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Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Our Grievance Committee is committed to supporting you by ensuring fair disciplinary procedures and upholding our contractual rights. Our contract guarantees at least 13 arbitration dates each year to address both disciplinary and contractual matters. Termination cases are typically prioritized to help Flight Attendants return to work as soon as possible, but we work diligently to balance these with contractual cases. AFA and management jointly decide which cases proceed to arbitration, considering a range of relevant factors.

The steps of discipline are: confirmation of an oral warning (COW), a written warning (WW), suspension (for a varying number of days), and termination. COWs, WWs, and suspensions remain in a Flight Attendant’s file for 18 months, and then are removed. If a Flight Attendant is in a disciplinary step and commits another violation, the new violation will build upon the previous violation. Management doesn’t always progress through the steps of discipline. If management investigates a Flight Attendant for theft or abuse of sick leave, for example, management will terminate the Flight Attendant if there is evidence to support its findings; if there is no evidence, then the Flight Attendant will most likely be issued a record of discussion (ROD). An ROD is not considered discipline. There is no middle ground for certain violations.  

Many Flight Attendants are under the impression that if they’ve been an overall good employee, have no to low attendance points, good kudos, decent seniority, etc., they will not be disciplined. This is not the case; regardless of any good work qualities one may have, if management believes the Flight Attendant committed an offense, they will be disciplined.

If a supervisor or manager contacts you about a flight, work issue, or disciplinary matter and there is no AFA representative present, clearly state that you would like an AFA Representative to join the call before you continue.

Subject of Most Recent Discipline

  • Sick Leave and FMLA Abuse: Terminations for sick leave and FMLA abuse are increasing, often due to travel audits. Management can see all comments or remarks on posted trip trades and personal drops, even if later deleted. If management finds evidence of abuse, termination will result. Never call in sick unless you are truly too ill or injured to fly. Calling in sick for reasons unrelated to your health, such as to care for a pet, is grounds for termination. If you cannot make it to work and are not sick, and cannot obtain a management drop, a no-show may be the best option.
  • Theft: Removing anything from the aircraft except an opened/used box of water, an unused pilot crew meal, or food you have purchased will lead to termination.
  • Timecard fraud: Examples include intentionally delaying boarding door closure to obtain sit pay. Management has terminated for this violation.
  • Reserve “Roulette”: Not being physically within two hours of base for your Reserve Availability Period (RAP) and calling in sick only once given an assignment. Management considers this a terminable violation. Management regularly reviews the trip trade postings and history related to sick calls, and whether comments and money incentives are added to trips that are subsequently called in sick. Even deleted trade history or postings can be seen by management.
  • Picking up trips when you know you are not legally able to work them.
  • Lying during an investigation
  • Drug/Alcohol violations
  • Offering or awarding passengers frequent flyer points in exchange for kudos or completed credit card applications
  • Harassment
  • Refusing scheduling revisions or ignoring requests to call Crew Scheduling.
  • Reserves Commuting During RAP: Commuting during your Reserve Availability Period (RAP), even if you have self-assigned a trip or are not in base for the full reserve period. Management has issued suspensions or terminated employment depending on the situation.
  • Social Media Violations: This includes sending friend or follow requests to passengers using information obtained from Block2Block.
  • Commuter Violations
    • Flight Attendant released from DHD and used D8Y to travel home
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y to travel to a trip picked up out of base
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y to or from incorrect cities
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y for pleasure travel.
    • Commuter audits are conducted monthly, and usually reveal reserve Flight Attendants who were not in base. 
  • Lost IMD or Other Required Items: If your IMD is stolen, obtain a police report as soon as possible.
  • Failing to complete CBT: even if Flight Attendant just forgets to close the training window (tap the “X” at the top of the screen) to move it from in process to complete.
  • Uniform Issues: Flight Attendants have been removed from duty without pay for uniform non-compliance.
  • Late to Gate or Causing a Flight Delay

Hot Topic: Social Media Discipline

Disciplinary actions related to social media, including terminations, are increasing. Remember, social media pages and accounts—including personal and group pages—are not private. The First Amendment right to free speech protects you from government action, but not from private employers like Alaska Airlines. The company has a social media policy, and arbitrators have upheld that comments made on private pages may be subject to discipline by your employer.

