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MEC Retirement Committee Chairperson Interviews – December 2026

November 6, 2026 09:00 Leave a Comment

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants.

Are you passionate about helping your flying partners navigate their financial futures? Our MEC is seeking a dedicated and organized Member in good standing to serve as the pre-merger Hawaiian MEC Retirement Committee Chairperson. In this role, you will be the primary point of contact for assisting Members with questions regarding retirement, 401(k) plans, and other investment vehicles, while keeping the membership educated and up-to-date on these programs. If you’re ready to advocate for the retirement security of our Members, this is your opportunity to serve!

Qualifications

Current Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant
Good organizational and communication skills.
Knowledge of the retirement plan and vendor.
Knowledge of the retirement section of the contract.
Knowledge of investment terminology.
Ability to attend regular Retirement Committee meetings.
Adherence to committee policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information.
Maintenance of member-in-good-standing status (dues current).
Ability to remain in good standing with the company.
Willingness to do ongoing committee work on a volunteer basis.

Duties

Act in an advisory role to the MEC regarding retirement issues.
Encourage full participation of the Flight Attendants in available retirement benefit plans and assist Flight Attendants with plan enrollment as needed.
Answer questions about retirement, applicable procedures, contractual language, 401(k) plans, and other related topics.
Monitor compliance of the retirement plan with contractual language and the federal law to the extent possible.
Remain up-to-date on changes to the retirement plan, plan vendor, and applicable government regulations.
Review material, handle correspondence, and keep Members well informed of current retirement developments through the Communications Committee.
Compose informational and educational articles of interest to the membership and provide them to the MEC Communications Committee Chairperson to be scheduled for publication.
Serve as a member of the Flight Attendant Retirement Board.
Represent the MEC and support an MEC position when dealing with the Company.
Take direction from the Master Executive Council through the designated MEC Officer, and coordinate committee activities with the MEC Officers and LEC Presidents.
Schedule, plan, and conduct meetings of the committee as necessary, and communicate all meeting notices and minutes to the MEC Officers and LEC Presidents.
Develop and maintain a program of work for the MEC Committee, and work with each Local Committee Chairperson to develop goals and a Program of Work for each Local Committee.
Mentor the committee, provide regular contact and training, and offer feedback, rewards, and appreciation for Committee Members.
Report progress and needs to the designated MEC Officer on a regular basis, no less than monthly, and report to the MEC on any discussions with management.
Maintain files for the committee and transfer them to your successor.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

The time commitment for this position varies and may change based on workload levels. Specific information about time commitment expectations and Flight Pay Loss for the position will be provided during the interviews. All positions operate in line with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Working Relationships

With Local Retirement Committees

Frequent interaction with the Local Retirement Committee Chairpersons and Committee Members.

With Management

Occasional interaction with management representatives, primarily from Human Resources.

With The Master Executive Council

This position reports to the Master Executive Council through the MEC Vice President.

Term of Service

The elected candidate will take position on January 1, 2027, and serve through the conclusion of the current MEC Officer election cycle (December 31, 2028).

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

Our MEC will interview eligible candidates during the December Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, December 8, and Wednesday, December 9. Please plan your schedule to ensure availability (either through proactive bidding or other scheduling adjustments).

Eligible candidates may interview in person in SeaTac, WA, or virtually via Google Meet.

To express your interest, please submit an expression of interest and your resume using the online form (link below). The submission deadline is 5 PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, December 1. No submissions will be accepted after this deadline.

After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange specific interview times.

Click here to submit an expression of interest form ➔

Please note that a Google account is required to submit the expression of interest form. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free. Visit https://accounts.google.com/signup to get started.

Timeline

Date	Event
Friday, November 6	Expression of interest form becomes available
Tuesday, December 1 @ 5 PM PT	Deadline for submitting expression of interest forms
Wednesday December 2	MEC representatives contact eligible candidates to schedule interviews
Tuesday, December 8 – Wednesday, Dec 9	Interviews with MEC and elections
Thursday, December 10	Results announced
Friday, January 1, 2027	Term of service begins

Questions?

