Some see a dirty deal at Southwest Airlines

[tycoonjack]

Some see a dirty deal at Southwest Airlines

Those usually cheerful flight attendants at Southwest Airlines say they are the lowest-paid attendants in the airline industry, and they flat don't like it.

The union representing flight attendants at Southwest, the low-fare carrier long known for upbeat customer service, held a demonstration Thursday at Hobby Airport to draw attention to working conditions.

The protest by the Transport Workers Union of America Local 556 comes as the union is about to get down to negotiating pay with the Dallas-based carrier.

One of the issues the union members want addressed is their desire to be paid for all the time they work.

They contend that one of the reasons Southwest's operating costs are so low is that flight attendants are used to clean the planes between flights. Most airlines use cleaning crews.