Reminder: Short Sick Calls

Section 32.C.5 of the CBA defines a “Short Sick Call” as calling in sick less than two hours before your scheduled check-in. If you want to avoid receiving 2.5 points for a short sick call, you must contact Crew Scheduling after the scheduled check-in time—not simply after you have checked in yourself, as clarified in Section 32.C.6.

Recent Arbitration/Mediation

April 2025Disciplinary Grievance
May 2025Disciplinary Grievance
May 2025Disciplinary Grievance
June 2025Disciplinary Grievance
July 2025Disciplinary Grievance
August 2025Disciplinary Grievance
September 2025Disciplinary Grievance
October 2025Disciplinary Grievance
November 2025Disciplinary Grievance
January 2026Disciplinary Grievance
February 2026Disciplinary Grievance
March 2026Disciplinary Grievance
April 2026Disciplinary Grievance

Recent Contractual Arbitrations

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-38-24-Violation of §8.M and Grievance Settlement 36-99-2-458-22 Violation of §8.D Check In and Debrief.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.M [Hours of Service: Domicile Rest] and Grievance Settlement 36-99-2-458-22 [Violation of §8.D Check In and Debrief], and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or around September 23, 2023, the Company refused to allow a Flight Attendant who had operationally-impacted reduced domicile rest (§8.M.2) to utilize the applicable contractual provisions of §8.M, which would have allowed the Flight Attendant to be removed from their subsequent sequence beginning September 24, 2023, without pay pursuant to §8.M.3, due to the domicile rest time between sequences projecting to fall below CFR-required rest. Instead, on the evening of September 23, 2024, Crew Scheduling altered the Flight Attendant’s check-in time for the subsequent sequence (on September 24, 2023) to a later check-in time in violation of §8.M.2, thereby denying them access to their contractual right to be released from the subsequent sequence without pay pursuant to §8.M.3. 

Decision:

Alaska Airlines, Inc., violated Section 8.M of the collective bargaining agreement when the Flight Attendant waived contractual domicile rest and, before their duty period on the first trip ended and the Company changed their report time for the first duty period of the second trip to meet CFR requirements. Alaska Airlines, Inc. shall cease and desist from unilaterally changing a Flight Attendant’s report time for the first duty period of the second trip to meet CFR requirements before the Flight Attendant’s duty period on the first trip has ended where a Flight Attendant has waived contractual domicile rest.

Recent Grievance Settlements

None

Grievances Recently Mediated 

None

Grievances Recently Granted by Management 

None

Grievances Recently Withdrawn

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-22-14-Violation of Required Maternity Leave.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 15.D. and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to require Flight Attendants to begin Maternity Leave after the 28th week of pregnancy.   

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-207-20-Violation of §10, §11.D & §24.L Bundled Scheduling Notifications.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10 [Scheduling], §11.D [Reserve:  Scheduling/Notice of Time to Report] and §24.L [General and Miscellaneous: Company-Provided Inflight Mobile Device (IMD)], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) scheduling system sent bundled scheduling notifications to Flight Attendants on their Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs) or directly in Crew Access, requiring Flight Attendants to batch acknowledge or ignore such notifications and thereby resulting in Flight Attendants potentially waiving multiple contractual protections via an extra-contractual point of contact (i.e. Crew Access scheduling notifications).  

