This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, August 26, 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 Rebekah Olds (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Kanako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were Council 35 (SFO) Hotel Committee Chairperson Hilary Streem, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones.

The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Senior Crew Planning Analyst Christopher Potts, Inflight Crew Scheduling Supervisor Matthew Trujillo, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, Crew Hotels Specialist Nichole Turner, Manager of Flight Crew Systems Support Sue Rawlings and other management representatives from Crew Planning, Crew Hotels and Crew Scheduling

The Committee is next scheduled to meet in person on Tuesday, September 23.

Topics of Discussion

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

Crew Backlog Review: The Committee thoroughly analyzed the crew backlog as of August 7, 2025. They identified critical areas where contractual changes are needed, bugs must be fixed, JIRAs updated, and priorities renumbered in our system operations to enhance functionality, automation, and contractual compliance. The Committee stressed the urgency of addressing these issues to prevent further disruptions and ensure crew members’ systems are correctly programmed.

Crew Bi-Monthly Review with ALPA: The outcomes of the bi-monthly review with ALPA on July 23, 2025, were discussed in detail. Key topics included collaborative strategies to address ITS system conflicts, improving communication between management and crew members, and aligning system needs with the crew member experience. The Committee highlighted the significance of these discussions in fostering a cooperative environment that prioritizes both parties’ contractual and programming needs.

Fatigue Review Board Meetings: The Committee outlined the agenda for the upcoming Fatigue Review Board meetings scheduled through December 2025. These meetings will focus on addressing the increasing concerns regarding crew fatigue reported by members. The Committee plans to collect data on fatigue incidents, discuss mitigation strategies, and evaluate current policies to enhance crew well-being. The importance of these discussions lies in their potential to lead to actionable changes that prioritize safety and crew health.

Local Chairperson Reports:

PDX (Portland)

• Day Room Issues: Flight Attendants have reported difficulties securing day rooms after long international flights, often facing delays and inadequate communication regarding accommodations. The Committee will investigate these incidents to enhance support systems for crew members during layovers and ensure that hotel arrangements are handled efficiently.
• Banking Challenges: Increased passenger volumes at the airport have led to operational strain, particularly during peak hours. The Committee is aware of the challenges crew members face in navigating airport facilities and is exploring logistical improvements to ease congestion and enhance the flying experience at PDX.

SAN (San Diego)

• Double Out Rest Clarification: The Committee discussed the nuances of contractual provisions regarding double-out rest for flight attendants. 
• Jumpseat Assignment Policy: A review of the jump seat assignment process highlighted the need for more straightforward guidelines regarding seniority-based assignments. The Committee will work with management on developing a transparent policy that ensures fairness in the allocation of jump seats, addressing concerns raised by Flight Attendants.

ANC (Anchorage)

• Open Time Reporting: The Committee reviewed Open Time reporting metrics and operational challenges faced by crew members. Addressing this system outage is crucial for maintaining crew flexibility. The Committee is working on resolutions with Alaska ITS and Jeppesen, the vendor.

LAX (Los Angeles)

• IT Concerns: Ongoing IT issues were addressed, including delays in release times and hotel accommodations. The Committee is working closely with IT support teams to resolve these issues, aiming to improve the overall experience for crew members during layovers and operational changes.

SFO (San Francisco)

• Communication Protocols: The need for clearer communication regarding crew transitions from working to deadheading was emphasized. The Committee plans to establish protocols that ensure timely notifications to crew members, reducing confusion and improving operational efficiency.

SEA (Seattle)

• Reassignment Clarification: A significant number of reassignments and pre-cancellations have raised questions about pay and provisions. The Committee seeks more straightforward guidelines and support mechanisms to assist crew members in navigating these changes effectively.

PBS Subcommittee

• Bidding Process: The Subcommittee reported on the current bidding trends for August and September, noting minor fluctuations in awards. Adjustments were made to ensure compliance with labor agreements, and efforts are ongoing to address any discrepancies.
• NAVBLUE Issues: Ongoing meetings with NAVBLUE have focused on addressing technical failures and functional requests. The Subcommittee is committed to resolving these issues to enhance the bidding and scheduling process for crew members.
• Releases Timeline: Upcoming software releases are planned for September and November, emphasizing incorporating Member feedback into system improvements. These updates aim to enhance the overall user experience and address existing pain points.

