AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for Latest News / AFA News Now

Council 47 (LAX pmHA) LEC Officer Election Results

Polls closed at 12 PM PT today for the election of Council 47 LEC Officers, representing Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants based in Los Angeles. The following AFA Flight Attendants have been elected to Local Council Officer positions:

LEC President: Joshua Aoki
LEC Vice President: Paul Ikioka
LEC Secretary: Beth Hayes

View the certified election results here >>

These newly elected officers will begin their terms on January 1, 2026, and serve until December 31, 2028.

On behalf of our Master Executive Council (MEC), we congratulate the newly elected officers. We also want to express our gratitude to everyone who participated in the election process, whether by voting or by running for office. 

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Interviews—December 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the terms of office for the MEC Committee Chairpersons and other MEC-level positions align with those of the MEC Officers. Since the current term for the MEC Officers will conclude on December 31, 2025, the MEC will soon review all pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and other MEC-level positions.

Committees that have already merged or will merge before the beginning of next year go through a separate process for interviews and elections and will not be included in this review. Information about interviews for these positions will be communicated separately.

This review will take place over several months to allow extra transition time for committees that may benefit from it. This approach differs from previous election cycles, where all interviews were conducted simultaneously near the end of the term. Although the interviews will occur well before the current MEC term concludes, those elected to these positions will not assume their roles until January 1, 2026.

The final committees to undergo the review process will be the Benefits, Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards, and Retirement Committees. During the upcoming December Regular MEC Meeting, interviews will be conducted for the following positions:

General Qualifications

Qualifications for all MEC-level Chairperson positions include: 

  • Current Alaska Airlines AFA Member in good standing.
  • Currently qualified Flight Attendant or, if on an approved leave of absence, last qualification must have been within 36 months prior to start of term.
  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson is preferred.
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred.
  • Strong ability to lead and coordinate a diverse team in a collaborative environment.
  • Ability to attend meetings as required, both via videoconference and in person.
  • Strong computer skills, including a good working knowledge of Google Workspace (email, calendar, Drive, and other applications) and Microsoft 365.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external emails, prepare reports, plan meetings (including scheduling, logistics, and agenda preparation), and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

Qualifications for Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee positions include:

  • Current Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee Member or Chairperson.

Duties and Responsibilities

Details about each committee’s duties and responsibilities are available on the respective committee pages of afaalaska.org. Additional information regarding MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities is available in this document.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

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

Term of Service

Candidates who are successfully elected will serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle which begins on January 1, 2026, and concludes on December 31, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will interview eligible candidates during the December Regular MEC Meeting Monday, December 1, and Tuesday, December 2. If you are interested in interviewing, please plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly.

Eligible candidates can choose to interview in person in SeaTac, WA, or virtually via Google Meet videoconferencing. 

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 Monday, November 24, 2025. 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 at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson position duties and responsibilities can be directed to MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

Merged MEC Committee Interviews—December 2025

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants

The integration of our Master Executive Councils (MECs) is progressing steadily. Several committees have successfully merged over the past few months, and we are now planning for another committee to merge on January 1.

As part of the committee merger process, our MEC will elect a Chairperson and Committee Members for each newly merged committee from the combined groups of Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants. The newly elected Chairperson will coordinate activities across both airlines, and they, along with the Committee Members, will support all eight Local Councils—both pre-merger Alaska and pre-merger Hawaiian. The MEC will conduct interviews during the December MEC Meeting for the following roles:

Other committees will merge later in the process. As we approach those dates, we’ll keep you informed about the integration timeline for each committee, including interview schedules.

General Qualifications

Qualifications for all MEC-level Chairperson positions include: 

  • Current Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines AFA Member in good standing.
  • Currently qualified Flight Attendant or, if on an approved leave of absence, last qualification must have been within 36 months prior to start of term.
  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson is preferred.
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred.
  • Strong ability to lead and coordinate a diverse team in a collaborative environment.
  • Ability to attend meetings as required, both via videoconference and in person.
  • Strong computer skills, including a good working knowledge of Google Workspace (email, calendar, Drive, and other applications) and Microsoft 365.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external emails, prepare reports, plan meetings (including scheduling, logistics, and agenda preparation), and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

Qualifications for Inflight Training Committee positions include:

  • Current Flight Attendant Initial and/or Recurrent Training Instructor.

Duties and Responsibilities

Details about each committee’s duties and responsibilities are available on the respective committee pages of afaalaska.org. Additional information regarding MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities is available in this document.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

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

Term of Service

Candidates who are successfully elected will serve for the upcoming MEC Officer election cycle. Their official term will begin on January 1, 2026, and conclude on December 31, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will interview eligible candidates during the December Regular MEC Meeting on Monday, December 1, and Tuesday, December 2. If you are interested in interviewing, please plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly.

Eligible candidates can choose to interview in person in SeaTac, WA, or virtually via Google Meet videoconferencing. 

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 Monday, November 24, 2025. 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 at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee position duties and responsibilities can be directed to MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

November 1 marks the beginning of Native American Heritage Month in the United States. Also known as National Native American Heritage Month, this celebration originated from efforts to recognize an American Indian Day in the early 20th century. In 1916, New York became the first state to officially proclaim American Indian Day following a declaration from its governor.

