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Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – July 2026

On Monday, July 13, our AFA Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in-person to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA pmAS), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Le’a Tupola (LAX/SEA pmHA), Brian Sherill (LAX pmAS), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), and Matt Mitchell (HNL), with MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich facilitating the meeting.

The Committee met with Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Manager of Crew Hotel and Administration Diane Szubert, Senior Crew Hotels Support Specialist Nichole Turner, and Crew Hotel Support Specialist LaFay Williams.

Our next monthly meeting with management is scheduled for Monday, August 10.

Topics of Discussion

  • Guests in Ground Transportation (pmHA): The Hotel Committee advocated for alignment on guest policies in ground transportation. Previously, pmHA Flight Attendants could not have guests accompany them in crew transportation, whereas pmAS Flight Attendants could. Effective immediately, guests of pmHA Flight Attendants are allowed to ride in crew shuttles, except in locations where only crew are permitted on the shuttles. Working crew remains the priority, and there must be room for them and their bags. Guests must never cause delay, inconvenience, or displace crew during transport. If there is insufficient room for your guest, please be prepared to make other transportation arrangements.
  • Ad Hoc List Update (pmAS): Management uses a list of Hotel Committee-approved properties for relocations from our contracted crew hotels when necessary. Maintaining the list is no small task. The list is constantly evolving as properties are added (after site visits) and deleted (labor disputes, crew feedback, etc.). Previously, a single list was shared by both AFA and ALPA, but it has now been separated so that each union can elect the order of hotels they prefer. The Committee will update the list to incorporate the markets that were visited this year, then have the list posted to the Flight Attendant Website, as called for in CBA §34.A.6.b  
  • Hotel Contractual Terms (pmAS): We continue to notice that items discussed with hotel management during on-site visits are not being incorporated into final hotel contracts. There are a variety of reasons why this has happened: the hotel overpromised during a site visit and didn’t follow through, API negotiated away offered amenities (free breakfast, F&B discount, etc.) to secure a lower rate for the company, etc. The Hotel Committee has been actively monitoring these discrepancies, as our final hotel decisions are based on what was presented as a complete package during the site visit. To put this into context, we recently conducted a JFK site visit to find a new short-stay hotel. A hotel was selected on the premise that the hotel-provided shuttle would run on demand for crew, instead of the published 30-minute schedule. The hotel backtracked on the on-demand shuttle, which caused us to break with that property and utilize an on-airport property instead. If you notice any discrepancy in a crew amenity that is published in MyCrewCare or the Hotel Hotline, please ensure you write a CrewCare report and contact your Local Hotel Committee if necessary.  
  • City-Specific Issues/Updates:
    • RDU: There have been several recent write-ups regarding HVAC, noise, and the property’s condition. This market is up for renewal next year, but the Committee has asked that sourcing be expedited to find a suitable replacement.
    • BOS: There have been numerous reports of rooms not being ready for redeye arrivals, resulting in excessive wait times. This is unacceptable, as rooms should be taken out of service the night prior.  This has been escalated to Crew Hotels for follow-up.
    • SJO: We are still waiting for a final hotel decision in SJO. We have been told an update will be coming soon.
    • LIR: We are still investigating viable solutions to cut down on the transit time. We conducted another site visit to the market in June, but our top choice withdrew their bid shortly after the visit.  
  • Ground Transportation Live Tracking (pmAS): Instructions for tracking ground transportation with participating providers have been posted in the July Informational Bulletin on TeamAAG. Additionally, it has been requested that this information be displayed in Crew Access and posted to Comply365 on the IMD. This should help Flight Attendants track their ride.    

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: Our Hotel Committee conducts site visits on hotels under consideration by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Market reviews are triggered by factors such as contract expirations, crew complaints, and cost-saving opportunities.  

  • Pre-Merger Alaska: The Committee is evaluating the need for additional site visits in 2026 and is getting a jump-start on the plan for 2027. The scheduled site visits through September 2026 are:
    • July: BZE, LGB (New Layover), BWI (Short), DEN (Short)
    • Aug: MCI (Short), CHS (Long)
    • Sept: YYC (New Layover), YEG (New Layover)
    • Oct: TUS (Short), OAK (Short/Long)
    • TBD: OGG
  • Pre-Merger Hawaiian: The scheduled site visits through June 2026 are:
    • Aug: HNL, OGG
    • Sept: SMF

2. Hotel Gainshare Update (pmAS): There continues to be no update on the Hotel Gainshare program, same as last month. Negotiations remain stalled due to management’s concerns about federal tax implications. AFA International has provided a legal counterargument, and we are still waiting for coordination between AFA International and Alaska Airlines Labor Relations management. Our goal remains to reach a consensus and finalize program negotiations. We know many Members are interested in this program and will continue to keep you informed.

We Want to Hear From You!