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-384-20-Violation of §10.S Scheduling Notifications.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10.S [Scheduling :  Pre-Cancellations], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it used non-contractual scheduling notifications sent to Flight Attendants via the Crew Scheduling system in order to communicate and assign alternate flying or an obligation to call Crew Scheduling within a specific window of time.  If a Flight Attendant accepts such non-contractual scheduling notification(s), which is neither contact by Crew Scheduling via Company email nor via primary phone contact as defined in §10.S.1.a, the scheduling notification(s) violates the contract by abrogating the Flight Attendant’s ability to: (1) decline the alternate assignment and waive pay protection (§10.S.2.b), (2) decline the “out of original footprint by more than two hours” alternate assignment and call Crew Scheduling between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM (local domicile time) the night prior to the start of the original sequence (§10.S.2.c), or (3) waive pay protection and be relieved of any further scheduling obligation (§10.S.3). 

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-386-20-Violation of §8.Q & §8.R Contactability and Notification of Delay or Cancellation.This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.Q [Hours of Service: Contactability] and §8.R [Hours of Service: Notification of Delay or Cancellation], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it used non-contractual scheduling notifications sent via the Crew Scheduling system in order to communicate and assign revised flying to Flight Attendants who were off-duty on a remain overnight (RON). Such scheduling notifications are in violation of the contractually defined means of contact and/or the Flight Attendant’s obligation to respond pursuant to these provisions.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-41-24- Violation of §25.B Safe and Healthy Workplace-B/E Aerospace Coffee Makers.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §25.B [Air Safety, Heath and Security:  Safe and Healthy Workplace] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about February 15, 2024, it refused AFA’s request to discontinue the use of older style B/E Aerospace coffee makers until adequate physical mitigations are put into place to prevent the coffee makers, when coupled with the Company’s new onboard coffee product, from spewing hot coffee and grounds during the brew process, which has previously resulted in the injury of at least ten Flight Attendants.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-36-20-Violation of §25.B ANC Training Facility.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §25.B [Air Safety, Health and Security: Safe and Healthy Workplace], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it conducted Recurrent Training (RT) drills in Anchorage, Alaska in the Ross Aviation Hanger, and on or about February 16-19, 2020, the external temperature ranged from 18 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit and when the hanger door opened, frequently without notice, the internal hanger temperature dropped to as low as 46 degrees.  After the external hanger door opened it took approximately two hours with a loud heater to get the internal temperature back up to the low to mid 60s.  

Grievances Recently Filed and Awaiting Management Response

None

Grievances Recently Filed and Denied

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-122-25-Violation of §21.T Sit Pay.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §21.T [Compensation: Sit Pay] and §5

[Definitions: Ground Time] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to pay sit pay for the cumulative time between two flights, which is ground time. Normally it is paid from L1 door opening of the prior flight until L1 door closing for the final time from the departing flight; it should be paid regardless of the interim activities before the closing of the L1 door for the final time.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-255-25- Violation of §8.F Over-Duty Pay and §11.F

Airport Standby.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.F [Hours of Service: Over-Duty Pay] and §11.F [Reserve: Airport Standby] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to pyramid the pay rate for a Flight Attendant who sits airport standby (APSB) and is subsequently assigned flying with a duty period that initially exceeds 10:30 (except for those APSB Flight Attendants who accept a 4K) but ultimately goes over-duty, greater than 12:30.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-256-25– Violation of §8.F Over-Duty Pay and §10.E

Line Construction and Operational Impact.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.F [Hours of Service: Over-Duty Pay] and §10.E [Scheduling: Line Construction and Operational Impact] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to pyramid the pay rate of flights, including surface deadheads, for a Flight Attendant whose duty period intrudes into a day off by 15 minutes or more and the trip also extends over-duty, flying over 12:30, in the same duty period.

Grievances Previously Filed, Denied by Management and Currently Awaiting Arbitration Dates

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-55-17-Violation of §21.V Winds Aloft Adjustment of Sit Pay in JCTE.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §21.V [Compensation: “Scheduled” or “Actual” For Minimum Pay Rules (MPRs) and/or Sit Pay], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) trading system displayed each posted trip as a static ‘snapshot’ taken at the time of posting rather than a ‘live’ view, thus denying the Flight Attendant the ability to determine whether a trip is eligible for 1.0 TFP of Sit Pay due to an automated scheduling adjustment (e.g. by the Winds Aloft program).

