Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

Inflight Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) Program

November 11, 2022 09:00

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

AFA and management have agreed to implement a Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) program to improve safety for Flight Attendants, other crewmembers, and passengers.
Similar to the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), participation in LOSA is entirely voluntary and identifying information such as Flight Attendant names, dates, and flight numbers are never shared with management.
If you have any questions about the LOSA program, please don’t hesitate to contact your Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) or the AFA members of the LOSA Steering Committee.

Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) and management regularly review a wide variety of data that allows us to identify and mitigate potential safety risks at our airline, an essential part of the Company’s Safety Management System (SMS). To supplement the safety data generated from our regular programs, AFA and management have agreed to conduct a Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) in the first quarter of next year.

AFA and management administer the LOSA program jointly as outlined in the Inflight Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) Program letter of agreement. The information collected from LOSA observations will help us better understand how Flight Attendants manage threats and errors, evaluate compliance with standard operating procedures and gain valuable insight into our day-to-day line operations from a safety perspective.

When LOSA observations begin next year, a team of two Flight Attendant LOSA Observers may ask to join your flight. Participation is entirely voluntary; however, we encourage you to participate in this vital effort. You also will have the opportunity to submit any safety-related feedback in an anonymous questionnaire during the flight.

LOSA Observers are line Flight Attendants trained by an independent third party, the LOSA Collaborative. They do not record Flight Attendant names, flight numbers, or dates, as confidentiality is critical to this process. Any data collected is sent directly to the LOSA Collaborative, which evaluates and analyzes the information. AFA and management will receive a final report outlining what went well and what can be better, identifying procedures that should be modified or re-emphasized.

ALPA at Alaska is also an enthusiastic supporter of LOSA, and our Pilots have participated in multiple LOSAs over the past 15 years. As a result, they have seen improvements in safety-related procedures. We are pleased to have parity with ALPA by securing a LOSA program and joining United Airlines as one of only two carriers worldwide with an Inflight LOSA program.

Questions?

If you have questions about the LOSA program, please reach out to your Local ASHSC or the AFA members of the LOSA Steering Committee.

AFA LOSA Steering Committee Members

Seth Heiple, MEC ASHSC Chairperson
David Lake, MEC ASHSC LOSA Representative

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2022

October 19, 2022 17:00

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, October 13 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to safety, health, and security in our workplace.
The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.
Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever given the challenges we are currently facing as a work group. Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed through Report It! Please contact a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.

On Thursday, October 13, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) 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 Debi Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Blair Kimball (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Carin Meritt (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN). Also present were MEC ASHSC Vice Chairperson—Air Quality Yvette Satterlee and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple. The committee met with Cabin Safety Manager Cari Smith-Allen, Director of Inflight Training & Standards Thomas Kaminski, Inflight Policy & Procedure Specialist Cassie Tevis, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Director of Inflight Safety & Compliance Corey Chestnut, Interim Manager of Inflight Policy & Procedure Johanna Giese, and Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

