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Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – June 2024

Scheduling Committee

  • On June 25, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

On Tuesday, June 25, 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), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO),Rita Tillou (SEA), Russel Rivinius (PDX), Kamako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, and MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz. 

The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Allen Thieman, Director of Crew Staffing Nicholas Giles, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Senior Manager of Product Management Rick Mitchell, Director of Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

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

  • In Portland, there is concern over the HNL layover construction for June extended to 3 days instead of 2. Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson plans reviewing July/August pairing construction to see if trips changed.
  • It was reported that there are Reserve issues with iPhones and privacy settings, specifically AT&T. Collaboration with MEC Reserve Committee and MEC Grievance Committee. As a line holder if you are experiencing issues, please open an AFA Online Support Center ticket.
  • Many of the bases said they don’t want to fly from domicile to Seattle and then work a Redeye flight. During pairing construction, AFA will review flights for duty start in Seattle to avoid other domiciles having to connect and fly these types of pairings.  The duty start would allow the redeye pairing to originate from the domicile it departs.  This could potentially impact the cost of the pairing solution. 
  • Potential missed calls for those with Wi-Fi calling turned on.
  • New Flight Attendants from the new hire classes are coming in and out of the ANC and there’s an increase in summer seasonal flying.
  • Unhappiness with trips and inconsistent redeye connections in Seattle.
  • Tickets being reassigned due to Flight Attendants not updating their profiles in the AFA Online Support Center.
  • The SFO base reports that they are seeing a high percentage of unproductive redeyes that are commutable. Would prefer to have more efficient flying or commutable on one end of the pairing.
  • Open Time failure and active grievance.
  • Revised vs reassignment language preference.
  • API failures with Flight Attendants and pilots causing hotel wait time issues.
  • The SEA base has several requests for nonstop PVR 2-day flights. The base is seeing reduction of 4k flying for the fall as management reduces the flying schedule. 
  • Busy July for PBS bidding with IT issues.
  • Bid awards for July using extra combinations to reduce seniority violations.
  • Bid protest for July considered normal.
  • Frustration with lack of updates from NavBlue and request for separation from pilots in meetings.
  • Future releases and installations for NavBlue, including fixes for pilots and Redhat 8 postponed. Both AFA and ALPA are tied to the program and this reduces our ability to install program updates for Flight Attendants. 
  • IT issues with password reset and plans to redirect their help.
  • There were several successful in person base sits around the system, including virtual sits and a new class virtual hour.
  • Bid awards viewing invitation and committee overview.
  • Selection of more expensive D run with the best soft lock ratio.
  • Advocacy for more productive trips and reduction in commutability.
  • Review and improvement of pairings in conjunction with sick calls.
  • Testing completed for JCTE 24.1.6 and trade analysis review.
  • Reduction in block hours for August, line average and reserve percentages.
  • Discussion on August pairings, trip distribution, and upcoming schedules.
  • We reviewed a PowerPoint with management tracking sick leave for lineholders and reserves, it shows year-over-year and month-over-month increases in absence rate.
  • Reserve utilization and sick call percentages per base.
  • Use of premium to reduce reserve utilization.
  • Thoughts on posting premium OT trips in advance and personal drops.
  • Increase in sick leave due to COVID in the Pacific Northwest. 
  • Ditching drills going into JCTE and being audited.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. NavBlue. The PBS Subcommittee is seeking feedback on how they can improve their assistance to flight crews regarding bid awards and understanding results. They provided both in-person and virtual meetings for this purpose. The next in-person PBS Training is planned for June 
  2. Pairings Survey. There is a discussion of reviewing bidding data from NavBlue to see what kind of pairings Flight Attendants are interested in flying instead of sending out a survey. We will continue to review options. 
  3. Chime Communications. To reduce phone call volumes, Flight Attendants may soon be able to chat with Crew Scheduling via app/Microsoft Teams. The chat will be for Flight Attendant-initiated contact only. The function is currently in the early stages of development and still needs to be discussed with Labor Relations management and our MEC. Testing and implementation are continuing over the next few weeks. We are working on a letter of agreement for implementation, which is still pending review. 
  4. 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.
  5. Crew Planning. Like Crew Scheduling, there was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that covered subsequent month staffing, trip length distribution, Flight Attendant block hours, special initiatives (e.g., IROPs), commutability, and other relevant agenda items. Statistics around teaming continue to be reviewed. Crew Planning continues to maximize pairing construction and optimizing teaming strategies to minimize costs and ensure that crews (Flight Attendants) can stay together for multiple segments.
  6. ITS. Representatives from ITS joined the scheduling meeting to provide updates on NavBlue, Crew Access, internal systems, and Block2Block. These updates include performance reviews, data analysis, and information about future releases.

