AFA Alaska + Hawaiian

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for Council 43 HNL

Hawaiian MEC Grievance Committee – Flat Rate Form Reminder

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

This is a reminder that we are still collecting responses for the Flat Rate Data Form regarding the dispute over the proof of relocation requirement tied to the Flat Rate moving expense outlined in Section 5.B.2. of our contract.

If you transferred between LAX and HNL and utilized the flat rate moving expense option, we ask that you please take a few moments to complete the form if you have not already done so.

Even if you did not experience any issues with your moving pay, your response is still important. Gathering a broad range of experiences helps strengthen our advocacy and provides a more complete picture as this grievance moves through the System Board process, mediation, and possible arbitration.

Click here to fill out the Flat Rate Data Form

Mahalo to everyone who has already participated and for your continued support.

In Solidarity,
pm-Hawaiian MEC Grievance Committee
grievance@afahawaiian.org


Council 43 Officer Elections – Candidate Forum Recording

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

The 2026 Council 43 Elections are currently underway for Local Executive Council President, Vice President and Secretary with a term of office beginning July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. To view the current election information and candidates who have submitted their Willingness to Serve please visit the AFA-CWA Elections Council 43.

Election Schedule

  • April 30 – Voting Notices mailed
  • May 5 – Polls open and voting begins
  • May 19 – Polls close at 9 AM HT

Voting Notices will contain voting instructions and activation code to vote. For more information about the voting process please visit AFA-CWA Elections.

Please keep in mind that in order to vote, you must be a member in good standing. Being a member in good standing means that you are an active member with no delinquent dues balance. Please log into the AFA Membership Hub to view your eligibility status and dues information. For any questions regarding your dues please reach out to AFA Membership Services.

Candidate Forum

On Monday, May 4, the Council 43 Communications Committee hosted a Candidate Forum. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and a special mahalo to the candidates for making time in their busy schedules to answer questions from our members.

For those who were unable to attend, the Candidate Forum was recorded and is available for viewing. Due to the length of the webinar, the recording has been separated by office: LEC President, LEC Vice President and LEC Secretary. Please use the links below to view the recordings:

LEC PresidentLEC Vice PresidentLEC Secretary

In solidarity,
Council 43 Communications Committee

Hawaiian Flight Attendant Seattle Domicile Update – May 2026

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

  • ETCH folder trips must be cleared in their originating domicile before being available for pickup or trade by Flight Attendants from other bases
  • HNL and LAX Flight Attendants are able to pick up SEA 787-9 pairings, but must order the Dreamliner uniform through Affinity Apparel
  • In accordance with Section 6.V of our contract, jackets are not required from April 15 to October 31 or when the ground cooling system is not working

With three domiciles now operated by pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants, the Seattle Domicile Negotiating Committee would like to clarify how out-of-domicile pickups and trades work.

ETCH Folder

Trips in the ETCH folder must first be cleared in their originating domicile before they become available for pickup or trade by Flight Attendants from other bases. Until that process is complete, those pairings are not eligible for out-of-base pick up or trade.

Dreamliner Uniform (787-9 Pairings)

Flight Attendants who are not based in SEA and are interested in picking up SEA domicile 787-9 pairings should place an order for the Dreamliner uniform through Affinity Apparel. HNL and LAX Flight Attendants have received extra uniform points to support access to the Dreamliner uniform. Those points can be allocated to Dreamliner uniform pieces at the Flight Attendant’s discretion.


The Dreamliner uniform is intended for 787-9 flying, contractually, a Flight Attendant is able to pick up any trip they are legal for. Flight Attendants should make a good faith effort to obtain the appropriate uniform. If a Flight Attendant has a 787-9 pairing approaching and has not yet received your Dreamliner uniform, please reach out to management, Gina Lorenzo, Jenny Bookert, Heather Hailey, and Michaela Littman, and copy sea@afahawaiian.org to explore available uniform options.

Jacket Requirement

As a reminder, in accordance with Section 6.V, jackets are not required to be worn from April 15 through October 31, or at any time the ground cooling system is not working. If management has asked, please reference the contract and notify a union representative.

