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Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

Reserve Committee

  • Our AFA Reserve Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, March 10 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent and advocate for our Reserve Flight Attendants.
  • The Committee also met with management to review a number of specific concerns that were brought forward by Flight Attendants.
  • Your Local Reserve Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any reserve related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Thursday, March 10, representatives from our AFA Local Reserve Committees met to discuss their ongoing work to advocate for Reserve Flight Attendants.  Representing you at the meeting were Haley Hirsch (ANC), Conner Gallagher (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Camile Caldwell (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Joe Coneglio (SAN).  Also present were MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton, MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Jarod McNeill, and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee also met with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Manager Nyxalyse Paul from management. 

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:

  • Issues and glitches with Crew Access that are affecting Reserve Flight Attendants.  Review of where known issues are documented and prioritization for programming fixes.
  • Update on planned Flight Attendant hiring and initial training classes for 2022.  Starting with class 2022-03, class sizes have nearly doubled to 90 students each.  Larger class sizes will continue.
  • Review of contractual language related to new hire and probationary Flight Attendants (section 7)
  • Update on AFA Reserve Buddy program.  Reserve Buddies are very busy supporting new Flight Attendants.  Reminder to refer Probationary Flight Attendants to their Reserve Buddy for answers to questions about contract and work rules.
  • Review of reserve utilization statistics.  Reserve coverage will remain at approximately 20-21% during the 2nd quarter.
  • Review of reserve-related scheduling issues that have occurred recently.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Providing Support to New Flight Attendants in Initial Training.  Facilitating the new hire AFA presentation, Crew Access training, and PBS training as part of Initial Training and participating in base orientation after graduation.
  2. Assisting Probationary Flight Attendants Through the Reserve Buddy Program.   Answering questions from and providing support to probationary Flight Attendants through an expanded AFA Reserve Buddy program.
  3. Addressing Reserve Contractual Concerns.  Researching and investigating reports from Reserve Flight Attendants and actively ensuring that management is compliant with our contract. 

We Want to Hear From You!

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

Human Rights Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

Human Rights Committee

  • Our AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met on Friday, March 4 to discuss their ongoing program of work to advance human rights within our workplace and community.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates on what progress has been made on concerns that had been previously brought forward and address new concerns that have come to light. 
  • If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!

On Friday, March 4, our AFA Local Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to build awareness and effect change within our workplace and community.  Representing you at the meeting were Matthew Cook (ANC), Yan Yan Teague (SEA), Sylvia Newbill (PDX), Sejal Patel (SFO), Louise Borras (LAX), and Erika Daniel (SAN).  Also present were MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson Chip Hestle and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams, California Regional Director of Inflight Operations Robbi Burton, and Seattle Director of Inflight Base Operations Jenny Bookert from management. 

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 concerns about low morale within our work group.
  • Possibility of expanding current uniform and appearance standards to be more inclusive of varying cultural identities.
  • Support for the people of Ukraine and what the company, the inflight division, and AFA are doing.
  • Concerns about company suppliers/vendors whose values may be contradictory to those of Alaska Airlines.  Management is continuing to research this issue.
  • Concerns about a perceived lack of cultural sensitivity surrounding how the company chooses to participate in certain public events and promotional activities.
  • Ways for the committee to start building relationships with the company’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) and expand existing relationships with the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) department.
  • Management’s proposal to conduct DEI listening sessions with Flight Attendants in each base; discussion about involvement of the AFA Human Rights Committee.
  • Request to make DEI information easily accessible to Flight Attendants on the Inflight Mobile Device (IMD).
  • Management’s progress on DEI initiatives and plans for upcoming work.
  • Request that management provide more timely and visible DEI updates and information about upcoming events and opportunities.  Specifically, providing Flight Attendants with enough notice to bid time off for activities they’d like to participate in.
  • Ensuring diversity and representation in company photo shoots and promotional materials that depict employees.

The committee is next scheduled to meet with management on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.  

