United flight attendants picket at San Diego airport

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Dozens of United Airlines flight attendants demonstrated outside of San Diego International Airport Thursday, demanding higher pay and better working conditions.

The demonstration was just one of several others seen at 17 airports nationwide. It followed after a proxy statement showed that United executives received compensation increases in 2023, with CEO Scott Kirby’s compensation raised by nearly 90%, according to a release Thursday.

The statement shows Kirby made nearly $18.6 million last year — nearly double from his compensation the year before, which was about $9.8 million.

United Airlines asking pilots to take time off next month due to Boeing plane shortage

It also shows that United’s president, Brett Hart, also received a hefty pay increase. His compensation last year was nearly $15 million, a sharp increase from about $3.5 in 2022.

Flight attendants in San Diego represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA demanded a similar treatment, citing a “long overdue fair contract” which they said has been denied by executives for more than two years.

On Thursday, they held signs outside of the airport with messages including “Corporate greed doesn’t fly” and “World class airline, world class contract.”

Earlier this month, United asked its pilots to take time off in May due to delays in receiving new planes from Boeing, which is struggling to keep up with production due to a series of manufacturing problems.

FOX 5/KUSI has reached out to United for comment on the demonstration.

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