A benefits flight plan tailored for the aviation workforce
From cockpits to cargo bays, airline employees need benefits built for constant motion, demanding shifts and specific health risks.
Running an airline means keeping thousands of workers safe, productive and on schedule across every time zone. Pilots navigate transatlantic routes at altitude. Flight attendants manage cabins under pressure for hours at a stretch. Mechanics diagnose complex systems in demanding conditions. Ground crews load and unload aircraft in every kind of weather. And corporate employees keep the operations of the business running smoothly. This workforce is unlike almost any other — and designing a health benefits strategy for it requires the same discipline a flight crew brings to preflight checks.
The good news is that airline employees typically make optimal health care decisions.1 2 That foundation creates a real opportunity for employers, brokers and consultants to build upon. The challenge is meeting those employees where they are — which, more often than not, is in between layovers, shift rotations and time zones.
Given the industry’s workforce profile and its strong baseline of engagement and health care decision-making, airlines have a real opportunity to design benefits that drive measurable outcomes. The following strategies reflect the most impactful levers available.
Health benefit strategies for airline employees on the move
1. Align plan design to a mobile workforce
Traditional high deductible health plans (HDHPs) may not fit a workforce that moves between cities, states and time zones. Airlines may benefit from modern plan designs with broad national networks and virtual primary and specialty care. For employees navigating layovers, shift rotations and irregular schedules, that flexibility can make it easier to access care before needs are delayed or skipped.
2. Expand access to quality care
Airline employees who already tend to make informed health care decisions may respond well to tools that make cost and care options easier to compare. Plan options with digital tools that show actual copays before care — such as a Surest® plan — may help employees choose higher-value, lower-cost sites of care while supporting potential savings for employers and employees.
3. Invest in targeted solutions for top cost drivers
For airline employers, key cost drivers are largely predictable: cancer, musculoskeletal (MSK) issues and circulatory conditions. Targeted solutions — such as virtual MSK support, oncology navigation and cardiometabolic management — may help employees address conditions earlier, avoid unnecessary care and improve long-term health outcomes while helping manage costs.
4. Encourage healthier lifestyles
Irregular mealtimes, limited food options, disrupted sleep and inconsistent exercise can make healthy habits harder for airline employees to maintain. Wellness programs that reward preventive screenings, activity tracking or engagement with digital health tools may help address metabolic risks and support a healthier, more productive workforce.
Choosing a carrier with the expertise to deliver
For employers in the airline industry, it’s critically important and in their best interest to invest in a carrier that can help them design benefits packages that enable simpler, more affordable and supportive care for their employees. With decades of experience serving clients across a spectrum of industries, UnitedHealthcare has the insights and strategic expertise to help employers in the airlines industry get more value out of their health plan.
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