If you have any questions about the position itself or its associated duties and responsibilities, please contact MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

If you have any questions about the expression of interest form or interview process, please contact MEC Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka at mecst@afaalaska.org.

Pre-Merger Alaska Reserve Webinar Video and Q&A Recap – October 21, 2026

November 4, 2026 13:00 Leave a Comment

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Thank you to everyone who joined our latest pre-merger Alaska Reserve Webinar! We created this interactive session to share practical contract tips and help you feel more confident about reserve life. You can now watch the recording on our YouTube channel using the link below. Please note that the video is unlisted, so you’ll need this direct link to view it.

Click here to watch on YouTube ➔

Save the Date for Our Next Webinar

Be sure to save the date for our next pre-merger Alaska Reserve Webinar, titled “What’s On Your Mind?” Plan now to join us on Friday, January 22, at 10 AM Pacific Time. More information about registration and how to submit questions in advance will be shared at the beginning of December.

Webinar Q&A

The following Q&A section from the webinar provides a streamlined overview of the questions asked and responses from our AFA Representative panel. Please refer to the recording for the full details. If you have additional questions or need clarification on anything discussed, please don’t hesitate to contact your Local Reserve Committee.

1. Is it legal to have a scheduled duty day over 10.5 hours off of Airport Standby (APSB)?

Answer: Yes, provided the initial assignment is scheduled for 10.5 hours or less. If a Flight Attendant is assigned airport standby as their initial duty and later assigned flying that extends the total duty period, or if delays occur after assignment, it remains legal as long as the initial scheduled assignment was compliant at the time it was given.

2. If awarded a base transfer with overlapping reserve days at the end of the month in the old base and the beginning of the month in the new base, are relocation days provided?

Answer: Yes. Flight Attendants in this situation should contact Crew Scheduling to adjust or drop reserve days without pay to facilitate travel between bases. Contractually, management cannot unreasonably withhold requested relocation days off when transitioning between bases.

3. Is Sit Pay due if a surface deadhead (limo) occurs between two flights?

Answer: Yes. If ground time between flight legs or between a flight leg and surface transportation exceeds two hours, Sit Pay applies. If a pay claim for this scenario is denied, an AFA Alaska Online Support Center ticket should be submitted to ensure proper payment. Additionally, pre-boarding during a sit period does not invalidate entitlement to Sit Pay.

4. Can a Flight Attendant receive double (2.0x) or triple (3.0x) premium pay for Airport Standby (APSB) at the end of a reserve block?

Answer: Yes. 2.0x premium pay applies to APSB assigned on the last day of a reserve block after the daily last flight departs, or if assigned APSB off Extended Reserve (ER). If a Flight Attendant is converted to ER and assigned APSB on the last day of their block after the daily last flight departs, the premiums stack to 3.0x pay. Pay entries should be double-checked in Rainmaker, as this requires manual processing.

5. Can Crew Scheduling “tag” a Reserve Flight Attendant while they are working a lineholder trip picked up on days off?

Answer: No. When working a picked-up trip, Flight Attendants are treated as lineholders regardless of their reserve status for the month. Crew Scheduling can reassign but cannot tag or append extra sequence legs that connect into a reserve block. Flight Attendants should notify Crew Scheduling immediately if this occurs.

6. Does the “bubble” in Crew Access accurately reflect Reserve TFP earnings?

Answer: No. The Crew Access bubble does not capture all reserve pay components, such as unused reserve day credits or certain standby pay, and should not be relied upon to track total reserve compensation. Flight Attendants should check the Reserve Availability List (RAL) to review assigned TFP and Rainmaker to confirm actual paid TFP.

7. Is Crew Scheduling permitted to give less than a 2-hour callout notice?

Answer: Yes, in operational necessity scenarios. While 2 hours remains the contractual minimum report time, a short call notice is legal. Flight Attendants are only required to report 2 hours from the time of the call. Under current contractual provisions, callouts given with less than 3 hours’ notice entitle the Flight Attendant to expense a ride share or airport parking garage fees.

8. Do Reserve Flight Attendants receive additional compensation for flying a “go-around”?

Answer: No. CBA section 11.G.6 guarantees that reserves receive TFP application no less favorable than lineholders for the same flight segment; because lineholders do not receive extra pay for go-arounds, reserves do not receive additional pay either.

