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Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2022

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on Wednesday, May 25 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 many 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, May 25, 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), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN).  Also present were MEC Inflight Service Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, 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 errors in catering execution, provisioning, and loading across the entire system.  The committee believes management needs to get back to basics and significantly reduce the errors that are occurring before adding any additional products or making additional changes.
  • Issues with catering of flights to/from PAE that are catered in non-hub stations.  Catering errors on this flight have been substantial and highly impactful.  Management is looking to open a catering location in PAE.  In the meantime, they are looking to modify/reduce service so that something can be offered that is actually consistent given the current circumstances.
  • Concerns with lack of hands-on, practical service training during initial training.  New hire Flight Attendants continue to be placed at a disadvantage by management by not being set up for success.  The committee advocates for the reinstitution of service flights as part of initial training curriculum.
  • Products that are being advertised or promoted on the menu card are running out (True Lemon/True Lime).  If a product is being actively promoted, additional stock needs to be boarded in anticipation of increased demand from passengers.
  • Review of June 22nd catering changes.  Adding cranberry juice (boarded in 1 liter cartons) and POG as well as changes in beer and first class wine products.  Additional bags of liquor minis will be added to first class beverage carts for summer flying.
  • Safety concerns have been identified with coffee carafes falling off the beverage cart.  Management is looking to take action to address the concern.  There will be a new requirement that coffee carafes be placed inside a drawer on top of the cart to keep them from falling over.
  • New CSA announcements are being added for departures from some stations asking passengers to stow bags on sides in overhead bins (like a book on a bookshelf) and encouraging passengers to use restrooms in the terminal before boarding.  Corresponding Flight Attendant announcements will be added about bag stowage and at D-10 indicating that lavatories are closed until after takeoff.
  • MAX aircraft coffee maker brew baskets have been redesigned to better fit our coffee filter packs.  The new design has been tested by management and shows improved performance.  The redesigned brew basket should roll out across the MAX fleet across the next few weeks as the new parts are manufactured.
  • Continued supply chain issues affecting management’s ability to procure and stock service items and other products.  Most recently, this has affected stir sticks and potato chips.  Management is working to procure substitute products.  A disclaimer is being added to the menu card indicating that items may not be available and/or a substitute product may be offered due to supply chain issues.
  • Discussion about management’s desire to raise the main cabin pre-order meal limit.  The Committee shared concerns about the corresponding increase in trash and additional workload for Flight Attendants.
  • Discussion about some catering locations not providing an empty cart for trash as required.  Some stations are leaving carts onboard from previous legs with supplies or other items in them.  Please report these issues.  Conversely, please refrain from asking catering staff to load additional supplies in empty carts intended for trash stowage.
  • Concerns that the current snack basket being provided for first class passengers is lacking and not enough product is being loaded to allow all passengers much choice or selection.
  • Staffing levels within catering operations and currently open positions that management is working to fill.
  • Installation of Wi-Fi on newly delivered aircraft will continue to lag behind due an increase in aircraft deliveries and capacity limitations from the installation vendor.  Passengers will be notified by email and text message that their aircraft doesn’t have Wi-Fi.
  • Upcoming cabin refresh on the 800 fleet.  Will include new seat covers, seat cushions, carpet, bulkhead, and cabin divider.
  • Review of Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) replacement project scheduled to take place later this year.  Current devices will be replaced with the iPhone 13 (new hires are receiving the iPhone 12).  Block2Block will be updated to utilize the expanded screen space.  The new phones have the potential to use tap-to-pay functionality, which management is currently evaluating for potential use.
  • Update on upcoming Block2Block software fixes and improvements.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Providing Input on New Aircraft Galley Designs.  Working to ensure that Flight Attendant needs are prioritized in the design of galleys and galley components for new aircraft that the company has on order.

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. 

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – May 2022

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, May 24 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Tuesday, May 24, our AFA Scheduling 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 Heather Reier (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Virginia Fritz (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Adam Clarey, MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative Kiara O’Bryant, and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton. The committee met with representatives from inflight base management and other management representatives from Crew Planning.

