This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Monday, July 14, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met 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), Ila Christy (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 Senior Crew Hotels Support Specialist Nichole Turner, Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay Williams, Manager of Crew Hotels and Administration Diane Szubert and Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett.   

The next scheduled Hotel Committee meeting is Monday, August 11.

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:

• Hotel Provided Transportation: Crew Hotels is beginning to utilize hotel-provided transportation at more of our airport properties. Although this historically was the norm, private transportation became commonplace during the COVID pandemic. As we begin to transition back, we are starting to see an uptick in complaints with some of these shuttles. The complaints include waiting for pickups or the time in transit as the hotel shuttle circles around terminals. As a reminder, Flight Attendants are encouraged to report violations of contract section 34.B [Transportation] and utilize the provisions section 34.D [Transportation and Hotel Wait Times] when an issue qualifies.  
• Long Stay / Short Stay Language: Securing a layover length rule for long stay/short stay properties was a significant accomplishment in our recent round of negotiations. The 15-hour cutoff works well for most of our layovers, but does pose rest challenges in a few edge cases when transportation time is factored in. This has been most noticed in ORD with our downtown property and on the cusp of long-stay layover cutoff times. The Hotel Committee will be consulting with the MEC for an exception to this layover rule when it makes sense, with the goal of creating a better quality layover experience for our Flight Attendants.
• Transportation Time Adjustments: Crew Hotels shared the third set of transportation time adjustments (time of day, day of week, holiday, etc.) that will be implemented on August 1. As previously communicated, this effort began in June and is being done due to CBA requirements for ground transportation for both AFA and ALPA. Please expect an informational bulletin about these adjustments towards the end of the month.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts visits to hotels that are considered by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Recently completed Hotel Site Visits include RSW (June), SEA (June), OKC (June). FAT was supposed to be conducted in July but was cancelled due to a lack of layovers in the schedule, and a lack of hotel interest.  In its place a site visit was conducted in ANC. A number of training hotels were also recently inspected in SEA to prepare for the future move to centralized training. Upcoming site visits for the remainder of 2025 include SLC (Sept), SAN (TBD), BNA (TBD), HNL (TBD), CUN (TBD), and SJO (TBD). 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: MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich, MEC President Tim Green, and MEC Vice President Brice McGee will be meeting again with Alaska management in late July to continue discussions on a Hotel Gainshare program. We are still waiting on the company to complete their research on critical components of the program’s operation. It is our hope that after our next meeting we will have a definitive answer if we can move forward with a program for our Flight Attendants.    

We Want to Hear From You!

Don’t let any unacceptable experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider go unnoticed! Please report the issue via CrewCare so that it can be addressed. CrewCare is the only official way to report issues, as the Hotel Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare submission is forwarded to your AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska management), API and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct the issue or fix it for the next crewmember. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. You 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! The 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.

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Updated 06/13/2025 17:56 PT to remove a reference that indicated that there were no PVR layovers in July. There are in fact scheduled PVR layovers; these crews will be relocated to the crew hotel’s sister property.

On Monday, June 9, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met 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 Senior Crew Hotels Support Specialist Nichole Turner, Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay Williams and Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett.

The next scheduled Hotel Committee meeting is Monday, July 14.

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:

• City Specific Updates:
  • PVR: Our crew hotel is closing down on June 30 for renovations. Once they shut down, crews will be relocated to their sister property until renovation work is completed in October.
  • BOS: Our former crew hotel has completed its renovations, and the crew will begin to see trips with some layovers here in July. Please refer to the Hotel Hotline for complete details on these markets.  
• Hotel-Provided Transportation: The Hotel Committee has been made aware of a van time discrepancy at properties that provide their own transportation. The time printed on the sign-in sheet (or communicated through the MyCrewCare app) is the recommended departure time provided by API. Unfortunately, this time does not always coincide with the transportation schedule provided by the hotel. To ensure crews are not late to the gate, please take the hotel shuttle immediately prior to the recommended departure time. For example, if your recommended departure time is 09:40, and the hotel provides shuttles every 15 minutes, crews will need to take the 09:30 shuttle, not the 09:45 shuttle. API is working on a fix for this discrepancy so that the exact shuttle times are communicated.   
• Hotel Auto-Processing:  Another issue discussed was the auto-processing of hotels anytime there is a change to a pairing. When a pairing is changed (such as a posted delay), the change causes the hotel to be removed temporarily. There are positives and negatives to this. If a layover is significantly reduced, the system will remove the long-stay property and book the short-stay property so the crew member has an appropriate hotel. However, it poses a challenge when there are minimal schedule changes and multiple hotels in a market that we use. In this case, one long layover property could be swapped for another. The Hotel Committee has asked that guardrails or buffers be implemented so that minimum schedule changes do not cause drastic hotel changes. Crew Hotels will work with Crew Scheduling to see what can be done to prevent this when it is unnecessary.  