9. Is assigning APSB out-of-order legal if lower seniority reserves have shorter availability blocks on the RAL?

Answer: Yes. APSB is assigned based on the RAL within the same classification (AM, PM, ER) and length of availability. Crew Scheduling has the discretion to assign APSB to a 4-day reserve even if 1-, 2-, or 3-day reserves are higher on the list, provided the assigned reserve is next up within their specific availability block.

10. Can a reserve Flight Attendant swap into a 4-day Open Time trip when assigned APSB?

Answer: Yes, provided the trip report time falls within the Flight Attendant’s assigned reserve report window (AM/PM).

11. If a Reserve Flight Attendant checks in at the airport and is reassigned to a later-departing trip, do they receive extra compensation?

Answer: No. Reserves are subject to reassignment upon reporting to the airport for duty without extra premium pay, unless working a lineholder trip picked up on days off.

12. Why do Open Time trips display the “Ineligible for Self-Assignment” (ISA) code without showing premium pay, and can Crew Scheduling modify this?

Answer: A known system issue in Crew Access causes the ISA designation to remain on a trip after a lineholder trades it back into open time, even after the premium drops off. If a reserve calls to trade or self-assign a trip showing ISA without premium, Crew Scheduling can manually remove the ISA code or re-add the premium. System transactions and timestamps are tracked down to the millisecond and can be audited by union representatives.

13. Can a reserve request to have their final reserve day dropped once they reach or exceed 118.2 TFP?

Answer: No, not prior to actually exceeding the threshold through worked assignments. The 118.2 TFP threshold applies strictly to actual worked or credited TFP (such as flown legs or APSB), not unworked reserve days paid at 5 TFP. Reserves must actually fly over 118.2 TFP before requesting the release or removal of remaining reserve days.

14. Can Crew Scheduling require a Reserve Flight Attendant to pre-board a flight that departs after their APSB shift ends?

Answer: If the pre-boarding assignment is given during the APSB shift window, the reserve is required to perform the pre-boarding. If Crew Scheduling asks a Flight Attendant to stay past the scheduled end of their APSB shift to pre-board, it is voluntary and can be declined. If a delay occurs while already on board pre-boarding, the Flight Attendant must remain on board until relieved, after which Crew Scheduling will adjust duty time accordingly.

15. What happens if a Flight Attendant changes their RAL status from “Yes to Fly” (Y) to “No to Fly” (N) at 11 PM and is called first at midnight anyway?

Answer: RAL preference status changes are permitted at any time except during the system lock window between 2 PM and 6 PM daily. A change made at 11 PM should be honored. If called out-of-order in violation of the updated preference, the Flight Attendant should accept the assignment under the principle of “fly now, grieve later” and file an AFA Alaska Online Support Center ticket for audit.

16. Can Crew Scheduling remove a self-assigned open time trip from a Reserve Flight Attendant’s schedule?

Answer: Under CBA section 11.E.1.e, Crew Scheduling may only remove a reserve assignment or self-assignment under four specific conditions:

The flight or position is canceled.
No other legal reserve is available to cover an open sequence in Open Time, making that reserve the only legal option.
An aircraft downgrade occurs (e.g., downsizing crew requirements).
A lineholder calls in well to reclaim their trip.

If none of these conditions are met, the removal is improper and should be reported for union review.

17. What recourse is available if Crew Scheduling acknowledges an out-of-order assignment but refuses to remove the trip?

Answer: Crew Scheduling is not required to remove an out-of-order assignment once given, as doing so could trigger cascading scheduling errors. However, the assigned Flight Attendant is entitled to 1.5x premium pay for all TFP flown or credited on that out-of-order assignment.

18. Can a Reserve Flight Attendant move a reserve day out of a “closed” day on the schedule?

Answer: While automated self-service schedule adjustments out of closed days are generally restricted, reserves can move into a closed day if staffing is below the minimum threshold, or out of a closed day if the day is overstaffed above maximum limits. Direct manual requests to reposition days out of closed days via Crew Scheduling are subject to operational approval.

