Flight Attendants Get Less Funeral Leave Than Pilots -- The Difference Isn't About Grief

Flight attendant bereavement benefits are being scrutinized after a comparison showed they receive less paid funeral leave than pilots, and that regional airline flight attendants can receive different amounts than mainline staff. The blog Paddle Your Own Kanoo points to Delta’s regional carrier Endeavor Air, where union flight attendants get 3 days of paid bereavement leave for a close relative, while pilots receive five days under the same airline. It also highlights per diem gaps: Endeavor flight attendants receive $2.25 per hour versus $3.30 per hour for Delta mainline flight attendants. The piece argues contract value is negotiated overall, with tradeoffs between pay, per diem, health benefits, and paid time off. It also says pilot contracts are larger partly due to higher training time and replacement difficulty.