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-41-19-Violation of §25.D.2 Failing to Notify MEC President and ASHSC of Reconfiguration or Re-design Prior to Final Decision. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §25.D.2 [Air Safety, Health and Security: Safety Information], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to notify the MEC President of a decision to reconfigure or re-design the interior of the Airbus aircraft and when it failed to discuss with the ASHSC the parties’ interests and concerns for inflight safety prior to making a final decision on the reconfiguration/re-design. 

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-84-22-Violation of §21.J Ground Delay Pay.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §21.J [Compensation:  Block and Ground Delays], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it did not pay ground delay pay accumulatively, requiring each delay to go over 11 minutes to be eligible for pay, when a flight (same flight number/same routing) returns to gate one or more times.  

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-176-22-California Family School Partnership Act Violation of Past Practice and Roberts Award.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of past practice, the Roberts Award 36-99-2-49-03, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it unilaterally disallowed the California Family School Partnership Act for those Flight Attendants based in Los Angeles (LAX); then reinstated, with no notice, the state law for LAX based Flight Attendants only, but not for the other California based Flight Attendants in San Diego (SAN) or San Francisco (SFO), and not for the rest of the Flight Attendants based in our system, Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX) or Anchorage (ANC), in violation of Roberts.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-215-23-Violation of §10.J.4 Bidding Packet and Bidding Times and Violation of Grievance Settlement 36-99-2-116-18.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10.J.4 [Scheduling:  Bid Packets and Bidding Timelines], Grievance Settlement 36-99-2-116-18, past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about July 10, 2023, it and/or the NAVBLUE Preferential Bidding System (PBS) vendor did not provide an administrative lock-out function or a mutually agreeable alternate solution to allow for the correction of a technical issue when processing bid awards without opening up the system to all users.   

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-248-23- Violation of §32 and Roberts Decision.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §32 [Attendance], past practice, the Roberts Award 36-99-2-49-03, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it unilaterally rolled out state leave laws on a state-by-state basis rather than applying the most liberal of state leave laws to all Flight Attendants regardless of domicile, thereby disparately treating Flight Attendants within the Collective Bargaining unit, in violation of Roberts. 

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-170-24-Violation of §15.G Leaves Related to Serious Aircraft/Crewmember/Passenger Incidents (AQ).  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §15.G [Leaves of Absence: Leaves Related to Serious Aircraft/Crewmember/Passenger Incidents] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about August 30, 2024, it refused to allow Flight Attendants the ability to use the above provisions when they had a documented air quality event, as they are requiring the Flight Attendants to file workers’ compensation claims, which are frequently denied.  

Grievance No:  36-99-2-2-25- Violation of §10.Z Personal Drops.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10.Z [Scheduling: Personal Drop(s)] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement occurred when, on or about October 10, 2024, it was discovered that Crew Scheduling was processing personal drops incorrectly. Instead of processing the personal drops in seniority order the day prior, as required by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Crew Scheduling would process them in random time periods throughout the day of operation, skipping over the contractual requirement to process them in seniority order the day prior. This resulted in Crew Scheduling randomly executing first-come, first-served requests based on their staffing needs, thereby circumventing the seniority order provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Grievance No:  36-99-2-73-25-Violation of §8.I Night Rule & 10.DD Long Stage Length Duty Period (“4k”). This grievance alleges t The Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.I [Hours of Service: Night Rule] and§10.DD [Scheduling: Long Stage Length Duty Period (“4k”)] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to pay double time (2.0x) for the full duty period on a 4k sequence in which the Flight Attendant is on duty at 4:29 a.m.*, 8:30 a.m.†, and the duty day is ultimately over twelve hours and thirty minutes (12:30), although they currently pay double time (2.0x) on non-4k sequences when the Flight Attendant is on duty at 4:29 a.m.*, 8:30 a.m.†, and the duty day ultimately goes over ten hours and thirty minutes (10:30).

