United Recalls Furloughed Flight Attendants, Offers $100,000 Buyout

United has reached a deal with its flight attendants’ union to recall all of the airline’s flight attendants, and it is offering a lump sum early retirement bonus to senior cabin crew members.

United Airlines announced on Monday that it reached an agreement with the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) to recall nearly 1,500 flight attendants who are on voluntary and involuntary furlough. To make room for furloughed cabin crew, the airline announced the Enhanced Early Out Program — a one-time cash bonus of up to $100,000 for flight attendants who voluntarily leave their jobs with the airline.

The move viewed as a step toward reaching a unified collective bargaining agreement with flight crews for United and Continental Airlines, who are presently working under separate contracts.

“United’s investment in this Enhanced Early Out benefits United and all our flight attendants represented by the AFA,” United Vice President Mike Bonds said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Recalling furloughed Flight Attendants and aligning our staffing to match our flying schedule will further facilitate the company and AFA reaching a joint collective bargaining agreement.”

The AFA released a statement praising United’s announcement, a portion of which read, “Today’s historic announcement between AFA and management provides real options for flight attendants and a substantial commitment on the part of the airline to promote operational integration that recognizes the efforts of flight attendants.”

United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy told CNN the airline expects at least 2,100 employees to voluntarily accept the buyouts, adding that it has around 2,000 more flight attendants than it needs. Currently, United employs more than 23,000 flight attendants.

According to salary surveyor Glassdoor, the average annual salary for United flight attendants is $35,567. The Enhanced Early Out Program targets more senior cabin crew, however, and those individuals have the potential to earn considerably more than the median base pay.

[Photo: United Airlines]