In a reversal of previous decisions, American Airlines and Northwest Airlines have announced that they will provide health benefits and severance pay to workers laid off due to the events of September 11. Although neither company is yet willing to meet the full amount of severance pay required in their union contracts, both have decided to provide laid off employees with seniority based severance packages and continued medical benefits through the end of the year. Airline union officials---whose vocal criticism factored in the airlines' decisions to provide severance packages---have said that while the new offers are a step in the right direction, the airlines still have an obligation to sit down with employees to discuss possible alternatives.
See "American Airlines to Pay Severance", NANCY CLEELAND, Los Angeles Times, September 27, 2001