FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) has launched a firm crackdown on flight attendants using secret code words to illegally sell premium international trips.
The unauthorized swaps, often involving money, have circumvented the airline’s established seniority-based scheduling system.
The airline’s investigation revealed that some crew members were offering coveted trips like Paris (CDG), London (LHR), and Rome (FCO) to junior flight attendants at a price, undermining the fairness of the bidding process set by the Fort Worth-based carrier (DFW), PYOK reported.
Representative Photo: American AirlinesAmerican Attendants Selling Trips Illegally
American Airlines utilizes a seniority-driven bidding system for assigning trips. Flight attendants with more years of service enjoy priority access to preferred international routes and schedules.
Routes to popular cities like Paris (CDG), London (LHR), and Rome (FCO) are typically awarded to senior crew members.
Junior flight attendants, by contrast, often receive less desirable domestic flights or reserve status, with little control over their schedules.
In response, some have allegedly resorted to paying their senior colleagues for access to premium trips—an act explicitly prohibited by company policy.
To avoid detection, those involved reportedly used code words like “cookies,” “hugs,” “kisses,” or even “thanks” to discreetly signal that a trip trade involved monetary compensation. These terms were widely recognized within AA’s crew network as covert indicators of paid swaps.
A recent internal audit conducted by American Airlines identified these patterns in the trip trading system. As a result, the airline issued a stern warning via an internal memo clarifying that “trips are not personal property” and “cannot be bought, sold, or brokered.”
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Photo: American AirlinesSeniority System and Its Implications
The seniority-based scheduling system is standard in the airline industry and is considered one of the most valuable perks of tenure.
Flight attendants build their monthly schedules by bidding on preferred destinations and days off. Over time, this provides long-serving crew members with stability and flexibility.
However, this system can leave new hires with exhausting schedules and undesirable routes. The promise of international travel, often a draw for those entering the profession, may remain out of reach for years. This gap creates both frustration and, in some cases, unethical incentives.
Americans’ internal policies are designed to prevent manipulation of this system. Unauthorized selling of trip assignments compromises not only fairness but also the integrity of crew scheduling.
Photo: AFPAUnion Support and Contractual Backing
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which represents AA crew members, has supported stronger enforcement measures.
A recent contract ratified by union members includes a provision allowing both the airline and APFA to monitor for irregularities in the bidding process using “objective metrics.”
This clause was specifically created to ensure that no crew member unfairly benefits from seniority-based privileges through monetary trades.
Any violation can result in disciplinary actions, including suspension of bidding privileges—effectively resetting the attendant’s status to that of a new hire.
Understanding the Temptation
While American Airlines has made it clear that illegal trades will not be tolerated, it is important to understand the appeal for some junior attendants. The job promises travel and flexibility, but early-career schedules can be grueling, with long domestic routes and last-minute calls.
For some, the cost of buying a coveted trip may seem worth the opportunity to fly to international hubs and enjoy better layovers.
Yet, frequent appearances by junior crew on such flights often raise internal suspicions and prompt deeper investigations by scheduling supervisors.
The airline continues to emphasize that being a flight attendant is a professional role governed by clear policies. Violations not only disrupt fairness but also set dangerous precedents within the crew community.
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