FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) recently informed its flight attendants’ union of a new attendance points system, with changes affecting sick leave and medical absences. The policy was set to begin in early August at Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), the carrier’s primary hub.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants quickly objected, leading to an agreement on July 29 to delay implementation. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between American Airlines and its cabin crew over disciplinary policies tied to attendance.
Photo: American AirlinesAmerican Airlines New Attendant Attendance Rules
American Airlines (AA) first introduced a points-based attendance system in late 2018. Under that policy, flight attendants received points for missing scheduled flights, with progressive discipline and even dismissal possible as points accumulated.
Sick time, though a contractual benefit, is still added to a flight attendant’s record.
The latest revision was more stringent. Reported by View From the Wing, the proposed rules included:
- Medical leave accruing points from the first day instead of after six.
- Increased penalties for no-shows, from two points to three.
- New categories, including “late to board” and “sick at reschedule,” now earn points.
- Patterned absences without medical proof also trigger penalties.
- Higher penalties for frequent late reports and late notifications of illness.
The unilateral announcement, made without prior negotiations, sparked pushback from the union, which argued the changes undermined contractual sick leave rights.
Representative Photo: American AirlinesUnion Response
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) argued that penalizing medical leave discourages crew members from using their earned sick time.
Union President Julie Hedrick had previously testified in the Mass Sick case that attendance points could reduce the need for reserve staffing, something unpopular with senior crew.
However, after last year’s contract introduced a “B-scale” system placing new hires on straight reserve, the union questioned the necessity of harsher attendance penalties.
Many flight attendants viewed the policy as a cost-cutting measure, allowing American Airlines to replace higher-paid senior staff with lower-cost new hires.
Representative Photo: American AirlinesSafety and Operational Risks
Critics noted that strict attendance enforcement may pressure sick employees to work flights, risking the health of colleagues and passengers.
Industry observers point out that similar strategies by other carriers, such as United Airlines (UA), have not demonstrated improved attendance but have raised concerns about workplace morale and health safety.
In addition to attendance rules, American Airlines has dismissed flight attendants for leaving their base while on reserve and terminated others for offering incentives to peers to cover trips. These disciplinary moves have deepened mistrust between airline management and crew.
Photo: American Airlines (Representative Photo)Conclusion
The delay in implementing the new points system shows the union’s ability to push back, but the underlying conflict over attendance policies remains unresolved.
Both sides face pressure: management seeks to improve operational reliability, while flight attendants demand fair treatment for legitimate medical absences.
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The post American Airlines Delays New Flight Attendant Leave Rules appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