ITS Update

• Testing and Automation: The automation initiative is progressing, with the introduction of new test cases aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the PBS system. The Committee is prioritizing robust testing to ensure reliability before implementation.
• Crew Calendar Development: The crew calendar and personal drop form are undergoing user acceptance training, with a targeted rollout by early October. Ensuring a smooth transition to the new system is a priority for the Committee.
• JCTE Issues: The committee continues to collaborate with vendors to address recurring issues with the JCTE system, focusing on improving reliability and minimizing disruptions for crew members.

Flight Attendant Crew Pay Update

• Inquiry Management: The committee is actively addressing the increase in crew pay inquiries, emphasizing the importance of submitting queries judiciously to avoid system overload. Educational resources will be provided to help crew members navigate the pay inquiry process effectively.
• Trend Analysis: An upward trend in pay inquiries has been observed, prompting a comprehensive review of existing processes to improve efficiency. The Committee aims to streamline communication regarding pay issues to serve crew members better.

Flight Attendant Crew Planning Update

• Staffing Metrics: The Committee is analyzing planned reserve staffing levels and block hours to ensure alignment with operational demands. Adjustments will be made as necessary to optimize crew utilization.
• Irregular Operations Mitigation Strategies: The Committee is focusing on enhancing connection times and scheduling practices to minimize delays and improve operational reliability. Specific strategies include analyzing connection times and addressing known issues at key airports.

Flight Attendant Crew Scheduling Update

• Sick Leave Monitoring: The Committee is closely monitoring sick leave trends, focusing on improving reserve utilization rates and addressing fatigue-related concerns. Strategies will be developed to ensure adequate staffing while prioritizing crew members’ health.

• Policy Review: Ongoing reviews of policies regarding deadheading and hotel accommodations aim to provide more straightforward guidelines and enhance crew support. The Committee is committed to ensuring crew members have access to the resources they need while on duty.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Crew Access Issues: Crew Access challenges significantly affect how well operations run, influencing how Flight Attendants feel about their work. It’s crucial to tackle these problems to create a better working environment. The committee will set up a review process to pinpoint the specific access difficulties faced by Flight Attendants, including technology problems and policy gaps. Flight Attendants will have the chance to provide their feedback through direct communication. A preliminary report outlining the findings and suggestions is expected by early September 2025, and actions to address these issues will begin soon after.
2. Resolving Pyramiding Pay Disputes: Finding a solution to the pay dispute related to pyramiding is vital for maintaining fairness in how Flight Attendants are compensated. Disagreements about over-duty pay and day-off violations can seriously affect crew morale and operational integrity. The committee will keep discussing the matter through the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process to clarify payment rules and ensure they are followed. They will gather information from Flight Attendants affected by these issues to guide their discussions. An update on the progress and any resolutions will be shared with Members by the end of September 2025, aiming for a settlement soon after. Management and AFA will explore other options, like mediation or arbitration, if an agreement cannot be reached.
3. ISA for Reserves Implementation: The ineligibility for self-assignment (ISA) for Reserve Flight Attendants is an important step toward fairer and more transparent scheduling practices. This change is crucial for boosting crew satisfaction and efficiency. The Committee will work quickly to finalize this new system by working with the IT department and other relevant management to implement the necessary changes to the scheduling system. They will also develop ways to keep Flight Attendants informed about the updates. The next Crew Access release, which will include ISA implementation allowing Reserve Flight Attendant to Reserve Flight Attendant trading, is expected to be available in early October 2025, after all testing has been completed.

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.

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, June 24, 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), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Virginia Fritz (SFO), Kanako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones.

The committee met with Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Inflight Crew Scheduling Supervisor Matthew Trujillo, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, Crew Hotels Specialist Nichole Turner, Manager of Flight Crew Systems Support Sue Rawlings and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet in person on Tuesday, July 22.

