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Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – December 2025

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On Monday, December 1, 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), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), with MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich facilitating the meeting.

The Committee met with Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Manager of Crew Hotels and Administration Diane Szubert, Senior Crew Hotels Support Specialist Nichole Turner and Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay Williams. 

Our next monthly meeting with management is scheduled for Monday, January 12, 2026. API, the company’s hotel accommodations vendor, will also host their first quarterly business review (QBR) meeting of 2026 in January, with the pre-merger Alaska meeting on January 21 and the pre-merger Hawaiian meeting on January 22.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items during the meeting with management, most of which focused on hotel decisions and challenges in our layover markets. Some items discussed include:

  • New LAX (pmAS) Local Hotel Committee Chairperson: We want to welcome Brian Sherill as the new Local Hotel Committee Chairperson for Council 18 (LAX pmAS)!  We’d like to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to Chris Cardenas for his incredible contributions and unwavering dedication to representing our Members. You can find more information on your AFA Hotel Committee contacts here.  
  • Hotel and Ground Transportation Issues (pmAS):
    • JFK (Long Stay): We have noticed an increase in complaints regarding our JFK property (Manhattan) with both the hotel and our ground transportation provider. Feedback has been consistent regarding room placement, cleanliness, and the readiness of rooms. Due to the consistent complaints, the Hotel Committee has requested that this market be sourced for alternative options. Ground transportation has also been inconsistent, with larger vans being dispatched for small crews while smaller vans are dispatched for larger crews, causing discomfort during transport to/from the hotel.  
    • LAS (Long Stay): There have been reports of inconsistent drop-off locations and confusion regarding the check-in location, depending on the time of arrival. We have requested that the ground transportation providers be informed of the appropriate drop-off/pick-up location, depending on the time of arrival/departure. The hotel also has not been separating the sign-in sheet for both Flight Attendants and pilots, which needs to be rectified.
    • HNL: Our new HNL property has received positive feedback so far; however, complaints have been made about room placement in terms of noise for day sleepers. We have requested that the hotel place our rooms away from the musical performances, the pool, and street noise. 
  • Hotel Contract Terms (pmAS): Section 34 [Hotels and Transportation] of our CBA defines minimum standards for crew safety and comfort. Some hotels offer additional amenities not required by the CBA standards, like premium Wi-Fi, complimentary grab-and-go items, and bike rentals. We are compiling a list of additional requests, such as these, that we would like to see negotiated directly with our hotels as complimentary crew enhancements. While these are not guaranteed, we strive to secure the best layover experience for our Flight Attendants.  

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts site visits to hotels under consideration by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. 
    1. Pre-Merger Alaska: Hotel site visits are planned for ORD (Short Stay), PDX (Short Stay), SJO (both Long and Short Stay), and IAD (Long Stay) in December. In 2026, the Hotel Committee will visit LAX (Long Stay) in January, CVG (Long Stay) in February, and KEF in February, which will be operated on pre-merger Alaska aircraft. Crew Hotels is still working on the 2026 sourcing list. With several hotel contracts set to expire, we anticipate a busy year of site visits.
    1. Pre-Merger Hawaiian: Site visits are planned for 2026, but none have been scheduled yet. Crew Hotels met on December 4 to review the 2026 sourcing list.
  2. Hotel Gainshare Update: After several months of productive discussions, we’ve paused Hotel Gainshare negotiations due to recent concerns of potential tax implications recently brought forward by management. We’ve referred the matter to our AFA International legal department to assess management’s interpretation of IRS regulations to help determine our path forward. We believe a hotel gainshare program will be beneficial to both Flight Attendants and the company, and hope to resolve all of management’s concerns and reach an agreement soon. We’ll share additional details as they become available.

We Want to Hear From You!

Our Hotel Committee relies on your feedback, whether positive or negative. Please report via CrewCare (pmAS) or the FA Crew Accommodations Feedback form (pmHA), which ensures your experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation is addressed. These are the only official way to report issues, as the Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare and feedback form submission is forwarded to our AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska/Hawaiian management), API, and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct or fix the issue for the next crew member. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. Pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants can quickly file a CrewCare report using the web app on your IMD home screen or by clicking here.

Do you have any other feedback you would like to share with the Committee or any specific items you want us to bring up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Hotel Committee is here to represent you and ensure management hears your voice. You can find our contact information on the Hotel Committee page of the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian website.

MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Interviews – January 2026

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This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Do you want to help new Flight Attendants as they go through initial training and probation? Our MEC is seeking a dedicated and organized Member in good standing to serve as the MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation. In this role, you’ll be the primary AFA point of contact for new hires, ensuring they receive the necessary support and resources. You’ll also monitor the company’s Initial Training program and assist in resolving any issues that arise. If you’re ready to support our newest Flight Attendants and help them with probationary challenges, this is your chance to get involved.

Qualifications

  • Strong organizational and communication skills.
  • Thorough knowledge of the current collective bargaining agreement, with in-depth understanding of sections on probation, hours of service, reserve, scheduling, attendance, and commuter policy.
  • Proficiency with Google Workspace (email, calendar, document sharing) and Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Proficiency with or willingness to learn online issue tracking software such as SupportSystem.
  • Willingness to regularly attend and actively participate in Reserve Committee meetings, whether virtually or in person, as determined by committee requirements.
  • Commitment to following committee policies, procedures, and rules while upholding high ethical standards.
  • Ability to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive and personal information.
  • Must be an AFA Member in good standing (dues current).
  • Must remain in good standing with the company.

Duties

  • Regularly communicate with and provide activity updates to the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson.
  • Coordinate with the MEC Inflight Training Committee Chairperson on any matters pertaining to Initial Training.
  • Coordinate the scheduling of the AFA New Hire Presentation for each Initial Training Class and ensure Company compliance with associated contractual language.
  • Facilitate assigned modules for the AFA New Hire Presentation or arrange for an approved alternate if unable to attend.
  • Maintain and regularly update AFA New Hire Presentation materials, documents, and resources, and work with the MEC Membership Engagement Committee Chairperson on updates related to the introduction to AFA and Union membership.
  • Ensure new hire Flight Attendants complete all necessary AFA membership paperwork by reviewing required forms, assisting with questions, and confirming all information provided is accurate before submission.
  • Transmit completed AFA membership paperwork promptly to the AFA Membership Services Department and securely maintain copies for MEC records.
  • Oversee and coordinate the Reserve Buddy program. Work with the Membership Engagement and Communications Committees to develop and implement a structured schedule that includes regular check-ins, educational materials, and resource sharing for new hires during their probation period. Gather feedback to improve the program and enhance new hire engagement and learning.
  • Support probationary Flight Attendants by accompanying them to probationary meetings with management and offering guidance during the process.
  • Serve as a resource to Local Reserve Committees on matters related to new hire and probationary Flight Attendants.
  • Be trained and remain qualified to perform any Reserve Committee position duties as needed.
  • Assist the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson as assigned, including Reserve Committee tasks beyond new hire and probation scope.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

The time commitment for this position varies and may change based on the company’s hiring levels and current workload levels. Specific information about time commitment expectations and Flight Pay Loss for the position will be provided during the interviews. All positions operate in line with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Working Relationships

With Local Reserve Committees

Frequent interaction with the Local Reserve Committee Chairpersons and Committee Members.

With The MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson

Constant interaction with the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson.

With Other MEC Committees

Regular interaction with the MEC Inflight Training Committee Chairperson and MEC Membership Engagement Committee Chairperson; occasional interaction with other committees as needed.

With The Master Executive Council           

This position reports to the Master Executive Council through the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson. The designated MEC Officer responsible for the committee is the MEC Vice President.

Term of Service

The elected candidate will serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle, beginning immediately upon election and concluding on December 31, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

To express your interest, please submit an expression of interest and your resume using the online form (link below). The submission deadline is 5 PM Pacific Time on Monday, December 29, 2025. No submissions will be accepted after this deadline.

Click here to submit an expression of interest form >

Please note that a Google account is required to submit the expression of interest form. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free. Visit https://accounts.google.com/signup to get started.

Eligible candidates will be contacted within one business day of submitting the form and invited to complete a one-way video interview. You’ll receive questions via an online platform and record your responses on video. There is no live interaction, and you may complete the interview at your convenience before the deadline.

After the deadline, the MEC will review all submissions and video interviews. Finalists will be invited to a live interview with the MEC, and an MEC representative will contact all candidates to share results and schedule interviews for finalists.

Live interviews with finalists will be held during the January Regular MEC Meeting, from Monday, January 12, to Wednesday, January 14. Please plan your schedule to ensure availability (either through proactive bidding or other scheduling adjustments) if you are selected as a finalist. Finalists may interview in person in Honolulu, HI, or virtually via Google Meet.

