was scheduled 2 turns in May that are already cancelled and 2 three days that are full of cancelled flights. So now I will be on availability for 8 days." And no guarantee.

We are already contributing more than any other workgroup to help our airline. All we are asking for is a minimum hours guarantee so that we have some financial stability -- which is what the CARES Act intended. 

TAKE ACTION: We Need a Minimum Guarantee Now >