American Flight Attendants Blast Management For Lack Of Performance

American just reported its Q1 2025 financial results, where we saw the airline lose $473 million, while both Delta and United reported significant profits for the same period. American’s flight attendant union is mad, which I don’t blame them for, but I do find the messaging to be a bit ironic.

American flight attendants want management accountability

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents American’s 28,000 flight attendants, has just sent out a memo about the company’s lackluster financial performance, as flagged by @xJonNYC. The union points out how the disparity in the company’s financial results raises concerns about American’s long term competitiveness, and management’s current decision making.

There’s mention of how one reason for American’s underperformance is the company’s failed sales and distribution strategy, which former Chief Commercial Officer Vasu Raja was behind. The union points out how he received a $969K lump sum payment after his severance period concluded and this “sends a troubling message to frontline workers and investors,” and that “while leadership decisions have led to real financial setbacks for our company, those responsible are walking away with generous compensation.”

The note concludes with the following:

It is time that American Airlines executives are held to the same performance standards as the Flight Attendants. American Flight Attendants are held to more than a dozen performance-based chargeable events daily. It is time that our executives are held to not only the same standard but a much higher one.

Today, we are calling on American Airlines’ leadership to right this ship — enough with the excuses. Fix the product in all cabins and staff your airplanes to be the global leader in aviation.

The path to once again becoming a world-class airline starts with prioritizing people and performance. Flight Attendants are ready to do our part — but we expect the same from those at the top.

I agree with American flight attendants, except…

I very much agree with the union’s intent here, which is simply that American is continuing to underperform its competitors, and there’s a lack of accountability for the management team responsible for these results, and that needs to change. Like, Robert Isom shouldn’t be making $30+ million per year for continuing to lead the company as it underperforms (conversely, spending a million bucks to get rid of Vasu Raja is the deal of the century).

Here’s the part that gets me. The union thinks that executives should be held to the same performance standards as flight attendants? That’s the benchmark?!? Arguably the problem with American’s management team is that they’re held to basically the same standards as flight attendants. They get paid as long as they show up, and the longer they’re there, the more money they make, regardless of the results they deliver.

Folks, I’m not at all anti-union, and I very much respect hardworking flight attendants. But the problem with service at American is that it’s consistently inconsistent, and if flight attendants do a good job, it’s just because that’s the type of person they are, rather than because there are any repercussions if they don’t… which sounds exactly like the performance standards with management!

The union’s motive here seems clear. The union claims that the way to restore American to its former glory is to increase flight attendant staffing, which of course increases union membership. But that seems to be the union’s only proposal, and what it views as the key to success. It goes without saying that good inflight service goes beyond the number of flight attendants…

Bottom line

American’s flight attendants are angry about the company’s financial underperformance, and lack of accountability for management. I totally agree with the union, and I think management should be held accountable more!

What I don’t agree with the union on is suggesting that flight attendants at the airline are an example of what accountability looks like, as if consistently great service is something that people expect on American. Quite to the contrary, I’d argue the inverse is true, and that management and flight attendant ranks suffer from the same issue, which is lack of accountability and lack of performance based promotion.

Again, that’s not intended to be a dig at American flight attendants. There are lots of hard working and friendly crews out there. But the good ones don’t act that way because they have some standards they have to live up to, but instead, they do it because they take pride in what they do.

What do you make of the union’s note about American’s performance?