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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on Wednesday, February 23 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.
  • Management continues to experience challenges in some locations that are affecting the correct loading on onboard catering supplies and retail products.  Please continue to report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!  

On Wednesday, February 23, our AFA Local Inflight Service Committee 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 Naomi Parcell (ANC), Ross DeJong (SEA), Todd Horn (PDX), Matt Voges (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN).  Also present were MEC Inflight Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Director of Product Development & Delivery Amber Simonsen, Managing Director of Guest Products Todd Traynor-Corey, and other management representatives from the food & beverage, catering operations, and inflight mobile teams. 

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:

  • Ongoing issues with coffee carafes and missing lids.
  • New serving tools under consideration for testing.
  • Current galley packing concerns and upcoming changes.  Recommendations put forward by the Committee on where garbage and recycling bags are being boarded and possible changes to allow for better access.
  • Update on first class product changes for summer 2022.
  • Discussion about inadequate trash stowage space on many flights given how full galleys and carts are loaded, expected service levels, and trash being brought onboard by passengers.  Management has made changes to free up some cart space based on Committee feedback, but issue is still ongoing. 
  • Concerns about repeated main cabin beverage snack shortages and upcoming changes to how snacks are packed by catering that will help resolve the issue.
  • Concerns with meal pre-ordering functionality on flights with “round robin” flight numbering.
  • Discussion about management’s desire to restore pre-pandemic service levels.
  • Review of recent changes to onboard streaming entertainment options and plans for 2Ku satellite internet installation on newly delivered aircraft.
  • Review of March 2nd catering changes, new products, and changes to service flow (beverage snacks with each service on LH and PLH flights).
  • Update on catering operations and kitchens that are currently being utilized to load meals and supplies.  Request from the Committee to have extra supplies provisioned on catering trucks so that missing items can be corrected on-the-spot.
  • Review of Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) issues and concerns, including cellular service connectivity issues.  Any issues with cellular service connectivity should be reported to management so that the vendor can identify and fix the issue.  Inflight management will communicate the process for reporting connectivity issues in an upcoming bulletin bundle.
  • Update on upcoming Block2Block software fixes and improvements.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Advocating for Adequate Trash Stowage.  Pushing management to make much needed changes to resolve onboard trash stowage problems through solutions such as dedicated trash carts in every galley on every flight and eliminating double catering.
  2. Addressing Catering Errors and Shortages.  Escalating catering issues reported through Block2Block and other reporting channels, voicing Flight Attendant frustration with ongoing errors in catering provisioning and loading, and working to hold management accountable to fix the problems that make our job more difficult.
  3. Reviewing Block2Block (B2B) Updates. Working to provide feedback to management on changes and improvements to the B2B app, focusing on ensuring that any changes are functional and that the app remains easy for Flight Attendants to use.

We Want to Hear From You!

Please continue to report any catering issues or problems with onboard service using the catering feedback function in Block2Block.  If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please submit a report through ReportIt!  Your reports provide the Committee with the data needed to continue pushing management for meaningful improvements in our workplace.

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

Onboard Service Reductions

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Representatives have been successful in getting management to agree to additional onboard service reductions in light of the current spike of COVID-19 cases nationwide.
  • Any flight currently scheduled for more than one beverage service will be reduced to only one service regardless of the length of the flight.  Additional reductions include changes to the food pre-order system based depending on the length of the flight.  Changes take effect today and are scheduled to be in place through January 31, 2022.
  • As always, please continue to report any safety-related issues with onboard service using a Flight Attendant Irregularity Report (FAIR) in ReportIt!  Please report any catering issues using the catering feedback function in Block2Block.  Management needs to hear about the challenges we’re facing!

Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Inflight Service Committee, and Master Executive Council (MEC) have been continually advocating for changes to onboard service that provide the safest possible environment for Flight Attendants and passengers alike.  In light of the current spike in COVID-19 cases, we had additional conversation this week with management about the ongoing issues and concerns that Flight Attendants are experiencing.  Based on these conversations, management has agreed to implement additional onboard service reductions on a temporary basis.

The following changes will go into effect immediately and remain in place through January 31, 2022:

  • Only one beverage service in the main cabin on all flights that are scheduled to receive a beverage service.
  • Picnic packs will no longer be available for pre-order but will still be sold from the retail cart.
  • Fresh meals will no longer be available for pre-order/sold on medium haul flights.  Maximum number of orders on transcon and Hawaii flights will be reduced from 63 to 42.

