American Airlines is offering flight attendants triple pay during peak holiday periods

American Airlines is offering flight attendants triple pay to work during peak holiday periods. The airline said staff would need zero absences between November and early January to be eligible. Staff shortages are plaguing industries in all corners of the US economy.

American Airlines is offering flight attendants triple pay to work during peak periods over the coming holiday season, according to an internal memo, CNBC reported.

The offer appears to be an attempt by the airline to head off staff shortages that contributed to it cancelling nearly 2,000 flights over the Halloween weekend.

Flight attendants who work trips between November 23 and November 29, and December 22 and January 2, will be eligible for 150% pay, the memo, sent Friday, said. If they have perfect attendance from November 15 through January 2, the will be eligible for an extra 150% pay on top, according to the memo.

According to CNBC, American COO David Seymour said in the memo: “To ensure we’re providing certainty for both our customers and team members, we’re doubling down on our efforts related to our schedule and staffing.”

He added: “On the schedule front, we’ve ensured that November and December are built to meet customer demand and that they are fully supportable by our staffing.”

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, a labor union that represents about 23,000 American Airlines cabin crew members, said it negotiated the incentives with American. The association said its members faced uncertain schedules and other challenges such as lack of transportation and accommodation. cnbc.com