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Supplemental Ditching Training

Grievance Committee

  • AFA has not agreed to any extra-contractual terms for the newly announced supplemental ditching training; discussions with management just started.
  • Many management decision-makers are away at contract negotiations, delaying progress toward any sort of agreement.
  • Our AFA Committees are committed to advocating for your rights and will address unresolved issues through the contractual grievance process if necessary.

AFA Representatives have recently been receiving a lot of questions about the supplemental ditching training announced by management. We want to make it clear that AFA has not agreed to any extra-contractual terms for this training. Management just began substantive discussions yesterday with our Grievance, Scheduling, Inflight Training, and Air Safety, Health, & Security Committees to work out the administrative and logistical details of the training, but those details are still undetermined. Progress has been slow because many of the primary management decision-makers are currently involved in contract negotiations in Washington, DC, this week and are unavailable to discuss the supplemental ditching training issues.

While the situation is not ideal, we must meet the regulatory training requirements and address the remaining details later. We don’t yet know what management intends to propose, nor do we know if we can successfully reach an agreement on which contractual provisions AFA believes apply. If we can’t agree, it may come down to addressing the unresolved provisions (particularly contract sections 30.C.3-5) through the contractual grievance process and arbitration afterward, which can be time-consuming.  

We have clearly communicated your concerns to management and have asked them to provide responses to numerous unanswered questions. Our AFA Committees are actively advocating for your contractual rights. We are dedicated to fighting for those rights, even if it takes time, rather than providing an instant fix.

Crew Access Open Time Performance – June 16, 2024

Scheduling Committee

  • Flight Attendants are facing technical issues with Crew Access and Open Time trading/dropping, causing stress and frustration.
  • Management plans to resolve these issues with server upgrades in June and July and will monitor the system closely during July Open Time.
  • Our Scheduling Committee has requested a meeting with management to discuss long-term solutions for the ongoing Crew Access challenges.

Recently, many Flight Attendants have been experiencing technical issues with Crew Access and Open Time trading/dropping. These problems have been causing growing frustration and stress, both professionally and personally. Our Scheduling Committee acknowledges the significant impact and is committed to finding effective solutions while holding management accountable for maintaining systems that operate effectively and reliably.

Management has acknowledged the problems and expressed their commitment to tackling them head-on. As a first step, the JCTE servers are scheduled to undergo an upgrade. New firmware is set to be installed by June 24, followed by upgraded hardware by July 10, or possibly sooner. These enhancements are anticipated to enhance performance and overall system capacity significantly.

To ensure proactive oversight, the Information Technology Services (ITS) team will work closely with Jeppesen to monitor the JCTE platform during the upcoming Flight Attendant Open Time on July 16. This initiative is a step towards resolving the current issues and improving the operational experience for all Flight Attendants.

Furthermore, we expect management to deliver thorough and detailed updates on the measures taken to resolve the server load issues. Clear communication and a comprehensive breakdown of the implemented solutions and improvements are essential to ensure transparency. This will help our Scheduling Committee monitor progress and provide Flight Attendants with accurate, up-to-date information.

To address the more extensive and systemic ongoing challenges with Crew Access, our Scheduling Committee has formally requested a meeting with management to discuss the issues further. This meeting is a critical opportunity for dialogue and exploring concrete solutions to ensure an uninterrupted and contractually compliant experience for Flight Attendants.

Our Scheduling Committee is fully dedicated to actively addressing JCTE-related issues in order to restore operational normalcy and alleviate the challenges faced by Flight Attendants. We appreciate your continued patience and support throughout this process. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

Celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month

Human Rights Committee

  • June 1 marks the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States. The tradition recognizes the events of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a watershed moment in the LGBTQ rights movement. 
  • You can use the resource links below to explore more about LGBTQ Pride Month, delve into the history of the LGBTQ rights movement, and discover events you can take part in.
  • Join the celebration by wearing an LGBTQ Pride Month AFA Pin during June. Contact your Local Council for more information on obtaining a pin.

June 1 marks the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States. This celebration originated to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, which is recognized as a significant milestone in the LGBTQ civil rights movement. On June 28, 1970, the first Pride March was held in New York City to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Over time, the single-day event eventually grew to an entire month of events and activities.

Learn More About LGBTQ Pride Month

You can learn more about the history of LGBTQ Pride Month and the history of the LGBTQ rights movement through some of the dedicated websites and resources below.