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.

Supplemental Ditching Training

Grievance Committee

  • AFA has not agreed to any extra-contractual terms for the newly announced supplemental ditching training; discussions with management just started.
  • Many management decision-makers are away at contract negotiations, delaying progress toward any sort of agreement.
  • Our AFA Committees are committed to advocating for your rights and will address unresolved issues through the contractual grievance process if necessary.

AFA Representatives have recently been receiving a lot of questions about the supplemental ditching training announced by management. We want to make it clear that AFA has not agreed to any extra-contractual terms for this training. Management just began substantive discussions yesterday with our Grievance, Scheduling, Inflight Training, and Air Safety, Health, & Security Committees to work out the administrative and logistical details of the training, but those details are still undetermined. Progress has been slow because many of the primary management decision-makers are currently involved in contract negotiations in Washington, DC, this week and are unavailable to discuss the supplemental ditching training issues.

While the situation is not ideal, we must meet the regulatory training requirements and address the remaining details later. We don’t yet know what management intends to propose, nor do we know if we can successfully reach an agreement on which contractual provisions AFA believes apply. If we can’t agree, it may come down to addressing the unresolved provisions (particularly contract sections 30.C.3-5) through the contractual grievance process and arbitration afterward, which can be time-consuming.  

We have clearly communicated your concerns to management and have asked them to provide responses to numerous unanswered questions. Our AFA Committees are actively advocating for your contractual rights. We are dedicated to fighting for those rights, even if it takes time, rather than providing an instant fix.

June 2024 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Monday, June 17, and Tuesday, June 18, to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • The MEC was supposed to meet with executive management and union leaders from other company workgroups but chose to skip the meeting in support of our Negotiating Committee.
  • The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 9, and Wednesday, July 10.

Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) held its regular meeting for June 2024 on Monday, June 17, and Tuesday, June 18. These meetings, required under the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, provide an important opportunity for the MEC to discuss and address issues and concerns affecting our Union and Members at the airline level. Your directly elected LEC President (or their designee) attends these meetings as your representative and votes on your behalf when decisions need to be made.

During the meeting, the MEC received updates from the MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, and Grievance Committee. Additionally, the MEC reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons detailing their current work and activities.

Meeting with Management

This month, our MEC was supposed to meet with company executive management and Union leaders from the other union-represented workgroups within the company. These meetings generally occur once every quarter to receive management updates and discuss issues and concerns faced by all employees. However, since we are entering another summer without a tentative agreement and in solidarity with our Negotiating Committee, the MEC decided to send a strong message by skipping the meeting.

Our absence spoke volumes: We won’t wait any longer for the contract we deserve. We stand firmly with our Negotiating Committee in their efforts to negotiate a deal that works for all Alaska Flight Attendants. If management doesn’t step up, we’re prepared to take the necessary actions under the Railway Labor Act.

Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action Debrief

Our MEC reviewed and discussed last week’s Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action informational picketing events. Alaska Flight Attendants from all six bases (including the SNA and ONT co-terminals) and several other airports nationwide participated in the events. These picketing events, along with our other awareness-building efforts and the strong support from Flight Attendants across the industry, are helping to bring more public attention to our collective contract fights. You can read more about the Worldwide Flight Attendant Day of Action by clicking here.

MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Vice Chairperson Interviews

During the meeting, our MEC interviewed candidates for the MEC Employee Assistance Program (EAP) / Professional Standards Committee Vice Chairperson position that was previously posted in April. The MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Vice Chairperson works in collaboration with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson to assist Members, their families, and partners with personal and work-related issues that may impact their health and well-being. Our MEC would like to thank all the candidates who applied and interviewed for the position.

After thorough consideration, Rex Hampton has been appointed to the position by the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents). Rex’s term will begin immediately and end on December 31, 2025.

System Board of Adjustment Interviews

Our MEC spent part of the meeting interviewing candidates for the System Board of Adjustment position that was previously posted in April. Members of the System Board of Adjustment are responsible for arbitrating any disputes or grievances that may arise under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Alaska Airlines and its Flight Attendants. Our MEC would like to thank all the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the positions.

After extensive discussion and thorough consideration, the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) have re-appointed Sandra Morrow to the position. Sandra’s term of appointment will begin on July 1, 2024, and conclude on June 30, 2026.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please get in touch with your LEC President.

