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Archives for 2024

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – November 2024

Scheduling Committee

  • On November 19, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

On Tuesday, November 19, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons/Representatives met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, and MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz.

The committee met with Interim Managing Director Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Managing Director Ops Staffing & Resource Management Brittany Audette, Managing Director of Crew Staffing Nicholas Giles, Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Senior Manager of Product Management Rick Mitchell, Manager of Inflight Scheduling (Training/ Policy Procedures) Interim Matthew Trujillo, Manager of Crew Planning Jeffery Hunt, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several topics during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

Local Committee Chairperson Discussion

  • Open AFA Alaska Online Support Center Tickets. Three open tickets regarding sit pay with deadhead release were denied by payroll. Further collaboration with MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative Kiara Jenkins is planned for review.
  • Hawaiian Airlines (HA) Route Adjustments. Request for an executive summary on HA flying route adjustments for 2025.
  • Change in Flying Schedules. Inquiry regarding the timeline for changes to flying schedules in PDX and other domiciles.
  • Staffing Adjustment Leaves (SAL). Notification of 250 SALs available for 30 days.
  • 4k Error Inquiry. Flight Attendants are requesting clarification on the 4k error and its implications.
  • Daylight Savings Impact. Issues arose concerning reporting times during the night of daylight savings, leading to an extra hour wait for some flights. An email review with Crew Scheduling is to follow.
  • Complaints About Hawaii Flying. Feedback from Flight Attendants about reduced block hours and seasonal flying; concerns over missing standard flying patterns from previous years.
  • Storm Impacts. Ongoing storms are affecting crews flying to LIR/SJO, leading to diversions and strandings.
  • Sick Leave Miscommunication. Clarification regarding sick leave balances in Rainmaker and discrepancies in the 2011 bulletin is needed.
  • Jetbridge Swap Incident. Report of a late arrival to the plane under 32.C.16.
  • Open Time (OT) Trading. No AFA Alaska Online Support Center tickets reported system issues on Open Time trading for November drops in December.
  • ADR Update. Update required on previous OT tickets.
  • Vacation Direct Trade Testing. Testing in progress for vacation direct trades with OT in cases of incorrect PS number entry.
  • Flight Cancellations. Crew listed as ST (sick transport) instead of deadhead; this is the proper listing and pay will be reconciled. 
  • Pay Flow Chart Proposal. AFA officers expressed interest in developing a pay flow chart to clarify minimum pay rules.

PBS Subcommittee Report

  • Bidding for December. High activity with numerous inquiries on bid preparation for coverage.
  • Bid Awards. Notable coverage increase in California despite improved stack heights.
  • Bid Protests. Increased protests due to complex coverage awards.
  • Upcoming Meetings. Meetings will be held with IT regarding changes and updates to the PBS system.
  • Future Releases. Confirmation of 25.1 as the next release with no additional updates anticipated.

Pairing Construction Subcommittee Report

  • C Solution for December. Chosen pairing solution; issues noted with 4k redeye trips.
  • Crew Planning Participation. Collaboration with AFA at the Jeppesen Connection Conference provided valuable insights.
  • Impact of Network Planning. Discussed how ongoing changes in flights and trips are being adjusted based on passenger demand and route planning.

MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Report

  • New Class Launch. A new class will begin in PDX/LAX on December 1, 2024, with no significant hiring changes for 2025.
  • PPP Concerns. Issues were raised regarding the distribution of the PPP for mid-month hires.

Information Technology Systems (ITS) Report

  • Updates. Testing for the software version 24.5 release is in progress; upcoming releases are scheduled for early 2025.

Crew Planning Report

  • 4k Redeye Issues. Noted problems with illegal ground times; a quality checklist for pairings is being implemented to prevent future occurrences.
  • Staffing Updates. Ongoing discussions about staffing and budget planning for 2025 amidst operational changes.

Crew Scheduling Report

  • Sick Leave Trends. Current trends show decreased sick leave use, with stable rates for lineholders and reserves.
  • Fatigue Monitoring. Low fatigue levels were reported this month; new temp supervisors to enhance scheduling support.