Topics of Discussion

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

Local Committee Chairperson Reports

PDX

• Flight Attendants can pre-reserve their meals on deadhead flights, a handy option. However, it’s important to note that they only get monetary compensation when flying on flights operated by Horizon or SkyWest.
• There was some confusion regarding reassignments. If a Flight Attendant is reassigned more than four hours after their original schedule, they should be paid at 1.5 times their rate. However, according to the MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson and Grievance Committee Payroll Representative, this doesn’t pyramid for additional 1.5x pay, which is a point of contention.
• There’s excitement about the inaugural flights to Rome, which Hawaiian will operate.
• PDX crews will be flying redeyes from PDX to SEA, a shift in the usual routing.

SAN

• We had quite a notable month in July with a record-breaking 15 redeye routes, six of which were from SEA. This is a significant change in our flight operations, reflecting how the industry is evolving.
• The discussion also touched on pyramid pay and reassignment policies, especially under section 9.E.7, where additional flying above the scheduled time should earn that premium pay. It was emphasized that under section 15.G, no one should suffer a loss in pay; premium pay is not currently recognized under this provision. 

ANC

• We faced a unique situation in which a Flight Attendant was awarded a charter but ran into issues with the minimum block time between trips. This highlighted the strict adherence to the 1:30 block-to-block minimum, which is crucial for base turns.
• We also had some positive discussions about initial contact processes, particularly with Crew Scheduling making calls, but we agreed that further discussions are needed on contact provisions.
• There’s also an update on the stranded pay inquiry form. While it still appears in dropdown lists, the Crew Pay team is working on system updates to streamline this. There’s discussion about it being removed.

LAX

• A significant question arose regarding pay when a Flight Attendant goes under domicile rest. The Flight Attendants who did not waive their rest were reassigned, and it was clarified that their pay is protected based on the greater value of either the trip or the reassignment pay.
• There was also some confusion around the charter bidding.
• Flight Attendants expressed a desire for a reference from section 10.R to sections 9.E.6 and 9.E.7, indicating a need for clarity in these areas.

SFO

• Had its fair share of issues, primarily revolving around pay inquiries. Many Flight Attendants found it challenging to quote TFP and compensation accurately.
• There was an interesting conversation about whether we’ll be hiring more pay analysts after the merger. The plan is to bring in two analysts for Flight Attendants and two for pilots, which should help alleviate some of the workload.

SEA

• Discussions centered around various pay questions related to reassignment, pre-cancellations, and diversions. Crew Scheduling built a 4k turn with over 80 minutes of sit time, which was paid under section 10.W.
• Some Flight Attendants also tried to pick up PO-coded trips, which were similarly compensated under section 10.W. One key point was that charters should have their TFP values input before posting to avoid confusion later on.
• The timing for block-ins was clarified, noting that the next day starts at 0000 hours.

PBS Subcommittee

• In the PBS Subcommittee update, we talked about the bidding process. For July, bidding assistance requests were steady, with a trend of multiple bid groups being used in certain instances where single bid groups would be sufficient. July bid awards resulted in high coverage and secondary line generation (SLG), much to the subcommittee’s disappointment. 
• The subcommittee completed testing on two NAVBLUE releases; however, we encountered defects that hindered the transition to these newer releases.
• We held several meetings with NAVBLUE to discuss updates on testing and enhancements, including plans for future releases that will introduce new features to improve the user experience.

Pairing Construction

• The Pairing Construction Subcommittee reported that August pairing solutions were chosen based on soft locks and distribution. To refine the process, a focus on in-person pairing building for July 2025 has been established.
• There was a mention of looking into SAN and PDX due to the high volume of redeyes, and they sent out raw pairings for review, asking for feedback on any lingering issues.

Hotel Committee

• We discussed changes to hotel assignments stemming from the bidding process. Crew Planning builds the hotel list and sends it to API, who then populates it, and NAVBLUE gets involved. This means hotel assignments might not be known until after awards, which can lead to uncertainty. When a hotel assignment is not confirmed for a particular pairing, it will show as TBD during bidding.
• We had an incident regarding the BOS hotel, where renovations were unexpectedly extended, impacting crew accommodations.

