This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Los Angeles Based Flight Attendants
Adapting to Change, Z-block (Crew Rest Seats), FFA Paperwork
Aloha LAX,
We wanted to take a moment to share a few updates and items of interest affecting our LAX members.
Please take a few moments to review the updates below. As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, do not hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your continued engagement and support.
Mahalo,
Josh, Paul and Beth
Council 47 Officers LAX/SEA
47@afahawaiian.org
LAX Pulse Form (anonymous)
NGP in LAX
Reminder: Last Day to Meet with NGP is Tomorrow
Tomorrow is the final day to meet with National Group Protection (NGP) in the Malibu Room.
NGP is AFA’s endorsed provider of voluntary supplemental insurance programs, including accident, disability, critical illness, life insurance, and other financial protection benefits available to Flight Attendants and their families.
Jimmy Tchen will be available during both check-in periods tomorrow to answer questions, assist with enrollments, review existing coverage, update beneficiaries, and discuss available benefit options.
If you plan to stop by the lounge to meet with Jimmy, please arrive early and allow yourself enough time. Many Flight Attendants may be looking to meet with him, and we want to ensure everyone has an opportunity to have their questions answered.
Jimmy has graciously provided his personal phone number for members who have questions regarding NGP benefits, enrollment, or existing coverage. He can be reached at (626) 438-4366.
Please be mindful that this is Jimmy’s personal phone number and that he is located in the Pacific Time Zone. We recommend sending a text message rather than placing an unsolicited call and ask that you be respectful of the time of day when reaching out.
Mahalo to Jimmy for taking the time to support our members and provide information about these valuable benefit options.
Adapting to Change
For the past several months, we have been talking about the constant change we are experiencing, not only as an airline, but also as a base. LAX has always been a small but resilient domicile, and it is the members of Council 47 who have made this base such a special place.
We cannot ignore the fact that the changes taking place can be unsettling. There are still many unknowns, and it is natural to wonder what the future of LAX will look like. What we do know, and what is certain, is that as negotiated in the SEA Domicile Sideletter, the LAX base will remain open and operational.
The unknowns are not whether LAX will continue to exist, but rather what our flying and staffing levels will look like moving forward. With the new SEA vacancies effective in August, (5) five LAX Flight Attendants have chosen to transfer bringing our total staffing numbers to (109) one hundred nine.
Your AFA representatives have been, and will continue to be, engaged with Crew Planning to determine what flying opportunities are possible based on our staffing levels. One of the factors affecting this process is the trip planning optimizer that Alaska uses to build our pairings. As discussed in previous communications, the optimizer evaluates flying across all bases and produces the most cost-effective operation for the airline as a whole, rather than focusing on any single base.
One area where AFA has been successful is advocating for the continuation of turn flying in LAX. Following the period where we saw pockets of days without any flying assigned to LAX, we worked closely with the company to ensure that some level of flying remains available each day. While this may not be what many of us are accustomed to, this more varied mix of flying has become our new normal.
LAX is not alone in experiencing these changes. HNL is navigating many of the same challenges. However, because of the size of our base, the impact is often felt much more significantly here. We continue to remind management that changes affecting a small base like LAX are felt tenfold by our members and require thoughtful consideration.
While we may not have all the answers today, please know that your Council 47 officers remain actively engaged in these discussions and continue to advocate on your behalf every step of the way. LAX has always demonstrated resilience through periods of change, and that strength comes from our members. We will continue to keep you informed, fight for opportunities for our base, and ensure that your voices are heard.
Z-Block (Crew Rest Seats)
We have received reports that designated crew rest seats have been assigned to passengers on flights that were not fully booked. This is a contractual violation and has been addressed with management.
The Labor Relations Department met with Airport Operations and identified the source of the issue. The automated system is not currently recognizing the crew rest seat z-blocks, requiring a manual process to protect those seats. The company has advised that this manual process is an interim solution while a more permanent fix is pursued.
If you encounter a flight that is not fully booked and designated crew rest seats have been assigned to passengers, please politely advise the gate agents of our contractual right to those seats (Section 7.D.2.f). We also ask that you document the occurrence by submitting an Intelex report in addition to emailing your officers (47@afahawaiian.org) so we can continue tracking the issue and ensuring compliance.
First Flight Attendant (FFA) Paperwork
It has come to our attention that the First Flight Attendant paperwork at LAX was not being consistently maintained and replenished. Once we became aware of the issue, we immediately brought it to the attention of the LAX management team.
Management has acknowledged the concern, apologized for the oversight, and committed to ensuring that the paperwork is properly maintained and restocked moving forward.
If you notice any issues with First Flight Attendant paperwork availability, please contact your Council 47 officers or reach out directly to the LAX management team so the issue can be addressed promptly.
