Why U.S. Flight Attendants Are Fed Up — But Unlikely To Strike

(CANADA) U.S. flight attendants share the same anger their Air Canada peers brought to the surface this month, but a full-scale strike in the United States 🇺🇸 remains unlikely. The difference comes down to law and timing. In Canada 🇨🇦, more direct action is possible after a contract expires. In the U.S., the Railway Labor Act (RLA) creates several roadblocks that slow, and often prevent, walkouts even when patience is running out.

The contrast became clearer after more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job in mid-August, forcing the cancellation of over 700 flights per day and leaving more than 100,000 people stuck across the network. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) later declared the strike unlawful and ordered a return to work. A mediated deal followed on August 19, 2025, allowing the carrier to restart operations, though Air Canada said it would take 7–10 days to rebuild its schedule.

Air Canada expanded help for travelers as the operation ramped back. The airline broadened its reimbursement policy, covering hotel rooms and meals for those stranded between August 15–23. For many families and students caught away from home, the promise of reimbursement eased part of the stress while they waited for seats to open.

U.S. climate: similar anger, different constraints

In the United States, frustration among flight attendants has reached a similar boil. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), which represents crews at several major and regional airlines, has pressed for higher pay, better scheduling, and pay for work periods that currently go unpaid, such as long boarding times.

• Some regional carriers showed movement in 2025 with double-digit raises (for example, GoJet).
• At the country’s largest airlines, talks remain ongoing without major breakthroughs.

Union leaders in the U.S. have voiced support for Air Canada flight attendants and criticized management tactics they say delay fair deals, including lockouts and slow negotiations. Even so, AFA-CWA’s strategy at home centers on legal compliance and pressure tactics that stop short of a full strike unless the law clearly allows it.

Why a U.S. strike is unlikely

The main reason is legal. U.S. airline labor relations fall under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), a law designed to keep planes (and trains) moving while talks continue. Under the RLA, a strike can happen only after a series of steps that take time:

1. The union and airline must reach an impasse.
2. The National Mediation Board (NMB) must try to mediate.
3. If mediation fails, the NMB offers arbitration.
4. If either side rejects arbitration, a 30-day “cooling-off” period begins.
5. Only after the cooling-off period can a strike or lockout begin—unless the federal government steps in.

The NMB is the gatekeeper. As of August 2025, the Board had not declared an impasse at any major U.S. airline talks with flight attendants. That fact alone makes a near-term nationwide strike improbable.

• The federal government has strong tools to keep air service steady.
• Under the RLA, the President—currently President Biden—can act to prevent or end a work stoppage that threatens the national interest, and Congress can also step in.

This doesn’t mean a strike can never happen, but it does mean it is rare and tightly managed.

For readers who want to see the federal process, the NMB offers an overview of its role and procedures on its official site: National Mediation Board.

Strategy and current union tactics

AFA-CWA’s well-known tactic is CHAOS™ (Create Havoc Around Our System)—brief, targeted actions that hit select flights or stations without calling a full walkout.

• CHAOS is designed to apply pressure while reducing risk to crews.
• It is a last-resort tool, used only after the RLA process runs its course.
• Historically, CHAOS actions have been limited and strategic, and courts have reviewed them closely.

Before resorting to CHAOS, the union has leaned on other tools:

• Strike authorization votes to show member unity.
• Large airport rallies to garner public attention.
• Public campaigns highlighting unpaid periods and scheduling strains.

These moves keep pressure on management while staying inside the RLA framework. Airlines, for their part, stress the need for operational stability and say they are negotiating in good faith.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the RLA’s layered steps—mediation, an arbitration offer, and a cooling-off period—tend to stretch timelines, making sudden stoppages rare even when talks grow tense. That helps explain why U.S. travelers have not seen the kind of widespread cancellations that hit Canada this month.

What happened in Canada and the ripple effects

Back in Canada, the August walkout delivered a sharp shock across Air Canada’s network. The CIRB’s decision to deem the action unlawful and order crews back underscored the government’s balancing act: respecting labor rights while keeping the country’s largest airline moving.