Crew Pay Report

  • Pay Queries Review. A decrease in pay queries was noted, with ongoing efforts to improve efficiency in handling pay-related issues.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. NAVBLUE. The PBS Subcommittee is seeking feedback on how they can improve their assistance to flight crews regarding bid awards and understanding results. They provided both in-person and virtual meetings for this purpose. The PBS Subcommittee is working with management on PBS base sit budgets.  Management has the committee keep track of how money is being spent to assist flight crews with their bidding. We appreciate your participation in virtual and in person base sits. 
  2. Pairings Survey. There is a discussion of reviewing bidding data from NAVBLUE to see what kind of pairings Flight Attendants are interested in flying instead of sending out a survey. We will continue to review options. 
  3. Chime Communications. To reduce phone call volumes, Flight Attendants may soon be able to chat with Crew Scheduling via app/Microsoft Teams. The chat will be for Flight Attendant-initiated contact only. The function is currently in the early stages of development and still needs to be discussed with Labor Relations management and our MEC. Testing and implementation are continuing over the next few weeks. We are working on a letter of agreement for implementation, which is still pending review. 
  4. Crew Scheduling. A monthly review of PowerPoint presentations covered various aspects such as reserve utilization, detailed breakdowns, sick leave (week by week and year over year), premium, personal drops, and other relevant agenda items.
  5. Crew Planning. Like Crew Scheduling, there was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that covered subsequent month staffing, trip length distribution, Flight Attendant block hours, special initiatives (e.g., IROPs), commutability, and other relevant agenda items. Statistics around teaming continue to be reviewed. Crew Planning continues to maximize pairing construction and optimizing teaming strategies to minimize costs and ensure that crews (Flight Attendants) can stay together for multiple segments.
  6. ITS. Representatives from ITS joined the scheduling meeting to provide updates on NAVBLUE, Crew Access, internal systems, and Block2Block. These updates include performance reviews, data analysis, and information about future releases. 

We Want to Hear From You!

Whether you have feedback for the Committee, concerns to share, or items you’d like brought up with management – don’t hesitate to let us know. Your Local Scheduling Committee is here to be your voice to management. You can easily open a support ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or directly contact us using the information provided on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Human Rights Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2024

Human Rights Committee

  • Our AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met on Monday, November 18, to discuss their ongoing program of work to advance human rights within our workplace and community.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates on what progress has been made on concerns previously brought forward and address new concerns that have come to light. 
  • If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!

On Monday, November 18, our AFA Local Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to raise awareness and create positive change within our workplace and community. Your representatives attending the meeting included Nyachan Chuar (ANC), Louise Borras (LAX), Aaron Miller (PDX), Erika Daniel (SAN), Freddy Vega (SEA), and Trista Vanta (SFO). MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson Chip Hestle II was also present.

The committee met with several members of management: Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Seattle Director of Inflight Base Operations Jenny Bookert, and Interim Director of California Bases Benito Pasia-Garcia Jr.

The committee’s next meeting with management is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025, with the exact date yet to be determined.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • New ANC Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson. We welcome Nyachan Chuar as the new Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson for Council 30 (ANC).
  • MedLink App Gender Identifier Update. The MedLink app will soon be updated to include an option for users to select “male,” “female,” or “other.” This change will be part of the 11.30 version update.
  • Tattoo Policy Discussions. Management has stated that Hawaiian Airlines prohibits visible tattoos for certain countries it serves. Alaska management has yet to make a final decision on this policy as the merger process continues.
  • Transgender People, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression CBT. An upcoming computer-based training (CBT) titled “Understanding Transgender People, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression” is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2025.
  • Business Resource Group (BRG) Listening Sessions. These sessions, co-facilitated with Local AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons, are scheduled to continue into 2025.
  • AFA International Incident Reporting Form. A new form is now available for all AFA Flight Attendants to report incidents of discrimination, harassment, or general concerns encountered during their flight careers. This form can be accessed on the AFA International website at www.afacwa.org/international_incident_reporting_form.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Optional Pronouns on Wings. Awaiting finalization of the merger with Hawaiian Airlines, as there may be an overall new design.  
  2. Arrival “Land Acknowledgement Announcements” for our six current domiciles and also requesting consideration of HNL.
  3. Batok Tattoos Visible While In Uniform. Awaiting finalization of Alaska merger with Hawaiian.
  4. Gender Neutrality Of CSA Manual. Requesting removal of the use of the identity language of he/she when addressing proper dress attire for non-rev travel.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Human Rights Committee is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the Human Rights Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Introducing Our AFA Alaska Joint Negotiating Committee and Seniority Merger Integration Committee Members

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Last week, our Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews for two positions on the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and two positions on the Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC). We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the candidates who participated in the interviews and demonstrated their commitment to serving our Flight Attendants. After careful consideration, we are pleased to announce the election of Virginia Fritz and Heather Reier to the JNC positions, as well as Marie Maxwell and Camile Caldwell to the SMIC positions. All will serve as the pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant representatives on their respective committees in the upcoming merger.

