United Fires Flight Attendants Who Don’t Show Up—Union Says It Violates Their Contract [Roundup]

News and notes from around the interweb: United Airlines is firing flight attendants who don’t show up at their base while on reserve and the union says they’re going beyond the contract. Flight attendants often don’t live where they’re based, but they’re supposed to be there and available. Some who don’t think they’ll get assigned to fly don’t actually go there, hope for the best, and call out sick at the last minute if they do get a trip… Here’s some background on working ‘reserve’. [S]ome flight attendants are believed to be taking a calculated risk and not even bothering to travel to the same city as their assigned base….Since February, however, United has been clamping down on this behavior, with the airline taking the position that reserve flight attendants must be physically present at their assigned base or within a three-hour travel time from the moment the reserve period starts. …The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) is challenging United’s clampdown, saying…as long as the flight attendant accepts the assignment and turns up at base at the required time, it shouldn’t matter where they were before that point. New LA Olympics Delta pilot trading cards. Another sign Delta is really prioritizing LA (shifting West Coast focus down from Seattle, looking to maintain and grow their slight lead in the market a la New York). New Delta trading card by u/Constant-Wear1170 in delta LA even gets the new business class soft product first. Delta:later this year, DL will start its new service for Delta One at LAX (other bases start next year). This includes new plating, flow of service, etc. — JonNYC (@xJonNYC) July 17, 2026 Why is it so difficult (and crazy expensive) to fly within Africa? Increasingly we are seeing passengers buy seats for humanoid robots Just watched a humanoid robot casually walking through the airport terminal in Vietnam with its handler…Southwest banned them after a delay incident over battery risks.Robots as passengers soon or still too soon? What you all think? pic.twitter.com/pcwsQ03Lj8 — Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) July 16, 2026 He walked straight into the pool with the luggage… This is still the worst customer experience. .@united looking for some rationale why I'm forced to check my carry on as a group 2, United Member. I got to watch someone load 2 bags in the overhead.UA759 pic.twitter.com/GYEt1tpHNU — See Strijcker (@captainfalcon88) July 17, 2026 Actually vacuuming the seats overnight wouldn’t be the worst idea. UA 1829 IAH- MÍASERIOUSLY @united Seat 2A In business class 🤮 pic.twitter.com/JC0Jo1qc8a — Dr. René Savoff (@ReneSavoff) July 17, 2026 Topics on this page