Our Hotel Committee relies on your feedback, whether positive or negative. Please report via CrewCare (pmAS) or the FA Crew Accommodations Feedback form (pmHA), which ensures your experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation is addressed. These are the only official way to report issues, as the Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare and feedback form submission is forwarded to our AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska/Hawaiian management), API, and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct or fix the issue for the next crew member. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. Pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants can quickly file a CrewCare report using the web app on your IMD home screen or by clicking here.

Do you have any other feedback you would like to share with the Committee or any specific items you want us to bring up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Hotel Committee is here to represent you and ensure management hears your voice. You can find our contact information on the Hotel Committee page of the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian website.

Alaska Management Announces Plan To Operate Boeing 737 Aircraft on Neighbor Island Flights

Earlier today, Alaska Airlines management announced plans to transition the neighbor island 717 fleet to Hawaiian-branded 737 aircraft by 2028. However, buried within that same announcement is a more immediate and concerning development: Alaska Airlines management intends to introduce Alaska-branded 737 aircraft, operated by Alaska Airlines crews, on neighbor island routes, with plans to operate three daily round-trip flights between Honolulu and Maui (HNL-OGG) beginning as early as this October.

This decision by Alaska Airlines management is a profound disappointment and marks a clear break from the core commitments made to Hawaiian Airlines employees and the people of Hawaiʻi at the outset of the merger. At that time, management underscored that preserving the Hawaiian Airlines brand—its unique identity and operational presence—was essential to the merger’s success.

Throughout the merger process, Alaska Airlines management gave unequivocal assurances about a true dual-brand strategy. They insisted there was “no other choice” but to honor the culture and legacy built by Hawaiian Airlines over the past 97 years. Management further justified the merger by pledging it would enable the company to accelerate investments in passenger experience and technology, all while protecting the Hawaiian Airlines brand and Hawaiʻi-based jobs.

By introducing Alaska-branded aircraft to the core of neighbor island service, Alaska Airlines management is abandoning those commitments. This move replaces the iconic Pualani livery—a symbol deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi’s heritage—with an operational shift that overlooks the essential need for a distinct Hawaiian identity. While management has indicated that the Pualani livery will eventually be on these replacement aircraft and that they will be crewed by HNL-based Flight Attendants, these future assurances do not change the here and now of the situation.

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants are familiar with the lifeline nature of Arctic flying and the “milk run” within Alaska—routes where isolated communities rely entirely on the consistency of air service for everything from medical care to essential commerce. Neighbor island flying in Hawaiʻi serves that same vital, infrastructure-level purpose. It’s not just a route; it’s the heartbeat of the state.

For Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants, this decision is fundamentally personal. The neighbor island operation is where our airline started, serving as the core of what has been built over the decades. It is our legacy—the place where we learned the unique standard of care that defines our service. Encroaching on this work is not just a business decision; it undermines the history and foundation of the neighbor island operation and jeopardizes the stability of the single-duty-period pairings that enable our Honolulu-based Flight Attendants to serve their communities and return home to their families the same day.

Our MEC is already taking action. Our pre-merger Hawaiian MEC Grievance Committee is actively reviewing all available options under our collective bargaining agreements. We are prepared to pursue every avenue to challenge this encroachment, including filing a formal grievance and seeking all remedies necessary to protect our work and uphold our contracts. We are also in close communication with both the Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines ALPA MECs and are aligning our efforts in response to management’s announcement.We stand together in both our disappointment and our resolve. We will hold management accountable for the promises made to our Flight Attendants and the people of Hawaiʻi. Updates will follow as we move forward together.

Need Help? Let Us Show You Where To Find It!

As Flight Attendants, we all experience moments where we need AFA support but might not be entirely sure where to look. Instead of digging through old emails or panic-posting on Facebook, we want to make sure you know exactly how to access our Union resources.

Here’s everything you need to know to navigate our AFA resources with confidence:

  • Find Your Local Reps in Under 30 Seconds: It only takes a moment to connect with the right person. Go to afaalaska.org and click on “Local Councils.” There, you’ll see the Officers and Committees dedicated to your Local Council—fellow Flight Attendants who truly understand your base, concerns, and needs.
  • Rely on Our Specialized Committees: Each Committee is dedicated to a specific area—such as scheduling, inflight service, or membership engagement. If you have a question or sense something is off, start here. It’s never an inconvenience; our dedicated volunteers are here to support you, so you never have to tackle complex issues alone.
  • What to Do When Things Go Sideways: When challenges arise, you have several ways to get the support you need. Submitting reports not only helps resolve your issue but also empowers our Officers to spot trends and advocate for you and our fellow Flight Attendants even more effectively.
    • Pre-Merger Alaska Flight Attendants: Reach out directly to an LEC Officer or open a support ticket through the AFA Alaska Online Support Center. When submitting a ticket, always use your personal email—not your company address—for privacy and security.
    • Pre-Merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants: Contact your LEC Officers directly to report issues and receive support specific to your needs.
  • Why Contacting Us Matters: Our Union is strongest when everyone knows how to use its resources. If you ever have a question or feel uncertain, reach out—we’re here to help.