Even though the pre-order system will be turned off for any new orders, catering will continue to board items for any passengers who placed an order prior to today.  Please see the email from management in your Outlook inbox and today’s bulletin bundle for more information.

Please continue to report any safety hazards related to onboard service in ReportIt! as a Flight Attendant Irregularity Report (FAIR).  If you encounter any issues related to onboard products, catering supply levels, or procedural concerns, please report them through the Catering Issues function in Block2Block.  Your reports help our Inflight Service Committee and ASHSC to have the strongest voice possible in their conversations with management about onboard service.

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2021

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on Friday, December 10 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.
  • Please continue to report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!  Management has seen a decrease in reporting in the weeks since the November 4th service expansion and believes that problems have been resolved.

On Friday, December 10, our AFA Local Inflight Service Committee 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 Ross DeJong (SEA), Todd Horn (PDX), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN).  Also present were MEC Inflight Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Director of Product Development & Delivery Amber Simonsen, Managing Director of Guest Products Todd Traynor-Corey, and other management representatives from the food & beverage, catering operations, and inflight mobile teams. 

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:

  • Review of Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) issues and concerns, including the number of steps that are required to process a transaction using a swiped credit card.
  • Update on upcoming Block2Block software fixes and improvements.
  • Review of the updated seat back menu that includes a full listing of picnic pack contents and pricing for snack items, expected to be onboard by early January.
  • Discussion about inadequate trash stowage space on many flights given how full galleys and carts are loaded, expected service levels, and trash being brought onboard by passengers.  Management says they are looking into the issue further and would like to implement short term fix within 60 days. 
  • Concerns about catering accuracy, including carts being packed properly and supplies being loaded onto the aircraft correctly.  Flight Attendants are continuously having to deal with missing supplies and are tired of having to apologize for errors caused by others.
  • Update on first class menu changes for the first half of 2022.
  • Discussion about the need for printed menus for First Class meals that include a better description of the dishes and a listing of whether the item contains common food allergens.
  • Review of main cabin service flow, the pre-order meal delivery process, and possible options to increase efficiency and decrease time that Flight Attendants need to spend in the aisle.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Addressing Inadequate Trash Stowage Issues.  Pushing management to make much needed changes to resolve onboard trash stowage problems through solutions such as dedicated trash carts in every galley on every flight and eliminating double catering.
  2. Advocating For the Tools We Need to Do Our Job.  Escalating catering issues reported through Block2Block, voicing Flight Attendant frustration with ongoing errors in catering provisioning and loading, and working to hold management accountable to fix the problems that make our job more difficult.
  3. Pushing Back on Unnecessary Service Complexity.  Strongly advocating against changes that add unnecessary complexity to onboard service and keep us in the aisle longer than necessary.

We Want to Hear From You!

Please continue to report any catering issues or problems with onboard service using the catering feedback function in Block2Block.  If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please submit a report through ReportIt!  Your reports provide the Committee with the data needed to continue pushing management for meaningful improvements in our workplace.

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

Next Week: Committee Meetings with Management

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Several AFA committees will meet with management next week for regularly scheduled discussions of issues currently impacting Flight Attendants.
  • Each AFA Local Council/base sends a representative to committee meetings to ensure that the voices of all Flight Attendants are heard.
  • If you have concerns or items that you would like to see brought forward, please reach out to your respective Local Committee Chairperson prior to the meeting.

Most AFA committees hold meetings with management on a regular basis as a part of their advocacy work on behalf of our Flight Attendants.  These meetings are an opportunity for our Committee Members to bring concerns and issues forward and push for improvements to our workplace.  Representing you at these meetings is your Local Committee Chairperson (sometimes another Local Committee Member or LEC Officer may fill in), who is your voice to management on matters related to the committee.

Next week, several committee meetings are scheduled to take place with management.  They include:

  • Human Rights Committee on Monday, December 6
  • Retirement Committee on Tuesday, December 7
  • Reserve Committee on Thursday, December 9
  • Hotel Committee on Thursday, December 9
  • Inflight Service Committee on Friday, December 10

If there are items that you would like to see any of these committees bring forward to management at their upcoming meeting, please let your Local Committee Chairperson know.  Click below for contact information.