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts visits to hotels that are considered by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Scheduled site visits include RSW (June), SEA (June), OKC (June), and FAT (July). We do not anticipate many site visits will be scheduled for the second half of 2025. 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: MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich, MEC President Tim Green, and MEC Vice President Brice McGee met with Labor Relations led by Carmen William and Mike Link on June 12 for the second Hotel Gainshare investigatory meeting. Company subject matter experts (SMEs) Brittany Audette, Trisha Bennett, and Nichole Turner also attended. Topics discussed included answers to questions posed at the first meeting, updated data analysis, and back-end process challenges and requirements.  The company has been given further action items, and the group will meet again in July to discuss the program further.    

We Want to Hear From You!

Don’t let any unacceptable experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider go unnoticed! Please report the issue via CrewCare so that it can be addressed. CrewCare is the only official way to report issues, as the Hotel Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare submission is forwarded to your AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska management), API and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct the issue or fix it for the next crewmember. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. You 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! The 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.

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons held two meetings recently. The first meeting occurred on Monday, May 12, when they had their monthly video call with management. The agenda included updates on current layover hotels and transportation providers and discussions about ongoing concerns.

The second meeting occurred on Wednesday, May 21, in PDX. This meeting was the API Quarterly Business Review (QBR) and involved a broader discussion with management, representatives from the crew accommodations management vendor API, and representatives from ALPA. Dori Marron (ANC), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Chris Cardenas (LAX), Kanani Vallot (SAN), and MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich represented you at this meeting. AFA Hawaiian MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson Matt Michell was also present.

The Committee met with Senior Crew Hotels Support Specialist Nichole Turner, Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay Williams, Hawaiian Airlines Crew Hotel Support Specialist Tamotsu “Tomo” Hirai, Manager of Crew Hotels Diane Szubert, Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and Managing Director of Operations Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette from management.   

The next scheduled Hotel Committee meeting is Monday, June 9.

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:

• Transportation Time Adjustments: To fully abide by the CBA requirements for ground transportation for both AFA and ALPA, Crew Hotels has compiled and reviewed data in all of our layover cities to determine where changes need to be made. They will set different ground transportation times for time of day and day of week/holidays to ensure the crews are not arriving at the airport more than 15 minutes before report time (CBA §34.B.3). Nineteen of our layover cities will have these changes made starting June 1, and Crew Hotels will continue with this cadence every month until all cities have updated ground transportation times. Crew Hotels will also closely monitor the delays to ensure they have these times set correctly.   The hotel hotline will be updated accordingly. Please ensure you are writing a CrewCare report when you have a van time discrepancy so that changes can be made if necessary.  
• Internal Processes: Much of the meeting focused on internal processes for administering the ad hoc list, processes for pre-site visit work, process changes for site visit flow, a central hosting platform for all city-specific hotel information, and MyCrewCare updates. The Crew Hotel and API team are also growing due to the AS+HA merger. We discussed the roles and responsibilities of the new team members.  
• MyCrewCare Enhancements: One exciting enhancement to the MyCrewCare app launching in Q3 is the “Track My Ride” link. This link connects to our ground transportation provider, DART, to give real-time GPS information regarding your van, similar to how Uber displays information about your ride. You will be able to see the van location and driver and van information. This will enhance the safety of your ride, so there is no mistaking which transportation is yours. DART provides 60% of our ground transportation needs network-wide, so this will be a significant enhancement for our crew members. API is also reaching out to Allied Transport and Desert Coach about incorporating their location services into the MyCrewCare app. Another app feature discussed was the “Are You Safe” communication tool that crews can use to let Crew Scheduling know they are safe if a safety or security event happens in a layover city. This has not yet been activated for Alaska crew.   
• Relocations:  Relocations will be necessary in PVR (due to renovations, July through October) and LIR (due to bridge asphalt resurfacing, time frame TBD). The Hotel Committee discussed options for these relocations. Crews will also experience temporary layovers in OKC from mid-July to mid-August, and a suitable hotel was discussed for these layovers. As a reminder, we cannot disclose hotel information on a public forum. Hotel changes will be communicated through an Informational Bulletin or the Hotel Hotline.   

