1.23.26 – Direct Denial: New CBA Pay Protections for Extraordinary Circumstances

Direct Denial: New CBA Pay Protections for Extraordinary Circumstances

Friday, January 23, 2026

Flight Attendants in multiple bases have experienced denials and delays of pay protection claims for full sequence cancellations due to Hurricane Melissa. Our new contract brought new pay protections for extraordinary circumstances in 10.J.1.b, and management has failed to properly implement the provision.

The company’s Contract Compliance and Crew Compensation teams are responsible for these denial errors and delays in compensation. APFA has been fighting to ensure the Company properly compensates Flight Attendants under the new CBA pay protections for extraordinary circumstances in Section 10.J.1.b, as well as the compensation provisions outlined in Sections 3.O and 3.P.

APFA’s continuing efforts on behalf of impacted Flight Attendants have resulted in significant progress in ensuring many claims are approved. The initial rate of denials was approximately 69%, with an approval rate of only 31% of the submitted claims. To date, our advocacy has resulted in a significant increase in the approval rate to 72%, with a denial rate around 28%.

APFA has been fighting the following company failures:

• Failure of the Inflight, Contract Compliance and Crew Compensation teams to provide clear and concise communication, direction, and support in the implementation of the new contract provision in 10.J.1.b, and the process for submitting claims.
• Failure of Crew Scheduling to provide timely notification of cancellations.
• Failure of the Contract Compliance team to interpret and properly apply the “like sequence” criteria (CBA 10.J.1.b.i).
• Failure of the Contract Compliance and Crew Compensation teams to provide timely review and responses to Flight Attendants’ Direct Connect submissions, which deprived them of the opportunity to re-ballot in TTS if necessary.
• Failure of the Crew Compensation team to pay Flight Attendants the pay protections for the cancellations on the mid-month paychecks in December 2025 and/or January 2026 (CBA 3.O.2).
• Failure of the Crew Compensation team to pay Flight Attendants for pay discrepancies related to these claims within one calendar day (CBA 3.P.3).

APFA Contract and Scheduling Department representatives have meticulously and, if necessary, repeatedly reviewed and escalated the claims of Flight Attendants who have been harmed by the denials and delays.

Your National President, Contract and Scheduling Chairs, and the Contract Implementation Committee have met frequently with the company over the last two months and have consistently and persistently advocated for the company to approve the claims of all Flight Attendants who made a reasonable effort to follow the language in 10.J.1.b.

The fight for our new contract provision is about accountability and enforcement. Our language must be implemented as negotiated, now and into the future. APFA will continue taking action to ensure every claim covered under this provision is properly and fully paid.

In Solidarity,

Jeff Petersen
APFA National Contract Chair
[email protected]

Marti McMillan
APFA National Scheduling Chair
[email protected]