American Airlines Fires Flight Attendant Over Secret ‘Trips for Cash’ Scheme

American Airlines has fired a flight attendant after uncovering a black-market scheme in which crew members were allegedly selling coveted international trips to junior colleagues. The dismissal comes just months after the airline warned staff that disciplinary action would follow if anyone was caught exchanging trips for money or gifts. The move has sparked backlash from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which accuses the carrier of unfairly targeting employees instead of addressing larger operational problems.

How the Seniority Bidding System Works

Like other major U.S. carriers, American Airlines assigns trips to flight attendants using a seniority-based preferential bidding system. Crew members with the most years of service get first choice of the most desirable long-haul flights—such as Paris, London, or Rome—while junior attendants are often left with domestic trips, undesirable multi-day pairings, or reserve duty. Each month, flight attendants submit their preferred schedules, and the system assigns trips based on company needs and years of service.

This system, while designed to reward longevity, has created opportunities for abuse. Some veteran attendants were accused of bidding for premium international routes with no intention of working them. Instead, they offered those trips to junior colleagues through the airline’s internal swap board.

The Secret ‘Trips for Cash’ Market

The trip trade system was intended for mutual exchanges between crew members, but American Airlines discovered that some attendants were exploiting it by selling their trips for cash or gifts. According to reports, sellers used coded language—such as “cookies,” “hugs,” or “kisses”—to signal that a payment was expected before the trade would be finalized. Buyers would then privately negotiate with the seller before completing the swap.

Although this underground market had reportedly existed for years, American Airlines decided earlier in 2025 to crack down. In an internal memo, the airline reminded crew members that “trips are assigned by the company and are not personal property” and warned that exchanging money or items of value in trip trades violated its code of conduct.

Disciplinary Action and Termination

On Thursday Aug. 14, a Chicago-based flight attendant became the first reported casualty of the crackdown. The airline terminated his employment after accusing him of selling a trip, marking a dramatic escalation in enforcement. American had previously suggested that violators might lose bidding privileges, but the outright firing indicates that the company intends to make an example out of offenders.

Union Response: Discipline Gone Too Far

The APFA quickly condemned the termination, filing a formal dispute with the airline. In a memo to members, the union argued that American skipped progressive discipline steps and punished crew with a rule that had rarely been enforced until recently.

“Discipline is meant to be corrective, not punitive,” the union wrote. “Skipping those steps, especially on a rule newly enforced, is a direct violation of just cause and due process.” The memo further criticized management for focusing on discipline rather than providing better tools and support for flight attendants.

Policies Across U.S. Airlines

American’s hard-line stance contrasts with practices at other U.S. airlines. Alaska, JetBlue, and Frontier do not have formal rules against trip selling, and Southwest has been known to tolerate the use of codewords among flight attendants. By comparison, both Delta and United explicitly ban trip selling, with penalties that can include termination.

United Airlines has already faced legal challenges over similar enforcement. Earlier this year, former United flight attendant Anna Palova won the right to sue after she was dismissed for allegedly running a “trips for cash” side business. She was one of 28 crew members flagged by a company algorithm designed to spot suspicious trip trades. Palova maintains her innocence, claiming that junior crew accused of similar violations were not terminated.

A Growing Flashpoint in Labor Relations

For American Airlines, the crackdown is part of a broader push to tighten operational oversight and restore integrity to its bidding system. But for flight attendants, the heavy-handed approach highlights growing frustration with management priorities. With union disputes now in play, the controversy is likely to remain a flashpoint in ongoing labor relations between American Airlines and its flight attendants.


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