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Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2024

Hotel Committee

  • On February 1, our AFA Hotel Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing program of work to protect and improve the quality of hotel accommodations and ground transportation providers for Flight Attendants.
  • The Committee met with management and representatives from the Company’s crew accommodations vendor to discuss current trends and concerns regarding layover hotels and transportation.
  • If you encounter problems or have positive feedback about hotels or transportation, please report it through CrewCare. Your feedback is crucial as it provides the Committee with essential data to support keeping high-quality hotels and push for change when conditions are unacceptable.

On Thursday, February 1, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met 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), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Cassie Dole (SFO), Chris Cardenas (LAX), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), with MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich also present.

The committee met with Crew Hotels & Administration Manager Nichole Turner, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, Managing Director of Operations Staffing & Resource Management Brittany Audette, and Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling Sara Cook from management. Representatives from the Company’s crew accommodations vendor, Accommodations Plus International (API), and ALPA also participated in the meeting.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items during the meeting with management and API.  Some items discussed include:

  • 2023 hotel and transportation year in review from API.
  • Hotel contract expirations and hotel site visit plan for 2024.
  • Discussion of the new MyCrewCare app update and what new features will be available to help crews on their layovers.
  • Enhanced CrewCare database access for Hotel Committee Chairpersons to better monitor crew compliments and complaints with our hotel and transportation providers.
  • Presentation of Alaska’s newly developed IROPS Playbook and what processes have been implemented to better address crew hotels and transportation during IROPS.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Conducting hotel site visits. Visiting hotels under consideration by management and advocating for management to select the hotel that will provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Our Hotel Committee conducted site visits in over 28 cities in 2023 and have so far scheduled 16 cities for 2024 with more anticipated.
  2. Investigating CrewCare reports. Reviewing CrewCare reports and working to hold hotel and transportation providers accountable through management and API. Your direct feedback fixes problems, and it’s the documentation we need to support the decisions to remain where we are or to advocate for a hotel change.

We Want to Hear From You!

Don’t let any unacceptable experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider go unnoticed! Please report the issue via CrewCare so that it can be addressed. CrewCare is the only official way to report issues, as the Hotel Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare submission is forwarded to your AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (AS), API and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct the issue or fix it for the next crewmember. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. You 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! The 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 website.

AFA Alaska News in Review – February 2, 2024

Click here for more strike vote information or to cast your vote >

In This Edition

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – January 2024

Originally posted January 29, 2024

On January 23, 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!

Read More >

Never Forget: Honoring Alaska Airlines Flight 261—January 31, 2000 

Originally posted January 31, 2024

Today marks the 24th anniversary of a tragic event that deeply affects us all to this day. On this day, we lost Alaska Airlines Flight 261, flying between Puerto Vallarta and San Francisco, when it went down in the Pacific Ocean between Port Hueneme and Anacapa Island off the coast of Southern California. Our hearts go out to all those who lost loved ones on that fateful day, and we honor the memory of everyone who was on board.

We will always remember and honor the memory of Flight Attendants Kristin Mills, Craig Pulanco, and Allison Shanks; Captain Ted Thompson; First Officer William Tansky; Sheri Christensen, Rachel Janosik, Ileana Ost, Sarah Pearson, Anjesh Prasad, James Ryan, and Stacy Schuyler.

Read More >

Celebrating Black History Month

Originally posted February 1, 2024

February 1 is the beginning of Black History Month in the United States. This tradition was initiated by a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, in 1925. He introduced a week-long event to raise awareness about the contributions made by Black individuals. Discover resources to learn more about Black History Month, celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, and find events to participate in by using the links below. Wear your Black History Month AFA Pin this month and join the celebration. Contact your Local Council if you need a pin.

Read More >

Shared on Social

Are We Invisible? 

We are NOT invisible. In fact, we are the face of Alaska Airlines. It’s time to SEE US or see CHAOS. 