Celebrate with an LGBTQ Pride Month AFA Pin

In 2018, the AFA Board of Directors unanimously adopted a resolution to celebrate June as LGBTQ Pride Month. A special commemorative pin was created for AFA Members to proudly wear to honor throughout June.

If you’re interested in learning more about the pin and its significance, please reach out to your Local Human Rights Committee. Additionally, keep an eye out for communication from your Local Council or get in touch with your LEC Officers to find out how you can get your hands on one of these special pins!

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2024

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on May 21 to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
  • The Committee met with management to discuss and receive updates on issues and problems faced by Flight Attendants onboard.
  • The Committee continues to work with management to address catering concerns and improve processes in the future. Please report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

On Tuesday, May 21, our AFA 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), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN). MEC Inflight Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett was also present. 

The Committee met with Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Principal Cabin Product and Experience Manager Chris Dela Rosa, Director of Food and Beverage Mita Padhi, Manager of Food and Beverage Planning and Programs David Rodriguez, Senior Food and Beverage Product Manager Jessica Johnston, Food and Beverage Systems Manger Andrea Lockett, Director of Catering Operations Andrew Moyer, Managing Director of Guest Products Todd Traynor-Corey, Senior Product Manager of Guest Products Megan Low, Food and Beverage Planning Systems Manager Gayatri Watwe, and IT Vendor Christopher Pettigrew. 

The next scheduled Inflight Service Committee meeting is Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

The Committee discussed several topics during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some of the items included:

  • Packaging for Main Cabin meals, including hot meals and their labeling.
  • The impact on service due to temporary product substitutions.
  • Progress on updating older aircraft furnishings and current enhancements for the cabins, addressing issues with lavatory trash, and placing mirrors from the aft jump seat.
  • Ensuring the safety of future coffee brewing, which included discussing modifications to the brew basket.
  • Discussion with Catering Operations to ensure plans for summer ice loading are in place and that new seasonal routes are correctly catered.
  • Management reported on upcoming Block2Block (B2B) updates, and glitches were discussed. The Committee received updates on B2B functions, including a new training mode, tap-to-pay issues, and screen switching for payment processing.
  • Discussion and review of catering issues causing crew confusion.
  • Email notifications to passengers regarding the ability to pre-order are improving the process and increasing pre-order counts.
  • The overall service flow and process were discussed.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Correct product labeling. The Committee is working with catering to ensure that meals are clearly labeled, especially the new Main Cabin hot meal options for long-haul, medium-haul, and short-haul flights.
  2. Adjusting product levels. Committee Members are working with management to modify product quantities to enhance service and reduce waste.
  3. Working with management on Block2Block (B2B). Committee Members have been informed that a new version of B2B will soon be available and are looking forward to pre-testing it. The Committee is actively involved in suggesting improvements.
  4. Enhancing snack basket contents. Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons will work with management to update the contents.

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 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.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – May 2024

Scheduling Committee

  • On May 21, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

On Tuesday, May 21, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons/Representatives met 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), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO),Melinda Jorge (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Kamako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, and MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz. 