Joint Negotiating Committee

Virginia Fritz

Virginia has been a San Francisco-based Flight Attendant since 2015 when she started her career at Virgin America. She has always had a passion for aviation since traveling as an unaccompanied minor at 5 years old. Her desire for aviation led her to work on a Zeppelin, as a gate agent, and as an air transportation supervisor. When Alaska Airlines bought Virgin America, and she became a member of AFA, she jumped at the first opportunity to fight for Flight Attendants by serving as the Council 35 (SFO) Scheduling Committee Chairperson from 2018 until 2022. In 2022, Virginia was elected as Council 35 LEC Vice President and began serving San Francisco Flight Attendants in additional capacities, including with local Grievance, Mobilization, and Hotel Committees, as well as other needs her local Members requested of her. In 2020, she was privileged to be able to join the PBS Committee, and in 2023, she was honored to begin serving as MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS. 

Virginia is honored and humbled to be elected to the Joint Negotiating Committee so that she can use her commitment and passion in advocacy to find a contract that truly helps us all be stronger together.

When not advocating for fellow Flight Attendants, Virginia resides in Los Gatos, CA, with her supportive and loving husband, their adorable pup, Strudel, and her especially Union Proud Grandmother.

Heather Reier

Heather attended her first Anchorage Local Council AFA meeting in early 2016 before even flying a trip. Being a helper by nature, she immediately joined the Reserve Committee as a Reserve Buddy. This allowed her to better learn the parts of the contract that were specific to her work and to support others in the same position.

When the Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson position became available in early 2019, Heather stepped into that role to better assist all her coworkers – while remaining a Reserve Buddy (and Interim Reserve Chairperson) until this past July. As Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson, she has been able to help countless Flight Attendants with questions about legalities, pay, hotel issues, etc. She has often been able to advocate successfully on others’ behalf.

Heather was elected Anchorage Local Executive Council Vice President for 2023-2025. She is thrilled that this expanded role allows her to fully serve her coworkers and increase her knowledge and expertise in all contract areas. 

Heather and her husband, Travis, a firefighter in Anchorage, have been married for 28 years and have raised their family in Anchorage since early 1997. Heather is an animal lover. She has three dogs of her own and often has foster dogs running around. She also enjoys the outdoors (minus the mosquitos) and has recently discovered a love of gardening.

About the Joint Negotiating Committee

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) will negotiate with management to merge the collective bargaining agreements of the two pre-merger airlines into a single agreement for the newly combined airline. The full JNC will include two members from AFA Alaska, two from AFA Hawaiian, the MEC President, and the AFA Staff Negotiator.

Seniority Merger Integration Committee

Marie Maxwell

Marie Maxwell, a San Diego-based Flight Attendant, is excited to join the AFA Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) for the upcoming merger with Hawaiian Airlines. Marie previously served as a SMIC member for the Alaska Airlines/Virgin America merger in 2017/18 and brings first-hand knowledge and experience of merging two Flight Attendant seniority lists. Marie will analyze the results of the past merger and look for opportunities to make improvements during this subsequent merger within the guidelines of the AFA Constitution and Bylaws. She is ultimately committed to ensuring this is a fair and equitable process for both Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants.  

Marie joined Alaska Airlines as a Flight Attendant in 2012. Before Alaska, she spent three decades in various marketing and product management roles in the tech sector. She brings strong analytical, project management, and communication skills to this committee and will focus on accomplishing SMIC goals promptly, fairly, and systematically.

Marie moved to San Diego when the base opened in 2013. She is originally from western Pennsylvania but has spent most of her life on the West Coast. Marie graduated from Seattle University with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts. She is an avid traveler, most recently visiting the Serengeti in Tanzania on a photo Safari and hiking the mountains in Tanzania and Uganda to observe chimpanzees and gorillas in their natural habitat. When she is not working or traveling, she spends her spare time playing pickleball, hiking, and making pottery.

Camile Caldwell

Camile started her flying career with Virgin America in 2017 as a San Francisco-based Flight Attendant. Once the Virgin America/Alaska merger was complete, Camile began volunteering with AFA and has held positions on the Council 35 (SFO) Reserve and Grievance Committees. In addition to her Union roles, Camile works as an inflight instructor, where she helped develop the 2024 RT program. 

Before becoming a Flight Attendant, Camile attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, which she continues to call home. When she isn’t flying, you can find Camile on the hiking trails with her boxer dog, Lily, or enjoying time with friends and family.  

Camile is honored to serve our workgroup during the Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines merger as part of the Seniority Merger Integration Committee and will work to create a fair, equitable, and unified seniority list. If you see her out on the line, please stop and say hi!

About The Seniority Merger Integration Committee

The Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) is responsible for gathering the information needed to merge the Flight Attendant seniority lists, evaluating any protests from Flight Attendants, and producing a final certified seniority list for the upcoming merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. The full SMIC will be composed of two merger representatives from AFA Alaska and two from AFA Hawaiian.

