Sara Nelson on What’s Ahead for Airline Labor

The Decision Brief SKIFT AVIATION FORUM Sara Nelson, International President, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Moderated by Sarah Kopit, Editor-in-Chief, Skift THE TAKEAWAY Airlines face a new labor-cost challenge as pressure shifts from major wage increases at mainline carriers toward closing compensation gaps at regional airlines. Nelson expects future increases to be more moderate, but she argued that regional pay disparities and irregular bargaining cycles remain unresolved as airlines confront a tougher cost environment. PATHS FORWARD Establish more predictable bargaining cycles. Nelson argued that negotiating contracts more regularly could produce steadier wage growth and reduce the large compensation increases associated with years of delayed agreements. Address compensation disparities between mainline and regional employees. Nelson identified regional flight attendant pay and boarding compensation as priorities, particularly as regional crews increasingly work from higher-cost metropolitan bases. Account for labor standards across airline groups. Nelson argued that major airlines influence regional carrier contracts, raising questions about how parent companies should account for compensation differences across their operations. WHAT TO WATCH Whether regional compensation becomes the next major bargaining pressure. Upcoming negotiations involving PSA and Endeavor Air will test how aggressively unions can narrow pay differences between regional and mainline flight attendants. Whether airlines can maintain more predictable labor costs. Nelson anticipates smaller, more regular wage increases, but pressure to address compensation disparities could challenge management’s ability to control costs. Access all the Skift Takeaways from this event, as well as full session videos, presentation documents, and more editorial coverage at our Skift Aviation Forum attendees hub.