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American Airlines is preparing to roll out a new performance evaluation system that will score flight attendants based on customer service and operational metrics. This move could reshape how inflight crews are assessed while also sparking concern among employees.
The initiative, known internally as the Me@Work program, is built on roughly a year’s worth of collected data and will assign individual scores to flight attendants. These scores are expected to compare employees against one another using a range of performance indicators.
Among the primary metrics are Net Promoter Scores (NPS) derived from passenger surveys, delays attributed to flight attendants, and broader measures described as operational contribution. The program reflects a growing trend among global airlines to quantify employee performance using customer feedback and operational data.
NPS is a widely used customer satisfaction metric that asks passengers how likely they are to recommend a service on a scale from 0 to 10. Scores of 9 or 10 are categorized as promoters, 7 to 8 as passives, and 0 to 6 as detractors. The final score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from promoters. This produces a range from -100 to +100. In the airline industry, average scores typically fall between +35 and +45.
Applying this system to individual flight attendants, however, presents challenges. Passenger surveys usually reflect the overall travel experience rather than the actions of a single crew member. Factors such as aircraft type, delays, onboard amenities, and even other crew interactions can significantly influence how a customer rates a flight.
Past examples within the industry have shown how external improvements can dramatically shift customer perception without any change in crew performance. Upgrades such as newer aircraft, improved in-flight connectivity, and enhanced entertainment options have historically driven higher satisfaction scores (even when service levels remained consistent).
Another issue lies in the limited number of survey responses per flight, which can result in small and potentially undersized samples. In some cases, only a handful of passengers provide feedback, increasing variability and making it difficult to accurately assess individual performance.
The program also introduces the possibility of internal competition as flight attendants may be ranked against their peers. It remains unclear how these scores will ultimately be used, whether for performance feedback, incentives, or disciplinary action. While the airline may view the system as a way to improve accountability and service consistency. The approach is likely to face resistance. Evaluating employees based on factors that may be outside their direct control, such as delays or broader customer experience issues, could undermine confidence in the system.
Anthony’s Take: The rollout comes at a time of strained relations between management and flight attendants, which adds another layer of complexity to the program’s introduction. As American Airlines moves forward with the initiative, its reception among frontline crews and its long-term impact on service quality and workplace dynamics remain uncertain (but my guess is that it will not end well for many flight attendants, right or wrong).
(Image Credits: American Airlines.)
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3 comments
You raise some very valid concerns. American should have sat down with FA’s, informed them that the airline was going to likely implement such a program, and asked for constructive input before things were finalized. Another thing that would make this a lot less dubious would be if another major western airline had successfully implemented such a system. Lastly, American should have brought this up in contract negotiations where give and take are expected.
The fact that AA has sprung this on a workgroup, without any discussion with IT’S UNION, is bad news. Everyone knows AA management right now is dismal, and untrusted by almost all work groups. Also, giving a ‘grade’ based on factors completely out of a crew member’s control is pretty naive. What could go wrong? Also asking crews to fill out copious reports, on their own time, for every single flight flown, is simply asking for trouble. Once again, a management group who continually rewards itself for lackluster, money losing ideas, is proving just how out of touch with the actual world they are. I see many lawsuits in AA’s future.
The fact that AA has sprung this on a workgroup, without any discussion with IT’S UNION, is bad news. Everyone knows AA management right now is dismal, and untrusted by almost all work groups. Also, giving a ‘grade’ based on factors completely out of a crew member’s control is pretty naive. What could go wrong? Also asking crews to fill out copious reports, on their own time, for every single flight flown, is simply asking for trouble. Once again, a management group who continually rewards itself for lackluster, money losing ideas, is proving just how out of touch with the actual world they are. I see many lawsuits in AA’s future.