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Recurrent Training 2022

Inflight Training Committee

  • The 2022 Recurrent Training (RT) program is underway at all training locations.  Read on for information about preflight oral evaluations and acceptable deviations to emergency evacuations commands.
  • For those who are attending RT in Seattle, be aware that the training facility has moved this year.  Check the RT website for information about the new location, directions, and parking.
  • Safety measures such as continued social distancing and HEPA filtration systems in RT classrooms will be in place as a result of AFA advocacy.  These measures should be in place as of January 12. 

Preflight Oral Evaluations

Management is continuing this year with the requirement to verbally review the preflight for emergency exits and equipment as part of RT evaluations.  Similar to last year, preflight oral evaluations do not need to be performed verbatim, can use conversational language, and do not need to be performed in any specific order.  If you have questions about the requirements for preflight oral evaluations, we encourage you to seek clarification from your RT instructors in the classroom prior to the start of evaluations.

Acceptable Deviations to Emergency Evacuation Commands

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Password: See the emailed version of this article sent to the personal email address that you have on file with AFA Alaska for the confidential password. Contact your LEC President if you need additional assistance.

Please respect the security of the document and do not share the password on an online group or open forum.

Lunch Is Not Provided

Please note that lunch is not being provided by the Company at RT at this time.  Management had initially planned to provide lunch on day 1 of RT to Flight Attendants in Seattle in conjunction with a management-led “listening session”.  Our AFA Representatives brought forward the concern that Flight Attendants in ANC, PDX, SFO, and LGB were not receiving company-provided lunch as well.  Shortly after AFA shared this concern, management indicated that they would be temporarily suspending company-provided lunch at RT in SEA, citing COVID transmission concerns.  Should management decide to resume providing lunch during RT, it is AFA’s expectation that it will be provided at all training locations.

Change to SEA Training Facility Location

With the high volume of Flight Attendant Initial Training (IT) classes that are scheduled to take place in 2022, classroom space at the Flight Operations & Training Center (FTC) in Seattle has been reallocated solely to the IT program for the time being.  RT and RQ classes in Seattle will now be held at the Stinson Building, located just a few miles south of the FTC.  For more information about the new location, including the address, maps, and parking information, please refer to the Recurrent Training website (sign on required).

Safety & Social Distancing

Last year, management made the decision to eliminate social distancing in training environments starting in January 2022.  As 2022 approached it became clear to the AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC) and Inflight Training Committees that this move was premature as the pandemic is still raging.  The AFA ASHSC and Inflight Training Committees approached Managing Director of Inflight Strategy & Support Gloria Chow with AFA’s concerns. We reiterated a previous request for HEPA filtration systems for classrooms and to maintain classroom seating with six feet of separation for social distancing.

Management responded by ordering air filtration units and began working on making the needed adjustments to provide social distancing for classroom seating.  We expect all of these changes to be in place by the end of the day on January 12.  Thank you to Manager of Inflight Training Delivery Amanda Westendorf, Inflight Training Resource Manager Shaunda Groce, and the entire Inflight Training Team for quickly implementing these changes once the decision was made to change course for safety.

Questions?

If you have questions about RT 2022, please contact the MEC Inflight Training Committee or your LEC President.

Human Rights Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2021 (Rescheduled)

Human Rights Committee

  • Our AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, January 11 to discuss their ongoing program of work to advance human rights within our workplace and community.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates on what progress has been made on concerns that had been previously brought forward and address new concerns that have been brought forward.  The meeting with management was originally scheduled to be held on December 6 but was cancelled at the last minute due to inflight management changes that took place at around the same time.
  • If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!

On Tuesday, January 11, our AFA Local Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to build awareness and effect change within our workplace and community.  Representing you at the meeting were Matthew Cook (ANC), Yan Yan Teague (SEA), Sylvia Newbill (PDX), Sejal Patel (SFO), and Louise Borras (LAX).  Also present were MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson Chip Hestle and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Inflight Strategy and Support Gloria Chow, Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams, California Regional Director of Inflight Operations Robbi Burton, and Seattle Director of Inflight Base Operations Jenny Bookert from management. 

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management.  Some items discussed include:

  • Ongoing concerns about low morale within our work group
  • Opportunities to emphasize the importance of maintaining positive working relationships and encourage voter turnout during the upcoming election cycle.
  • Concerns about company suppliers/vendors whose values may be contradictory to those of Alaska Airlines and how management would address the issue.
  • Management’s progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and plans for upcoming work.
  • Upcoming plans to include more substantial DEI training in the Initial Training and Recurrent Training programs.
  • Introduction of new pronoun pins, currently available at the Company Store.  Management is reviewing the possibility of allowing Flight Attendants to use their uniform allotment to purchase the pins.
  • Requests to increase diversity and representation among the Flight Attendant Special Projects Pool, starting with those selected for Flight Attendant recruiting and hiring.
  • Ways for the committee to start building relationships with the company’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs).

