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New Report Reveals Low Pay, Faulty Equipment, and High Turnover at CLT Put Workers and Passengers at Risk

Contact:
Ana Tinsly
amtinsly@seiu.org

646-331-4765

New Report Reveals Low Pay, Faulty Equipment, and High Turnover at CLT Put Workers and Passengers at Risk

For Immediate Release: April 24, 2026

 

*Videos/Pics Click HERE, Report link HERE

 

New Report Reveals Low Pay, Faulty Equipment, and High Turnover at CLT Put Workers and Passengers at Risk

 

Over 70% report coming to work sick and 80% say there isn’t enough staff to clean planes as trained as staffing shortages take a toll

 

[Charlotte, NC] A new report from 32BJ SEIU finds that workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) face chronic understaffing, high turnover, unsafe equipment, and are coming to work sick due to a lack of paid sick days—conditions that could jeopardize passenger safety and airport operations.

 

City Councilmembers Dimple Ajmera and JD Mazuera Arias joined airport workers on Friday, April 24 to release the report and call for action as the City negotiates a new lease with American Airlines. For pictures and videos click here.

 

“We are understaffed because the pay is so low. Management asks us to push two passengers at the same time just to keep up,” said Charles Mcdowell-Medina, a wheelchair attendant who services American Airlines passengers. “I do my best because I don’t want people to get left behind and miss their flights, but that’s not safe for us or the people we’re helping. Passengers deserve better.”

 

The report draws on a survey of airport workers who provide wheelchair assistance and cabin cleaning services employed by American Airlines contractors ABM and Prospect Airport Services. It highlights widespread poverty, unsafe working conditions, and high turnover across the airport workforce.

 

Key findings include:

  • 71% report coming to work sick due to lack of paid time off 
  • 74% report struggling to afford basic necessities 
  • 19% report sleeping in cars, hotels, or other temporary situations 
  • 53% have worked at CLT for one year or less, with a median tenure of just 11 months
  • 80% of cabin cleaners say there isn’t enough staff to clean planes as trained 
  • 67% say they are pressured to work too quickly due to short staffing 
  • 88% of wheelchair agents report faulty or unsafe equipment 
  • Workers say these conditions could be impacting airport operations. Cabin cleaners report being rushed to clean multiple planes in short periods of time, while wheelchair attendants describe unsafe practices like pushing multiple passengers at once to keep up with demand.
Despite working in one of the busiest airports in the world, many contracted airline workers earn between $12.50 and $15 an hour, with an average wage of $14.71—far below the $24.19 hourly wage needed to meet basic living expenses in Charlotte, according to MIT.
“I can’t afford to get an apartment right now, so I sometimes stay in hotels. That costs $400 to $500 a week. When I can’t afford that, I have no choice but to sleep in my car,” says Dajhaun Perry, a cabin cleaner who services American Airlines planes. “I struggle to pay my phone bill, car note, and have to cut back on groceries sometimes.” 
These workers perform essential functions—cleaning and disinfecting aircraft, assisting passengers with disabilities and children, handling baggage, and conducting safety checks. But low wages and poor working conditions have created a revolving door of workers, making it difficult to retain the experienced workforce needed to maintain safe and reliable airport operations.
Charlotte Douglas is a major economic engine, yet workers say the benefits are not being shared. American Airlines controls nearly 90% of all travel at CLT and reported $54.2 billion in revenue in 2024, while many of the workers who support its operations struggle to afford housing, food, and healthcare.
The findings come as airline consolidation draws renewed scrutiny, with American Airlines’ dominance at CLT reflecting a broader national trend in which a single carrier can shape wages, working conditions, and prices.
With American Airlines’ lease set to expire on June 30, 2026, workers and advocates say the City has a rare opportunity to raise standards across the airport.
“The time is now for the City to negotiate a lease that raises standards for workers, protects passengers, and keeps the airport’s economic benefits in Charlotte,” said Niecy Brown, District Director of SEIU Workers United North Carolina. “We cannot let American Airlines continue to profit while workers and the community fall behind.”
For over four years, airport workers have been organizing for safer working conditions and fair pay. Now, as the City negotiates a new lease, they are calling on leaders to include strong wage and benefit standards that will stabilize the workforce and improve conditions for both workers and passengers.
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With over 190,000 members in 12 states & Washington D.C., 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country

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