* Local time
† Initial departure station time of the duty period

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Our Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting interviews for one (1) Member to serve on the pre-merger Alaska AFA System Board of Adjustment.

Scope

Members are to serve on the System Board of Adjustment for the purpose of arbitrating any disputes or grievances that may arise under the terms of the Agreement between Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines and its Flight Attendants.

Policy/Responsibilities

  • There will be two members selected by the MEC from active members in good standing to represent the Association. Members will be selected at-large without regard to Local Council or domicile. 
  • Until such time as a joint collective bargaining agreement is ratified, separate System Boards of Adjustment will be maintained for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants and pre-merger Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants.
  • Any person seeking a position as a System Board of Adjustment Member must submit a resume. Candidates must interview with the MEC.
  • System Board Members will be selected for a two (2) year election period in accordance with the AFA Constitution and Bylaws. At least one election will be reviewed in June of each year. Selection will be made, insofar as possible, to ensure that both members will not be new at the same time.  
  • The System Board Members will act in the best interest of the membership and the Association and will be consistent with the Agreement between the Flight Attendants and Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines.
  • The MEC President will have the ability, in the event of an emergency, to appoint a qualified member in good standing to fill an ad hoc position on the Board.
  • The MEC on an ad hoc basis, by majority vote, may appoint an expert as a substitute for one member of the System Board of Adjustment.

Qualifications

  • Current Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant
  • Willingness to attend the requisite grievance training(s)
  • In depth knowledge of the contract
  • Understanding of the principles of just cause
  • Adherence to Grievance Committee policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information
  • Maintenance of member-in-good-standing status
  • Ability to remain in good standing with the company
  • Ability to analyze written data and information with high attention to detail
  • Strong written and communication skills
  • Strong computer skills.

Term of Office

The selected candidate will serve a term of office that begins on July 1, 2026, and concludes on June 30, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during the June Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around this date or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate. All interviews will be conducted in person in Seattle, WA or using Google Meet videoconferencing at the candidate’s discretion.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions regarding the position or application process should be directed to pre-merger Alaska MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams at stephanie.adams@afaalaska.org.

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

  • ETCH folder trips must be cleared in their originating domicile before being available for pickup or trade by Flight Attendants from other bases
  • HNL and LAX Flight Attendants are able to pick up SEA 787-9 pairings, but must order the Dreamliner uniform through Affinity Apparel
  • In accordance with Section 6.V of our contract, jackets are not required from April 15 to October 31 or when the ground cooling system is not working

With three domiciles now operated by pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants, the Seattle Domicile Negotiating Committee would like to clarify how out-of-domicile pickups and trades work.

ETCH Folder

Trips in the ETCH folder must first be cleared in their originating domicile before they become available for pickup or trade by Flight Attendants from other bases. Until that process is complete, those pairings are not eligible for out-of-base pick up or trade.

Dreamliner Uniform (787-9 Pairings)

Flight Attendants who are not based in SEA and are interested in picking up SEA domicile 787-9 pairings should place an order for the Dreamliner uniform through Affinity Apparel. HNL and LAX Flight Attendants have received extra uniform points to support access to the Dreamliner uniform. Those points can be allocated to Dreamliner uniform pieces at the Flight Attendant’s discretion.


The Dreamliner uniform is intended for 787-9 flying, contractually, a Flight Attendant is able to pick up any trip they are legal for. Flight Attendants should make a good faith effort to obtain the appropriate uniform. If a Flight Attendant has a 787-9 pairing approaching and has not yet received your Dreamliner uniform, please reach out to management, Gina Lorenzo, Jenny Bookert, Heather Hailey, and Michaela Littman, and copy sea@afahawaiian.org to explore available uniform options.

Jacket Requirement

As a reminder, in accordance with Section 6.V, jackets are not required to be worn from April 15 through October 31, or at any time the ground cooling system is not working. If management has asked, please reference the contract and notify a union representative.