Human Rights Committee
Retirement Committee
Reserve Committee
Hotel Committee
Inflight Service Committee

AFA Alaska Special Update – November 3, 2021

In This Edition

  • November 4th Onboard Service Changes

November 4th Onboard Service Changes

Inflight Service Committee

On November 4th, management is planning to launch a significant reintroduction of onboard service that will continue efforts to return the passenger experience to pre-pandemic levels.  As a result of AFA advocacy, management did agree to postpone some items that were initially planned to launch, however most changes are still being implemented as scheduled.  In the case of main cabin snack offerings, the changes will exceed what was provided prior to the implementation of COVID-19 service reductions. Management has published more information about the upcoming changes on Alaska’s World, in the bulletin bundle, and in service guides located in GoodReader on your IMD.

During the lead up to the upcoming changes, members of our Inflight Service Committee and Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) as well as several MEC Officers have been engaged with management to assess the changes for safety concerns and other potential impacts to Flight Attendants.  Your AFA representatives spent hours upon hours in meetings with management bringing forward numerous issues related to safety, health, operational and procedural challenges, and other concerns shared by Flight Attendants.

Despite these extensive conversations, it became clear that management and AFA are philosophically apart on the potential risks that Flight Attendants face as a result of expanding onboard service in the current environment.  Whereas management believes that the introduction of additional service elements does not pose any significant risk to Flight Attendants, AFA believes differently.  The health and safety risks posed by additional interaction time with passengers and increased challenges with enforcing the federal mask mandate are likely only to be amplified with more food and beverage items being offered on the aircraft.

Once the onboard service changes take effect on November 4th, it is critically important that any safety hazards related to the expanded service be documented in ReportIt! as a Flight Attendant Irregularity Report (FAIR).  If you encounter any issues related to onboard products, catering supply levels, or procedural concerns, please report them through the Catering Issues function in Block2Block.  Data provided through your reporting helps to strengthen the voice of our Inflight Service Committee and ASHSC in their conversations with management about onboard service.

Tell Management: It’s Time To Make it Right!

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Master Executive Council (MEC) Our MEC will be approaching management this week to discuss a meaningful remedy to the recent bidding errors and delays. We have heard loud and clear that Flight Attendants expect that any remedy will include an element of compensation in order to hold management accountable. Stand in solidarity and support our […]

The Saga Continues: June 2022 Bid Awards Delayed

Due to hundreds of errors identified in the June bid packet, our MEC has insisted that management conduct a systemwide rebid. Management sent a communication by company email to all Flight Attendants earlier today with details on the new bidding timeline, which opened today at 9 AM PDT and will now close at 9 AM PDT on Monday, May 16. It is well past time for management to take ownership of their repeated errors, actually fix the problems, and honor our contract!

Upcoming 2022 AFA Board of Directors Meeting

Members of our Master Executive Council (MEC) and other AFA Representatives will be attending the AFA Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting later this week.  The BOD meeting is where business affecting all AFA airlines is conducted. Your LEC President is your representative at the BOD meeting and will be voting on your behalf regarding approval of the AFA International budget, proposed amendments to the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, and the election of AFA International Officers. If you have any questions about the BOD meeting, submitted agenda items, or international officer elections, please contact your LEC President.

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2022

Our AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, May 3 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to uniforms. The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are reporting related to uniform quality, wearability, and availability. If you are experiencing any issues with uniform quality or construction, please report the issues to Unisync as soon as possible.  Please include your Local Uniform Committee Chairperson on the email so they can help track any issues or trends that might be developing.   

Understanding Our Union: How AFA Works at Our Airline

Representation within our Union starts at the domicile level with your Local Council.  Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers are directly elected from among your fellow Flight Attendants who are members of the same Local Council. LEC Officers work to resolve concerns specific to Flight Attendants from your base with local management.  Your LEC President also represents your base at the airline level as a member of the Master Executive Council (MEC).  The LEC Presidents from all six bases together form our MEC, which works to coordinate the activities of our Union at the airline level.  They make decisions on our behalf and give direction to the MEC Officers, who represent the MEC to management.

December 2021 MEC Meeting Recap

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Inflight Leadership Change and the Path Forward

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Master Executive Council (MEC) President Jeffrey Peterson Now that is has been officially announced that Travis will be stepping away as leader of the Inflight division, I thought Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants might want to hear from their MEC president. I may not always be at liberty to communicate the details of every conversation advocating […]

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