3.04.26 – AA Leadership Failures Now Target Crew Hotels

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

AA Leadership Failures Now Target Crew Hotels

American Airlines, led by CEO Robert Isom, continues to lag its premium competitors and seeks cost cuts to close its earnings gap with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Those cost-cutting efforts are now targeting our strong, contractually compliant hotel portfolio. 

What’s Happening

As we entered 2026, it became clear that management plans to review nearly every layover city and replace many long-standing, well-liked, contractually compliant hotels, often against APFA’s recommendations. These changes put management’s priorities ahead of the rest you need to safely perform your duties. Despite APFA recommending renewal of incumbent hotels that meet our contractual standards, management is moving forward with hotels not recommended by APFA, and doing so without adhering to the mutual agreement process outlined in the CBA.

Current Company Actions

Section 6.A.2.c lays out the process for crew accommodations to be mutually agreeable. By selecting hotels against APFA recommendations and prioritizing management’s objectives over contractual standards, management is failing to uphold this requirement.

Management’s stated goal is to conduct approximately eight site reviews per month, including markets where APFA did not request review and where no contractual concerns exist. Year over year, APFA has experienced a 109% increase in travel to attend these reviews, advocating for hotels you value while ensuring contractual compliance.

APFA Pushback

APFA is enforcing the language in CBA section 6.A.2.c., which includes National President involvement in the process. We will continue to enforce the language when a non-APFA recommended hotel is chosen by management.

Stay Informed and Document Issues

Visit the APFA Hotel webpage under “On the Job – Hotels & Transportation” and review the Layover Hotel and Transportation Updates section for markets currently under review, anticipated site inspections, and hotel selections made by management that go against APFA recommendations and do not meet the contractual process for mutual agreement.

Management needs to hear directly from you!

Management is responsible for managing the hotel contracts, relationships, and communications with their hotel vendors, not APFA.

If you experience a crew accommodation contractual violation or have a hotel or transportation concern, do the following:

• Report it immediately through the APFA Hotel and Transportation Feedback Form.
• Report the issue directly to the Manager of Strategic Sourcing, Michael Byington, at [email protected], and Preeti Harder, Managing Director, Strategic Sourcing, at [email protected].

Our Rest is Non-Negotiable

Crew accommodations and the hotel selection process are contractual. They are not negotiable and must never be compromised. APFA has fought for years to secure hotels that include the safety and security of the transportation vehicles, rooms and hotel locations; the cleanliness and quietness of the accommodations; and the adequacy of the eating facilities.

Flight Attendants have fought hard for our contractual language, and we will not stand by while our hotel standards are lowered. Top leadership’s ongoing financial failures do not give them the right to ignore our contract language. We are on the front lines of this operation, and our accommodations are an important part of our work life and essential to a safe and successful operation.

In Solidarity,

Michael Malool
APFA National Hotel Department Chair
[email protected]