American Airlines Offering Unpaid Leaves Of Absence Because It Has Too Many Flight Attendants

Published Aug 7, 2026, 3:55 PM EDT Journalist – Aaron is an aviation and travel journalist with 14 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. His background spans airport operations, aviation infrastructure, and travel consulting, having worked with global organizations across New Zealand, Europe, and North America. Combining industry expertise with firsthand travel experience across more than 52 countries and five continents, Aaron covers airlines, airports, aviation policy, and the wider travel sector. He is based in Canterbury, New Zealand. His work has been published in Simple Flying and featured by MSN, SAM CHUI Aviation & Travel, EIN News, Pakistan Defence, and Climate Depot. It has come to light that Fort Worth-based American Airlines has realized it has too many flight attendants and is asking more than 1,200 to take unpaid leave. As reported by View From The Wing, the airline has been preparing to ask 1,205 flight attendants to take September off work without pay. With the oneworld carrier looking to send 4% of its flight attendant workforce on leave, the carrier will spread this number out across its bases around the country, with the largest pool of flight attendants affected located at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where 309 are set to stay home. 1,205 Too Many Flight Attendants At American Airlines Credit: Shutterstock American is one of the United States largest airlines, with more than 1,000 aircraft and an estimated workforce of around 130,000 employees. As the airline continues to review its workforce, it has been decided that for September, American will be oversubscribed by 1,205 flight attendants, which has resulted in the carrier requesting them to take unpaid leave. Fort Worth-based flight attendants make up 25% of those being sent home; a full list of the airports affected is listed below, as per VFTW: The move to shed more than 1,200 flight attendants comes as the airline reviews scheduling for September and its staffing needs for the end of the summer travel season, as travel demand begins to decline and a reduced schedule remains in place following ongoing higher fuel prices due to the 2026 Iran Crisis and the opening and closing of the Strait of Hormuz. Unpaid Leave On The Table For September Credit: Shutterstock American is set to offer the voluntary leave as unpaid, which will cover the full month of September. The leave is set to be awarded to those with seniority first, and then those worked to set schedules, such as lineholders. Those flight attendants who are on voluntary leave will be unable to pick up trips for that month, but sick and vacation leave will continue to be accrued. Medical insurance and non-revenue travel benefits remain. The airline opened bidding for the leave earlier this week, and applications are being accepted across all bases. Due to the ongoing cost of fuel and schedule reductions, the plan to pull its transition to the fall schedule forward has resulted in the need to send 1,205 flight attendants on leave to ensure the correct staffing number for the month ahead. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants ( APFA), which represents around 28,000 flight attendants at American, has continued to push for increases in leave allowances, and the program has been welcomed as it allows more voluntary leave for the unpaid month. The offer will also support junior flight attendants moving off reserve and getting more opportunities to fly. One Of America's Largest Airlines Sends 1,200 Flight Attendants On Unpaid Leave Credit: Shutterstock Based in Fort Worth, American is one of the largest airlines in the United States and globally, and carries more passengers annually than any other carrier (250 million). The airline operates around 6,800 flights daily to more than 350 destinations worldwide. A founding member of oneworld, it operates out of ten hubs, with its largest being that of Dallas/Fort Worth. Charlotte remains the airline's second-largest hub, while Miami and Philadelphia are other key hubs. The airline operates a fleet of more than 1,000 mainline aircraft, which consist of Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies, and an all-Boeing widebody fleet. The airline plans to look for supersonic travel in the future, with an order for 20 Boom Overture aircraft and operations for another 40 of the type. While the airline's decision to send 1,205 flight attendants on unpaid leave for September could raise reliability concerns, the airline has reassured passengers that the number of flight attendants who will be on leave will still ensure enough of a reserve should conditions change. The carrier continues to review its current schedules for the month of September as the airline operates a reduced schedule in the face of subdued passenger demand and high fuel prices.