Mahalo for your continued engagement. If you have more questions, please contact your local leadership or email the SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee at sea@afahawaiian.org.

Council 43 Update – May 3, 2026

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

Yesterday, we learned the heartbreaking news that Spirit Airlines permanently ceased operations, immediately affecting some 17,000 employees, including approximately 5,500 AFA Flight Attendants. Anyone who has experienced or even been around an airline shutdown knows how devastating it can be to the airline’s employees and their loved-ones. Spirit’s story could have been our story in the mid 1990’s, as Hawaiian teetered on the edge of bankruptcy and liquidation. Sadly, it was Aloha’s story in 2008. Although most people will move on and move forward with their lives, for many of them – many with stories untold – things will never be the same. Our hearts go out to all of them.

The Spirit AFA leaders that we have met and had the privilege to work with through AFA are hard-working professionals who are dedicated to raising the standards of our profession. There are so many similarities between our two groups. As AFA International President Sara Nelson wrote, “We will have more to say about the amazing Spirit AFA members who have inspired us with their stories, determination, and solidarity… Spirit has been a part of our AFA family and we will fly with Spirit Forever.”

In Solidarity,
Martin Gusman & Kela Chong

Council 43 Election & Candidates Forum

The Alaska-Hawaiian Council 43 elections are upon us. Local Council Officers will need to be elected for the term beginning on July 1, 2026, and ending on June 30, 2029, as provided by the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws. Voting notices with credentials to access the electronic ballot were mailed on April 30, 2026, and voting will begin on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

To support and facilitate our Union’s democratic election process, Council 43’s Communications Committee will be hosting a Candidates Forum on Monday, May 4, 2026, (tomorrow) at 1200 HST. Please use this link to register for the meeting, using your personal email address that is on file with AFA. Please note that only members in good standing will be allowed to vote in the election. You may check your membership standing by going to the AFA Membership Hub.

AFA elections are governed by procedures outlined in the Association’s Constitution & Bylaws, Article VIII and the AFA Policy Manual. For more information, please visit afacwa-elections.org.

Dues in Arrears – Overdue Dues Payments

This is a reminder that a Flight Attendant needs to be in good standing in order to vote in an election or vote on a tentative agreement that is up for ratification. A member in good standing is a Flight Attendant who is either current with their AFA dues or has worked out a payment plan for outstanding dues with the AFA-CWA membership department. If you’ve taken a leave of absence in recent years, or have dropped all your trips and did not receive any pay in a month, there is a good chance that an automatic dues deduction was missed. Email reminders will be sent to Flight Attendants with outstanding dues balances later this week. If you have a question about your membership status, please email our Local Membership Chairperson, Phyllis Lau, at phyllis.lau@afahawaiian.org, or your Local Officers at hnl@afahawaiian.org .

Jumpseat Policy Concerns

We have heard from some of you that there may be problems with the new Jumpseat Policy that was implemented at PSS. An issue that came to light involves Flight Attendants jumpseating from foreign stations and the inability to secure a boarding pass without a seat assignment. Even if a Flight Attendant is able to secure a boarding pass for the jumpseat at D-30 (thirty minutes prior to departure), it may not be enough time to get through security and immigration and get to the gate before departure.

Section 30.G.1. of our contract provides that the Company and the Association shall mutually agree on procedures for assignment of cabin jump seat authority. That did not happen. The Alaska-Hawaiian MEC is looking to resolve these issues as quickly as possible and is prepared to file a grievance if it is necessary.

Reserve Webinar

The Council 43 Communications Committee is inviting everyone to join Reserve Committee Co-Chairpersons Sasha Kahele-Manners and Joni Pak for a Reserve webinar on Wednesday, May 5, 2026 @ 1100 HST. Sasha and Joni will be there to let you know about the current state of reserve operations and answer your reserve-related questions. Please be sure to register and feel free to submit your questions prior to the webinar.

Wednesday’s webinar will mark the one-year anniversary of Council 43’s webinars. A big mahalo to the Communications Committee (Chairperson Mikioi Vericalla, Joyce Foley, and Soon Kim) for hosting these events, and to Sasha and Joni who kicked all of this off with their first Reserve Webinar a year ago! We would also like to extend a heartfelt mahalo to all the committee chairpersons and committee members who worked hard to make the webinars a success over the past year! Mahalo!