Mahalo for your continued engagement. If you have more questions, please contact your local leadership or email the SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee at sea@afahawaiian.org.

Our MEC Reserve Chairperson/Grievance Committee Payroll Representative Julie Thornton, Council 19 LEC Reserve Chairperson Conner Gallagher and Council 19 LEC President Paula Isla-McGill are working to ensure reserve FAs on the last day of their reserve block who have been assigned APSB–after the Daily Last Flight has departed–are being paid correctly in accordance with our CBA. If you are required to remain on APSB past the departure of the Daily Last Flight on the last day of your reserve block, you are due 2.0x pay for that APSB period per Section 11.C.5. Furthermore, if you are an AM reserve who was converted to ER for an APSB period after 12:00 in accordance with Section 11.F.5 and that APSB period also occurs after the Daily Last Flight has departed you are due 3.0x pay for that APSB period. You can verify the Daily Last Flight for each domicile/co-terminal on Crew Access under Reports > Daily Last Flight from Base. Additionally, you can verify you were paid correctly on Rainmaker by referencing the FANon pay bucket.

NOTE: Typically, you will need to press a ‘+’ button to expand the FANon column to verify APSB 2.0x or APSB 3.0x pay. 

If you do not believe you were paid 2.0x or 3.0x appropriately for an APSB period occurring on the last day of your reserve block after the Daily Last Flight has departed please fill out the Google form below so we can investigate the matter further on your behalf. It is possible you are missing pay owed to you under the current CBA which went into effect when TA2 was ratified in March 2025. If you are not based in SEA please still fill out the form and we will copy your local council reps into all communications with FA Crew Pay/Crew Scheduling Management Personnel. 

APSB Pay Verification Form

Relevant Contract Sections

§11.C.5

On the last day of a block, a Reserve who does not have a scheduling obligation (e.g., APSB) may request release from the remainder of their reserve day provided the last Company-operated flight that the Reserve would be legal to fly has departed the domicile. This release time will be posted in Crew Access. Crew Scheduling must grant the request if it has no further flying for the Reserve. A Reserve who is relieved of further reserve obligation under this Paragraph, will suffer no loss of pay. However, if the Reserve must remain at the airport for an APSB assignment after the last flight described above has departed, then the Reserve will be paid two times (2.0x) the trip rate for the APSB period.

§11.F.5

The maximum time assigned to APSB will not exceed five (5) consecutive hours per duty period. APSB Reserves may be assigned a sequence with a scheduled departure time no later than one (1) hour after the end of the APSB period. The Reserve is not required to be contactable from release from the APSB period until check-in for the sequence. APSB must be assigned in the order of the RAL within the same days of availability and call type.

  1. An AM Reserve may not be assigned an APSB period that ends after noon (12:00 PM). 
  2. A PM Reserve may not be assigned an APSB period that ends after 11:59 PM.
  3. An ER may be assigned to any APSB period. 

We’re excited to launch our first AFA Committee Focus Month this month. This program will help you get to know the different AFA Committees, all made up of volunteer Flight Attendants, the work they do for us, and the resources available to you. We’re starting by highlighting our AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee, which lines up with National Mental Health Awareness Month. Taking care of your well-being is not just encouraged—it’s essential.

Our EAP/Professional Standards Committee, commonly referred to as AFA EAP, is a confidential, Union-operated, peer-based support network. Made up of specially-trained fellow Flight Attendant volunteers—not management—the Committee works together as one to offer resources for every challenge, from your personal life to your professional career.

Keep in mind that AFA EAP is different from the company’s EAP, Lyra. While both programs work to support you, AFA EAP is run entirely by our Union, which means more privacy and no management involvement. Our Committee is truly Flight Attendants helping Flight Attendants.

