United CEO praises staff as flight attendants approve breakthrough contract

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has heaped praise on staff members after flight attendants approved a breakthrough contract which includes a 31% pay rise.

For the first time in over five years, United Airlines staff will benefit from a raft of new conditions that improve their salary, working standards and retirement protections.

On May 12, 2026, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA announced that 88.85% of eligible United Airlines members voted by 82% to ratify a new contract.

According to the union, nearly 30,000 United flight attendants will benefit from the agreement, including thousands of new hires who have been employed since the pandemic.

“The United Airlines Flight Attendant contract now leads the industry in total value for Flight Attendants, and it should,” said Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. “We will continue to press forward with all of our contracts and build power with our organizing to ensure Flight Attendants are respected with meaningful return for our work as aviation’s first responders.”

Congratulations to our flight attendant colleagues on the ratification of their new contract! This is a well-earned achievement and reflects the hard work, persistence, and solidarity it takes to reach a labor agreement.@afa_cwa @AFAUnitedMEC pic.twitter.com/6hIwqnH9bO— United Airlines Pilots (@UnitedPilots) May 12, 2026 A tentative agreement between United and the union was agreed earlier this year after a previous deal in 2025 for a 26% increase was rejected by voting flight attendants.

The United boss welcomed the news that the agreement had passed in a statement on social media.

“United flight attendants are the face of the airline – the experience they give our customers when they board an airplane is the most impactful interaction in how customers feel about United Airlines. We are in the people business and lucky to have the best flight attendants in the world to represent our airline! I am very happy that they now have the industry-leading contract that they deserve,” wrote Kirby.

The new contract will give staff a 31% base pay rate increase this summer, boarding pay, $741 million in retrospective pay, restrictions on red-eye flying and sit pay for scheduled and rescheduled sits over 2.5 hours.

Staff will also receive 10 weeks paid maternity plus two weeks paid parental and adoption leaves and per diem and 401k contribution increases.

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