Important Information from the Hotel Committee

• When Something Isn’t Right: We cannot express the importance of filing a CrewCare report and, for more significant issues, an AFA Alaska Online Support Center ticket when something is not right. With a recent relocation in MCO, crews were involuntarily moved by the hotel (“walked”) from the relocated property to a non-contractually compliant property. This is a CBA violation, and the Grievance and Scheduling Committee will need an AFA Alaska Online Support Center ticket filed to aid them in bringing this forward for resolution. Other examples are ground transportation providers using one shuttle but stopping at multiple hotels, extended hotel wait times, etc. If you are ever in doubt about your situation, please contact your Local Hotel Committee for guidance on what reporting route to take.  
• Transportation Safety: Crews should never be required to be transported in company-provided transportation when the shuttle cannot safely accommodate all crew members and luggage. We have seen reports of Suburbans/large SUVs being sent for a complement of six crew members, which requires luggage to be stored on laps or at the feet. This is not safe. We have also seen transportation scheduled for extended surface deadheads that is inadequate for crew comfort. If there is any doubt about your ride, please contact Crew Scheduling immediately and inform them of the problem so that alternate or additional transportation can be arranged.  

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts visits to hotels that are considered by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Scheduled site visits include RSW (June), SEA (June), and FAT (July). We do not anticipate many site visits will be scheduled for the second half of 2025. 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: MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich, MEC President Tim Green, and MEC Vice President Brice McGee met with Labor Relations led by Carmen William and Mike Link on May 12 for the first Hotel Gainshare investigatory meeting. Company subject matter experts (SMEs) Brittany Audette, Trisha Bennet, Diane Szubert, and Sara Cook also attended. The purpose of the meeting was to begin discussions on the program’s feasibility at Alaska. Hotel data was presented, and each side identified research items needed to further the conversation. The group will meet again on June 12 to review these items and discuss the next steps.      

We Want to Hear From You!

Don’t let any unacceptable experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider go unnoticed! Please report the issue via CrewCare so that it can be addressed. CrewCare is the only official way to report issues, as the Hotel Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare submission is forwarded to your AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska management), API and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct the issue or fix it for the next crewmember. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. You 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! The 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.

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Monday, April 14, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met for 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 Senior Crew Hotels Support Specialist Nichole Turner, Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay Williams, and Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett from management.   

The next scheduled Hotel Committee meeting is Monday, May 12. Following that, on May 21, the Committee will participate in a quarterly business review meeting facilitated by API, along with management and ALPA. If you have any topics you would like us to address, please get in touch with your Local Hotel Committee Chairperson. 

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:

• Final Hotel Decision Updates: The Hotel Committee has submitted reports from recent site visits and is awaiting final decisions for the following locations: SAT (Long Stay), LIR (Long Stay), STL (Long Stay), MCO (Short Stay), and MKE (Long Stay). A decision has been made for AUS (Short Stay). For more details, please refer to the Hotel Hotline, as information about our crew hotels cannot be made public. LIR has presented significant challenges for long stays due to limited options and a lack of interest in accommodating crew business. Of the two hotels that submitted bids for the February site visit, one has withdrawn its bid, while the other comes with a substantial cost increase. As a result, a final decision is still pending. We recognize that travel time to our current hotel option inconveniences our Flight Attendants, but we have minimal choices in this market. The Hotel Committee continues to monitor the situation and is committed to advocating for options that better serve our Flight Attendants.
• CrewCare Reporting: We want to highlight the crucial role that CrewCare reports play in driving improvements. Your feedback—whether positive or negative—is invaluable when it comes to evaluating hotels and ground transportation providers. Instead of sharing hotel-related issues on Facebook, which may not lead to effective resolution, we encourage you to submit a CrewCare report. Management closely monitors this official channel, and using it provides us with the necessary data to strengthen our advocacy on your behalf. We understand that you might want to inform your fellow Flight Attendants about issues in a public forum, but please know that formal reporting is far more effective at driving real change. By using the MyCrewCare app, you can easily share your experiences and help us create a better environment for everyone.
• City-Specific Issues: The Hotel Committee discussed concerns regarding properties in SIT and FAI. Crew Hotels (management and API) has been asked to engage with the hotels and explore alternative options in the market. Our smaller cities present challenges in securing contractually compliant options and inventory. Additionally, PVR was reviewed concerning the current group booking, and discussions focused on how to mitigate discomfort when standard hotel amenities are severely limited in the future. 

