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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.

AFA Update – May 7, 2021

In This Edition

  • Contract Extension Voting through May 12
  • Take the Flight Attendant Vaccine Status Survey
  • Upcoming AFA Board of Directors Meeting
  • Reporting Missing Airbus Oven Inserts and Racks
  • Concerned About A Loved Who Is Struggling with Alcohol or Drugs?

Contract Extension Voting through May 12

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Voting continues on the contract extension tentative agreement and polls will remain open through Wednesday, May 12 at 9 AM PDT.  If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to review the tentative agreement, virtual roadshow recordings, and other resources in order to help you cast an informed vote. 

Voting or Ballot Questions

If you have not yet received your ballot (voting instructions and 16-digit activation code), please review the information on how to request a new activation code on the Contract Extension Voting Information page of afaalaska.org.

Voting Eligibility Questions

If you have received an error message when attempting to use your activation code to vote or need to verify that your membership status prior to voting, please contact AFA Membership Services for assistance.  AFA Membership Services may be reached at (800) 424-2401 and then choosing option 7. 

Please note that the AFA International office is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so everyone is working from home. Please leave a voice message with your name, Peoplesoft number and a good callback number. Someone will return your call as soon as possible during regular business hours (Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 5 PM EDT).

Take the Flight Attendant Vaccine Status Survey

AFA International

Have you gotten your vaccine yet? Since the first vaccines were approved, we’ve been advocating for Flight Attendants to be included with other essential workers in priority groups. The CDC announced that it’s safe for fully vaccinated (and masked!) people to travel, and we’re already seeing significantly higher passenger volumes. As we work to make sure our planes stay safe, it’s important for us to know whether members are able to receive the vaccine.

All adults in all states are now eligible to receive the vaccine. We are keeping our afacwa.org/vaccine up to date with the latest information on access and Flight Attendant prioritization.

Will you take our quick vaccine survey to help us track access? No personal information will be shared from the survey.

Upcoming AFA Board of Directors Meeting

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Our Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers, Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents, and many other LEC Officers and Committee Chairs will be attending the 48th Annual AFA Board of Directors (BOD) meeting next week virtually using Zoom.  This annual meeting is where AFA conducts the business of our Union at the international level.

Schedule of Events

Tuesday, May 11 – Wednesday, May 12May Regular MEC Meeting
Wednesday, May 12Executive Board Meeting (MEC President from each airline)
Thursday, May 13 – Friday, May 14Board of Directors Meeting

BOD Meeting Agenda Items

Your LEC President represents you and the other members of your Local Council on the Board of Directors and will be casting votes on your behalf at the BOD meeting.  Your MEC Officers serve in an ex-officio capacity on the BOD but do not have voting privileges.

Each LEC held a Local Council meeting over the past several weeks to discuss the proposed agenda items and gain your feedback.  You can find details about the proposed agenda by contacting your LEC President.

Questions?

If you have any questions or thoughts about the BOD meeting or the proposed AFA-CWA budget, please contact your LEC President.

Reporting Missing Airbus Oven Inserts and Racks

Inflight Service Committee

The Inflight Service Committee has recently been working with management to attempt to resolve issues related to missing oven inserts and racks onboard Airbus aircraft.  The Committee has received numerous reports of Airbus ovens missing inserts and racks while at the same time management has not received corresponding reports.  Oven inserts and racks are considered standard catering equipment on Airbus aircraft and, if not present, should be reported in the same manner as other missing catering items. 

To ensure that we have the necessary tools and equipment to safely perform our duties, the Inflight Service Committee is looking for your help in reporting missing Airbus oven inserts and racks.  The next time you fly on an Airbus aircraft, please ask the “A” Flight Attendant to check to oven to determine if there is an oven insert and racks present.  If not, please report the missing equipment using the catering reporting function within Block2Block.  The more reports that management receives on this issue, the more effective the Committee will be in advocating to resolve the equipment shortage.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Inflight Service Committee.

Concerned About A Loved Who Is Struggling with Alcohol or Drugs?

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Watching a friend or family member struggle with alcohol or drugs use can be heartbreaking. But, with help, there is recovery.

Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself about another person’s use of alcohol or drugs. If you answer yes to two or more questions, consider calling your AFA EAP for confidential support and next step options. Remember, many have been where you are.

  • Do you worry about how much your friend or loved one uses alcohol or drugs?
  • Do you lie or make excuses about their behavior when they drink or use drugs?
  • Do they get angry with you if you try to discuss their drinking or drug use?
  • Have you ever been hurt or embarrassed by their behavior when using drugs or alcohol?
  • Do you have concerns about how much time and money they spend on alcohol and drugs?
  • Do your resent having to pick up their responsibilities because they are drunk, high or hungover?
  • Do you ever get scared or nervous about their behavior when they’re drinking or using drugs?
  • Do you ever feel like you’re losing it–“going crazy”–just really stressed out?

Here are some important suggestions: 

  • Learn all you can about substance use disorders.
  • Speak up and offer your support.  Talk to the person about your concerns and offer your help, including your willingness to go with them and get help. 
  • Don’t wait for them to “hit bottom.”  You may be met with excuses, denial or anger, but be prepared to respond with specific examples of behavior that have you worried.
  • Don’t expect the person to stop without help.  You have heard it before — promises to cut down, to stop — but it doesn’t work.  Treatment, support, and new coping skills are needed for recovery.  

Contact your AFA EAP for peer support and treatment resources.  We have specialized programs that know how to work with Flight Attendants and their families. Call us at (949) 470-0493 or find your Local EAP Committee at https://afaalaska.org/eap.

