United Airlines Faces Criticism Amid New Premium Cabin Announcement

NEW YORK CITY (May 13, 2025) — United Airlines has unveiled its new premium cabin designs amid ongoing negotiations with its Flight Attendants, who are being urged to agree to concessions.

“Service doesn’t happen without us,” stated AFA International President Sara Nelson and United AFA President Ken Diaz. They emphasized that United has the financial capability to offer a top-tier contract for Flight Attendants, featuring competitive compensation, favorable work rules, and upgraded cabin interiors.

“CEO Scott Kirby can roll out all the new product announcements he wants — it means nothing without respect for the people who deliver it,” they continued. “New cabin interiors – if done with our involvement – can be helpful for doing our jobs and we want happy passengers. But a new aircraft cabin doesn’t pay rent, allow us to come to work without stress over paying our bills, attract new applicants, or give us the schedule control we need to have a life. Scott Kirby can’t promise a product without the people who deliver it.”

The negotiations are taking place in Chicago, with intensive bargaining sessions planned over three weeks to potentially reach a tentative agreement.

Nelson and Diaz highlighted that, “No other Flight Attendant contract across the industry in this round of bargaining included concessions. Not one.” They criticized the timing of the new cabin announcement, describing it as adding "insult to injury" and accused Kirby of enriching himself while neglecting overdue raises and contract renewals for Flight Attendants.

United's CEO Scott Kirby has seen his own compensation grow by 246% over the past two years, contrasting with Flight Attendants, who are awaiting raises and contract updates nearly four years overdue.

“If Kirby wants to reach true #1 status, it starts with delivering the #1 contract for 28,000 Flight Attendants today,” concluded Nelson and Diaz.

The Association of Flight Attendants is the Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for over 79 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions. Over 55,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.