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.

On Monday, November 10, 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), Chris Cardenas (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 meeting with management is scheduled for Monday, December 1.

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:

• Ground Transportation Issues and CBA Provisions (pmAS): We continue to see a number of MyCrewCare write-ups regarding ground transportation. We greatly appreciate you informing the Committee of your concerns. At no time should Flight Attendants enter a vehicle that cannot safely accommodate all crewmembers and their luggage. Luggage should never be required to be held on your lap or in your foot space. We would like to reiterate the options available to you, as well as the provisions to utilize in the CBA.   
  • Call Crew Scheduling – If you have any concerns with the transportation provided, whether it is late or inadequate, this should be your first step. Not only does this start the clock for transportation wait times, but it also allows for alternative arrangements to be made to get you to your layover or the airport safely.  
  • Late Transportation – CBA section 34.B.7 allows you to arrange and submit for reimbursement the actual cost of alternative transportation to/from the airport when it is not provided within thirty-five minutes (:35) of block-in or within ten minutes (:10) of the scheduled departure time from the hotel.  Alternatively, if you do not want to send for reimbursement, you can ask that Crew Scheduling arrange this on your behalf at the thirty-five-minute (:35) mark.   
  • Transportation Wait Times – Informing Crew Scheduling will also document and start the clock on your transportation wait time. If transportation or alternate transportation has not arrived within sixty minutes (:60) of block-in, Flight Attendants may request compensation for their wait time. Please review the process outlined in section 34.D.1 of the CBA.
• Housekeeping Items: Much of our meeting focused on internal processes to improve workflow, planning, and communication between our Committee, management, and API.  
  • 2026 Hotel Site Visit Schedule – Management has sent the hotel contract expiration list for 2026 to the Committee. Decisions on this list dictate whether a hotel site visit will be performed in that market or not. Typical discussion topics include renewing the hotel’s contract, exploring the market for alternative hotel options (typically due to crew member complaints), or identifying opportunities for company cost savings. Your positive feedback also helps us advocate for maintaining a property in our portfolio, so please continue to send in your compliments!  
  • Hotel Site Visit Planning – the Committee received last-minute notice of needed site visits in December. We requested to be informed when these discussions first begin so we can plan accordingly. We also discussed the general site visit itinerary and format, focusing on areas that can be improved upon.  
  • FIFA World Cup – The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 across three North American countries. Many host cities are served by Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines. Because this is a major event, Crew Hotels is taking steps to protect our crew accommodations. We hope to keep layovers at our usual hotels, but some relocations may be needed. For more details, please visit this link.

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: Crew Hotels has added some last-minute site visits to close out 2025. The remaining site visits are: SFO (November), MCO – Long Stay (November), ORD – Short Stay (December), PDX – Short Stay (December), SJO – Long and Short Stay (December), and IAD – Long Stay (December). Additionally, we have been given the date for KEF (February 2026), which will be operated on Alaska metal.  
   1. Pre-Merger Hawaiian: Site visits have been completed in PDX, SFO, and LAS, with no future dates announced so far. 
2. Alaska + Hawaiian Hotel Committee Integration: On October 1, 2025, the pre-merger Hawaiian and Alaska Hotel Committees officially merged. Matt Mitchell, who previously served as the Hawaiian MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson, is now the Council 43 (HNL) Local Hotel Committee Chairperson. The Committee has learned a great deal from him and is excited to continue working together as we improve the Hotel Committee to better support all Flight Attendants. Currently, we are focusing on aligning our backend processes. Since we have a diverse network, different CBAs, and are adding API to the Hawaiian operation, full alignment will happen in phases. We will keep everyone updated as things progress, and we look forward to more chances to connect with Members.

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.

On Monday, October 13, 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), Chris Cardenas (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. Managing Director of Operational Staffing and Resource management Brittany Audette also joined for a portion of the meeting.    

Our next meeting with management is scheduled for Monday, November 10.

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:

• Relationship Management: Although API is our hotel vendor, Crew Hotels is working on increasing direct communication with our contracted properties. This will help build relationships, especially with our newer properties. Crew Hotels will begin communicating with our new properties within six months of usage and perform yearly check-ins at all properties.   
• Use of Ride Share Transportation:  Due to the changing nature of the ground transportation environment, the use of ride share vehicles is becoming more common. The Committee is aware of this and has been having ongoing discussions around minimum standards. Transportation should always be ordered that can accommodate all crewmembers and their luggage safely and comfortably. If there is ever a concern with the transportation provided, do not get into the vehicle and contact Crew Scheduling immediately to resolve the issue.    
• TBDs in Bid Packet (pmAS):  There was a high number of TBDs in the bid packet for November. This is due to the process the Hotel Committee requested, which is to place a TBD placeholder in the pairing when the layover hotel is not known before uploading into NAVBLUE. This new process makes these layovers stand out more, but adds greater transparency to the bid. The November TBDs are all due to our rooms being over-capped (that is, the requested rooms are above the contracted usage at our crew hotel in that market) in that particular market. Our hotel usage fluctuates as our network is adjusted. 
• Recurrent Training Hotel Support (pmAS): Earlier this month, a glitch in the reservation system at one of our training hotels resulted in lost reservations. As this happened over a weekend, it was unclear which Inflight department was responsible for offering support and correcting the issue. In debriefing the event, additional guidance will be added to the Recurrent Training SharePoint site to address who to contact with hotel issues outside regular business hours.  

Hot Topics

• Hotel Etiquette: We greatly value the positive relationships we’ve established with our contracted properties as part of our hotel program. During layovers, please remember that you represent the company while staying in a company-provided hotel room. We kindly ask all Flight Attendants to keep this in mind and ensure that any personal charges are settled before checkout. Enjoying hotel amenities responsibly also goes a long way in helping us maintain these important relationships. The Committee works hard to select quality hotels that provide added perks, such as complimentary breakfast, to enhance your comfort and convenience. If you encounter any issues during your stay, we encourage you to approach hotel staff with courtesy and respect. Should you need any further assistance or be unable to resolve a concern, please feel free to reach out to your Local Hotel Committee for additional support. We’re here to help make your layover experience a positive one!

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts visits to hotels that are under consideration by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Crew Hotels has provided the Committee with the remaining cities that will be visited in 2025: SAN (Oct), CUN (Oct), BNA (Nov), SFO (Nov), MCO – Long Stay (Nov), ORD – Short Stay (Dec), and SJO (Dec). We are also looking at options in SIT and plan to have a site visit there before the end of the year. Market reviews are triggered by factors such as contract expirations, crew complaints, and opportunities for cost savings. Depending on the outcome of these reviews, additional site visits may be arranged in those cities.
2. Hotel Gainshare Program: The parties met on September 26 to continue discussing this program. The items needing more time to research center around scheduling issues and processes. We are getting closer to seeing a program come to life. The next meeting is scheduled for October 24. 

We Want to Hear From You!

Our Hotel Committee relies on your feedback, whether positive or negative. Please report via CrewCare (pmAS) or the hotel and transportation feedback reporting 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 website.