On Monday, October 13, 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), Chris Cardenas (LAX), 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 Hotels and Administration Diane Szubert, Senior Crew Hotels Support Specialist Nichole Turner and Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay Williams. Managing Director of Operational Staffing and Resource management Brittany Audette also joined for a portion of the meeting.
Our next meeting with management is scheduled for Monday, November 10.
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. Some items discussed include:
- Relationship Management: Although API is our hotel vendor, Crew Hotels is working on increasing direct communication with our contracted properties. This will help build relationships, especially with our newer properties. Crew Hotels will begin communicating with our new properties within six months of usage and perform yearly check-ins at all properties.
- Use of Ride Share Transportation: Due to the changing nature of the ground transportation environment, the use of ride share vehicles is becoming more common. The Committee is aware of this and has been having ongoing discussions around minimum standards. Transportation should always be ordered that can accommodate all crewmembers and their luggage safely and comfortably. If there is ever a concern with the transportation provided, do not get into the vehicle and contact Crew Scheduling immediately to resolve the issue.
- TBDs in Bid Packet (pmAS): There was a high number of TBDs in the bid packet for November. This is due to the process the Hotel Committee requested, which is to place a TBD placeholder in the pairing when the layover hotel is not known before uploading into NAVBLUE. This new process makes these layovers stand out more, but adds greater transparency to the bid. The November TBDs are all due to our rooms being over-capped (that is, the requested rooms are above the contracted usage at our crew hotel in that market) in that particular market. Our hotel usage fluctuates as our network is adjusted.
- Recurrent Training Hotel Support (pmAS): Earlier this month, a glitch in the reservation system at one of our training hotels resulted in lost reservations. As this happened over a weekend, it was unclear which Inflight department was responsible for offering support and correcting the issue. In debriefing the event, additional guidance will be added to the Recurrent Training SharePoint site to address who to contact with hotel issues outside regular business hours.
Hot Topics
- Hotel Etiquette: We greatly value the positive relationships we’ve established with our contracted properties as part of our hotel program. During layovers, please remember that you represent the company while staying in a company-provided hotel room. We kindly ask all Flight Attendants to keep this in mind and ensure that any personal charges are settled before checkout. Enjoying hotel amenities responsibly also goes a long way in helping us maintain these important relationships. The Committee works hard to select quality hotels that provide added perks, such as complimentary breakfast, to enhance your comfort and convenience. If you encounter any issues during your stay, we encourage you to approach hotel staff with courtesy and respect. Should you need any further assistance or be unable to resolve a concern, please feel free to reach out to your Local Hotel Committee for additional support. We’re here to help make your layover experience a positive one!
What The Committee Is Working On
- Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts visits to hotels that are under consideration by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Crew Hotels has provided the Committee with the remaining cities that will be visited in 2025: SAN (Oct), CUN (Oct), BNA (Nov), SFO (Nov), MCO – Long Stay (Nov), ORD – Short Stay (Dec), and SJO (Dec). We are also looking at options in SIT and plan to have a site visit there before the end of the year. Market reviews are triggered by factors such as contract expirations, crew complaints, and opportunities for cost savings. Depending on the outcome of these reviews, additional site visits may be arranged in those cities.
- Hotel Gainshare Program: The parties met on September 26 to continue discussing this program. The items needing more time to research center around scheduling issues and processes. We are getting closer to seeing a program come to life. The next meeting is scheduled for October 24.
We Want to Hear From You!
Our Hotel Committee relies on your feedback, whether positive or negative. Please report via CrewCare (pmAS) or the hotel and transportation feedback reporting 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 website.