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:

  • Reassignments for line holders and reserves – avoiding cancellations.
  • Long wait times for hotels/transportation and concerns with API (the company’s hotel sourcing vendor).  When these situations occur, continue to file CrewCare reports and remain in contact with Crew Scheduling. 
  • Pre-cancellations and the ability to email in order to waive pay.
  • Flight schedule changes and cancellations (reduction in planned schedule) for June, July, and August.  Management indicated that reserve percentages will remain high. 
  • Possibility of allowing Personal Drops and/or raising the threshold sequence number (TSN).
  • Line averages and Reserve coverage.  Management is planning to lower averages to 75 TFP and increase reserve coverage to above 20% in all bases.
  • Pay Protection is compared on a day-by-day basis and excluded from the Spring Incentive Premium.
  • Crew Access queues were explained in recent bulletin 2022-0046 Bulletin Bundle April 18, 2022 (AAG sign-on required).
  • Irregular operations quick reference information.  Our AFA Scheduling Committee has put together a quick reference guide that can be accessed here: https://afaalaska.org/scheduling/irops.
  • Flight Attendants who are experiencing fatigue should report or call in fatigued if unable to perform duties or safely operate.  Refer to the Fatigue Risk Management Plan (FRMP) Letter of Agreement for more information.
  • Expecting an update to Crew Access on June 6, 2022.
  • Crew Access/NAVBLUE/T-Mobile/Block2Block – data, statistics, pending updates and requests to improve. 
  • Commuting while on reserve and being in base at the start of reserve availability period.  Not being available in base at the start of the availability period is considered by management to be time card fraud, even if a Flight Attendant has self-assigned a trip or APSB with a later report time.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. PBS Base Sits.  Conducting virtual meetings, trainings, and in-person meetings in preparation for the sunsetting of NAVBLUE ClassBid PBS.  
  2. Reassignment Flow Chart.  Scheduling Committee Members reviewed a draft of the reassignment flow chart and it has been moved forward to the final stages of review and approval.  Refer to sections 10.R and 10.R.5 of our CBA.
  3. Scheduling Quality of Life Improvements.  Reviewing ways to improve Trip Length Distribution (TLD) and other quality of life options.  Working with management to develop a quality of life survey to determine Flight Attendant scheduling priorities. 
  4. Review of user guides and links of Flight Attendant website.  Ensuring information is still accurate in existing resource materials, links are still active and working, etc.
  5. Updating Crew Access videos.  Working with management and ITS to update the Crew Access instructional videos to reflect updates and changes to the user interface.

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 Scheduling Committee is your voice to management.  You can open a support request on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

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

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 MEC by sending management a letter telling them it’s time to make it right!

Now that bids have finally been awarded for June 2022, it is time to focus our attention on addressing management’s continued disregard for our collective bargaining agreement by publishing bid packets that are full of errors and failing to award bids in a contractually compliant manner.  Our Master Executive Council (MEC) has heard loud and clear from our Flight Attendants that you expect management to provide a meaningful remedy to the situation that includes compensation for their continued violation of contractual obligations.  We could not agree with you more and will be approaching management this week to make this request on behalf of all Flight Attendants.

TAKE ACTION: Stand in Solidarity and Let Management Hear Our Voices!

Our MEC needs your support to let management know just how serious we are about holding them accountable.  Take action now and send management a letter telling them that it’s time to make it right!  We’ve made it easy, just click the link below.  A template letter has already been written for you, all you need to do is enter your contact information.

Click here to send management your letter

We must show management that we are tired of their excuses and demand that they hold themselves accountable in the same way they hold Flight Attendants accountable.  Let management know that we stand together in solidarity and tell them it’s time to make it right!

The Saga Continues: June 2022 Bid Awards Delayed

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • 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!

June 2022 Bid awards will be delayed. 

Errors affecting over 500 positions throughout the system have been identified in the June bid packet, resulting in our MEC demanding a system-wide rebid. The errors include: flights that no longer exist, miscoded DHD Flights, inaccurate TFP, and inaccurate report times. When our AFA PBS Subcommittee discovered these errors and brought them to our MEC’s attention, the MEC called an emergency meeting and met with management to discuss our options.

After carefully considering the feedback following last month’s bidding errors, our MEC unanimously voted for a system-wide rebid to rectify these errors’ impact during bidding. Realizing the value we place on our schedules and the expectation of them being awarded accurately, we felt it necessary to correct these errors before proceeding with bid awards. A rebid will delay awards, trading, and planning for the month of June. While this may be frustrating to some, a rebid allows us all to evaluate the corrected pairings and honor seniority.   

While management continues to tell us they will do better, it is apparent we have very different definitions of “doing better.”  Our MEC made that point abundantly clear to management and explained how angry and frustrated Flight Attendants are with the many failures and the level of incompetence experienced lately. Management has no problem holding Flight Attendants responsible for the most minute concerns, yet they are unwilling to hold themselves accountable for their repeated errors and violating their contractual obligations.  Management doesn’t appear phased by the high attrition rate or rock-bottom morale – it’s almost as if they don’t CARE how their decisions impact us.  But they are now on notice and fully aware that this latest “screw up” has further eroded confidence (if there is any left) in their ability to manage this workgroup. 