Watch Our Instagram Reel >

Have You Voted? 

Have you voted? Don’t wait until the last minute to show management we stand in unity. Vote FOR the Strike Authorization today! 

If you need a replacement code, visit https://afacwa-elections.org/request-new-activation-code

Strike Vote Update (Week 4)

Originally posted January 30, 2024

Have you voted yet? As of this morning, 82% of Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants have participated in the Strike Authorization Vote. Voting ends February 13 at 12 PST – make sure to vote FOR the Strike Authorization before voting closes!

Voting information: https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/strikevote/

Strike Vote Week 4 Recap

Originally posted February 2, 2024

Have you voted yet? As of this morning, 85% of Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants have participated in the Strike Authorization Vote. Our Mobilization Volunteers have been working hard providing information and assisting with the voting process. Tag your Strike Vote photo with #AFAAlaska #AlaskaFAContract #PayUsOrCHAOS !

Voting ends February 13 – make sure to vote FOR the Strike Authorization before voting closes!

Voting information: https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/strikevote/

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, February 6 – Thursday, February 8Contract Negotiations

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – January 2024

Scheduling Committee

  • On January 23, 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, January 23, our AFA Scheduling 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 Heather Reier (ANC), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Kamako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones.

The committee met with Managing Director Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Allen Thieman, Director of Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and other management representatives from Crew Planning/Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on February 20, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

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

JCTE Update

  • Release 23.5 was released in prod, 23.7 is in UAT.
  • Trades: 92.1% of 57,580 trades had a response time of less than 10 seconds.
  • JCTE release coming in February.

Block2Block (B2B)

  • Version 2.5 is in progress.
  • Tap to pay feature.

Crew Planning Update

  • March block hours increased by almost 19k compared to February.
  • Staffing adjustment leaves offered for March: 173.
  • Reserve staffing: Bases around 17% except Seattle around 20%.
  • Review of trip length distribution, consistent with previous months.
  • Commutability in March: SEA/ANC have the best commutability, LAX and PDX are the most challenging.

Teaming And IROP Mitigation

  • Teaming FAs together and with pilots helped minimize cancellations.
  • In and backs strategically scheduled to assist with recovery of cancellations.
  • Teaming is not being used in spring/summer as the cost is too great. 

MAX Cancellations And Advanced Bookings

  • MAX cancellations ongoing, no adjustments made for March pairing selection. 

Updates From Crew Scheduling Management

  • Reserve utilization in January around 77%.
  • Breakdown of reserve usage: 48% covering line holder sick trips, 15.9% reserve absences, 22% unused.
  • Inflight YOY absence rate trending up, LAX/SAN trending down by domicile.
  • Premium not issued since MAX fleet grounded, FAs picking up trips to cover operation.
  • Flexibility impacted by unknown factors, no increases in TSN.
  • Personal drops: 90 in January, 7 Bulletin board drops.

PDX SWGCO And Crew Scheduling

  • 26 FAs couldn’t get to work and have FNS, each case will be reviewed.
  • Efforts made for process improvement, high hold times during pre-cancellations.

Layover And Transportation Issues

  • LAX crew had issues getting back to the hotel, will review and try to accommodate crews closer.
  • Issues with single transportation and long wait times in CUN/GDL, to be reviewed by Crew Planning.
  • Confusion about layovers at domicile vs hotels being provided prior to trips, clarification needed.

Withholding Trips, Pre-Cancellations, And FNS

  • Trips withheld from OT, efforts to address the issue and ensure compliance.
  • Discussion on pre-cancellation processes and FCR footprint, modifications planned.
  • We are seeing an Increased number of FNS, clarification needed on contactability and communication procedures.

CHS-RDU Limo Times

  • Request to review extensively long limo times in all locations. 