19. Why is there limited schedule flexibility and trip trading for reserves currently?

Answer: High operational trip volumes and staffing shortages have led Crew Scheduling to apply premium pay and ISA designations frequently to Open Time trips, restricting reserve self-assignments and trades. Furthermore, requests to be released from contactability are rarely granted due to coverage needs. System flexibility is expected to improve as upcoming new hire classes enter the operational system.

20. How frequently is Crew Scheduling approving release from contactability?

Answer: According to recent company tracking data, Crew Scheduling is currently not approving requests for release from contactability. Our Reserve Committee continues to request comprehensive data regarding submission and denial rates.

21. Can a Reserve Flight Attendant be released from APSB early if their duty day limit prevents them from working any remaining departing flights?

Answer: Flight Attendants can call Crew Scheduling to request release. However, Crew Scheduling may deny the request and retain the Flight Attendant on duty for pre-boarding assignments through the end of their scheduled APSB period.

22. What is a “go-around”?

Answer: A go-around is an aborted landing approach where the aircraft climbs back up to make another landing attempt.

23. Do Flight Attendants receive double boarding pay if a flight returns to the gate after taxiing out and re-boards later?

Answer: No. Under the contract, boarding pay is credited per flight segment resulting in a takeoff, or for flights that experience an actual tail swap or complete cancellation after boarding. Deplaning and re-boarding the same aircraft does not generate duplicate boarding pay.

24. What should Flight Attendants do to ensure Block-to-Block messages are properly received and avoid false no-shows?

Answer: Flight Attendants should disable airplane mode immediately after completing safety-sensitive post-block in duties, verify cellular connectivity, refresh Block-to-Block messaging, and take a timestamped screenshot showing service bars as proof of checking. While reserves are no longer required to monitor company email, checking Crew Access notifications adds protection if cell service is weak. An upcoming bulletin will detail Block-to-Block compliance standards.

25. Will Rainmaker be replaced soon?

Answer: There are no active plans to replace Rainmaker at this time. Our Grievance Committee Payroll Representative is collaborating with our Communications Committee to provide updated educational guides on navigating and reading Rainmaker pay records.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – October 2026

November 3, 2026 17:00 Leave a Comment

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, October 27, our pre-merger Alaska 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), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Kanako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, PBS Subcommittee Member Adam Clarey, MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative Julie Thornton, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones were also present.

The Committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Performance & Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling Terrance Chariandy, Manager of Inflight Crew Scheduling Goose Hlaingmyint, Managing Director of Operations Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette, Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Manager of Crew Planning Colin Beard, ITS Technical Product Owner Nathan McFerren, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke and other management representatives from Crew Planning, Crew Scheduling, information technology (ITS), and payroll.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, November 24.

Topics of Discussion

Local Highlights & Issues

Anchorage (ANC):
- Some Flight Attendants traveling to recurrent training have reported falling ill upon arriving at their hotels. Currently, there is no accessible, written guidance outlining protocol when travel delays impact contractual legal rest or when a Flight Attendant must call in sick from a training hotel. The Committee is asking for clear, published procedures and locations for these documents.
Seattle (SEA):
- The Committee reviewed the SEA Open Time settlement for 1 TFP, and follow-up tickets on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center will be updated accordingly.
- A payroll dispute is actively being challenged after action taken by aircraft mechanic changed sit time and payroll improperly denied the resulting compensation claim; this case is being pursued to establish clear protections for schedule changes driven by maintenance.
- Sn overlap between the October and November bid months blocked a Flight Attendant from viewing schedule information until ITS manually released it.
- The Committee called on management to update the outdated “Known Issues” portal, which has languished without updates since February 18.
Portland (PDX):
- Crew Planning is reviewing concerns regarding PDX turns featuring extended sits—often exceeding two hours—in outstations without domiciles or designated crew rest facilities (such as PHX, LAS, SNA, and SAN). The committee is advocating for tighter turns and the elimination of non-productive ground time.
- Inquiries were pressed regarding mid-sequence trip reassignments occurring without obvious operational disruptions like delays or misconnects.
- Some Flight Attendants inquiring about sick bank changes have faced conflicting instructions from Crew Scheduling; members needing to change sick leave bank usage are reminded to submit a Rainmaker inquiry.
- Regarding ANC–NRT flying, the route is expected to be locked for three months, and the Committee is seeking to clarify how future seasonal flying will be treated (hard lock vs. soft lock).
San Francisco (SFO):
- The committee addressed an incident where a Flight Attendant picked up a premium turn, misconnected, was forced to overnight, returned to duty on a multi-day trip, and was subsequently held in Seattle for 24 hours on a scheduled day off. While the Legality Desk intervened and made the Flight Attendant whole, the Committee is seeking clarity on how 24/7 rest is calculated and managed during irregular operations.
Los Angeles (LAX):
- The LGB station designator problem (which mistakenly linked LGB flying to BUR) has been resolved.
- The Committee continues to push for a fix to month-end out-of-base trades; currently, trades crossing the month-end boundary cannot process directly, forcing Flight Attendants to post and pick up trips manually. AFA has requested this defect be published on the Known Issues log.
San Diego (SAN):
- No new local contractual or scheduling disputes were reported for this period.