Timeline

DateEvent
Monday, December 5Expression of interest form becomes available
Monday, December 29 @ 5 PM PTDeadline for submitting expression of interest forms
Tuesday, December 30 @ 9 AM PTDeadline for submitting one-way video interviews
Tuesday, December 30 – Saturday, January 3MEC reviews all submitted expressions of interest and one-way video interviews
Monday, January 5Finalists notified
Monday, January 12 – Wednesday, January 14Live interviews with MEC and elections
Thursday, January 15Results announced

Questions?

If you have any questions about the position itself or its associated duties and responsibilities, please contact MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

If you have any questions about the expression of interest form or interview process, please contact MEC Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka at mecst@afaalaska.org.

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

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This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairperson positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been elected:

MEC Benefits Committee Chairperson: Dianna Ripley
MEC Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson: Melanie Buker
MEC Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee Vice Chairperson: Elizabeth Dillon
MEC Retirement Committee Chairperson: Deb Wallstrom

These newly elected MEC Committee Chairpersons will carry out their respective roles specific to our six pre-merger Alaska Local Councils as we continue to navigate the merger process. They’ll begin the transition into their roles over the next few weeks, with their official term beginning on January 1, 2026. They will serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028.

If you have any questions about the pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairperson elections, please reach out to your LEC President.

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

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During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for our next merged MEC Committee Chairperson and Representative positions. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been elected:

MEC Inflight Training Committee Chairperson: Megan Brown
MEC Inflight Training Committee Members: Andrew Lum-Nelmida, James Bozanich, Jody Sakaba, Ryoko Suzuki, Taylor Opitz

These newly elected MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives will coordinate the activities of their respective merged committee across both airlines. They’ll support both pre-merger Alaska and pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants. Their official term will begin on January 1, 2026, and they’ll serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle (January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028).

If you have any questions about the MEC Committee elections, please reach out to your LEC President.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – November 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, November 25, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually 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), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Kanako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones were also present.

The Committee met with Crew Scheduling Supervisor Matthew Trujillo, Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Manager of Flight Crew System Support Sue Rawlings, and other management representatives from Crew Planning, Crew Scheduling, information technology (ITS), payroll, and inflight performance.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet in person on Tuesday, December 16.

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 Reports:

PDX

  • Charter Pay Issues: Two Flight Attendants were paid differently for charter assignments. It appears one Flight Attendant was compensated under the night rule, and we’re having payroll investigate if applicable.
  • IT Outage Impact: During the IT outage, issues arose where two Flight Attendants received payment based on the old process, resulting in a flight being partially paid at a premium rate. Reviewing the pay and ensuring it is accurate. 

SAN

  • Grievance Over Duty Pay Concern: Management is not paying compensation for Flight Attendants who are going over duty that extends beyond 12:30 and flying into their day off. AFA plans to file a grievance. It could take several months to resolve, as our position is that they pyramid. 
  • Turn Requests: Emails were sent requesting more turn assignments. There was a lot of discussion about the optimizer, aircraft rotation, duty days, hotel costs, and several other factors that led to pairing length and distribution.

ANC

  • Quiet Operations: The period has been relatively calm, aside from some reassignments related to exceptions.

LAX

  • Surface Deadhead Check-in Issues: Flight Attendants were given a late check-in for a surface deadhead flight. We are expecting a resolution to the ability to check in for surface deadheads in future updates of Block2Block (B2B). For now, please call Crew Scheduling to check in for surface deadheads. 
  • Charter Trip Discrepancies: Blurry picture details for posted charter trips were reported. Crew Scheduling confirmed the information was updated correctly on their end. They needed to upload a new PDF. If you notice an upload is blurry, please contact Crew Scheduling to resolve the issue. 

SFO

  • Pay Concerns: Questions arose surrounding over-duty pay and pyramiding of day-off pay. A grievance is being filed. 
  • Delay Reporting: A delay from JFK required reporting before TSA closed; the ticket regarding this was forwarded to the Reserve Committee for further review.

SEA

  • Social Media Reports and Check-in Times: Flight Attendants raised concerns about late reports, emphasizing that they are not required to check in earlier than scheduled. This has been driven by management’s push to move departures on certain flights earlier than scheduled, when the system updates the flight departure earlier by 5 minutes or less.
  • Tech Stop Policy: Confirmed that tech stops count as 1.5 times for duty periods, and reports need to be tracked to avoid advising Flight Attendants to file inquiries unnecessarily.
  • IT Debrief: Discussions are ongoing regarding deadhead seating and outstanding issues, necessitating follow-up with Crew Scheduling on compensation. 
  • Feedback on Pairings: Flight Attendants expressed a desire for specific turns and two-day trips (one leg per day). This is difficult as the system builds the trips, and the flying is being distributed for a multitude of reasons. 

