DALLAS — United Airlines reached a deal with the flight attendants’ union to offer up to $100,000 in severance for workers who leave the company.
United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said Monday that the airline hopes that at least 2,100 of its 23,000 flight attendants will accept.
The airline also said that it would recall about 1,450 furloughed flight attendants to fill jobs in places where United is understaffed.
The company, formed by a 2010 merger, has seen growth on what used to be Continental Airlines, which hired 485 flight attendants last year. But the old United operation has been shrinking and furloughing flight attendants. The cabin crews still fly separately because the company has not reached a single contract that covers both groups.
Airlines and other companies use early-out bonuses to entice employees — especially senior, more expensive ones — to leave and be replaced by entry-level workers.
The airline did not say how much the severance payments would cost.