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month – a month-long celebration that recognizes and acknowledges the history, culture, achievements and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to American society. In recognition and celebration of AAPI month, AFA offers AAPI pins for you to proudly wear on your uniform. Ask one of your Local Officers (or email us at hnl@afahawaiian.org ) for a pin!

Updated Council 43 Committee Roster

Our Council 43 Roster has been updated and moved to its new home at the Alaska-Hawaiian AFA website (afaalaska.org), and may be found on the HNL Council 43 Committee page (https://afaalaska.org/hnl/committees). Please bookmark the page for future reference. In addition you’ll find our 2025 Contract Extension as well as the 2025 SEA Domicile LOA.

May Events

DateEvent
May 1May Day
May 4Council 43 Candidates Forum
May 5Council 43 Election Polls Open
May 6Reserve Webinar
May 19Council 43 Election Polls Close (0900 HST)

Hawaiian MEC Grievance Committee – Flat Rate Survey

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

Action Needed: Flat Rate Moving Pay Survey

We are looking for your help to gather data to better advocate for and strengthen our case in regards to our dispute with the company over the proof of relocation requirement to receive the Flat Rate outlined in Section 5.B.2. of our contract. If you transferred between LAX and HNL within the past 10 years and took the flat rate moving expense, we are asking you to complete the form below.

Your participation is critical. The more responses we receive, the stronger and more complete our case will be. 

Click here to fill out the Flat Rate Data Form.

Even if your moving pay was processed without issue, we still need your input. A full set of responses helps ensure we are representing the entire scope of Flight Attendant experiences.

Currently, the grievance has progressed through the initial steps and has been elevated to System Board, with mediation and potential arbitration ahead. Your response directly supports this work.

Mahalo for taking the time to participate and for helping strengthen our advocacy.

In Solidarity,

Hawaiian MEC Grievance Committee

grievance@afahawaiian.org

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, September 3, representatives from our pre-merger Alaska AFA Reserve Committee met to discuss ongoing work advocating for Reserve Flight Attendants. Attending on your behalf were Ella Embree (ANC), Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). MEC […]

MEC Statement Regarding Management’s New California Timekeeping Policy

Management announced a major policy shift last night that, starting October 1, 2026, California-based pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants in SFO, LAX, and SAN will be required to take an additional and redundant step to record their time worked by punching in and out using a timekeeping system. According to management, this new procedure applies to […]

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

Each year, from September 15 to October 15, the United States observes Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month, a vibrant and meaningful tribute to the remarkable contributions, history, and cultures of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. This celebration began as Hispanic Heritage Week, established in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson to recognize the impact and influence of Hispanic-Latinx communities across the […]

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – August 2026

On Thursday, August 27, our Seattle Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) representatives met with management to discuss ongoing safety concerns, operational challenges, policy updates, and workplace improvements impacting Flight Attendants across the operation. Representing you at the meeting were Deb Walstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA pmAS), Kahea Alvarez (LAX/SEA pmHA), Carin Merritt (LAX […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 19 – September 2026

Last week, the JNC received management’s responses on several contract sections and submitted counterproposals, including important updates for retiree benefits. As negotiations continue, both parties are preparing to use Interest-based Bargaining (IBB), a collaborative approach that aims to find mutually beneficial solutions to complex issues. IBB training is scheduled for October in Seattle and will be led by a mediator from the National Mediation Board.

Recent Posts

News By Month

News By Category

AFA News Now Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/HA Merger AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX (pmAS) Council 19 SEA (pmAS) Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX Council 43 HNL Council 47 LAX/SEA (pmHA) EAP/Professional Standards Committee Extension 2021 Blog Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights & Equity Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Membership Engagement Committee Message from the MEC President Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee

Want To Stay In The Loop?

Stay up-to-date on AFA Alaska + Hawaiian news and information by signing up for our email and text message updates. Click a button below to get started or update your preferences if you're already a subscriber.
Sign Up for Emails
Sign Up for Text Updates