PBS & Pairing Construction

November Award Delays: Processing times for November bid awards were substantially prolonged across the system, culminating in a 17-hour final award run in Seattle and doubled run times in other domiciles. Concentrated coverage demands across seven consecutive days forced the solver algorithm to build from limited legal pairings. The Committee is closely tracking December and January—which also feature consecutive high-demand holiday windows—to prevent repeat bottlenecks.
Bid Protests & Coverage: Most November bid protests involved heavy coverage constraints preventing the system from building legal lines to minimum TFP.
December Pairing Selection: For the December bid period, the “operational run” was selected. Although it represents the most expensive construction option for the company, it provides better quality of life: more turns, an increased number of two-day sequences, commutability considerations, and 1,000 fewer aircraft swaps.
Software Testing: PBS Release 26.5 is in User-Acceptance Testing (UAT). The Committee identified a significant flaw and will not approve advancing the release until management resolves it.

Crew Planning & Staffing Outlook

December Flying: System flying is projected at 342,540 block hours with an average line value of 80 TFP. Reserve staffing is budgeted at an average of 21.6% across bases, with PDX elevated to 23.6%. No Staffing Adjustment Leaves (SAL) or Low Bid Options (LBO) will be available in December.
Red-Eye Flying & Commutability: System red-eye flying averages 21% (highest in SEA at 26%; lowest in LAX and SFO at 13%). Commutability remains particularly difficult in SFO and PDX.
IROP Mitigation & Teaming: In-and-back flying will continue through December to reinforce operational stability. Pilot teaming is scheduled to roll out on December 16 through that Friday.
New-Hire Pipeline: One class is currently in session and will graduate to the line in mid-December. Management projects hiring and onboard training for approximately 500 new Flight Attendants across the first six months of 2027.

Crew Scheduling Operations & Reserve Trends

Absences & Sick Leave: The system absence rate was 13.4% in September (down slightly from August) and is trending at 13.7% for October. Total absences are up 22% year-over-year (86,194 through September 2026 vs. 70,654 in 2025). Sick online incidents totaled 104 in September (with 58% occurring during RONs) and 59 month-to-date in October.
Low-Bid Program Review: While September low-bid lineholders recorded an absence rate of 11.0% (compared to 13.6% for the broader population), October partial data showed low-bid absences climbing to 14.5% (against a 13.79% population average). Management is no offering low bids over the coming months, but they remain open to offering it in the future. Instead, they will raise reserve thresholds, while studying reserve utilization, worked TFP, and absence data through January.
Reserve Utilization & Reassignments: System reserve utilization sat at 92.5% in September (down from 94.5% in August). Schedulers executed 823 involuntary reassignments under Section 10.R.4 in September. The Committee pressed management on the operational fallout and downstream burden that frequent reassignment churn creates for Flight Attendants.
Drops & Fatigue: Premium pay spending remains high to backfill open flying, while schedule flexibility remains tight: only two Personal Drops were granted in September and none in October to date. Flight Attendants submitted 23 fatigue reports in September (17 reserves, 6 lineholders) and 17 reports month-to-date in October.