AFA Alaska News in Review – November 15, 2024

In This Edition

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2024

Originally posted November 15, 2024

Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on November 12 to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to catering and onboard service/sales. The Committee met with management to discuss and receive updates on issues and problems faced by Flight Attendants onboard. The Committee continues to work with management to address catering concerns and improve processes in the future. Please report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

Read More >

Next Week’s Events

Monday, November 18Quarterly Human Rights Committee Meeting
Tuesday, November 19 – Thursday, November 21Contract Negotiations
Tuesday, November 19Monthly Scheduling Committee Meeting
Wednesday, November 20PDX Base Safety Meeting

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2024

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on November 12 to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
  • The Committee met with management to discuss and receive updates on issues and problems faced by Flight Attendants onboard.
  • The Committee continues to work with management to address catering concerns and improve processes in the future. Please report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

On Tuesday, November 12, our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Naomi Parcell (ANC), Ross DeJong (SEA), Todd Horn (PDX), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN). MEC Inflight Service Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett was also present.

The committee met with Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Principal Cabin Product and Experience Manager Chris Dela Rosa, Director of Food and Beverage Mita Padhi, Manager of Food and Beverage Planning and Programs David Rodriguez, Senior Food and Beverage Product Manager Jessica Johnston, Food and Beverage Planning Manager Gayatri Watwe, Director of Catering Operations Andrew Moyer, Senior Product Manager of Guest Products Megan Low, and Vice President of Guest Products & Experience Todd Traynor-Corey.

The next committee meeting is scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2025, with the specific date yet to be determined.

Topics of Discussion

The Committee discussed several topics during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some of the items included:

  • Management shared new amenities with the Committee, including Salt & Stone, a natural body care products company based in Los Angeles, and First Class blankets by Filson, a Seattle-based company.
  • New beverages will soon be introduced, featuring an updated selection of wines and Hoppy Refresher, a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage made with hops and other flavorings from Lagunitas Brewery in California.
  • Management is continuing to search for the ideal coffee carafe for serving.
  • Management continues to actively seek out an improved coffee carafe for service.
  • Reports indicate that passengers appreciate the specially designed First Class menu items created by San Francisco Chef Jew for the SFO-JFK-SFO route.
  • The menu cycle has recently changed, and passengers are now being served new meal options.
  • With the holidays approaching, we can expect to see holiday-themed cups and napkins on our flights soon.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Onboard Service Handbook (OSH) Revisions. Necessary revisions to our Onboard Service Handbook in particular appendices A and B  for clarity of information.
  2. Morning Beverage Snack For First Class. The committee formulated a request for an improved First Class service opportunity of a morning beverage snack. 
  3. Testing New Coffee Maker Brew Basket. Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons will be testing a newly designed brew basket for our coffee makers on their regularly scheduled flights.
  4. Working On Galley Loading Improvements. The Inflight Service Committee and management will jointly work on galley loading to accommodate new service initiatives.
  5. Addressing Flight Attendant Comments and Concerns. The Inflight Service Committee Members continue to bring concerns from their peers to management. IT concerns are particularly important. 
  6. Discussing Service Needs On Long Stage Length Flights. As we continue to add longer flights, discussions are taking place to make sure we will meet passenger needs

We Want to Hear from You!

Please continue to report any catering issues or problems with onboard service using the catering feedback function in Block2Block. If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please submit a report through ReportIt! Your reports provide the Committee with the data needed to continue pushing management for meaningful improvements in our workplace.

Do you have other feedback for the Committee or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Inflight Service Committee is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the Inflight Service Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Election Notice: Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Officer Elections

The term of office for our current Alaska + Hawaiian Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers will conclude on December 31, 2025. The voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will elect new MEC Officers at the November Regular MEC meeting. This communication serves as notice of the election in accordance with the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual. […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025 Update #2

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Negotiations Update Our SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met with the company on September 11 to review their response to our September 5 proposal.  We feel that it is important to acknowledge the challenges within our company as Alaska management is struggling to understand our Collective Bargaining Agreement […]

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, September 11, representatives from our AFA Local Reserve Committees met to discuss their ongoing work to advocate for Reserve Flight Attendants. Representing you at the meeting were Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). Also present […]

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

September 15 marks the start of Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month in the United States, a vibrant celebration dedicated to honoring the rich contributions and diverse cultures of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. Spanning a full month, this observance—also known as National Hispanic Heritage Month—has its roots in Hispanic Heritage Week, which was established by legislation signed into law by […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Monday, September 8, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Ila Christy (PDX), Hilary […]

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