Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2025

Inflight Service Committee

• Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on February 20 to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
• The Committee met with management to discuss and receive updates on issues and problems faced by Flight Attendants onboard.
• The Committee continues to work with management to address catering concerns and improve processes in the future. Please report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

On Thursday, February 20, our AFA Inflight Service 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 Naomi Parcell (ANC), Ross DeJong (SEA), Kelly Kochanek (PDX), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN). MEC Inflight Service Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett, MEC Vice President-elect Brice McGee, and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer were also in attendance.

The committee met with Senior Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Principal Cabin Product and Experience Manager Chris Dela Rosa, Director of Food and Beverage Products Mita Padhi, Manager of Food and Beverage Planning and Programs David Rodriguez, Senior Food and Beverage Product Manager Jessica Johnston, Food and Beverage Planning Systems Manager Gayatri Watwe, F&B Planning Systems Manager Andrea Carns, Director of Catering Operations Andrew Moyer, Service Strategy Product Manager Jesse Starmer, and Marketing/Sales, IT Contractors Chris Pettigrew and Chris Daniels, and Ann McCurties. Management guests from Hawaiian Airlines included Senior Manager of Inflight Service & Mobile Technology Wendy Kong and Food & Beverage Planning System Manager Kanoe Yama, who are both a part of the Alaska Air Group Product and Planning Team. 

The next committee meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 15.

Topics of Discussion

The Committee discussed several topics during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some of the items included:

• Redesigned Coffee Brew Baskets: Several members of the Inflight Service Committee tested the redesigned coffee brew baskets during regularly scheduled flights. There were no issues with the new brew baskets during the testing process. A Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) has been completed, and the new brew baskets will be installed on Classic and Endura coffee makers starting in late April 2025.
• Morning Beverage Snack for First Class: Based on Flight Attendant feedback, the Committee requested that management implement a morning beverage snack for First Class passengers. Management will add a warm pastry on premium long-haul flights (including Hawaii). Passengers will receive a Biscoff cookie with their first beverage on long-haul and medium-haul flights.
• Improvement of Galley Loading: The Committee will continue to work with management to improve galley loading opportunities. Catering has already implemented a request for a change in the loading of pre-departure beverage items, and they are receiving favorable feedback from Flight Attendants. Additionally, a design change for wine cans, featuring a different-colored can top as recommended by the Committee, will be adopted to facilitate easier loading by catering and use by Flight Attendants.
• Introduction of Thermal Ice Bags: Thermal ice bags have been designed and manufactured to address concerns related to improving ice quality throughout the network. They have been tested and found to adequately insulate ice for return flight segments. Loading at downline stations will continue throughout the rollout of the new bags. Information regarding catering and clarification on using the bags will be communicated to all Flight Attendants. Management intends to use the new bags on all main cabin 5-cart galley configurations.
• Increase in Pre-Departure Beverage Orange Juice: Management inquired about the use of the pre-departure beverage orange juice product. The Committee responded that supplies need to be increased for pre-departure use.
• Service Levels Review: Management will soon conduct a comprehensive system-wide review of current service levels.
• POG Brand Change: The POG brand is changing to Aloha Maid, which is currently served on Hawaiian Airlines.
• Catering Operations Team Coordination: The Catering Operations Teams from Alaska and Hawaiian are coordinating to work as a unified team.
• Catering Operations Focus Areas: Alaska Catering Operations currently has three focus areas: kitchen audits, engaging Flight Attendants through the Block2Block (B2B) Flight Attendant comment system, and implementing an ice plan for the warmer months. Kitchen audits are now underway. Catering Operations encourages Flight Attendants to use the B2B Flight Attendant comments to report issues, which will help find solutions. An ice plan is in place for almost all stations during the summer months.
• Flight Attendant Comments Tool Upgrade: The Flight Attendant Comments reporting tool is being upgraded, and the Committee has requested to be included in the Flight Attendant-facing portion of this project.
• Standard Process for Aircraft Swaps: The Committee is advocating for a standardized process for aircraft swaps system-wide.
• Fleet Refresh Project: The Fleet Refresh Project is ongoing and aims to standardize the first-class cabin to 16 seats on all Boeing 737-800, -900, MAX-8, and MAX-9 aircraft. Placarding for the MAX lavatory trash bins should be installed soon.
• MAX 10 Galley Options: New galley options may be available for the MAX 10, and work on galley planning will soon commence.
• Tech Updates: The Committee initiated a discussion about the status of updates for B2B and resolving issues related to flight information becoming unavailable when a tech stop occurs. Management shared a prototype of the next version of B2B, which is currently in development. The Committee believes the proposed B2B updates will be intuitive. The issue of information loss during tech stops is recognized and is being addressed. A joint platform for Alaska and Hawaiian is being developed to provide easily updated service flow information, eliminating the need to rely on the onboard service handbook (OSH) for some service flow data.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Enhanced Packaging for Onboard Products: The Committee looks forward to working with management on new onboard products. It’s essential for the Committee that discussions include considerations of safety, packaging, sustainability, ease of use, and acceptance by both Flight Attendants and passengers.
2. Improved Beverage Cart Loading: The Committee is actively seeking creative solutions for effective space utilization and will prioritize safety when recommending additional products, loading strategies, and service changes.
3. Addressing Flight Attendant Concerns with Management: The primary goal of the Inflight Service Committee is to enhance the service tools available to all Flight Attendants.

We Want to Hear from You!

Please continue to report any catering issues or problems with onboard service using the catering feedback function in Block2Block. If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please submit a report through ReportIt! Your reports provide the Committee with the data needed to continue pushing management for meaningful improvements in our workplace.

Do you have other feedback for the Committee or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Inflight Service Committee is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the Inflight Service Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.