Crew Pay & Rainmaker Updates

Inquiry Volume & Timing: Crew Pay resolved 1,635 Flight Attendant inquiries out of 2,716 received in September.
Avoiding Unnecessary Inquiries: Flight Attendants are encouraged to consult the contractual timelines in the Pay Guide prior to filing. In September, 723 inquiries were submitted before Crew Pay had even reached its regular audit deadlines, and 536 were non-applicable. Routine audits catch most pay discrepancies automatically.
Duplicate Submissions: Crew Pay analyst response times average several business days. Submitting duplicate inquiries after an analyst has already replied slows resolution times for the entire membership.
Hardware Replacement: If your IMD is replaced, a crew pay inquiry is not required unless you are currently on an active leave of absence.
Guide Updates: Rainmaker and payroll procedures are undergoing comprehensive joint review; updated guides are scheduled for publication in mid-November.

Inflight Technology (ITS)

Open-Time Performance: A total of 92,477 trades processed in October without system outages, with 98.02% (90,646 trades) finishing in under 10 seconds.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Crew Access Update: Anticipating and actively testing the JCTE update for implementation scheduled for October 21. The committee will provide full updates on system changes once testing is completed. The update is rescheduled for November 11, 2026.

2. Chime In-App Chat: The Committee and Crew Scheduling are collaborating on a direct chat feature inside Chime, allowing Flight Attendants to communicate with Crew Schedulers without waiting on hold.

3. Rainmaker Joint Review: The next quarterly meeting focused on Rainmaker enhancements and workflow fixes is set for November 18.

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 + Hawaiian website.

AFA Committee Focus Month: Inflight Service

November 2, 2026 09:00 Leave a Comment

Welcome to November! Every day, we step onto our aircraft prepared to handle any situation as first responders and trained safety professionals. At the same time, so much of the pride we take in our profession comes from the warmth and hospitality we deliver to our passengers on every flight. Delivering a memorable, welcoming experience for our passengers is central to who we are as Flight Attendants, and it directly fuels the ongoing success of our airlines and the long-term security of our careers.

For that passenger experience to truly shine, the onboard service specifications, procedures, and workflows created by management must be practical and realistic for working crews. Well-designed service flows allow us to connect with our passengers, support one another, and take genuine pride in our work without feeling overwhelmed or rushed.

This month, as part of our ongoing AFA Committee Focus Month series, we’re excited to spotlight our Inflight Service Committee! Throughout November, we’ll take a closer look at how our Committee Members—fellow Flight Attendants who volunteer to represent us—serve as our collective voice to management, protect crew well-being, support workload management, and ensure every service procedure is genuinely doable.

Bringing Frontline Perspective to Inflight Service

If you’ve ever been in the middle of working a flight and wondered how a new service procedure was put together, there is no doubt it was designed by management—though hopefully, they sought out feedback from our Committee and took our insights into consideration before finalizing their plan. That’s precisely where our Inflight Service Committee steps in: bridging the gap between management’s concepts and our shared, real-world experience on the line.

Our Inflight Service Committee is made up of our fellow Flight Attendants who volunteer their time to represent us. They’re our collective voice to management, working to ensure that frontline reality shapes every service decision. Working through your Local Committee helps build our collective power, turning individual experiences into unified strength across the system. Our Committee Members serve as subject-matter experts and direct liaisons to management, reviewing proposed menu updates, catering changes, cabin refreshes, and galley packing.

Our Roadmap For November

We’ve put together an engaging, four-week program throughout November to give everyone a transparent look into how our Committee advocates for us. Here’s what we have planned:

This Week (Overview & Committee Roles): Get to know our MEC Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons, explore our representational structure, and review our committee’s duties and responsibilities.
Week 2 (How We Advocate): Take a look inside our regular meetings with management, see how we navigate operational differences across our two distinct Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) for Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants, and explore how we push for solutions to catering and service pain points.
Week 3 (What Is Feasibility?): Learn how our Committee evaluates new management initiatives, advocates for test flights staffed by working Flight Attendants, and works to fix outdated or broken procedures.
Week 4 (Reporting & Tracking): Discover how Flight Attendant-submitted feedback directly powers our Committee’s advocacy, and learn how to use Block2Block catering reports, safety submissions, and direct committee communications effectively.

