Honoring Alicia Hendrix’s Passion for Safety

When Flight Attendant Alicia Hendrix learned she won a Piedmont Airlines President’s Award, she wept tears of joy

“I couldn’t believe it,” Alicia said. “I’ve been with [Piedmont] for so long, and I think I’m still at the point that I’m just shocked, flabbergasted and honored. It feels good to know that the work and the heart that I put into what I do was noticed. It means a lot.”

Each year, Piedmont Airlines proudly recognizes 25 team members who make an extraordinary impact on its community, its customers, and its organization. Piedmont Airlines’ most prestigious award, the President’s Award, celebrates team members who set the gold standard when it comes to embodying Piedmont’s core values of caring, compliance, communication and community. The award recipients take pride in living out the organization’s mission—to add value to American Airlines by running a safe, reliable, profitable company—every day in their careers.

Nominated for her passion for safety, Alicia is recognized for her commitment to ensuring every flight she works meets compliance standards and her care for her passengers and fellow team members. She continues to further her knowledge of safety by being involved with the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA)—the union representing over 55,000 flight attendants in the United States.

“The DeHavilland Dash 8 airplane had a lot to do with my decision to get involved with the AFA. On a flight I was working, wand blew two main tires. It was interesting to see how the airport handled the event, and it encouraged me to join the AFA’s safety department to better understand how safety issues are addressed,” she said. “There has never been an incident where I felt like I couldn’t keep doing my job, but being a part of the AFA has helped me improve my knowledge and skills. I really, really love it.”

In May, Alicia transitioned into a role in Piedmont’s Safety Department as a Safety Reporting Analyst. Before her new role was on her radar, Alicia said she would love to find her way into the safety department. “During my years with the AFA and working on the DeHavilland Dash 8 and the Embraer 145, the safety department has always intrigued me. I think what they do is extremely interesting.”

Over her 22 year-long career at Piedmont Airlines, Alicia has worked on several fleet types, including the DeHavilland Dash 8 100, Dash 8 200, and Dash 8 300, and, most recently, the Embraer 145. In the future, she is looking forward to Piedmont’s new fleet of Embraer 175s. She said, “I’m excited to see what the 175s will bring.”

When she isn’t flying for work, Alicia enjoys visiting St. Augustine, Florida every year with her family. As a flight attendant and a customer, she can’t get enough of being on airplanes. “One of my favorite quotes is ‘a mile of road will take you one mile; a mile of runway will take you anywhere.’ I love that, literally, you can go anywhere in half the time,” she says.

Alicia was recognized at the 2026 President’s Awards Ceremony took place at the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. held at the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. There, Alicia and other nominees were celebrated by their loved ones, peers, and senior leadership for their hard work and dedication to supporting Piedmont Airlines’ mission to thrive forever.

To learn more about Piedmont Airlines’ President’s Awards, click here to read the full list of winners and each of their nominations.