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts visits to hotels that are considered by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Scheduled site visits include IAD (May), FLL (May), LAS (May), RSW (June), SEA (June), and FAT (July). 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: Our first group meeting between management and AFA is tentatively scheduled for the second week of May. Management has already met internally to begin research and data collection necessary to thoroughly analyze the viability of this program. As a reminder, the recently ratified 2025-2028 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) includes a Commitment to Negotiate a Hotel Gain-Share Program Letter of Agreement (LOA). This LOA states that within four months of the CBA’s ratification, both parties will schedule and engage in negotiation sessions to discuss the Hotel Gain-Share Program. The goal is to implement the program, if feasible, within six months of the CBA ratification. The parties may mutually agree to extend these deadlines.

We Want to Hear From You!

Don’t let any unacceptable experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider go unnoticed! Please report the issue via CrewCare so that it can be addressed. CrewCare is the only official way to report issues, as the Hotel Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare submission is forwarded to your AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska management), API and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct the issue or fix it for the next crewmember. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. You 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! The 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.

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Monday, March 10, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met for our first in-person meeting of the year 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 chairing the meeting.

The committee met with Crew Hotels & Administration Manager Nichole Turner, Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay Williams, Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and Managing Director of Operations Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette from management.   

The next scheduled Hotel Committee meeting is Monday, April 14.

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:

• Van Times: Van times remain a significant topic of discussion. In February, a 10-minute discrepancy between Flight Attendants and Pilots’ van times was identified due to an API processing error, which has since been corrected. The Hotel Committee is currently concerned about early arrivals at the airport. Except for ATL, DEN, and SLC, vans should not arrive at the airport earlier than 15 minutes before your scheduled report time. We have observed a considerable number of early arrivals on weekend trips, as van times have not been adjusted for the reduced weekend traffic. Please report any van time discrepancies in MyCrewCare for documentation, research, and resolution.
• Hotel Contractual Requirements: There is some confusion regarding our crew hotels’ requirements. There are two layers of hotel requirements: those outlined in section 34.A.2 of our collective bargaining agreement, which are contractual requirements, and those imposed by the company on the hotel, available on the front page of the Hotel Hotline under Crew Hotel Room Blocks. These are the only requirements for crew accommodations. If you notice any discrepancies regarding these requirements, please submit a report via MyCrewCare for documentation and resolution.
• Hotel Information Timelines: The company provided a timeline for when hotel information is imported into NavBlue and CrewAccess. Recognizing that Flight Attendants bid or trade trips specifically for layovers, our Hotel Committee has advocated for both timely and accurate hotel information in these systems. We have successfully expedited the CrewAccess importation dates, allowing hotel information to be available at the start of trip trading. Previously, this migration began on the 19th of the month, days after trading began. Here are the hotel migration timelines for the applicable bid month: 
  • By the 21st: The final pairings sent to API for hotel assignments.
  • By the 26th: Hotel assignments sent to Crew Planning and uploaded into NAVBLUE for bidding.
  • On the 5th: Bidding opens.
  • Final hotel assignments are available in Crew Access on staggered dates throughout the month:
    • On the 12th: Overnights imported for the 1st through the 10th
    • On the 13th: Overnights imported for the 11th through the 20th
    • On the 17th: Overnights imported for the 21st through the end of the month

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee visits hotels under consideration by management to advocate for selections that provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. The committee recently conducted site visits in AUS, SAT and LIR and are submitting their reports for company review.  Currently, we have site visits scheduled in MCO (March), STL (March), MKE (April), IAD (May), FLL (May), LAS (May), RSW (June), and SEA (June). Contract expirations, crew complaints, and cost-saving opportunities are the primary factors that trigger a market review. Depending on the outcome of this review, a site visit may be scheduled in that city. 
2. Hotel Gainshare Program: The recently ratified 2025-2028 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) includes a Commitment to Negotiate a Hotel Gain-Share Program Letter of Agreement (LOA). This LOA specifies that within four months of the ratification of the CBA, the parties will schedule and engage in negotiation sessions to discuss the Hotel Gain-Share Program. The goal of these negotiations is to implement the program, if feasible, within six months of the CBA ratification. The parties may mutually agree to extend these time limits. Conversations about this should begin shortly.

We Want to Hear From You!

Don’t let any unacceptable experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider go unnoticed! Please report the issue via CrewCare so that it can be addressed. CrewCare is the only official way to report issues, as the Hotel Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare submission is forwarded to your AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska management), API and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct the issue or fix it for the next crewmember. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. You 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! The 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.