On Thursday, March 19, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) 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 Bradley Young (SFO), Carin Merritt (LAX pmAS), David Lake (SEA pmAS), Deb Wallstrom (ANC), Eva Gatus (SAN), Kalin Lackey (PDX), and Kahea Alvarez (LAX pmHA). Also present were MEC ASHSC Vice Chairperson Kerri Ruiz and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple.
The Committee met with Jesse Sexton (Director of Inflight Training & Standards), Johanna Giese (Manager of Inflight Safety Programs), Kaija Risdal (Inflight Safety and Compliance Specialist), Kaliko Howell (Manager of Inflight Policy and Procedure), Heidi Styley (Cabin Safety Manager), Matthew Coder (Senior Inflight Experience Program Manager), David Stewart (Manager of Security Operations), Sabrina Aguirre (Inflight Base Manager), and Kristina Garcia (Inflight Supervisor).
The next scheduled Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee meeting will take place in Portland on May 20, 2026.
Topics of Discussion
The Committee reviewed several items when meeting with management. Some items discussed include (items which are Security Sensitive Information are not included):
- Fume Events, Procedures, and CRM: The ASHSC continues to raise concerns about recurring fume events on the A330 and A321 aircraft (described as “stinky socks” and “electric/cleaner/new shoe” odors), with inconsistent response across departments. The ASHSC is calling for focused training on in-flight and post-landing procedures, and the importance of CRM. Management acknowledged significant work is needed to align pmHA and pmAS workgroups on air quality.
- Blocking Egress During Deplaning: A trend has been identified of Fleet Service bags, trash bags, and crew luggage being placed on the floor in front of the R1 door during deplaning, which can block the view of the girt bar during disarming verification on deplaning or catch on the girt bar causing it to be dislodged from the door clips. The ASHSC recommends a bulletin with diagrams or photos illustrating the issue. Management committed to a yearly reminder bulletin on the and communication with Fleet Service.
- Window Shade Policy: The ASHSC believes the current window shade policy creates potential safety concerns by reducing situational awareness during taxi, takeoff, and landing. We have asked management to align policy with the pmHA practice of requiring shades open for these phases of flight, including a passenger PA notification and a Safety Risk Assessment (SRA). Management indicated no final decision has been made, and that they are currently leaning toward passenger choice.
- Window Shade Position Descriptions: For aircraft other than the 787, the ASHSC recommends say “open/close” instead of up/down as it is a more accurate description. Management will implement this change in a future revision.
- Blocking Egress During Boarding: Some Flight Attendants are using the galley bar at R1 on the 737 during boarding to prepare pre-departure beverages. The ASHSC recommends a bulletin reminder about this practice and updated FAM language to clearly indicate that this is not permitted since it blocks egress at R1. Management agreed to add language to the FAM.
- 2L Door Opening Procedures – A330: The current boarding door opening procedure on the A330 and 787 involves significant back-and-forth between the FFA and FA2, leading to inconsistencies and crew defaulting to previous or hybrid procedures. The ASHSC recommends streamlining the procedure. Management acknowledged this is already on their radar—noting that some procedures were written with single-aisle aircraft in mind, while the 2L door is the primary boarding door for widebodies. Work is ongoing, but no firm completion date has been set.
- Cabin Status Call – A FA/FFA verbal Cross-Check: Current policy does not require the A FA/FFA to verbally confirm door armed/disarmed status during the Cabin Status Call, resulting in a breakdown of procedural consistency and a reduction in safety, particularly on aircraft where one Flight Attendant is responsible for disarming two doors. The ASHSC recommends going back to the previous pmAS policy of having the A FA/FFA to also verbalize that doors are armed/disarmed and cross-checked during the Cabin Status Call as this step reinforces the visual check. Management agreed to review the procedure and is leaning towards accepting the recommendation.
- Exit Row Placards for the 161-Seat Configuration: The exit row briefing for row 18 on reconfigured 161-seat 737-800s is being missed. The ASHSC recommends adding seat placards as a reminder for both passengers and crew. This is also an ERC recommendation and would need to be referred to Cabin Interiors.
- Charter Flight Flight Attendant Coordination: policy deviations have been noted in the charter operation. Management* has agreed to work with the ASHSC to identify enclose policy gaps, including practices like boarding 737s without a tail stand.
- L1 Door Closure Procedure – Video Clarification: There is ambiguity in FAM 11.200 regarding the boarding door closure procedure, specifically, the term “jointly close.” Management has agreed to produce a new video, like the one for door opening, showing what the procedure should look like for both CSAs and Flight Attendants.
- Demo Kit Location: Forward demo kits stored loosely in the last row of First Class can co-mingle with passenger bags, which can make it difficult to consistently find and access this piece of emergency equipment. The ASHSC again requests management install a divider in the overhead bin to keep the demo kit separated from COBs.
- Service Cart Weight: Fully prepped service carts carrying both meals and beverages are heavy and difficult to maneuver in limited galley space, contributing to repetitive motion injuries and creating safety concerns as crew adapt to fit everything. Management will loop in additional stakeholders for further review and the ASHSC will coordinate with the Inflight Service Committee to develop an AFA joint recommendation to management on how to address this hazard.
- Retrofitted 737-800 Aft Overhead Fire Extinguishers: Aft overhead water and Halon extinguishers in the retrofitted 737-800 aircraft are positioned too far back in the overhead bin for some Flight Attendants to effectively preflight or to access quickly in an emergency. The ASHSC recommends repositioning them to a more accessible location. Management conducted a comparison and found that these pieces of equipment in 737-800 bins sit approximately 2 inches deeper than the 737-700s due to bin dimensions and seat configuration differences but also confirmed there is no immediate fix planed.
Things The Committee Is Working On
- European Flying Validation Flights and FAA Certification LOA: The ASHSC is coordinating AFA participation in validation flights for both 787 and 737 European flying. We are also working with our MEC on a Letter of Agreement (LOA) that will govern Flight Attendant involvement in future FAA certification activities, including the proving run flights and mini evacuations that will need to occur prior to cross-flying.
- Joint Emergency Procedures Development: The ASHSC continues to work with management on developing joint emergency procedures, which will be incorporated into transition training. The focus is on keeping change manageable for Flight Attendants while streamlining procedures and checklists were doing so would likely improve safety outcomes.
- New Reporting Tool Feedback: The ASHSC and other early adopters will soon have the opportunity to provide feedback on the first iteration of the new reporting tool being developed by management to replace Report It.
We Want to Hear From You!
If you’ve encountered any safety-related issues at work, you can help the Committee advocate for improvement and change by submitting a report:
- pmHA: Use INTELEX to submit In-Flight Incident Reports (including fatigue and injury) and Hawaiian Safety Action Program (HSAP) reports.
- pmAS: Use ReportIt! to submit FAIRs (including Fatigue reports), ASAP reports, and Employee Injury Reports (EIR).
If you need clarification or assistance on what type of report to file, please get in touch with a member of your Local ASHSC.
Your Local ASHSC is always ready to represent your voice to management. Please don’t hesitate to let us know about any issues or concerns you want us to bring forward. We would also love to hear any other feedback you may have for the Committee. You can find our contact information on the ASHSC page of the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian website.