The journey toward national recognition started in 1976 when President Gerald Ford signed a proclamation designating Native American Awareness Week. Following this, in 1990, President George H.W. Bush approved a resolution that recognized the first National American Indian Heritage Month. Since 1994, this recognition has been an annual tradition, with proclamations issued each year under various names, including Native American Heritage Month and National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

Learn More About Native American History

We encourage you to explore and learn more about the many accomplishments and heritage of Native Americans through some of the following dedicated resources: 

Celebrate with a Native American Heritage Month AFA Pin

In 2021, the AFA Executive Board unanimously approved a resolution recognizing Native American Heritage Month. As part of this initiative, a unique commemorative pin was created for AFA Members to wear throughout the month.

For more information about the pin itself, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your Local Human Rights & Equity Committee. If you need a pin, please reach out to your LEC Officers to find out how to get one.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Human Rights & Equity Committee.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – October 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, October 28, 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), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Kanako Yamado (LAX), and Joey Lawrence (SAN). MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones were also present.

The Committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet in person on Tuesday, November 25.

Topics of Discussion

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

  • Upcoming Meetings: MEC Scheduling Committee meetings are next scheduled for November 25 and December 16 (in-person). Meetings for 2026 have also been scheduled.
  • Special Reports & Meetings: Scheduling Review Board (SRB) meetings are set for November 6 and December 4, 2025. Alternate Dispute Resolutions (ADR) Meetings are scheduled for November 6, November 20, December 4, and December 18, 2025, with other dates into 2026. JCTE Update is on November 17, 2025. Pairing Selection Meetings are November 18 and December 16, 2025.
  • Tentative Agreement (TA) Implementation: Key items will have a timeline of ratification plus 1, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days.
  • ELP Meeting: A meeting for the new vacation bidding and trading vendor is set for November 4, 2025.
  • MEC Committee Chairperson Report: Topics included Crew Backlog Review, Bi-Monthly Reviews with ALPA, Crew Access Issues, Rainmaker Crew Pay System, Fatigue Review Board, NAVBLUE Monthly Calls, JCTE Open Time Performance Quarterly Review, and Personal Drop Report Process updates. Disputes regarding Pyramiding Pay and 4k compensation were also discussed.
  • Local Committee Chairperson Reports: Various issues were reported from PDX (hotel assistance, IT outage, jury duty, vacation award), SAN (double out rest, Daylight Savings pairings), ANC (Crew Access tickets), LAX (pre-cancel issue), SFO (missing pay, communication with flying reductions), and SEA (multiple days off, transportation issues, sick leave form availability).
  • PBS Subcommittee Report: Noted good participation in November holiday bidding, legal solutions for SEA pairings, steady bid protests, and monthly meetings with NAVBLUE. Upcoming releases for 2026 bidding and TA2 updates are expected.
  • Pairing Construction Report: Focused on cost-effective December pairings and in-person collaboration days for pairing building with Crew Planning in Seattle.
  • ITS Report: Covered NAVBLUE/PBS testing and personal drop form in production. Noted that Open Time trades had lower transaction numbers this month, with steady transaction times.
  • Crew Scheduling Report: Highlighted the major internal outage. Had to switch to manual scheduling during the outage, with significant manual work. Sick leave monitoring (October absence rate at 9.6%), reserve utilization (over 90% for the last four months), and scheduler staffing plans were also reviewed.
  • Crew Planning Report Summary: Anticipated increase in block hours for December (+33k hours, primarily at the end of the month), no staffing adjustment leaves will be offered, focus on operational efficiency, and future planning.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Crew Access Issues: Addressing challenges affecting operations and Flight Attendant satisfaction. Meetings with Jeppesen management and internal/external debriefs regarding a recent outage are scheduled.
  2. Resolving Pyramiding Pay Disputes: Discussions are ongoing through the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process to clarify payment rules for over-duty pay and day-off violations.
  3. ISA for Reserves Implementation: Working to finalize a new system for ineligibility for self-assignment (ISA) for Reserve Flight Attendants, with the next Crew Access release expected in early October 2025.

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.

SEA Domicile Negotiations Update – January 2026

The Hawaiian Seattle Domicile Negotiating Committee has reached an agreement with management, confirming the “Rescinding the Award” provision and extending the bid timeline by one week to Monday, January 19 at 2359 HT. As of January 7, a total of 189 Hawaiian Flight Attendants have submitted bids for the new SEA Domicile, primarily from HNL and LAX. Discussions about the moving day process are ongoing, with further updates expected before the revised bid deadline.

Using Apps to Support New Year Wellness Goals

The start of a new year often brings renewed goals around improved physical and mental well-being. Many people use apps to help with these goals. Here are some popular free wellness apps to try this year that can support your health, sleep, and daily routines. Most have strong free features, and some offer additional options […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – December 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, December 16, our pre-merger Alaska AFA 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 Heather Reier (ANC), Melinda Jorge (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), […]

Recent Posts

News By Month

News By Category

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

Want To Stay In The Loop?

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