IMD Replacement Status. F/As hired prior to 2022 should be receiving new IMDs before 2023.
Trash Stowage. A Trash Task Force (which includes a representative from both the ASHSC and AFA Inflight Service Committee) meets every other week to monitor trash reports and work on solutions.
Single Door Catering. Working with other divisions to come up with a documented process for catering out of just the aft or forward galleys where dual door catering cannot be accomplished.
737 MAX 9 G1 Trash Compartment: Management is reviewing process for cleaning the MAX 9 G1 trash compartment in response to Flight Attendant complaints. Management is also looking at improving the design on future versions of the MAX.
Undesirable Lavatory Odors. Toilets cowls are being removed on regular intervals to deep clean underneath them, which should help alleviate unpleasant smells. Flight Attendants should write up the aircraft (using a Cabin Discrepancies form) if odors are overwhelming and need immediate attention.
Passenger POC Batteries. Discussed concerns about passenger’s POC battery not being charged enough to last the length of the flight. Management reported that CSAs are trained to ask if the POC battery is charged and can last at least 1.5x the length of the flight. All POCs should have cabin approved tag attached prior to boarding to indicated they have been verified by CSAs
737-900 Seatbelts Extensions. Not all seat belt extensions on our fleet are compatible with every aircraft type. Maintenance checks each aircraft to ensure the correct ones are boarded every 120 days. The Committee also brought forward concerns to management that some extensions require opening the buckle 180 degrees to release, which makes performing the safety demo awkward and may be difficult for passengers to use.
Onboard Cleaning Products. Management is looking at removing the large bottle of cleaning spray currently boarded due to issues with leakage. They may place a smaller bottle in the UPK instead so it is still available when needed.
Event Follow Up Emails. Management reported that they are trying to constantly provide information to employees about significant events.
MELs. Significant discussion was had about ways to improve communication from Maintenance Technicians and Pilots when sharing information with Flight Attendants regarding MELs. The Committee believes management can do a better job training Flight Attendants about the MEL process and how to apply safety principles (Ready, Safe, Go). The Committee also wants to build awareness with Flight Operations and Maintenance & Engineering so that there is a better understanding of how legally applied MELs affect Flight Attendant working conditions and can lead to the perception of an unsafe work environment.
Recurrent Training (RT) Drills for 2023. Review of the number and type of drills planed for RT 2023. Management currently plans to evaluate Flight Attendants on both Boeing and Airbus drills and a new arrival procedure drill. The Committee is concerned that the number of drills when accompanied by hands-on practice time will not fit comfortably in the RT footprint.
Trays. The Committee discussed issues with trays coming out of galley compartment unexpectedly and striking Flight Attendants. Management reports that trays should all be catered inside of beverage carts. It is a catering error if they are found elsewhere and should be reported using the catering feedback function in Block2Block (B2B).
Emergency Medical Equipment. The Committee continues to advocate that additional equipment, such as pulse oximeters, be added to onboard medical kits.
Layover Transportation Safety. Reports have been received about a number of recent accidents involving layover transportation. The Committee wants to ensure drivers are well vetted by management and encourage Flight Attendants to wear a seatbelt whenever they are available.
Personal Items Plugged Into Galley Power Outlets. There have been reports of Flight Attendants plugging personal items, like tea kettles, into galley power outlets. No personal items may be plugged into galley power outlets as they are not tested to be safe for the environment or with the 400Hz power supplied by the outlets.
Apple AirTags. Lufthansa recently banned Apple AirTags on checked luggage. The Committee asked management to provide a safety assessment of Apple AirTags and similar tracking devices on checked luggage.
Lack of Reach Out After Significant Events. Discussed better ways to ensure that management and AFA representatives are aware of significant events which take place on the aircraft. There can be a lag time if the only notification is from a FAIR filed by the Flight Attendants involved in the event. Flight Attendants need better information about how and when to reach out to Inflight management about an event.
Change Location of “In an evacuation, leave all carry-on items behind” Announcement. The Committee provided feedback to management that this announcement doesn’t flow well in the safety demo and suggested moving to a different location. Management agreed and will look at improving the flow.
CSA Boarding Questions in B2B Teams Messaging. Management understands that there is significant confusion among Flight Attendants and CSAs with this process. There seem to be very different expectations between CSAs and Flight Attendants about the meaning of the “ready to board” message. Per Company policy, boarding should start at D-40, so it is expected that when answering “ready to board” that boarding will begin accordingly at D-40. The Committee also expressed concern about the questions being asked before Flight Attendants have even reported to the aircraft and with messages not going through in a timely manner because of connectivity issues.
Block2Block (B2B) Passenger Age Group Identifiers. The Committee shared a request to have identifiers added to B2B to help Flight Attendants assess compliance related to age-related policies and regulations (under 2, 15 or over, 21 or over). Management indicates this is on the development list but a low priority.
Final Compliance Checks at 18,000 Feet. After years of advocacy by the Committee, management indicates that final compliance checks will move from being conducted at 10,000 feet on descent to 18,000 feet to improve safety. This change is being made to reduce turbulence related injuries.
Cabin Lighting During Compliance Checks: The Committee had previously requested brighter lighting for pre-landing compliance checks. Management recently made the change based on this request.

What the Committee is Working On

Simplifying Cabin Lighting Settings. Together with the Inflight Service Committee, working to reduce the number of cabin lighting scenes and simplify settings while ensuring a safe level of lighting whenever carts are in the aisle.
737 MAX 8 Galley Designs. Working with the Inflight Service Committee and management to ensure the new 737 MAX 8 galleys are as safe and as Flight Attendant friendly as possible.
Launching the Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) Program. Working with the members of the LOSA Steering Committee to launch the LOSA Program. Additional communications from management will be coming soon about the opportunity for Flight Attendants to get involved in the program as LOSA Observers.

We Want to Hear From You!

If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please help the committee to advocate for improvement and change by filing a report. Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) reports, and fatigue reports can all be submitted using ReportIt! If you’re not sure what type of report to file for a particular situation or need help, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of your Local ASHSC.

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

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2022

July 20, 2022 17:00

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, July 14 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to safety, health, and security in our workplace.
The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.
Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever given the challenges we are currently facing as a work group. Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed through Report It! Please contact a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.

