TA 2025
Tentative Agreement Summary
Section 2 Definitions
- Added definition of Voluntary Leave of Absence
Section 3 Compensation
- Republic pay scale effective on Date of Signing (DOS)
Republic scale has a single step for new hires and ends at Year 20. Any Flight Attendant in their first or second six months will be placed at Year 1 on the pay scale, and any Flight Attendant at year 20 or above will be placed at Year 20. Compressing the pay scale ensures Flight Attendants reaching top pay faster and this too improves our position for the JCBA negotiations.| - There is an additional pay increase on DOS +1 year, in the event a JCBA (with higher pay) is not yet in place.
- New customs pay credit: 00:18 for clearing International customs
- New Holidays: Kept current holidays and added Easter and Juneteenth
Section 4 Sick Leave
- Clarified that Company will pay out-of-pocket costs for visit/treatment needed to verify absence, for the first two doctor’s notes in a 12-month period (non-probationary only)
- Incorporated sideletter allowing virtual doctor visits to obtain doctor’s note
Section 6 Expenses
- Domestic per diem: $2.25 per hour on DOS and $2.35 per hour on DOS +1
- International per diem: $2.70 per hour on DOS and $2.80 per hour on DOS +1; paid on all trip hours at an overnight location if there for 90 minutes, measure from trip block-in to block-out. Together with customs pay, replaces $25 international overnight payment
Section 7 Scheduling and Hours of Service
- Updated rest to FAR minimum 10 hours
- Clarified that Flight Attendants who bid maximum credit cannot request reduction in line value, even if assigned more than 105 hours
Section 8 Leaves of Absence
- No fewer than 3 medicals per year for non-probationary Flight Attendants (no points); more will be at Company discretion. Company also has discretion to grant a medical leave to probationary Flight Attendants
- Added Voluntary Leave of Absence (currently Company policy, now contractual).
- Allows Company to offer leaves in specific domiciles that are awarded in domicile seniority order.
- Flight Attendants on VLOA will accrue seniority and longevity
- Flight Attendants may continue health insurance by paying normal premium
- Established recall provisions, if needed
Section 9 Uniforms
- Updated list of uniform pieces
- Established rotation for replacement of pieces
- Created timeline for luggage replacement (50% discount after 1 year; free new 3-piece set after 10 years)
- Perfect attendance drawing prize will be $150 uniform credit
Section 10 Filling of Vacancies
- Settlement days will be provided only if Flight Attendant is awarded first-choice domicile and actually moves
Section 11 Seniority
- Clarified new hire seniority dates are the same for all Flight Attendants in the new hire class, with highest seniority numbers for company transfers and all other Flight Attendants in order of last 4 digits of SSN.
- Flight Attendants who transfer to non-flying positions will accrue and retain seniority for 90 days, and will retain seniority indefinitely
Section 12 Probation
- Probation will last 180 days and cannot be extended more than 90 days
Section 13 Agency Shop and Dues Checkoff
- At the request of the Flight Attendant in arrears, the Company will payroll deduct the arrearages at the rate of $25 per pay period
Section 15 System Board of Adjustment
- Updated panel of arbitrators
Section 16 Furlough, Displacement, Closing of Domiciles and Recall
- When furlough is necessary, Company will first offer voluntary furloughs in seniority order; if not enough are bid, Flight Attendants will be furloughed in inverse order of system seniority. The current contract furloughs by domicile seniority only in affected domicile(s). This protects all Flight Attendants on the property with equal treatment.
- Recall of voluntary furloughees will be to domicile from which furloughed, as long as there is at least one Flight Attendant at the domicile who is junior to the returning Flight Attendant
- Recall of involuntary furloughees will use the procedures in Section 10
Section 17 Physical Examinations
- Made clear that Flight Attendant selects own physician
Section 18 Moving Expenses
- Moving allowance increased from $500 to $1,000
Section 19 Union Activities
- Contract will be available electronically, and in hard copy on request
- AFA new hire presentations will be 90 minutes and include PBS training
Section 20 Hostage Benefits
- Estate of Flight Attendant who dies while being held hostage will receive double death benefits and remains returned home at Company expense
Section 22 Health and Safety
- AFA representative can attend the fatigue and safety meetings
- Flight Attendants will not be required to conduct aircraft searches on the ground unless no other trained personnel is available
- Union representative is now part of the GO-Team
Section 23 Training
- Flight Attendant will receive at least 30 days to complete computer-based training
- Flight Attendant on VLOA must remain current by attending recurrent training
Section 25 No Strike/No Lockout
- Eliminated entire section!