Watch the Video

Want to see these tips in action? Watch the video below, where SFO-based Flight Attendant and Local Membership Engagement Committee Chairperson Dani Kellogg walks you through the website step by step.

Watch the Video On YouTube ➔

Behind the Scenes: What Goes Into Bringing Our MEC Town Halls to Life

Since launching our MEC Town Halls in March, we’ve focused on making these sessions a clear and effective way to connect with everyone. In June, we adjusted our approach to a more dynamic, interview-based, and conversational format to make these sessions even more engaging. But what does it take to move from an initial concept to a live broadcast?

We thought it would be fun to take you behind the lens. We’ve been capturing snippets of the production setup to highlight the extensive preparation that happens long before we go live.

Click here to watch on YouTube ➔

The Planning & Preparation Process: A Multi-Month Journey

While you see the final product on your screens, each Town Hall is the result of intensive coordination that begins months in advance. Our production doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a layered process of refinement and practice. Here is a look at what goes into bringing these sessions to you:

  • Months of Coordination and Planning: We start months out by listening. We identify key issues—like JCBA negotiations, seniority integration, and domicile-specific changes—that are top-of-mind for you. We work closely with our MEC Officers (Tim Green, Brice McGee, and Paul Ikioka) and MEC Membership Engagement Committee Chairperson Mischelle Fielsch to prioritize your questions and gather the data and visual materials needed to support the conversation.
  • Shared Table Reads: Once topics are chosen, we hold several “table reads”—focused sessions where we shape the flow of discussion. We make sure our updates on JCBA negotiations and other AFA news are presented clearly, accurately, and in ways that speak directly to our daily lives as Flight Attendants.
  • Technical Run-Throughs: We dedicate hours to testing our setup and calibrating our audio and video feeds. This attention to detail ensures a reliable, high-quality viewing experience for everyone tuning in.
  • Final Dress Rehearsals: Before we go live, we conduct full dress rehearsals. These sessions are a complete “dry run” of the show, where we test every detail—from camera angles and microphones to visual aids and graphics—so everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

Designed for You

These Town Halls are made for you. From the first planning meeting to the final microphone check, every decision is made with your engagement in mind, and we’re constantly refining our approach based on your feedback. We want you to feel connected, and more importantly, we want you to feel heard.

Save The Date

Plan now to join us for our next MEC Town Hall on Wednesday, September 23, at 11 AM PT.

If you have a question for our MEC Officers, you can submit it now or at any time using this form. We prioritize questions submitted in advance to ensure we focus on what matters most to you.

Go In-Depth with Our AFA Membership Engagement Committee Chairperson

Building on the momentum of our Membership Engagement Committee introduction video and this week’s look at the committee’s history, we’re excited to introduce the next feature of our July Committee Focus Month. Today, we’re launching an in-depth interview that offers an inside look at the mission and people powering the Membership Engagement Committee.

What You’ll Discover in This Interview

MEC Communications Committee Chairperson Brian Palmer recently sat down with MEC Membership Engagement Committee Chairperson Mischelle Fielsch for a conversation that goes beyond the basics and explores the “why” behind the committee’s mission and work. In this session, Mischelle shares:

  • The Personal Spark: Her motivation to ensure that every Member—from new hires to our most senior Flight Attendants—feels supported and never “flying solo.”
  • The Strategic Bridge: How the committee serves as a two-way street—amplifying important news from MEC Communications and ensuring your direct feedback reaches our AFA Officers to guide Union decisions.
  • A Roadmap for the Future: How we’re building our Union’s future by empowering every Member to recognize their voice and discover the tools to use it.

Watch Now

We invite you to take a few minutes to watch this interview. Whether you’re looking to better understand AFA resources or want to see how your input influences decisions, this video gives you insight into how things work behind the scenes.

Click here to watch on YouTube ➔

Take the Next Step

Engagement is the heartbeat of our solidarity. If you’re interested in getting involved after watching, visit afaalaska.org/volunteer to learn more.

Stay tuned next week as we continue our focus month with a behind-the-scenes look at our recent MEC Town Halls and more about how the Committee works to build and strengthen connections among our group.

Why Vote?

As we continue our Government Affairs Focus Month, our attention turns to civic engagement and the critical role voting plays in shaping our day-to-day work environment. While many of us associate workplace protections primarily with contract negotiations, the laws and regulations that govern our aviation career extend far beyond the bargaining table. Watch: Why Vote? […]

Reminder: Don’t Miss Next Week’s MEC Town Hall!

Mark your calendar: Wednesday, September 23, is almost here! There’s still time to register for our Alaska + Hawaiian Town Hall and hear directly from your MEC Officers: MEC President Tim Green, MEC Vice President Brice McGee, and MEC Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka. Join us for the latest updates and get answers to your questions. The […]

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 […]

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