PBS Subcommittee Report

  • Bidding & Awards: December’s focus was on coverage and denial mode, with good engagement as Flight Attendants sought to understand the program better. December Awards bidding was smooth, coinciding with high coverage during the holiday month.
  • Bid Protests: Most protests were related to coverage, which is not a valid basis for a protest. Flight Attendants are encouraged to reach out for education on why they received their award, rather than relying on a Bid Protest to seek advice.
  • Meetings: A series of meetings took place, including quarterly NAVBLUE customer calls and AFA monthly calls, as well as focus groups discussing error messages.
  • Testing and Releases: Completed testing of PBS version 25.5.574. Goal to upgrade to this version in December to be ready for February Bidding. In 2026, PBS logins will transition to AAG SSO.
  • PBS Base Sits: Base sits for 2026 have been approved, allowing for two visits per base annually, with the first expected in April 2026.

Pairing Construction Report

  • Raw Pairings: Sent out to Local Scheduling Committee Chairpersons, with a focus on penalizing three and four-day trips while increasing one and two-day trips. 
  • Run Selections: Noted an increase in soft locks within the chosen runs.

ITS Report

  • PBS Testing Completion: Successfully tested PBS version 25.574 with 234 out of 239 passes.
  • TFP Calendar Changes: Development is complete; user acceptance testing has started.
  • Trade Data: November saw 103539 total trades, with a 98.5% transaction speed under 10 seconds. A release is scheduled for December 8, 2025. Information about the release will be distributed within the next few weeks. 
  • Future Releases: Focusing on international restrictions and automating deadhead flight components.

Payroll Report

  • Pay Inquiries: Increased inquiries to 4323 for October, a rise from September.
  • Quarterly Rainmaker Meetings: Scheduled for 2026, focusing on Crew Scheduling annotations and upcoming system updates aimed at automating pay components.

Crew Planning Report

  • January 2026 Projections: Total block hours at 288844, which is lower than December. Staffing adjustments for the month are around 312. We expect to see reserve percentages around 19% for the system-wide. 
  • Upcoming Changes: The Pairing Analytics Dashboard is scheduled to launch soon, with adjustments for pilot teaming and Flight Attendant pairing strategies ongoing through February.
  • PBS Update: There will be an update to NAVBLUE around December 17, 2025, that will require Flight Attendants to utilize SSO and change their passwords every 90 days. 

Crew Scheduling Report

  • Sick Leave Trends: Sick leave rates remain consistent with the previous year, with 5587 calls in November.
  • Reserve Utilization: Reserve utilization is currently at 90%, with Seattle having the highest rates.
  • Premium Breakdown: November’s premium figures reported significant activity in both awarded and contractual premiums.
  • Implementation Timeline: Ongoing updates regarding B2B contactability and upcoming changes to the project management structure.

Hotel Committee Update

  • Transportation Safety: Initiatives are underway to ensure the safe transportation of crews and luggage. Testing of Uber black for pilots is being conducted. We discussed the importance of contacting Crew Scheduling if safety concerns arise with hotels or transportation, and filing Crew Care reports.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Crew Access Issues: Addressing challenges affecting operations and Flight Attendant satisfaction. Meetings with Jeppesen management and internal/external debriefs regarding a recent outage are scheduled. A Crew Access update is scheduled for December 8, 2025, featuring several improvements and updates. 
  2. Resolving Pyramiding Pay Disputes: Discussions are ongoing through the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process to clarify payment rules for over-duty pay and day-off violations. AFA is filing grievances regarding several concerns with pyramid pay. 
  3. ISA for Reserves Implementation: Working to finalize a new system for ineligibility for self-assignment (ISA) for Reserve Flight Attendants, with the next Crew Access release expected in early December 8, 2025. 
  4. Vacation Bidding: AFA met with management to discuss the new vendor AI Crew Solutions. It was determined that when a flight attendant either doesn’t hold a bid or forgets to bid that they will be allowed to bid in the 2nd round of vacation. The current process assigns slot 1 and slot 2.  We will provide educational material and information when bidding begins next year on the new platforms. 

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.

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – December 2025

On Monday, December 1, 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), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX), and Kanani Vallot […]

MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Interviews – January 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Do you want to help new Flight Attendants as they go through initial training and probation? Our MEC is seeking a dedicated and organized Member in good standing to serve as the MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation. In this role, you’ll be the primary […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairperson positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for our next merged MEC Committee Chairperson and Representative positions. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been elected: MEC Inflight Training Committee Chairperson: Megan BrownMEC Inflight Training […]

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