Watch: Introducing Our Inflight Service Committee

We invite you to kick off the month by watching our new intro video featuring MEC Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons Chase Vandergrift (Alaska brand) and Bianca McKee (Hawaiian brand). Chase and Bianca take us behind the scenes to show how our Committee evaluates service feasibility, advocates for realistic galley and cart setups, and uses Member feedback to support working Flight Attendants on every flight.

Click here to watch on YouTube ➔

Building a Stronger Onboard Experience Together

Inflight service advocacy is all about making sure our daily work environment supports both passenger hospitality and our own well-being as Flight Attendants. Every time you report missing catering or give feedback using Block2Block on your IMD, you provide our Union with the exact data needed to support our push to fix the issues the keep us from doing our work effectively.

Our Union’s advocacy is strongest when we work together. We encourage everyone to keep filing Block2Block reports whenever catering or equipment issues happen, connect with your Local Inflight Service Committee, and stay updated on our Committee’s work by visiting afaalaska.org/inflightservice. If you’d like to lend your experience to our advocacy, we invite you to explore volunteer opportunities at afaalaska.org/volunteer.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

November 1, 2026 13:00 Leave a Comment

November 1 marks the start of Native American Heritage Month across the United States. Also observed as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, this month provides an opportunity to recognize the profound contributions, vibrant cultures, and enduring sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.

From the ancestral homelands of Alaska Native peoples across the North to sovereign Tribal Nations and ancestral lands throughout the contiguous United States, our Union honors the generations of Indigenous workers and leaders who have shaped our communities, our aviation history, and the broader labor movement.

The journey toward formal national recognition began more than a century ago through the steadfast advocacy of Indigenous leaders like Dr. Arthur C. Parker (Cattaraugus Seneca), who pushed for an official “American Indian Day”. In 1916, New York became the first state to declare an official American Indian Day. National recognition expanded in 1976 when President Gerald Ford designated Native American Awareness Week, followed by a landmark 1990 joint congressional resolution signed by President George H.W. Bush establishing the first National American Indian Heritage Month. Since 1994, annual presidential proclamations have recognized this month under names celebrating Native American and Alaska Native heritage.

As aviation safety professionals and Union members, our commitment to equity, social justice, and dignity in the workplace is rooted in learning, listening, and standing together in solidarity.

Learn More About Indigenous History & Heritage

Expand your understanding of Indigenous history, cultural resilience, and contemporary contributions through these educational platforms and community resources:

Native American Heritage Month – Library of Congress: Explore exhibits, archival treasures, and primary source collections compiled by the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the Smithsonian Institution.
National Museum of the American Indian: Discover educational programs, virtual collections, and tribal history through the Smithsonian Institution.
Alaska Native Heritage Center: Deepen your knowledge of the living traditions, languages, and art representing Alaska’s 11 major cultural groups.
U.S. Department of the Interior / Bureau of Indian Affairs: Access tribal governance records, history, and official national observances.
National Archives and Records Administration: Research primary historical documents, treaties, and photographs through the Native Communities research portal.
National Park Service: Explore the historic places, sacred landscapes, and tribal heritage preserved across our national park system.
National Congress of American Indians: Learn about tribal sovereignty, policy initiatives, and Indigenous advocacy.
Native Land Digital: View an interactive global mapping tool detailing Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages.
Alaska Air Group Native Employee Network (NEN): Connect with company-sponsored employee resource programming via Team AAG (AAG SSO required).

Wear Your Native American Heritage Month AFA Pin

In 2021, the AFA Executive Board unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing Native American Heritage Month. As part of this initiative, a commemorative Native American Heritage Month pin was established for AFA Members to wear in solidarity throughout November. If you need a commemorative pin, please connect directly with your LEC Officers to find out how to get one.

Questions & Support

Our Human Rights & Equity Committee works year-round to advocate for an inclusive and respectful workplace for every Flight Attendant. If you have questions, wish to learn more, or want to become involved in committee initiatives, please contact your Local Human Rights & Equity Committee.