Crew Systems/JCTE

• The Crew Systems team is busy testing new PBS releases, specifically version 25.3. They’re addressing ad-hoc issues with the analyzer and working on updating point reduction forms and TFP calculators. The JCTE release scheduled for July 2, 2025, aims to clean up premium text messages and filters, with an emphasis on ensuring that when a 4k trip is assigned, it will automatically show up in the system.

Flight Attendant Crew Pay

• The Flight Attendant Crew Pay update was quite revealing. A PowerPoint presentation showed 2,662 total queries in April, with Flight Attendants accounting for 1,514 of those. Despite hopes that the published bulletin would reduce inquiries, there’s been little progress.
• The stranded pay category is still visible in drop-down lists, and there are concerns about removing it due to the potential loss of historical data.

Crew Planning Management

• Crew Planning Management discussed a reduction in block hours from July, with a focus on trip mix and reducing the number of single-position pairings. Reserve staffing levels are around 20.8%, with an average line of 77 TFP.
• They also analyzed commuting patterns, finding that SEA/ANC/LAX are best for three-day trips, while SEA/PDX/SAN work well for four-day trips.

Crew Scheduling Management

• Crew Scheduling Management reported a 3% increase in sick leave, currently at 12.6%, slightly better than last year’s figures. They’ve been auditing state sick leave and reviewing absence counts.
• Premium trips in May were expensive, nearly hitting 1,600 trips, while June saw a significant decrease in trips, which raised concerns about taxi times in Seattle extending beyond the scheduled duration.

New CBA Stats

• New CBA statistics were shared, indicating trends in call-out rates and reassignments.
• The audit for contactability showed a high accuracy rate at 93.8%, but it highlighted the need for more in-depth testing, particularly regarding B2B processes.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. NAVBLUE. The PBS Subcommittee is working with NAVBLUE to understand the new contractual waive rules adopted in the recently ratified contract. The Committee also continues to provide in person and virtual base sits so that all Flight Attendants may attend and get answers to all PBS bidding related questions.
2. 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.
3. Crew Planning. Crew Planning shared a monthly presentation about Pairing Statistics. Crew Planning is focused on anticipating increased block hours as the summer season approaches, with specific strategies to optimize trip lengths and identify commutability for flight crews. The team is also collaborating with operational analytics to develop dashboards that facilitate better decision-making and scheduling efficiency.
4. Crew Pay. Crew Pay is working on additional communications to improve clarity and address the high volume of queries surrounding pay discrepancies. The payroll team is committed to resolving ongoing issues quickly to ensure crew members receive their compensation accurately and on time.
5. AFA Payroll Representative. The Committee has been advocating for a streamlined process to resolve outstanding pay issues for crew members efficiently. The focus is on ensuring timely compensation and improved communication.
6. Open Time – ADR. We appreciate your patience regarding the crew access challenges you’ve faced. A recent system issue requiring a server restart caused delays in trip information, and some users were logged out. We are working with ITS to address and resolve the problem. Please continue to report any issues by contacting crew scheduling by phone, reaching ITS at 1-877-238-1077, or emailing its.service.desk@alaskaair.com. This issue has been added to ADR (agenda item #026-25A) for discussion.
7. Chimes/Teams LOA Update. Management has drafted a labor and work requirements proposal regarding the Chimes/Teams LOA, with a response expected soon after review and finalization. There have been ongoing discussions about implementing this LOA, with management confirming progress with ITS and coordinating necessary details. The Committee has been actively following up on the status and emphasizing the urgency for implementation, particularly before the winter storms.
8. JCTE/Crew Access Update. On Wednesday, July 2, 2025, we will implement a maintenance update to JCTE/Crew Access, which includes enhancements, high-priority bug fixes, and other items to support our back-office teams. This update will impact Flight Attendants with several key changes: text messages will once again be sent for subscriptions that include the premium-only button; after logging into Crew Access and navigating to the trip pool, only trips fitting the saved default filter will be displayed; boarding pay will now be included in the pay TFP value of a trip; 4K reserve assignments assigned by scheduling will automatically pay 1.5 premium; Crew Access will display 5 TFP for reserve duty without an assignment that falls on contractual holidays, though TFP will not show until the day after the holiday, with TFP for holiday RON being displayed in the next release; LIMOs will show a calculated value of 0.75 TFP per hour, with a minimum of 1 TFP; trips on your original award reporting in the current bid period but departing in the next bid period will no longer be dropped when the next period’s schedule is loaded; 00:00 will now appear on unacknowledged roster changes when a schedule change includes those start or end times; the report date of trip splits in Crew Access will consistently show the actual report date of each new trip in transaction reports, though the wrong report date may still appear when trips are created or revised by scheduling; and the footer in the historical changes report in Crew Access will no longer overlap with the change messages. We appreciate your ongoing support and collaboration as we implement these updates, and our Scheduling and Reserve Committees have been actively working with ITS to ensure these improvements are in place.

