Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

During Women’s History Month, we honor the founding Flight Attendants of our Union. These fearless women provided the foundation for AFA to fight against discrimination on the job including age, weight, race, marital status, having children, for men to have the same rights as women.

BREAKING: Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants vote 95% to ratify industry-leading contract! The three-year agreement provides an immediate, double digit wage increase for the 7,000 Flight Attendants, boarding pay, and retroactive pay.

We can't continue to put our youngest and most vulnerable passengers in unnecessary danger. It's time to require a seat for every passenger and protect our youngest travelers.

Today, we remember the 7 crew and 51 passengers lost in the crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 304, on February 25, 1964. Flight 304 was flying from New Orleans to Washington Dulles when it went down near Lake Ponchartrain, Louisiana, due to pitch failure.

On February 24, 1989, a B747 operating as United Flight 811 lost a cargo door shortly after leaving Honolulu. The explosive decompression that followed blew out several rows of seats, with nine passengers losing their lives. The aircraft returned to Honolulu, where it landed safely. The heroic actions of the 15 Flight Attendants and the pilots on the flight deck averted a far greater tragedy. In the investigation that followed, the NTSB recognized the crucial safety role Flight Attendants play in a decompression, and made recommendations intended to insure that Flight Attendants had immediate access to oxygen bottles in order to avoid being incapacitated by lack of oxygen and left unable to assist the passengers.

Aviation’s first responders save lives. Listen to your Flight Attendants.

We pause on the 16th remembrance to honor those aboard Colgan Air Flight 3407, February 12, 2009. In memory of the Colgan Flight 3407 Crew: Flight Attendant Matilda Quintero Flight Attendant Donna Prisco Captain Marvin Renslow First Officer Rebecca Lynne Shaw Captain Joseph Zuffoletto, (off-duty) Flight Attendant fatigue is real. Proper rest is critical for Flight Attendants to do our work as aviation’s first responders. After years of stalling, in 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized a rule requiring 10 hours minimum, non-reducible rest for Flight Attendants between duty days – finally implementing a 2018 law that will make aviation safer for over 100,000 Flight Attendants and the passengers in our care. We won’t forget how we achieved this major regulatory change for minimum rest.

A Super Bowl shoutout to the AFA United MEC (Kansas City Chiefs’ official charter) and American Airlines Association of Professional Flight Attendants (Philadelphia Eagles’ official charter) Flight Attendants for getting attendees and players safely to game day.

Did you know? Flight Attendants were not originally covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Even though the original intent of Congress was to cover Flight Attendants and Pilots with FMLA, the unique ways in which our hours of work are calculated meant that it was virtually impossible for Flight Attendants to access leave. So we got to work and advocated at the federal level for a technical correction. Our union fought hard to make sure Flight Attendants can now use the law like other workers. We’re celebrating 32 years of FMLA & fighting forward to ensure paid leave for all.

AFA is proud to celebrate Black History Month in February, an annual national observance that highlights the power and impact of the Black community. Black History Month is a time to celebrate the lives, careers and contributions of those who paved the way for a more equal world — and commit to continuing the fights they started. This month is not just a time to highlight history — we must take on racism, poverty and inequality today to make lasting change. That starts in our union, in our industry and our country. Each of us has a role to play in building an inclusive, anti-racist workplace where every member can feel safe, welcomed and respected. And as we do this, we build power together to make a difference in our work lives and home lives.