How Our EAP/Professional Standards Committee Supports You

The Committee provides confidential support across three core programs:

  • EAP (Employee Assistance Program): EAP is a confidential lifeline that offers help for mental health, substance use concerns, grief, and life changes. If you’re feeling tired from a tough schedule, dealing with family stress, or facing financial worries, we’re here to support you.
  • CIRP (Critical Incident Response Program): When the job is especially tough, CIRP provides emotional support after serious events, such as a medical emergency on board, a security issue, or a natural disaster. We connect you to long-term help so you never have to face a critical incident alone.
  • Professional Standards: Before conflicts escalate, Professional Standards offers confidential, peer-to-peer help to resolve issues informally, such as miscommunication or a problem with professional conduct. We aim to encourage clear communication, repair relationships, and prevent matters from going to management, where discipline might occur.

We encourage you to contact an EAP Committee Member whenever you need support. Your privacy is important to us, and everything is confidential.

Understanding Your Resources: A Four-Week Focus

To help you learn about all the resources the EAP/Professional Standards Committee offers, we’ll spend the next four weeks highlighting the different parts of the Committee:

  • This Week (General Overview): Introducing your AFA EAP Committee and the comprehensive structure of our support network.
  • Week 2 (EAP): Confidential, everyday support for personal and professional challenges.
  • Week 3 (CIRP): Critical Incident Response Program for emotional first aid after serious events.
  • Week 4 (Professional Standards): Peer-to-peer intervention to resolve day-to-day workplace conflicts informally.

Learn More About Your Support Network: Watch the Video

Want to see how this support network can help you? Watch this short video featuring pre-merger Alaska EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson Melanie Buker and Vice Chairperson Elizabeth Dillon. See how the three main Committee components—EAP, CIRP, and Professional Standards—can make a difference with your personal and work challenges. 

Click here to watch on YouTube ➔

After watching, share it with a flying partner who may benefit—be the reason someone else finds support.

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This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

Yesterday, we learned the heartbreaking news that Spirit Airlines permanently ceased operations, immediately affecting some 17,000 employees, including approximately 5,500 AFA Flight Attendants. Anyone who has experienced or even been around an airline shutdown knows how devastating it can be to the airline’s employees and their loved-ones. Spirit’s story could have been our story in the mid 1990’s, as Hawaiian teetered on the edge of bankruptcy and liquidation. Sadly, it was Aloha’s story in 2008. Although most people will move on and move forward with their lives, for many of them – many with stories untold – things will never be the same. Our hearts go out to all of them.

The Spirit AFA leaders that we have met and had the privilege to work with through AFA are hard-working professionals who are dedicated to raising the standards of our profession. There are so many similarities between our two groups. As AFA International President Sara Nelson wrote, “We will have more to say about the amazing Spirit AFA members who have inspired us with their stories, determination, and solidarity… Spirit has been a part of our AFA family and we will fly with Spirit Forever.”

In Solidarity,
Martin Gusman & Kela Chong

Council 43 Election & Candidates Forum

The Alaska-Hawaiian Council 43 elections are upon us. Local Council Officers will need to be elected for the term beginning on July 1, 2026, and ending on June 30, 2029, as provided by the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws. Voting notices with credentials to access the electronic ballot were mailed on April 30, 2026, and voting will begin on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

To support and facilitate our Union’s democratic election process, Council 43’s Communications Committee will be hosting a Candidates Forum on Monday, May 4, 2026, (tomorrow) at 1200 HST. Please use this link to register for the meeting, using your personal email address that is on file with AFA. Please note that only members in good standing will be allowed to vote in the election. You may check your membership standing by going to the AFA Membership Hub.

AFA elections are governed by procedures outlined in the Association’s Constitution & Bylaws, Article VIII and the AFA Policy Manual. For more information, please visit afacwa-elections.org.