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.

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, April 22, 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), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Kanako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones. 

The committee met with Managing Director of Operations Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette, Director Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Inflight Crew Scheduling Supervisor Matthew Trujillo, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, Crew Hotels Specialist Nichole Turner, Manager Flight Crew Systems Support Sue Rawlings and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, May 27.

Topics of Discussion

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

Local Scheduling Issues

• Crew Access Open Time Issues: Problems regarding Open Time in Crew Access have been noted and added to ADR 018-025A for further review and resolution.
• SAL Projections: Based on the Crew Planning pairing construction data, June projections indicate a staffing level reduction of 201.
• Training Updates: The Training Department confirmed that Class 6 for new hires has been canceled. The last training class of the year is scheduled to start on Monday.
• Growth Initiatives: As reported by Network Planning, SAN domicile growth is projected in Phoenix (PHX), Denver (DEN), and Chicago O’Hare (ORD), indicating expansion in operational capacity.
• Retiming Issues: On the SAN/DCA route, some Flight Attendants were compensated 1.5x for retimed duties if they flew the affected leg. Payroll will meet on April 23, 2025, to discuss these payments and other payroll issues.
• Disputed Pay Issues: There is an ongoing dispute regarding a Flight Attendant who worked over their duty time and is now facing issues with day-off pyramid pay (ADR agenda item 019-25A).
• Seasonal Flying: As indicated by the Network Planning department, seasonal flying operations are set to return, which may impact scheduling and staffing needs.
• Premium Pickup Availability: Crew Scheduling reports that premium trips are currently available for pickup, helping to address staffing shortages for month-end overlap. Anchorage is the primary concern, but other domiciles should also see a premium. Crew Scheduling is urging FAs to pick up premium shifts to mitigate shortages.
• Operational Changes: When operations change departure times, queries have arisen regarding the record-keeping process. Crew Scheduling and Station management need to follow up to clarify the process from the CSA perspective.

PBS Update

• Bidding Overview: Bidding has been steady in May, with a focus on all California bases maintaining consistent staffing levels.
• Bid Awards and Protests: Quick bid awards were granted in May, with efforts to focus on only essential reserve needs rather than spreading excess reserves. A few protests were honored, including a unique case concerning Buddy Bidding where discrepancies arose between submitted screenshots and recorded submissions.
• Meetings: A Navblue call was held on April 3, 2025, during which it was confirmed that pilots and Flight Attendants will officially split upon taking a new release. Updates related to Change Requests (CRs) concerning TA2 were requested. On April 10, 2025, a meeting addressed bugs in version 25.1, highlighting that the offline bid function was not operating as expected. The committee reiterated its previous offer to assist in testing and preventing further bugs.
• Testing Updates: Version 25.1 is currently available for testing, with significant changes, including improvements to offline mode and password resets. A new bug related to printing has been identified, and a workaround has been suggested for iPhone users.
• Base Sits Engagement: Base sits engagement levels in April were variable compared to previous years, prompting discussions on strategies to improve participation and communication with bases.

