787-9 Inflight Service Grievance: Protecting Our Contract and Standards

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

For decades, Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants have defined the Spirit of Aloha. We take pride in delivering world-class service, but management’s current Boeing 787-9 service model is threatening that legacy. It isn’t just inefficient—it’s an unsustainable pace that undermines the quality our passengers expect and the professional standards our crews deserve.

The Issue: Management is Ignoring Our CBA

At the onset of Alaska-branded 787 international service in April, management offered a 30-day observation period with promises to gather Flight Attendant feedback and implement service flow improvements. That observation period concluded on May 28. Months later, management has offered no resolutions to ease the demands of an operation they refuse to resource properly, citing claims of needing more data. Yet, management has repeatedly shown they can react swiftly to passenger feedback—highlighting that changes can be made, but they simply choose not to. Instead, management’s response to Flight Attendants has consistently been: Make it work.

This refusal to collaborate is a direct violation of Section 29.I.4 of the Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant CBA, which requires mutual agreement on inflight service requirements. Management has disregarded our Inflight Service Committee’s repeated calls for realistic and fair solutions, leaving us no choice but to take formal action. As of Monday, we have filed grievance #46-99-2-8-26 to ensure our concerns are addressed.

The Reality: A Simple Principle

Current main cabin staffing levels currently make it impossible to deliver on management’s promises. We will not stand by while our professional standards are compromised due to their unwillingness to invest the necessary resources needed to make their service model work.

At its core, this grievance is about one simple principle: If management expects a certain level of service, it must provide the staffing necessary to deliver it. They face a clear choice: increase staffing to meet their service goals, or work with our Inflight Service Committee to establish realistic service standards that actually reflect the staffing provided. Until they choose one, we will not accept being set up for failure.

Take Action: Document the Struggle

We need every Flight Attendant to turn frustration into evidence. Your reports are the vital data we need to prove the daily realities we face on these 787-9 flights and hold management accountable. Keep documenting every challenge you face—your voice matters, and our solidarity is our greatest strength.

Speak up, support each other, and stay informed.