On Thursday, July 14, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) 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 Debi Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Blair Kimball (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Carin Meritt (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN). Also present were MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer. The committee met with Cabin Safety Manager Cari Smith-Allen, Manager of Inflight Policy & Procedure Joevanni Camacho, and Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

Having a CSA available to assist with assistance devices, gate checks, etc. during deplaning.
Changing what we call infant life vest in announcements to “life vest for children under 30 lbs”. This would align better with their purpose and help those traveling with children identify which type of life vest their child would need.
Request to add Narcan nasal spray to emergency medical kits to assist with passengers who have overdosed. Note: The EEMK does have Naloxone which is an injectable used to treat opioid overdoses.
At the ASHSC’s request bottles of Sanicide are to be provisioned in plastic bags to contain leakage. However, it appears that this has not been happening constantly, so we have asked Inflight to follow up with Fleet to ensure the bottles are provisioned correctly.
The Company is planning to add a third cart to PLH flights. The ASHSC is concerned that this will negatively impact our ability to stow all trash, result in excessively long lavatory lines and make managing passenger alcohol consumption more difficult. We also believe some of these issues will be exacerbated by the upcoming removal of the third aft lavatory on the 737-800s.
Initial Training was shorted four weeks but will be returning to five weeks. We have requested that Initial Training include familiarizations flights and more time practicing procedures like the arrival and departure sequences.
Fleet at some stations has been closing all window shade even when it is not needed to keep the cabin cool. We believe it is safer to keep more window shades open when possible to increase awareness of what is happening outside the cabin.
There are safety concerns around F/As bringing items onto the A/C to serve or altering the produces being served. While well intentioned, this can have unintended safety and liability consequences.
Inflight is in the process of procuring the improved, easier to use, restraint devices requested by the ASHSC.
At the ASHSC’s request the safety demo will be updated to include “in an emergency, leave everything”.
Inflight continues to work on moving our prior to landing compliance checks to 18,000 feet.

What the Committee is Working On

Trash Stowage. The Inflight Service Committee and ASHSC have been working with Inflight and Catering to develop solutions for the ongoing lack adequate trash stowage. Every departure now should have an empty cart in one of the galleys for trash. If you don’t have the required empery cart submit a catering report. Please submit an ASAP & FAIR if, after following procedures and making every reasonable attempt to do so, you are unable to stow all trash in legal stowage locations. AFA continues to advocate for dedicated trash cart(s) on all flights.
Time In Motion Studies. The ASHSC is coordinating with the Inflight Service Committee and Inflight on a program to assess how long it takes to perform safety and service duties on each aircraft type and flight profile. The goal is to understand what service can safely be completed in each market, and ensure we have adequate time allotted for safety duties like equipment checks and briefings.
Cabin Lighting During Compliance Checks. The ASHSC has been advocating for a brighter lighting setting for prior to take off and landing compliance checks. We believe the company is willing to use our boarding light setting for compliance checks and expect the change to be impended soon. The brighter lighting will help us see better as we complete our compliance checks and will provide a visual indicator to passengers that their attention is needed as we prepare the cabin for landing.

We Want to Hear From You!

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2022

April 22, 2022 09:00

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, April 14 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to safety, health, and security in our workplace.
The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.
Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever given the challenges we are currently facing as a work group. Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed through Report It! Please contact a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.

On Thursday, April 14, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) 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 Debi Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Bethany Gilbo (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Felicia Porter (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN). Also present were MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple, MEC ASHSC Vice Chairperson—Air Quality Yvette Satterlee, and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer. The committee met with Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Director of Inflight Strategy & Support Gloria Chow, Cabin Safety Manager Cari Smith-Allen, and Manager of Inflight Policy & Procedure Joevanni Camacho and other representatives from inflight management.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