AFA Special Update – September 9, 2020

In This Edition

  • Health and Safety Concerns with Onboard Service

Health and Safety Concerns with Onboard Service

Master Executive Council (MEC)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 is thought to spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.  The spread predominantly occurs between people who are in close contact with others (within about 6 feet).  Guidance from the CDC also indicates that people who don’t live in the same household should maintain 6 feet of distance from one another and that a mask is not a substitute for social distancing.  Though management has implemented a policy requiring the use of face coverings by passengers and employee onboard the aircraft, it is practically impossible for Flight Attendants to maintain physical distancing of 6 feet from other people in the aircraft cabin, especially while conducting onboard service. 

On July 16, management rolled out a significant expansion of onboard service which involved the addition of several additional beverage choices, including the return of hot beverages including coffee and tea.  This expansion was followed up by further additions on August 16 coupled with the return of ice on the beverage cart.  The addition of so many components of onboard service seems counterintuitive during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Flight Attendants Are Unnecessarily Being Put At Risk 

By requiring unnecessary interactions with passengers that are not related to safety of the flight, management continues to place Flight Attendants at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 by increasing required interactions with passengers and mandating additional time in the aisle to complete the increased service.  Though management now allows Flight Attendants to bring and wear their own protective eyewear or face shields from home, this is not a substitute for the CDC recommendation to maintain physical distancing. 

These concerns were resoundingly echoed by data collected from the AFA COVID-19 Onboard Service Survey.  Over 1300 Flight Attendants responded to the survey, which was conducted between July 28 and August 2.  Several key points from the survey include: 

  • Only 18% of those surveyed answered affirmatively* that they believe management considered the safety and health of Flight Attendants when adding beverages back to the onboard service
  • Only 22% of those surveyed answered affirmatively* that they believe the number and type of beverages added back were appropriate given current concerns regarding COVID-19
  • Over 65% of those surveyed indicate that they have experienced passengers removing their face covering multiple times per flight since the July 16 onboard service expansion  

*An affirmative answer is indicated by a response of strongly agree or agree

Comments submitted by Flight Attendants as part of the survey list dozens of reports of passengers removing their face covering to interact with Flight Attendants despite onboard announcements directing passengers to keep their face coverings on.  Further reports tell of Flight Attendants observing passengers keeping their face coverings off for extended periods of time as they wait for hot beverages to cool.  The results of the survey, as well as a representative selection of comments submitted by Flight Attendants, were shared with management shortly after the survey closed.

Management’s Position: Passenger Satisfaction Matters More

Members of the AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Inflight Service Committee, and the MEC have been continually engaging with management to address the risks to Flight Attendant safety and health presented by the expansion of onboard service.  These conversations have involved every level of management within Alaska Airlines, and have included management from inflight, labor relations, safety, and marketing.  AFA Representatives have repeatedly asked management to “stop the operation” and “own safety” by pulling back the expanded onboard service and returning to the pre-July 16 offering.  

Management, however, has a different point of view.  In several meetings between management and AFA, management has stated that they believe that there is no evidence to say that there is any incremental risk of transmission due to onboard service.  Management has also gone on record to indicate that they believe that the worst credible outcome of a COVID-19 infection to Flight Attendants is “medical treatment beyond first aid”—not hospitalization or death.  This position contradicts the fact that the CDC has recorded over 184,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the United States and leading national forecasts continue to predict thousands of new COVID-19 related hospitalizations per day.

Management’s overall response has been that they fully intend to continue offering the expanded onboard service despite AFA’s objections.  Their reasoning: an increase in passenger satisfaction scores and a decrease in complaints related to onboard service offerings.

The MEC is equally frustrated and disappointed that management has made the conscious decision to prioritize passenger survey scores over Flight Attendant health and safety by refusing to reconsider the onboard service expansion that they have rolled out over the past several months.  The failure to address the concerns related to the unnecessary additional risk for contracting COVID-19 that Flight Attendants are being exposed to speaks volumes to the fact that “Ready, Safe, Go” is only a priority when it is convenient and suits the needs of management.  Despite this, the MEC and other AFA representatives will continue our efforts to advocate for onboard service levels that do not put Flight Attendants unnecessarily at risk. 

Continue to Document and Report Safety Hazards 

Regardless of management’s position, please continue to report any safety hazards that you experience while performing the expanded onboard service.  This could include instances of increased exposure to passengers (e.g. passenger removing their mask to speak to you, etc.) or other hazards related to service.  You can report these hazards through ReportIt! by submitting either a FAIR and/or ASAP for each flight on which they occur.  Include the terms “COVID-19″ and “service” in your narrative to ensure they are correctly categorized by management.  This data will help our AFA representatives to advocate for safe levels of service. 

Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Management has recently informed our Master Executive Council (MEC) that they are distributing new Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs) to Flight Attendants with devices nearing the end of their lifecycle. The specific schedule for this distribution will be communicated by management separately. Flight Attendants with the oldest devices […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, September 23, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met in person at Alaska Airlines Corporate Headquarters to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), […]

Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants We’re excited to introduce the first group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives for the upcoming MEC Officer term. They’ll begin transitioning into their roles over the next few months and officially start their terms on January 1, 2026. Below, you’ll find brief biographies that […]

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

On Thursday, September 18, our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing efforts to represent our Flight Attendants and advocate for improvements in our workplace. Although our Inflight Service Committee has now merged, meetings with management continue to focus primarily on the Alaska or Hawaiian brands individually. This particular meeting was centered […]

Vacation Survey Closing Soon

There’s just 1 DAY LEFT to complete the crucial vacation survey that will help shape future provisions—your insights are essential for advocating the best outcomes for all Flight Attendants. The survey is currently open and will remain available until Wednesday, September 24 at 12 PM PT.

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