ITS Update

• Testing Progress: As of April 22, 2025, the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for PBS 25.1 is ongoing, with no new test cases added.
• TFP Calculators: The ITS team is working on TFP calculators due to new requirements in the CBA.
• Trade Analysis: A total of 82,507 trades were analyzed in April, with 98% of trades receiving responses in less than 10 seconds, while 1.4% took longer than 10 seconds. April trade volume was higher compared to March.
• Operational Updates: The JCTE release is being tested for version 9.1 MR21. Ground transport and limos will include one TFP and a manual process will be in place until full integration is achieved. Boarding pay testing is expected by May 5, and updates are scheduled for the next release.
• Payroll Update
• Monthly Comparison: A comparison of payroll queries indicates a rise from 1,052 in March to 1,437 in April. Flight Attendants are transitioning from general pay categories to other TFP categories, with 821 classified as non-applicable.
• Drug Testing Payment: Clarifications on the payment processes for drug testing reveal that Flight Attendants must wait for their paychecks to confirm payments. If there are any discrepancies, the drug testing group needs to be contacted directly. Payments are generated from a file managed by drug abatement and accounting payroll.
• City Pair Review: Debbie Bakke (Manager, Payroll) and Matthew Trujillo (Supervisor, Crew Scheduling) connected regarding a bulletin that requires a pay annotation from scheduling. Payroll has reviewed specific city pair issues.

Crew Planning Update

• Block Hours: Block hours are projected to increase during the summer months of April, May, and June. June is expected to see block hours reach 337,079, although there has been a decrease in SFO.
• Reserve Utilization: The average TFP line is projected at 77.5 in June, with 20.3% reserves. Individual bases show varying reserve percentages, with Seattle at 23% due to improved flying recovery options.
• Staffing Adjustments Leaves: Plans are in place for 201 staffing adjustments leaves, with the potential to award more positions. The closing date for adjustments is the first of each month.
• Irregular Operations Mitigation Efforts: Construction projects at SAN include adding 19 new gates and resurfacing tarmacs. The airport project is scheduled to continue through 2028 and will affect transcontinental departures.
• Hotel and API Concerns: An API quarterly meeting is set to review hotel accommodations and ad hoc lists, especially in preparation for training hotels slated for 2026. During Easter week, there were concerns about hotel relocations impacting Flight Attendants, particularly in FLL and PVR. As a reminder, please continue to fill out CrewCare reports for all hotel and transportation issues. They are vital to our success in advocating for changes and accountability. 

Crew Scheduling Update

• Sick Leave Statistics: Overall sick leave for the month is 9.5%, a decrease from 12.9% in April 2024. Increases were noted in ANC and LAX, while SFO saw a reduction.
• Reserve Sick Leave: Reserve sick leave stands at 7.2%, down significantly from 11.4% in the previous year.
• Absence Statistics: 4,385 absences were recorded across the system for April.
• Premium and Personal Drops: Premium TFP postings included 9,765 in February, 9,222 in March, and 2,830 month-to-date in April. Personal drops (PDs) totaled 175 for April month-to-date, compared to 301 PDs and bulletin board drops in March.
• Upcoming CBA Changes: Implementation timelines for various contractual changes are in progress. Key upcoming changes include state sick leave effective May 1, PPP restructuring in June, and additional vacation and uniform allotment increases in the fourth quarter of 2025.
• Deadhead Process Improvements: Ongoing efforts with TSA are addressing challenges related to deadhead processes. Flight Attendants are experiencing difficulties with check-in procedures; compliance issues are under review, and updates will be provided later in the week.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. NAVBLUE. The PBS Subcommittee preparing for a new release of NAVBLUE. Once received they will test before the release is implemented. The Committee is also continuing to provide in person and virtual base sits so that all flight attendants may attend and get answers to all PBS bidding related questions.
2. 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.
3. Crew Planning. Crew Planning shared a monthly presentation about Pairing Statistics. Crew Planning is focused on anticipating increased block hours as the summer season approaches, with specific strategies to optimize trip lengths and identify commutability for flight crews. The team is also collaborating with operational analytics to develop dashboards that facilitate better decision-making and efficiency in scheduling.
4. Crew Pay. Crew pay is working on additional communications aimed at improving clarity and addressing the high volume of queries surrounding pay discrepancies. The payroll team is committed to resolving ongoing issues quickly to ensure crew members receive their compensation accurately and on time.
5. AFA Payroll Representative. The Committee has been advocating for a streamlined process to resolve outstanding pay issues for crew members efficiently. The focus is on ensuring timely compensation and improved communication.

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.