I’m not sure what’s crazier: that flight attendants have traditionally been paid starting when plane doors are closed, instead of during boarding, or that Delta is the first and only major airline to change this policy.

The Associated Press reports:

“Delta Air Lines, which is facing another attempt to unionize its flight attendants, will begin paying cabin crews during boarding, a first for a major U.S. airline.

Across the airline industry in the United States, hourly pay for flight attendants starts when all the passengers are seated and the plane’s doors close.

Delta said the change will start June 2 on all flights.

In a memo to flight attendants, Delta’s senior vice president of in-flight service, Kristen Manion Taylor, said the new pay ‘further recognizes how important your role is on board to ensuring a welcoming, safe and on-time start to each flight.’

The rate of pay during boarding will be 50% of regular wages.

The change comes as Delta plans to increase the boarding time for single-aisle or “narrow-body” planes from 35 minutes to 40 minutes, which the airline expects will increase the percentage of flights that depart on time.

Manion Taylor said that after a test last fall, and getting comments from flight attendants, she promised not to impose the new boarding times without providing additional pay for the cabin crews.

Delta said the new boarding pay would be on top of 4% raises for flight attendants that it announced in March and which take effect later this week.”

For the rest of the story, visit the Associated Press here.