CHICAGO- A United Airlines (UA) flight attendant recently shared their journey to bankruptcy, citing a low salary as the primary reason, even after adding two side jobs to make ends meet.

The flight attendant, who shared their experience anonymously on Reddit, explained they had taken on a substitute teaching position and worked for Instacart.

United Airlines Flight Attendant Bankruptcy

“It’s overwhelming,” they wrote, describing the immense pressure of balancing multiple jobs. Despite these efforts, they reached a breaking point, suffering from exhaustion and burnout.

“I maxed out all my credit cards and took out a loan on my old 401(k) trying to survive on probation,” the post continued. “For the last year, I’ve been working hard to beat the credit card interest, but it’s impossible.” Eventually, they filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, a legal route designed to help clear debts and relieve financial stress, reported PYOK.

Now, with the financial pressure lifted, the flight attendant describes a newfound sense of relief. “I sleep so much better at night,” they shared, explaining how the job feels lighter without the burden of crippling debt. “Now I can focus on small things like ‘sparkling water’ or where coworkers commute from.”

The post resonated with many, shedding light on the challenges of the job. For those who travel often, the kindness of flight attendants can make the experience better, especially given the demands they face on the job.

With millions flying daily in the U.S., the treatment of flight attendants varies, and the stress of dealing with rude passengers, long hours, and time zone shifts only adds to their strain.

Yet, discussions about flight attendant pay often stir up strong reactions. While unions frequently highlight the financial struggles of newer members, some argue that these issues aren’t always well-represented in broader negotiations.

Not Enough Salary

A United Airlines flight attendant shared that after two years on the job, while their salary is still “nothing to write home about,” they now earn enough to stay out of debt.

Flight attendants at United, based in Chicago, are currently pushing for a new contract as negotiations have stalled. The flight attendant union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), claims that United is deliberately delaying progress by proposing a low-value economic offer.

Earlier this year, United flight attendants voted 99.99% in favor of a strike authorization, signaling readiness to take action if talks break down. The AFA-CWA demands an immediate 28% pay increase, followed by 4% annual raises in an open-ended contract, which would position United flight attendants’ earnings at the top across U.S. airlines.

The union also seeks pay for all work hours on the ground—a significant departure from the current system. Currently, United flight attendants are only compensated from the moment the plane pushes back from the gate to its arrival at the destination, benefiting veteran crew who can secure long-haul flights with more time in the air.

For newer hires, much time spent on the ground between flights—boarding, deplaning, and transitioning to new aircraft—remains unpaid. While some airlines, including American Airlines and Delta, now offer a smaller hourly rate for ground duties like boarding and deplaning, United flight attendants are calling for ground pay across all work hours.

United has rejected the union’s full demands, only offering to match the recent pay agreement finalized by American Airlines (AA) flight attendants.

Delta Set a Standard

Delta Air Lines (DL) has raised industry standards for flight attendant pay, introducing boarding pay, unilaterally increasing wages, and offering the industry’s most generous profit-sharing program. This approach has influenced wages across airlines, though most pay increases have only kept pace with inflation and general wage trends.

Profit sharing at Delta is notably higher, and customers often report a more positive experience with Delta’s flight attendants, who are unique among major carriers in not being unionized.

However, the primary factor behind wage increases industry-wide is known as the Baumol effect, or cost disease. In this economic phenomenon, flight attendant pay rises as a result of productivity gains in other sectors rather than their own.

Because flight attendants are required by law at a rate of roughly one per 50 seats, the opportunity cost for them has risen due to higher wages in other industries. This cross-elasticity of demand means airlines must increase pay to attract and retain attendants, even if their productivity remains constant.

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