What the Committee is Working on

  1. NavBlue. The PBS Committee 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. There are dates and times scheduled February 2024 for in person and virtual meetings to assist with bidding. 
  2. Pairings Survey. There is a discussion about conducting a survey on pairing construction, and there is a possibility of organizing a virtual session or town hall. A meeting with management occurred June 5, 2023, with a follow-up meeting to be arranged. However, there is no update or estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the moment.
  3. Teaming. Crew Planning is currently reviewing pairing construction and optimizing teaming strategies to minimize costs and ensure that crews (pilots and Flight Attendants) can stay together for multiple segments. Currently, the system teams around 10-15% of crews, but enhancements were made to increase this to 20-35% for winter operations. The changes were reflected in December pairings. Management provided communication regarding teaming. In December 2023, approximately 23% of sequences were teamed together, while 52% of duty periods were teamed. We didn’t receive any teaming information for January during the meeting today. For March 2024 pairing selection we did not utilize teaming.  
  4. Chime Communications. Flight Attendants may chat with crew scheduling via app/Microsoft Teams to reduce phone calls. Flight Attendant-initiated contact. Early stages of development, to be discussed with AS Labor Relations and AFA. Testing and implementation to occur in the next few weeks. We are working on a letter of agreement for implementation. This is still pending review. 
  5. Crew Scheduling. There was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that 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.
  6. Crew Planning. Similar to Crew Scheduling, there was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that cover subsequent month staffing, trip length distribution, Flight Attendant block hours, special initiatives (e.g., IROPs), commutability, and other relevant agenda items.
  7. ITS. Representatives from ITS joined the scheduling meeting to provide updates on NavBlue, Crew Access, internal systems, and Block 2 Block. 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.

AFA Alaska News in Review – January 26, 2024

Click here for more strike vote information or to cast your vote >

In This Edition

Strike Vote Text Campaign

Originally posted January 22, 2024

Tomorrow we are launching our Strike Vote Text Campaign to encourage Flight Attendants to vote FOR the Strike Authorization. Be on the lookout for a text from a Mobilization Volunteer in your base. Let them know you’ve voted or ask any questions you have about the vote. Let’s get 100% participation and 100% FOR the Strike Authorization! Together, we can send a unified message to management: Pay Us Or CHAOS™!

Read More >

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2024

Originally posted January 23, 2024

On January 4, our AFA Air Safety, Health, and Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in safety, health, and security. The committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues faced by Flight Attendants onboard the aircraft. Reporting safety concerns is crucial in these challenging times. Use ReportIt! to file FAIR, ASAP, and fatigue reports. Contact your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.

Read More >

Strike Vote Virtual Roadshow Recap

Originally posted January 24, 2024

Our Negotiating Committee held four Strike Vote Virtual Roadshows last week. The Committee discussed the Strike Authorization Vote and provided a brief overview of our current negotiations status. The Railway Labor Act was discussed, as well as our reasons for holding a strike vote. Attendees during each session were able to ask questions directly to the Negotiating Committee, our AFA Senior Staff Negotiator, AFA Staff Attorney, and AFA International Director of Collective Bargaining.

Read More >

Mediation Session 1

Originally posted January 26, 2024

This week was our first Mediation session with management and the mediator assigned by the National Mediation Board. The bulk of this session was taken up with introductions, explaining the status of negotiations to the mediator, and setting expectations for mediation. We agreed to several provisions, including 10.X. Deadhead, and discussed others that should be relatively easy to resolve.

Read More >

Update on the 737-9 MAX

Originally posted January 26, 2024

The FAA grounded 737-9 MAXs on January 6th, following the Alaska Flight 1282 accident. This week, the FAA issued required inspection and maintenance protocols for airlines to return the aircraft to service. Alaska will return the aircraft to service Friday and United will return the aircraft to regularly scheduled service on Sunday. 

Read More >

Shared on Social

Strike Vote Update (Week 3)

Originally posted January 23, 2024

As of this morning, 70.6% of Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants have participated in the Strike Authorization Vote – have you?? Voting ends February 13 – make sure to vote FOR the Strike Authorization before voting closes!

