On Monday, March 9, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in-person in Seattle 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), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX pmAS), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), with MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich facilitating the meeting.
The Committee met with Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Manager of Crew Hotel and Administration Diane Szubert, and Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay William
Our next monthly meeting with management is scheduled for Monday, April 13.
Topics of Discussion
The Committee reviewed several items during the meeting with management, most of which focused on hotel decisions and challenges in our layover markets. This time was also spent improving department processes and communication flows. Some items discussed include:
- Transportation Technology: Many of our ground transportation providers offer real-time GPS tracking via standalone apps. API, our hotel vendor, is looking to incorporate this feature into a future MyCrewCare app update. In the interim, we have asked Crew Hotels to compile a list of all transportation companies that offer this feature and publish it so it is readily available to Flight Attendants.
- Hotel Hotline: The Hotel Hotline was not posted for several days at the start of March for April bidding. We have asked that the prior month not be taken down if the next month is not available. Crew Hotels has informed that the hotline is an overly burdensome document to maintain and would like to transition fully to the MyCrewCare platform. Given errors that have been identified in MyCrewCare and that Crew Hotels does not directly update this platform, the Hotel Committee wants to keep the hotline until a suitable replacement is found, whether that is a new platform or direct access to MyCrewCare updates and edits.
- TBD Visibility: Last year, Crew Planning began adding “TBD” to bid packets when the hotel had not yet been confirmed during NAVBLUE programming. This usually happens when our needs exceed the number of rooms we have under contract at a hotel. The Hotel Committee has asked for a report on all TBDs and the reasons behind them for future bid periods.
- Hotel Relocation Challenge: We recently had a relocation in IAH over several days due to a cheer conference in the downtown area. The relocation was supposed to be in North Houston and was made at the suggestion of our crew hotel. Unfortunately, there were many issues, including being re-relocated back to downtown, firm checkout times at 16:00 (despite later van times), and crewmembers being asked to provide a credit card on file. Given the depth of issues, Crew Hotels is still researching where this broke down. Crew Hotel has expressed that they will proceed with more caution with relocations at the request of the hotel or our hotel vendor.
What The Committee Is Working On
1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts site visits on hotels under consideration by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Market reviews are triggered by factors such as contract expirations, crew complaints, and cost-saving opportunities.
Pre-Merger Alaska: We have been provided the site visit schedule for 2026, and it’s quite extensive. Additional site visits may be added due to the conditions listed above. The scheduled site visits through June 2026 are:
- March: PSP, MKE, FAI, MIA
- April: DFW, EWR, JFK
- May: PHX, ATL
- June: OGG, RNO, BOS
Pre-Merger Hawaiian: The following site visits are confirmed for 2026 so far:
- March: LHR, SJC
- April: SYD, LAX
2. Hotel Gainshare Update (pmAS): We have received a response from our AFA International legal department regarding the tax implications raised by management. We are analyzing the guidance and determining the best way to present this to management. We will provide additional details as soon as they are available.
We Want to Hear From You!
Our Hotel Committee relies on your feedback, whether positive or negative. Please report via CrewCare (pmAS) or the FA Crew Accommodations Feedback form (pmHA), which ensures your experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation is addressed. These are the only official way to report issues, as the Committee does not monitor social media channels.
Each CrewCare and feedback form submission is forwarded to our AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska/Hawaiian management), API, and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct or fix the issue for the next crew member. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. Pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants 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! Your 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 + Hawaiian website.
Tom Lent says
Can you explain more about the tax implications and define “Hotel gainshare?”
Brian Palmer (MEC Communications Committee Chairperson) says
Hotel gainshare is a voluntary program that allows Flight Attendants to give up their hotel room in exchange for compensation equal to a portion of the actual cost of the room. The requirement to negotiate an agreement is outlined in Letter of Agreement 12 of the 2025 Alaska CBA. Management raised potential tax implications, which have been carefully reviewed by the AFA International legal department. Our MEC continues to analyze this information and is committed to sharing further details as soon as they become available.