Flight Attendants do not need another apology from management. Instead, management should look in the mirror and see the mess staring back at them and begin to make things right. They need to show that they’re willing to walk their talk…and “do the right thing.”

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2022

Uniform Committee

  • 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.   

On Tuesday, May 3, our AFA Local Uniform 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 Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), David Jelinek (PDX), Lisa Mueller (SFO), Heather Milner (LAX), and Denise Sheldon (SAN).  Also present were MEC Uniform Committee Chairperson Todd Scarlett; MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Uniform Safety Representative Deb Wallstrom; and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Director of Procurement Eric Phillipson, Uniform Programs Manager Ashlyn Pham, Senior Marketing Product Delivery Manager Kelly Cuthill, and PDX Base Manager Kristie Stafford 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:

  • Confirmation of the 90-day return period for unused uniform items.  This return period is contractual for Flight Attendants (CBA addendum to section 13, #2), but there has been some confusion as the return period for other company employees is shorter.
  • Recent changes to uniform policies and upcoming gender-neutral uniform pieces.
  • Introduction to new management employees responsible for overseeing uniform procurement, the fit center, and the company’s relationship with Unisync.
  • Ongoing requests to streamline uniform boot policies.
  • Requests for improvements to the transition jacket, specifically increased warmth and wind resistance.
  • Introduction of a new, smaller pronoun pin than what was introduced last year and is available at the Company Store.  The smaller pin will be available soon in all bases and will be available free of charge to anyone who would like one.
  • Request to remove the policy requirement that uniform shoes have a defined heel.
  • Concerns that the policy requiring that hosiery be worn with the uniform skirt and dresses is outdated.
  • Request to review the current process for Flight Attendants to provide feedback related to uniform pieces.  The requirement to compose an email to Unisync is not consistent with how Flight Attendants report issues in other areas and is unnecessarily cumbersome.
  • Ongoing uniform quality issues.  Management indicates that improvements have been made with double stitching and reinforced seams, but Flight Attendants are still experiencing problems.
  • Concerns with product shortages and items that are backordered for extended periods of time.  Management states that the shortages are due to supply chain issues as well as greater than expected hiring of new employees that they did not project for.
  • Issues with a shortage of standard issue crew luggage pieces for new hire Flight Attendants.  Management has temporarily issued alternate pieces of luggage to several of the new classes due to the shortage.  This shortage has also affected the availability of loaner bags at each base.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Improving the Uniform Boot Policy. Working with management and the AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) to allow for a broader range of Arctic boots, to allow Arctic boots in Alaska any time there is snow or ice on the ground, and to allow boots outside of terminals and the aircraft anytime there is inclement weather (policy not yet in effect).
  2. Simplification of Uniform Policies.  Advocating for an overall simplification of company uniform policies through clearer guidelines, removal of excessive or unrealistic restrictions, and other common sense changes.
  3. Streamlining the Uniform Feedback Process.  Working to develop an easy-to-use, online form that Flight Attendants can use to provide feedback about uniform issues and concerns that automatically routes to management, Unisync, and our AFA Uniform Committee.

We Want to Hear From You!

Please help our Uniform Committee by taking the time to email Unisync at alaskaservice@unisyncgroup.com with any quality issues you are experiencing.  When sending an email, please describe the issue with as much detail as possible and include photos if you can.  Please CC your Local Uniform Committee Chairperson on the email so that the Uniform Committee can track the issues as well.

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

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, February 19, our AFA Local Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), Bob Moore (PDX), Lisa Mueller (SFO), Heather Holmes […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – February 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, February 24, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Rebekah Olds (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Russel Rivinius (PDX), […]

Important Update: Irregular Operations Due to Civil Unrest In Mexico

In response to the significant operational disruptions caused by the civil unrest affecting cities throughout Mexico, particularly Puerto Vallarta (PVR), Guadalajara (GDL), and Manzanillo (ZLO), management continues to operate under an Irregular Operations (IROPS) situation. Our MEC and Committees are actively monitoring the situation and working with management to support our Flight Attendants. Management has […]

Invitation to Training: What To Do if a Union Member is Detained

The California Federation of Labor Unions is offering a series of Union Rapid Response Trainings. The next session, “What To Do if a Union Member is Detained,” will offer practical information and guidance on how to respond if this happens. Details of the training are as follows: Date: Thursday, February 19Time: 11:30 AM to 1 PM PTLocation: Zoom Please register […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – February 2026

On Monday, February 9, 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), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX-pmAS), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), with MEC […]

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