Voting information: https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/strikevote/                   

Have You Voted?

Have you voted? Don’t wait until the last minute to show management we stand in unity. Vote FOR the Strike Authorization today!  

If you need a replacement code, click here.

Watch Our Instagram Reel >

Strike Vote Week 3 Recap

Originally posted January 26, 2024

As of this morning, 78% of Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants have participated in the Strike Authorization Vote – have you? Our Mobilization Volunteers around the system provided information and assisted with the voting process. Tag your Strike Vote photo with #AFAAlaska #AlaskaFAContract #PayUsOrCHAOS !

Voting ends February 13 – make sure to vote FOR the Strike Authorization before voting closes!

Voting information: https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/strikevote/

Next Week’s Events

Thursday, February 1Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

Update on the 737-9 MAX

Master Executive Council (MEC)

The FAA grounded 737-9 MAXs on January 6th, following the Alaska Flight 1282 accident. This week, the FAA issued required inspection and maintenance protocols for airlines to return the aircraft to service. Alaska will return the aircraft to service Friday and United will return the aircraft to regularly scheduled service on Sunday. 

FAA Administrator Whitaker’s leadership has been stellar through this process. Our union is confident in the FAA’s required action before returning these aircraft to service. It is clear that this isn’t where this issue ends though. We’re supportive of increased oversight and investigations into Boeing’s quality control.

Safety is our first priority always. We will continue to work with our airlines and the FAA to ensure the safety of crew and passengers, and participate in the NTSB’s investigation of Flight 1282. 

The grounding of the 737-9 MAX has also caused economic impact to Alaska and United Flight Attendants. While some of the economic harm is covered by pay protections included in our contracts, there remains losses due to decreased flying opportunities, less open time, increased commuting challenges and costs, and other loss of income. These losses are directly related to the initial accident on January 5, 2024 and the grounding of the 737-9 MAX that followed.

AFA sent letters to Alaska and United CEOs informing the airlines that “economic harm to Flight Attendants must be included in the Boeing settlement discussions, and we expect the company to seek redress of the economic harm to Flight Attendants in any settlement. The harm to Flight Attendants is every bit as real as other economic damage to the rest of the company and we are a beneficiary of the Boeing contract.”

Read the full letter here >

We continue to support the crew of Alaska 1282 and other Flight Attendants affected by this. AFA EAP is always available to Flight Attendants at (949) 470-0493.

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 […]

Register Now: Reserve Webinar – Thursday, August 6

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants As a follow-up to our June 23 save-the-date announcement, we’re excited to share full details and open registration for our August pre-merger Alaska Reserve Webinar! If you’ve ever wondered, “Can they do that?” when Crew Scheduling calls with a reserve assignment or schedule change—whether you’re a Reserve Flight […]

AFA Committee Focus Month: Membership Engagement

July marks our latest AFA Committee Focus Month, and we’re excited to spotlight our Membership Engagement Committee. In May, we kicked off this initiative by showcasing the exceptional work of our EAP/Professional Standards Committee—illustrating how our committees serve and support us every day. Our Membership Engagement Committee is here to make sure every Member feels genuinely […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 16 – July 2026

The JNC has been actively negotiating key sections of the contract, focusing on vacation, sick leave, and temporary duty assignments. A tentative agreement was reached on Section 37 (Temporary Duty Assignments), ensuring financial protections and fair treatment for Flight Attendants during temporary assignments. These ongoing discussions demonstrate a commitment to integrating the best benefits from both Alaska and Hawaiian CBAs for all members.

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2026

On Wednesday, June 24, our AFA Human Rights & Equity Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to raise awareness and create positive change within our workplace and community. Your representatives attending the meeting were Nyachan Chuar (ANC), Yan Yan Teague (SEA), Aaron Miller (PDX), Trista Vanta (SFO), Louise Borras (LAX-pmAS), Bruni Agosto-Pinal (LAX-pmHA), […]

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