CHICAGO— United Airlines (UA) is facing a class action lawsuit filed by a former flight attendant who claims the carrier forced crew members to work without pay for significant portions of their duties.
The complaint, filed in a New Jersey district court, highlights that cabin crew at United Airlines (UA) based at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) are not compensated for critical ground activities, including boarding, deplaning, and mandatory pre-flight procedures.
Representative Photo: United AirlinesUnited Airlines Lawsuit Over Unpaid Duties
Former United Airlines flight attendant Ava Lawrey, who worked with the airline between July 2023 and July 2025, alleges that the carrier violated New Jersey wage and hour laws by failing to pay crew members for all hours they were required to be at work.
According to the filing, Lawrey was obligated to:
- Report to Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) one hour before flights.
- Complete safety checks and pre-flight documentation.
- Manage passenger boarding and provide assistance during deplaning.
- Wait in uniform for extended periods between connecting flights.
Despite these requirements, pay was only issued once the aircraft doors closed and the plane pushed back from the gate. Lawrey claims this practice left her and others working long hours without proper compensation, PYOK reported.
Photo: United AirlinesHow Flight Attendant Pay Structures Work
In the United States, flight attendants are traditionally compensated based on “flight pay,” which starts at pushback and stops once the aircraft door opens at its destination. This excludes time spent on ground duties.
Lawrey argues that on several occasions she worked as much as 72 hours across six consecutive days, but received pay for only 48 hours due to multiple short flights.
For newer flight attendants, who often operate shorter segments, this imbalance is particularly significant compared with senior crew flying longer routes.
Photo: By Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA – SkyWest Airlines, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29576111Industry Context
United Airlines recently proposed adding boarding pay, following similar moves by carriers such as Delta Air Lines (DL), Alaska Airlines (AS), American Airlines (AA), and SkyWest Airlines (OO). Typically, boarding pay is half of standard flight pay but does not cover other ground duties.
In July, United flight attendants rejected a tentative contract that promised an immediate average wage increase of 26.9%. Reports suggest crew dissatisfaction stemmed from union concessions on demands for full ground duty pay.
For junior crew, ground duty pay would provide fairer compensation, while senior attendants worry that funding it could reduce overall flying pay. This divide has fueled ongoing debate within the workforce.
Photo: MOSTSimilar Lawsuits in the Airline Industry
United Airlines is not alone in facing such claims. In February, Southwest Airlines (WN) was sued by veteran flight attendant Matthew Lanclos in Colorado over the lack of boarding pay. That case challenges labor agreements ratified by the crew, adding another legal layer to the broader industry issue.
Both United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are expected to argue that federal aviation regulations, collective bargaining agreements, and the Railway Labor Act override state labor laws, meaning they are not bound by local wage statutes.
Lawrey’s case against United Airlines is filed in the New Jersey district court under case number 2:25-cv-15624.
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The post United Airlines Faces Lawsuit Over Unpaid Flight Attendant Ground Duties appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