The committee is next scheduled to meet with management on Friday, February 4, 2022.  

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Developing a Membership Survey.  Creating a membership survey to determine what Flight Attendants would like to see our Human Rights Committee address and prioritize going forward.
  2. Building Relationships with the Company’s Business Resources Groups (BRGs).  Beginning the process of establishing relationships with leaders of the Company’s BRGs to find areas where we can join together to advance human rights within the scope of each group.
  3. Promoting Increased Diversity Within the Flight Attendant Special Projects Pool.  Advocating for management to create a Special Projects Pool that is reflective of our overall work group, starting with a focus on those who are selected to participate in Flight Attendant recruiting and hiring. 

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local Human Rights Committee is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the Human Rights Committee page of the AFA Alaska website. 

Onboard Service Reductions

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Representatives have been successful in getting management to agree to additional onboard service reductions in light of the current spike of COVID-19 cases nationwide.
  • Any flight currently scheduled for more than one beverage service will be reduced to only one service regardless of the length of the flight.  Additional reductions include changes to the food pre-order system based depending on the length of the flight.  Changes take effect today and are scheduled to be in place through January 31, 2022.
  • As always, please continue to report any safety-related issues with onboard service using a Flight Attendant Irregularity Report (FAIR) in ReportIt!  Please report any catering issues using the catering feedback function in Block2Block.  Management needs to hear about the challenges we’re facing!

Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Inflight Service Committee, and Master Executive Council (MEC) have been continually advocating for changes to onboard service that provide the safest possible environment for Flight Attendants and passengers alike.  In light of the current spike in COVID-19 cases, we had additional conversation this week with management about the ongoing issues and concerns that Flight Attendants are experiencing.  Based on these conversations, management has agreed to implement additional onboard service reductions on a temporary basis.

The following changes will go into effect immediately and remain in place through January 31, 2022:

  • Only one beverage service in the main cabin on all flights that are scheduled to receive a beverage service.
  • Picnic packs will no longer be available for pre-order but will still be sold from the retail cart.
  • Fresh meals will no longer be available for pre-order/sold on medium haul flights.  Maximum number of orders on transcon and Hawaii flights will be reduced from 63 to 42.

Even though the pre-order system will be turned off for any new orders, catering will continue to board items for any passengers who placed an order prior to today.  Please see the email from management in your Outlook inbox and today’s bulletin bundle for more information.

Please continue to report any safety hazards related to onboard service in ReportIt! as a Flight Attendant Irregularity Report (FAIR).  If you encounter any issues related to onboard products, catering supply levels, or procedural concerns, please report them through the Catering Issues function in Block2Block.  Your reports help our Inflight Service Committee and ASHSC to have the strongest voice possible in their conversations with management about onboard service.

January 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week from Tuesday, January 4 through Thursday, January 6 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight, labor relations, and executive management to discuss issues and concerns that are facing our work group and need to be addressed.
  • The last two days of the meeting were spent interviewing candidates for the three Negotiating Committee Member positions.  The MEC selected several candidates to advance to the final interviews to be held on Wednesday, January 26.

The January 2022 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week from Tuesday, January 4 through Thursday, January 6.  The first day of the meeting consisted of updates provided by our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee.  Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work. 

Meeting with Management

As part of most Regular MEC Meetings, our MEC meets with management to review current issues and challenges that Flight Attendants are facing.  Attendees from management this month included EVP & COO Constance von Muehlen, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Inflight Strategy & Support Gloria Chow, Vice President of Labor Relations Jenny Wetzel, Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams, and other management employees from inflight, labor relations, crew administration, and payroll.

Some of the topics that were discussed include:

  • December 2021 Pacific Northwest snowstorm, the subsequent operational meltdown, and the significant impact it had on Flight Attendants.  Management needs to do better.
  • Winter holiday incentive pay and what steps management is taking to ensure that Flight Attendants will be paid correctly on January 20th.
  • Open inflight management positions and what progress the company is making to fill them.
  • COVID-19 policies and contact tracing protocols.  Flight Attendants are reporting that they are not being notified of reported exposure in a timely manner.
  • Ongoing hotel & transportation issues including reports of Flight Attendants having to transport to/from hotels alone at destinations outside of the US and Canada.
  • Recurrent Training concerns including why it took so long to notify F/As that the written exam had been removed from the CBT and returned to an in-class activity, acceptable deviations in drill commands, and how evaluations of equipment preflight are conducted.

Negotiating Committee Interviews

Wednesday and Thursday were spent interviewing candidates for the three Negotiating Committee Member positions who will represent us at the bargaining table during upcoming contract negotiations.  Our MEC would like to thank all of the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the positions.  After conducting interviews and reviewing all candidates, several were selected to participate in a final interview with the MEC.  We’ll have more information to provide after the final interviews on Wednesday, January 26.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please reach out to your LEC President.

