Thanksgiving Travel Was a Success Thanks to Flight Attendants and PSP
December 3, 2021 - The Thanksgiving travel week—the Friday before Thanksgiving through the Sunday after Thanksgiving—saw the highest passenger volumes since the start of the pandemic two years ago with no major operational disruptions.
This travel rebound and success would not have been possible without every single Flight Attendant, aviation worker, the Payroll Support Program (PSP) and union-negotiated incentives to ensure a smooth operation. Air travel over the Thanksgiving holiday was an off the charts successful operation. With the exception of some weather disruption and the horrific violent event against a Spirit Airlines crew - air travel was reliable, efficient, and on-time for travelers. This demonstrates exactly what's possible for our whole economy when the government focuses crisis relief on everyday people.
The union PSP plan provided for payroll support to keep Flight Attendants and aviation workers in our jobs for 16 months during this pandemic made it possible to meet the demand of this holiday season.
American worker productivity was higher than any developed country in the pre-pandemic world. It is not sustainable. Earlier airline operation meltdowns showed that workers were not willing to pick up overtime at the same rate as before the pandemic. But, union contracts with holiday incentives and negotiated solutions where they didn't exist helped encourage overtime work during this holiday. Unions are good for workers and consumers. Read more >