Crew Access Open Time Performance – June 16, 2024

Scheduling Committee

  • Flight Attendants are facing technical issues with Crew Access and Open Time trading/dropping, causing stress and frustration.
  • Management plans to resolve these issues with server upgrades in June and July and will monitor the system closely during July Open Time.
  • Our Scheduling Committee has requested a meeting with management to discuss long-term solutions for the ongoing Crew Access challenges.

Recently, many Flight Attendants have been experiencing technical issues with Crew Access and Open Time trading/dropping. These problems have been causing growing frustration and stress, both professionally and personally. Our Scheduling Committee acknowledges the significant impact and is committed to finding effective solutions while holding management accountable for maintaining systems that operate effectively and reliably.

Management has acknowledged the problems and expressed their commitment to tackling them head-on. As a first step, the JCTE servers are scheduled to undergo an upgrade. New firmware is set to be installed by June 24, followed by upgraded hardware by July 10, or possibly sooner. These enhancements are anticipated to enhance performance and overall system capacity significantly.

To ensure proactive oversight, the Information Technology Services (ITS) team will work closely with Jeppesen to monitor the JCTE platform during the upcoming Flight Attendant Open Time on July 16. This initiative is a step towards resolving the current issues and improving the operational experience for all Flight Attendants.

Furthermore, we expect management to deliver thorough and detailed updates on the measures taken to resolve the server load issues. Clear communication and a comprehensive breakdown of the implemented solutions and improvements are essential to ensure transparency. This will help our Scheduling Committee monitor progress and provide Flight Attendants with accurate, up-to-date information.

To address the more extensive and systemic ongoing challenges with Crew Access, our Scheduling Committee has formally requested a meeting with management to discuss the issues further. This meeting is a critical opportunity for dialogue and exploring concrete solutions to ensure an uninterrupted and contractually compliant experience for Flight Attendants.

Our Scheduling Committee is fully dedicated to actively addressing JCTE-related issues in order to restore operational normalcy and alleviate the challenges faced by Flight Attendants. We appreciate your continued patience and support throughout this process. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2024

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on May 21 to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
  • The Committee met with management to discuss and receive updates on issues and problems faced by Flight Attendants onboard.
  • The Committee continues to work with management to address catering concerns and improve processes in the future. Please report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

On Tuesday, May 21, our AFA 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). MEC Inflight Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett was also present. 

The Committee met with Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Principal Cabin Product and Experience Manager Chris Dela Rosa, Director of Food and Beverage Mita Padhi, Manager of Food and Beverage Planning and Programs David Rodriguez, Senior Food and Beverage Product Manager Jessica Johnston, Food and Beverage Systems Manger Andrea Lockett, Director of Catering Operations Andrew Moyer, Managing Director of Guest Products Todd Traynor-Corey, Senior Product Manager of Guest Products Megan Low, Food and Beverage Planning Systems Manager Gayatri Watwe, and IT Vendor Christopher Pettigrew. 

The next scheduled Inflight Service Committee meeting is Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

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

  • Packaging for Main Cabin meals, including hot meals and their labeling.
  • The impact on service due to temporary product substitutions.
  • Progress on updating older aircraft furnishings and current enhancements for the cabins, addressing issues with lavatory trash, and placing mirrors from the aft jump seat.
  • Ensuring the safety of future coffee brewing, which included discussing modifications to the brew basket.
  • Discussion with Catering Operations to ensure plans for summer ice loading are in place and that new seasonal routes are correctly catered.
  • Management reported on upcoming Block2Block (B2B) updates, and glitches were discussed. The Committee received updates on B2B functions, including a new training mode, tap-to-pay issues, and screen switching for payment processing.
  • Discussion and review of catering issues causing crew confusion.
  • Email notifications to passengers regarding the ability to pre-order are improving the process and increasing pre-order counts.
  • The overall service flow and process were discussed.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Correct product labeling. The Committee is working with catering to ensure that meals are clearly labeled, especially the new Main Cabin hot meal options for long-haul, medium-haul, and short-haul flights.
  2. Adjusting product levels. Committee Members are working with management to modify product quantities to enhance service and reduce waste.
  3. Working with management on Block2Block (B2B). Committee Members have been informed that a new version of B2B will soon be available and are looking forward to pre-testing it. The Committee is actively involved in suggesting improvements.
  4. Enhancing snack basket contents. Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons will work with management to update the contents.

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 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.

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