• After the mediated settlement on August 19, Air Canada began rebuilding its schedule, estimating a 7–10 day path to normal operations.
• The company’s expanded reimbursement policy for August 15–23 aimed to offset costs for those delayed overnight.

The ripple effects from Canada’s crisis are not lost on U.S. stakeholders.

• Union leaders south of the border say the Canadian shutdown shows how quickly pressure can build when talks stall.
• Airline executives are watching for any spillover in public opinion or negotiating expectations.
• Industry analysts expect continued activism, but most see gains coming through negotiation rather than a coast-to-coast strike.

Near-term outlook for U.S. flight attendants and passengers

For U.S. flight attendants, the near-term picture looks like this:

• More union actions to keep attention on pay and scheduling.
• Possible authorization votes that demonstrate unity.
• If talks truly stall, limited CHAOS actions aimed at specific flights or cities.

For passengers, that means:

• Day-to-day flying should remain stable.
• Only isolated issues may occur if targeted actions take place.
• Nothing in the U.S. currently resembles the scale of paralysis Air Canada faced in mid-August.

The RLA process — clear on paper, slow in practice

Here is how the RLA runs, step by step:

1. Negotiations continue with help from the NMB.
2. If talks hit a wall, the NMB formally mediates.
3. If mediation fails, the NMB offers arbitration.
4. If either side says no to arbitration, a 30-day cooling-off period starts.
5. After that, a legal strike or lockout can occur, unless the White House or Congress intervenes.

Labor experts note the RLA was built to protect the national transportation system from sudden stoppages. That is why outright strikes by U.S. flight attendants are very rare. Most disputes end in mediation or with incremental contract improvements. The current moment fits that pattern: heated, public, and moving—but still within the RLA’s guardrails.

Legal differences: Canada vs. U.S.

In Canada, the legal framework differs, which helps explain why the Air Canada strike formed and hit the schedule so fast.

• Under the Canadian Labour Code, a union can move to strike more quickly after a contract lapses, subject to CIRB rules.
• In August, that path ended with the Board ordering a return to work and a mediated settlement.
• The Canadian government’s speed in stepping in shows how high the stakes are when a national carrier’s network seizes up.

Airlines on both sides of the border face pressure to settle fairly and steadily. For crews, pressure goes beyond pay:

• Scheduling predictability
• Time on duty without pay
• Minimum rest requirements
• Protection from sudden reassignments

These issues affect quality of life in ways hourly rates alone do not.

Passengers and trust

Passengers care most about predictability.

• In Canada, that trust took a hit during the strike period; rebuilding will take days.
• In the U.S., trust rests on the sense that tomorrow’s flight will take off on time.

As long as the RLA process keeps talks in mediation — and as long as the White House and Congress hold strong tools — most travelers should expect normal operations.

Key takeaway: The Air Canada episode shows how quickly a network can seize, how quickly government bodies may act, and how many customers can be affected within days. It also shows that settlements can come quickly once pressure peaks, though restoring schedules takes time.

Leadership and the next steps

AFA-CWA President Sara Nelson has been outspoken about both solidarity and strategy:

• She publicly supports Air Canada flight attendants and calls out tactics she says delay fair deals.
• She has also been clear that any U.S. action must follow the RLA’s rules.

That dual message—firm, but lawful—sets the tone for the union’s next steps.

Major U.S. airlines—American, United, Delta, Southwest—each face different contract timelines but share one aim: keep operations steady while bargaining. None of these carriers is at an NMB-declared impasse as of August 2025. That single fact is the strongest predictor that a nationwide U.S. strike is not around the corner.

The Air Canada episode still matters in the United States. It demonstrates the speed and scope of disruption possible, the role of government intervention, and the scale of customer impact. For now, U.S. flight attendants will keep pressing for progress, airlines will keep pointing to ongoing talks, and the legal guardrails will remain in place. Passengers can expect their flights to operate tomorrow, even as the debate over pay, scheduling, and respect in the cabin grows louder by the week.