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Working to Make Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Information More Accessible.  Encouraging management to make information about DEI events, activities, and programs more accessible and visible to Flight Attendants through links on the IMD and more regular and relevant communication.  Requesting that management include links to the Human Rights Committee’s resource page on afaalaska.org.
  2. Building Relationships with the Company’s Business Resources Groups (BRGs).  Continuing to work to establish relationships with leaders of the Company’s BRGs to find areas where we can join together to advance human rights within the scope of each group.
  3. Exploring Ways to Engage with Flight Attendants About Human Rights.  Discussing possible opportunities to work with management to conduct and participate in DEI activities in each base.

We Want to Hear From You!

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

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Many people go through short periods of time where they feel sad or not like their usual selves. Sometimes, these mood changes begin and end when the seasons change. People may start to feel “down” when the days get shorter in the fall and winter (also called “winter blues”) and begin to feel better in the spring, with longer daylight hours.

In some cases, these mood changes are more serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities. If you have noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior whenever the seasons change, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression. 

In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer; this is known as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression. Some people may experience depressive episodes during the spring and summer months; this is called summer-pattern SAD or summer depression and is less common.

Who develops SAD?

Millions of American adults may suffer from SAD, although many may not know they have the condition. SAD occurs much more often in women than in men, and it is more common in those living farther north, where there are shorter daylight hours in the winter. For example, people living in Alaska or New England may be more likely to develop SAD than people living in Florida. In most cases, SAD begins in young adulthood. SAD is more common in people with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. SAD sometimes runs in families. 

How is SAD treated?

Treatments are available that can help many people with SAD. They fall into four main categories that may be used alone or in combination:

  • Light therapy
  • Psychotherapy
  • Antidepressant medications
  • Vitamin D

Talk to your health care provider about which treatment, or combination of treatments, is best for you. If you would like to talk more about SAD or obtain help with finding a treatment referral, contact our AFA EAP Committee.  Its confidential and always non-judgmental. You can find the contact information for your local AFA EAP Committee at afaalaska.org/eap.  You can also call AFA Alaska EAP at (949) 470-0493.

Welcoming Our Newest Flight Attendants

Reserve Committee

  • We are excited to welcome our newest Flight Attendants to the line!  Operating experience (OE) flights for the first class of 2022 are finishing up, and some of our new Flight Attendants will start flying the line as early as this week.
  • With new Flight Attendants joining us, now is a good opportunity to brush up on some new hire related programs that haven’t been active for a while, such as Operating Experience (OE) and job familiarization flights.
  • Ensuring that our newest Flight Attendants have accurate and correct information about our contract and work rules is critical to their success while on probation.  If questions come up, please refer them to an official AFA resource or their Local Reserve Committee for assistance. 

We are very excited to welcome our newest Flight Attendants from class 2022-01, who will begin their flying careers at our Seattle base. The first day of their first bid month will be April 1, 2022, though some may begin flying as soon as this week through trip pick-ups or the New Hire Reserve program (see below).  Given that it has been several years since we have welcomed new Flight Attendants, we wanted to provide some information and reminders about how all of us can help our new Flight Attendants to succeed throughout the probationary process and their new careers.  

Operating Experience (OE) Flights and Check Flight Attendants

As a result of ongoing growth, AFA and management recently agreed to expand the pool of who is eligible to conduct Operating Experience (OE) flights (formerly referred to as Initial Operating Experience [IOE]).  In addition to Inflight instructors, the newly expanded pool of “Check Flight Attendants” also includes Flight Attendants who are members of the company’s Special Projects Pool.  Check Flight Attendants observe the new hire Flight Attendants, assume responsibility for ensuring that they are performing job functions correctly, and determine if they are proficient in essential safety duties.

The OE program has also undergone some changes that may be different than you experienced during your own OE/IOE or have seen in the past.  Among these changes are a requirement that the new hire Flight Attendants need to be observed performing certain duties and will take over the responsibilities of a designated working Flight Attendant position.  Check Flight Attendants will provide guidance to the new hire Flight Attendants on which position they’ll be assigned to work.

It is important to note that Check Flight Attendants are line Flight Attendants and not supervisors.  Their presence onboard is to facilitate the OE flight for the new hire Flight Attendants, but they are not considered part of the working Flight Attendant crew and will conduct themselves accordingly.  For more information about the OE program, please refer to the February 21, 2022 Weekly Bulletin Bundle (AAG sign-on required).   