December 2021 Pacific Northwest Snowstorm

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • The snowfall that occurred over the last several days in the Pacific Northwest has caused operational havoc throughout the Alaska Airlines system. Many Flight Attendants are being impacted by cancelled flights, reassignments, and other scheduling issues.
  • Your contract is one of the best resources to help answer questions about pre-cancellations, reassignments, duty times, and rest. The AFA Scheduling Committee has also put together an updated quick reference guide with some key contractual information.
  • If your flying has been impacted by the snowstorm and you have contractual questions or concerns, please open a support ticket using the AFA Alaska Online Support Center. AFA Representatives are working to resolve issues as expeditiously as possible.

This week’s snowstorm and continued winter weather have had a significant impact on Alaska Airlines operations in Seattle and Portland.  Hundreds of flights have either been delayed or cancelled which has had a ripple effect throughout the system leaving virtually no Flight Attendants unimpacted.  AFA Representatives are actively working to try to resolve Flight Attendant concerns that have been reported, but management’s availability has been limited as they focus on fixing the operation.

If Your Flight Cancels

  • If your flight has been cancelled, you must still report as scheduled unless contacted by Crew Scheduling or you accept a cancellation notification in Crew Access.
  • If contacted by Crew Scheduling regarding a pre-cancellation, know your options.  Review section 10.S of the contract or the pre-cancellation flowchart.
  • If you have already reported for duty and your flight cancels, you must remain at the airport until released by Crew Scheduling.  Your duty period will run continuously until released.

Difficulty Making it to the Airport

Significant Weather Ground Commuting Operations (SWGCO) have been declared for Seattle and Portland.  SWGCO provides additional ground commuter protections for Flight Attendants who may have difficulty reporting on time due to the inclement weather.  In order to receive protections under SWGCO, you must notify Crew Scheduling at least one hour prior to report that you won’t be able to report on time due to the weather.  Please review pages 3 and 4 of the full side letter of agreement for more information.

Management is also offering hotel rooms near the airport in SEA and PDX for those who are reporting for trips the following day.  Please fill out this form to request a hotel room.  They have also authorized any F/A to expense $100 for Uber/Lyft transportation to/from the airport in order to get to work.  No advance approval is required and your base management can provide assistance with reimbursement.  Questions about in-base hotels or transportation reimbursement should be directed to the Inflight Snow Ops Command Center at InflightSnowOps@alaskaair.com.  

Hotel or Transportation Issues While Flying

If you are currently flying and are having issues with hotels or ground transportation, you may be able to receive a quicker response from the Inflight Snow Ops Command Center by emailing InflightSnowOps@alaskaair.com.  Requests that go through the command center, especially ones that are not time sensitive, will free up Crew Scheduling to attend to other operational duties.  The command center is open from 08:00-20:00 Pacific time.  Outside of these hours Crew Scheduling will be your point of contact.

Pay Questions & Rainmaker

If your flying has been impacted by irregular operations, be sure to monitor Rainmaker closely to ensure that your pay is reflected accurately.  Any pay questions should be submitted directly in Rainmaker as a pay query. 

Contractual Questions, Issues, and Concerns

Your contract is your best resources to answer scheduling and pay-related questions.  You can access the contract on the AFA Alaska website or on your IMD in Goodreader > ASFASupplemental > Collective Bargaining Agreement > Contract.  The AFA Scheduling Committee has also put together an updated irregular operations quick reference guide with key contractual information that may be helpful. 

If you have a contractual concern or issue that has come up and need assistance from an AFA representative, please open a support ticket using the AFA Alaska Online Support Center.  Members of the AFA Grievance, Reserve, and Scheduling Committees are working through submitted tickets as quickly as possible, but resolution may be delayed in some cases as management’s immediate focus is on operational issues.

For additional support, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee (lineholders), Local Reserve Committee (reserves), or your LEC Officers. 

Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Management has recently informed our Master Executive Council (MEC) that they are distributing new Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs) to Flight Attendants with devices nearing the end of their lifecycle. The specific schedule for this distribution will be communicated by management separately. Flight Attendants with the oldest devices […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, September 23, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met in person at Alaska Airlines Corporate Headquarters 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), […]

Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants We’re excited to introduce the first group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives for the upcoming MEC Officer term. They’ll begin transitioning into their roles over the next few months and officially start their terms on January 1, 2026. Below, you’ll find brief biographies that […]

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

On Thursday, September 18, our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing efforts to represent our Flight Attendants and advocate for improvements in our workplace. Although our Inflight Service Committee has now merged, meetings with management continue to focus primarily on the Alaska or Hawaiian brands individually. This particular meeting was centered […]

Vacation Survey Closing Soon

There’s just 1 DAY LEFT to complete the crucial vacation survey that will help shape future provisions—your insights are essential for advocating the best outcomes for all Flight Attendants. The survey is currently open and will remain available until Wednesday, September 24 at 12 PM PT.

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