Section 27 Non-Discrimination
- Added language recognizing value of diverse workforce and committing to non-discrimination
Section 28 Commuter Policy
- Commuter policy applies when commuting issues prevent Flight Attendant from reaching Crew Scheduling (such as diversions, circling, etc.)
Section 29 Employee Assistance Program and Professional Standards
- Significant other counts as family member eligible to travel to site of catastrophic event to attend to Flight Attendant
Section 30 Duration
- Two-year agreement, becomes amendable October 12, 2027
Other
- We incorporated the extension language into the main body of the contract.
- In the interest of inclusivity, we replaced all she/he and her/his in the agreement with they/theirs
Wage Charts
Stepping through the Scale
What to Expect
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Assuming the TA ratifies, when will I see my increase?
A. The date of signing of our agreement will be October 12, 2025. To align with the payroll calendar, we will start receiving the new rates on October 16, 2025. All Flight Attendants will receive a lump-sum payment to compensate for the four days between the 12th and the 16th—regardless of whether they worked some, all or none of those days. You’ll see the new rates on your November 16 paycheck.
Q. What will our new per diem rates be?
A. Domestic per diem will increase to $2.25 per hour on October 16. International per diem will be payable in Canada and Mexico at the rate of $2.70 per hour, as long as you have at least 90 minutes of ground time. Both rate will go up by another 10 cents on October 12, 2026.
Q. What happens to my seniority if the merger goes through?
A. Thanks to AFA, your seniority rights are covered by law. At a minimum, you will get a “fair and equitable” seniority integration, and AFA will ensure the law is followed. The law also states that seniority will be integrated according to union policy if the union has a “fair and equitable” integration process in its Constitution. AFA’s seniority integration process ensures that every Flight Attendant retains the seniority they had before the merger, commonly referred to as “date of hire” seniority integration. This is the fairest way to integrate seniority. AFA will work with our Teamster union siblings to agree to a process that protects seniority, creates the most power and leverage in negotiating a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement, and maintains strong representation for Flight Attendants. A vote for this TA moves us a step forward in securing those three critical items for Flight Attendants in a merger.
Q. Are we guaranteed the benefits of the TA if we ratify it?
A. Yes, with a caveat. If the TA passes and the merger falls through, Mesa would have to comply with the TA. Assuming the merger remains on track, Republic is required to accept the TA only if AFA, the Teamsters, and Republic negotiate a Merger Transition Agreement (MTA) setting forth the procedures for merging the Flight Attendant groups including the process for negotiating a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). We will be negotiating the MTA during the ratification process, but our ratified TA will only go into effect if the parties also reach agreement on the MTA. We fully anticipate that we will reach agreement, but wanted you to be aware of the fact that our contract is contingent on reaching agreement between Republic and the two unions for the process to merge the two groups under one contract in a merger.
Q. This TA does not seem to give much of a raise to our more senior Flight Attendants. I am senior—can you tell me why I should vote for the TA?
A. The largest raises—percentage-wise—will go to Flight Attendants in their first few years at Mesa. Other carriers have negotiated raises in their new contracts that are in line with the proposed pay rates, including for junior Flight Attendants. No matter where you fall on the scale, you will receive at least an additional $1 per hour. The pay scale is the same as the Republic pay scale; Republic was not going to pay us more than they pay their own Flight Attendants. We will all get another raise in October 2026—assuming we have not already ratified a Joint Collective-Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) covering both Mesa and Republic Flight Attendants. The JCBA will bring us all higher wages. The fact of the matter is that if this TA is voted down, you will continue making your current wage; if it is voted up, you will see a raise. It is very important that we go into JCBA negotiations on an equal footing with Republic so that management cannot play the groups off against each other—if they divide us, they can conquer us. We cannot let that happen, which is why this TA is important to us for reasons well beyond the pay scale.
Q. I see that we are getting 18 minutes of pay for clearing customs, but losing our $25 allowance for international overnights. That seems like a net loss to me—what am I missing?
A. You’re missing the fact that the customs pay applies on all overnights outside the contiguous states (that is, anywhere in Alaska or Hawaii or outside the country—with no restrictions). The current $25 international allowance, however, applies only to international destinations except for Canada and Mexico. Since all our international overnights are in Canada or Mexico, you never get that $25. So the 18 minutes of customs pay is a big improvement. Additionally, while domestic per diem will increase to $2.25 if the TA is ratified, international per diem will be paid at $2.70 per hour for any time at an international destination that exceeds 90 minutes.