New Hire Reserve & Trip Pick Ups

With most new hire classes, there is a significant gap between graduation and base orientation and the beginning of the first bid period when they begin sitting reserve.  During this period, new hire Flight Attendants who would like to begin working may do so by picking up a maximum of two sequences per section 7.J of our contract.  AFA and management have also agreed to a temporary contractual modification through August 2022 that allows new hire Flight Attendants to opt into a reserve schedule following base orientation through the day prior to their first bid month.

New hire Flight Attendants who opt to participate in the New Hire Reserve program may start sitting reserve as soon as the day after base orientation.  In addition, all new hire Flight Attendants may pick up a maximum of two sequences as provided for in our contract regardless of whether they choose to opt into the New Hire Reserve program or not.  More information about the program can be found in the New Hire Reserve Letter of Agreement (LOA).

Job Familiarization Flights

New Flight Attendants who are on Reserve will be assigned “job familiarization” flights as their first four sequences following Base Orientation.  The flights are intended to allow our new flying partners to gain practical experience and become more acquainted with their duties onboard the aircraft.  Specific information can be found in section 7.F of our contract. 

This contractual provision allows Crew Scheduling to assign job familiarization flights from Open Time up to three days prior to departure, sequences constructed by Crew Scheduling, Flight Attendant-to-Flight Attendant trades removed from the trip pool, or positions added as an additional Flight Attendant (“E” position).  The language also requires that Crew Scheduling avoid assigning new Flight Attendants to the “A” position.  As a result, you may see new Flight Attendants who are completing job familiarization flights assigned outside of the normal Reserve Assignment List (LTFA) process in order for Crew Scheduling to meet this contractual obligation.

Questions About Our Contract and Work Rules

Our newest Flight Attendants are sure to have questions about our contract and work rules that will inevitably come up in conversation. As they are on probation, it’s essential that they receive the most accurate and up-to-date information possible.  Though well intentioned, offering advice based on previous reserve experience or past contracts may cause issues for new Flight Attendants and result in unintended consequences.

When these questions come up, please refer our new Flight Attendants to an official AFA resource, such as the AFA Reserve Survival Guide, for more information.  The AFA Reserve Survival Guide is easily accessible on the IMD in the GoodReader app.  If there are questions that aren’t answered in the guide, please direct them to their AFA Reserve Buddy or Local Reserve Committee for assistance.   

Service Flights Removed from Initial Training

Our current new hire Flight Attendants are facing the additional challenge of having had service flights removed from the initial training curriculum by management.  This failure to provide new hire Flight Attendants with hands-on service training in our actual working environment potentially increases the workload and stress for all Flight Attendants, and AFA has voiced our objections to management over this change.  Some Flight Attendants have reached out to inquire about the possibility of additional compensation for providing on-the-job training to new hire Flight Attendants.  This topic will be referred to our Negotiating Committee for review and consideration in advance of our upcoming contract negotiations.

Patience, Understanding, and Kindness

Though classroom training can provide a firm foundation for the multitude of situations that we face as safety professionals, nothing compares to stepping onboard an aircraft and performing the duties of a working Flight Attendant for the first time.  Each of us was in this position at one point and relied upon our more experienced flying partners to “show us the ropes.”  Our newest Flight Attendants are looking to each of us to be patient with them as they learn, understanding when they make mistakes, and supportive as they navigate a career which is completely new to many.  Please join us in welcoming our newest flying partners and showing them the kindness for which we are known.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your Local Reserve Committee.  You can find contact information on the Reserve Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

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. 

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 7 – September 2025

Our JNC made significant progress in shaping our JCBA, successfully reaching a Tentative Agreement on Section 13 – Uniforms. Key provisions include enhancements to uniform standards, ensuring protective measures such as no surnames on name tags from the Hawaiian CBA. While we continue discussions on various sections, including Air Safety Health and Security, Training, and Commuter Policy. We appreciate feedback from the 2207 Flight Attendants who participated in our recent Vacation Survey.

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 […]

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