Lack of onboard experience being provided to our newest Flight Attendants during Initial Training. The ASHSC believes that more onboard experience during Initial Training is better.
Timeline for retiring legacy Virgin America carts and discussion about general cart maintenance.
Lack of availability of replacement luggage for Flight Attendants.
New IMD device and timeline for replacement of current IMD and electronic FAM (GoodReader). Also discussed the desire/need to have a bigger screen on the next IMD.
Update on request to establish a dedicated time prior to boarding to perform emergency equipment checks and Flight Attendant briefings.
The risk of irregular operations, such as reopening the boarding door after departure to enplane passengers.
Wild fire season preparedness; there will be an accommodation process for those with health conditions increasing their risk of being exposed to poor air quality.
Preparation for the eventual ending of the mask mandate. Note: unfortunately, many of the needed discussions and preparations did not take place prior to the abrupt ending of the mandate and associated company policy on April 18.
Airbus L1 & R1 assist handle is not usable by all due to the placement of the divider. We have been working with the company for three years to address the issue. Although not ideal, an extension strap will be installed to the bottom of the current assist handle for Flight Attendants to hold in an emergency while pulling the manual inflation handle.
Some of the mockups in training facilities have platforms which require Flight Attendants to step down and back up to get into their protected position during drills. This is a safety hazard. The platforms will be expanded to provide more space.
LEOs have been using body cameras to record interviews with/take statements from Flight Attendants involved in significant events. These interviews can be obtained by the public via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The ASHSC asked management to update company post event protocols and training to account for this.
Update on transition to T-Mobile. Company reports that service had been upgraded at most stations which had inadequate service at the start of the rollout.
The need for brighter lighting during compliance checks.
The adoption of the ASHSC’s recommendation to have the D-position Flight Attendant in a dedicated boarding position at L1 as part of the boarding position changes.
Inflight management and AFA representatives not being notified of disruptive passenger and other significant events so appropriate response and support can be provided to crew.
Report It! app to receive update to turbulence reporting section and the ability to submit EIRs (Employee Injury Reports)
Inflight has agreed to take the ASHSC’s recommendation to add “in an emergency leave everything” to the safety demo in a future FAM revision.
ASHSC is still advocating for updates to EMK/EEMK to include a pulse oximeter and glucometer among other improvements and standardization across kits.
High quality hands on training of safest body mechanics to use when performing Flight Attendant duties.

What The Committee Is Working On

Improved Restraint Devices. Advocating for replacement of current restraint devices with an improved product.
Conducting Prior to Landing Compliance Checks Earlier. Advocating for a change to the timing of the prior to landing compliance check announcement. The ASHSC believes it is safer to make the announcement at 18,000 feet so we can be seated for landing closer to 10,000 feet.
Reducing Carry-On Bag and Overhead Bin Injuries. Working with management to identify and implement mitigations for injuries caused by carry on bags and closing overhead bins.

We Want to Hear From You!

COVID Exposure: Differences in Company and CDC Guidance

March 22, 2022 17:00

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

Management has developed guidance on how to deal with COVID-19 exposure that uses different terminology, definitions, and recommendations than the guidance currently offered by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
To most effectively manage your personal risk in the event of an exposure, it’s helpful to understand how management’s definitions and guidance compare to the CDC guidance.
More information about CDC guidance for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals can be found on the CDC website.

Fortunately, we are in a period of relatively low COVID-19 transmission and reported hospitalizations and deaths continue to trend downward. Despite low case counts, there is the possibility that another spike in COVID-19 cases could occur if new variants emerge and precautions like mask mandates and social distancing are reduced.

To help understand and manage your personal risk as we enter this next phase of the pandemic, it is helpful to know how the Company handles and communicates known COVID-19 exposures and how that differs from current CDC guidance. The Company has created two categories of exposure, “low risk” and “high risk”.

Company Defined “Low Risk Exposure” – It is AFA’s understanding that the Company’s “low risk exposure” is essentially the same as the CDC’s “close contact”. This occurs when you were less than 6 feet away from an infectious person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. A person is considered infectious starting 2 days before they have any symptoms, or if asymptomatic 2 days before taking a test which came back positive for COVID-19.

Company Defined “High Risk Exposure” – This differs significantly from the CDC’s definition of “close contact”. To qualify as “high risk exposure”, the person you were less than 6 feet away from for a cumulative 15 minutes over a 24-hour period must also have symptoms of COVID-19 while (or within two days of the time that) you were with them. One of you must also have been without a mask. If the exposure was to an asymptomatic COVID-19 positive individual or you were both wearing a mask, it will not be classified as “high risk”. As you can see, this greatly reduces the chance of an exposure being categorized as “high risk”.

To manage risk, we recommend that you treat notifications of “low risk” exposure from the Company as “close contact” as defined by the CDC.

If you are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations or have had a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 90 days, it is not necessary to quarantine. However, the CDC still recommends that you take certain precautions. Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had CDC defined “close contact” with (or Company defined “high risk” or “low risk” exposure to) someone with COVID-19. Until 10 days after that contact/exposure you should also watch for symptoms, isolate if you develop symptoms, wear a well-fitted mask any time you are around others, and avoid being around people who are at high risk.

Check out this link for additional CDC guidance for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals who have had “close contact”.

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Inflight Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) Program

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