The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Allen Thieman, Managing Director of Operations Staffing & Resource Management Brittany Audette, Director of Crew Staffing Nicholas Giles, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Senior Manager of Product Management Rick Mitchell, Director of Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Manager of Inflight Crew Scheduling Goose Hlaingmyint, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several topics during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • There are concerns about the decrease in Hawaii flying.
  • PDX/SAN are facing challenges with Hawaii flying, including red-eye flights. There is also limited parking for planes in Seattle.
  • Questions were raised about the July increase in Flight Attendants and the decision to grant domicile transfers, which caused SAN to increase and SFO to decrease.
  • LAX is providing examples of issues with sit pay when Flight Attendants are assigned to pre-board, causing concerns about timely handling and violation of order of assignment. The parties are investigating. 
  • There needs to be clarity regarding text notifications for trips before Open Time and discrepancies in Crew Access. This sometimes occurs when the next month is loaded into the system. 
  • Some individual Flight Attendants are unsatisfied with the calendar view issue workaround. The calendar should actively work with the latest update and show the updated days under 90 seconds. 
  • SFO lost 40 Flight Attendants in July, raising concerns about the base’s future. Management said there’s no plan to reduce the number of gates at this time, and they are hopeful business travel will pick up in the near future.
  • There are concerns about Open Time issues from the April 16, 2024 system technical issue event.
  • There are concerns about Open Time issues from the May 15, 2024 system technical issue event.
  • Hotel wait times have improved compared to the previous month.
  • Seattle had a shortage of one TSN in June. This issue has been referred to the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process, and the TSN is updated to show 17 correctly.
  • The PBS Subcommittee discussed bidding, bid awards, bid protests, and future releases. There are upcoming base sits in June.
  • There are plans to increase the number of pairings and improve commutability.
  • There are discussions about payroll issues, ITS updates, JCTE, and tap-to-pay adoption in Block2Block.
  • There will be no more requirement to file for sit time and release adjustments in the next JCTE update when pilots manually adjust the block in times.
  • Crew Planning discussed the increase in block hours for July, the reduction in SFO base block hours, and the impact of MAX delay on aircraft availability.
  • Pairing selection for July focused on keeping flight crews together and adding soft locks.
  • Commutability for July is best for SEA/ANC and most challenging for SFO/PDX.
  • There are ongoing challenges with sick leave and absences for lineholders and reserves.
  • Feedback from Flight Attendants includes the need for more productive trips, better scheduling, and increased TSN.
  • Flight Attendants desire contractual language protections and an improved work environment to address challenges.
  • Reserves are being highly utilized, and Crew Scheduling is covering flights saved by premium pay. However, we are seeing a reduction in lineholders picking up reserve days.
  • There are discussions about premium trips, reassignments, personal drops, and fatigue.
  • Hawaii flying has changed, shifting towards more transcon and Mexico flights.
  • Crew Pay is conducting base sits and aims to attend all bases this year.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. NavBlue. The PBS Subcommittee is seeking feedback on how they can improve their assistance to flight crews regarding bid awards and understanding results. They provided both in-person and virtual meetings for this purpose. The next in-person PBS Training is planned for June 
  2. Pairings Survey. There is a discussion of reviewing bidding data from NavBlue to see what kind of pairings Flight Attendants are interested in flying instead of sending out a survey. We will continue to review options. 
  3. Chime Communications. To reduce phone call volumes, Flight Attendants may soon be able to chat with Crew Scheduling via app/Microsoft Teams. The chat will be for Flight Attendant-initiated contact only. The function is currently in the early stages of development and still needs to be discussed with Labor Relations management and our MEC. Testing and implementation are continuing over the next few weeks. We are working on a letter of agreement for implementation, which is still pending review. 
  4. Crew Scheduling. A monthly review of PowerPoint presentations covered various aspects such as reserve utilization, detailed breakdowns, sick leave (week by week and year over year), premium, personal drops, and other relevant agenda items.
  5. Crew Planning. Like Crew Scheduling, there was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that covered subsequent month staffing, trip length distribution, Flight Attendant block hours, special initiatives (e.g., IROPs), commutability, and other relevant agenda items. Statistics around teaming continue to be reviewed. Crew Planning continues to maximize pairing construction and optimizing teaming strategies to minimize costs and ensure that crews (Flight Attendants) can stay together for multiple segments.
  6. ITS. Representatives from ITS joined the scheduling meeting to provide updates on NavBlue, Crew Access, internal systems, and Block2Block. These updates include performance reviews, data analysis, and information about future releases.

We Want to Hear From You!

Whether you have feedback for the Committee, concerns to share, or items you’d like brought up with management – don’t hesitate to let us know. Your Local Scheduling Committee is here to be your voice to management. You can easily open a support ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or directly contact us using the information provided on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Join The Picket Line: Support Horizon Flight Attendants on Tuesday, April 28

Since November 2023, Horizon Air Flight Attendants have been in negotiations, fighting tirelessly to secure a new contract that recognizes their work. Even after applying for mediation in January 2025, management continues to offer proposals that ignore the essential contributions Horizon Flight Attendants make to the success of Horizon Air and Alaska Air Group.  On […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – April 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, April 21, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met in person at the Alaska Airlines Global Training Center in Renton, WA to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – April 2026

On Monday, April 13, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met virtually 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 pmAS), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Barry Spitzer (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX pmAS), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), […]

Single PSS Is Coming: What It Means For You

Tonight, the Alaska and Hawaiian merger will reach another major milestone—the integration of both airlines into a single passenger service computer system (PSS). While this change will affect Flight Attendants less than other groups—like Customer Service Agents and airport staff—there are still important updates you should know. Block2Block App and Onboard Service Pre-merger Hawaiian Flight […]

Navigating Acute & Delayed Stress As A Flight Attendant

Stress is an inherent aspect of the Flight Attendant profession, often stemming from the demanding nature of responsibilities and the unpredictable nature of air travel. It’s essential for Flight Attendants not only to understand the different types of stress they may encounter but also to recognize the warning signs of acute and delayed stress for […]

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