Dues in Arrears – Overdue Dues Payments

This is a reminder that a Flight Attendant needs to be in good standing in order to vote in an election or vote on a tentative agreement that is up for ratification. A member in good standing is a Flight Attendant who is either current with their AFA dues or has worked out a payment plan for outstanding dues with the AFA-CWA membership department. If you’ve taken a leave of absence in recent years, or have dropped all your trips and did not receive any pay in a month, there is a good chance that an automatic dues deduction was missed. Email reminders will be sent to Flight Attendants with outstanding dues balances later this week. If you have a question about your membership status, please email our Local Membership Chairperson, Phyllis Lau, at phyllis.lau@afahawaiian.org, or your Local Officers at hnl@afahawaiian.org .

Jumpseat Policy Concerns

We have heard from some of you that there may be problems with the new Jumpseat Policy that was implemented at PSS. An issue that came to light involves Flight Attendants jumpseating from foreign stations and the inability to secure a boarding pass without a seat assignment. Even if a Flight Attendant is able to secure a boarding pass for the jumpseat at D-30 (thirty minutes prior to departure), it may not be enough time to get through security and immigration and get to the gate before departure.

Section 30.G.1. of our contract provides that the Company and the Association shall mutually agree on procedures for assignment of cabin jump seat authority. That did not happen. The Alaska-Hawaiian MEC is looking to resolve these issues as quickly as possible and is prepared to file a grievance if it is necessary.

Reserve Webinar

The Council 43 Communications Committee is inviting everyone to join Reserve Committee Co-Chairpersons Sasha Kahele-Manners and Joni Pak for a Reserve webinar on Wednesday, May 5, 2026 @ 1100 HST. Sasha and Joni will be there to let you know about the current state of reserve operations and answer your reserve-related questions. Please be sure to register and feel free to submit your questions prior to the webinar.

Wednesday’s webinar will mark the one-year anniversary of Council 43’s webinars. A big mahalo to the Communications Committee (Chairperson Mikioi Vericalla, Joyce Foley, and Soon Kim) for hosting these events, and to Sasha and Joni who kicked all of this off with their first Reserve Webinar a year ago! We would also like to extend a heartfelt mahalo to all the committee chairpersons and committee members who worked hard to make the webinars a success over the past year! Mahalo!

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month – a month-long celebration that recognizes and acknowledges the history, culture, achievements and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to American society. In recognition and celebration of AAPI month, AFA offers AAPI pins for you to proudly wear on your uniform. Ask one of your Local Officers (or email us at hnl@afahawaiian.org ) for a pin!

Updated Council 43 Committee Roster

Our Council 43 Roster has been updated and moved to its new home at the Alaska-Hawaiian AFA website (afaalaska.org), and may be found on the HNL Council 43 Committee page (https://afaalaska.org/hnl/committees). Please bookmark the page for future reference. In addition you’ll find our 2025 Contract Extension as well as the 2025 SEA Domicile LOA.

May Events

DateEvent
May 1May Day
May 4Council 43 Candidates Forum
May 5Council 43 Election Polls Open
May 6Reserve Webinar
May 19Council 43 Election Polls Close (0900 HST)

In This Edition

  • Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
  • Joint Contract Negotiations Session 14 – April 2026
  • Next Week’s Events

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Originally posted May 1, 2026

Each May, communities across the United States come together to honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month—a time dedicated to celebrating vibrant cultures, powerful histories, and lasting contributions. This month is an invitation to explore traditions to discover the many ways AAPI voices have shaped and enriched our nation.

Read More >

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 14 – April 2026

Originally posted May 1, 2026

Our Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) continued its thorough review of both the Alaska and Hawaiian vacation systems, engaging in productive discussions with key company stakeholders. A collaborative approach was proposed to address the complex provisions, ensuring that all parties’ needs are considered. Looking ahead, the committee is preparing to gather feedback through a Crew Meal Survey and anticipates further sessions with management from June 2 to June 4.

Read More >

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, May 5LEC Officer Elections: Council 39 (PDX) and Council 43 (HNL) Polls Open
Tuesday, May 5Quarterly Uniform Committee Meeting (pmAS)
Thursday, May 7Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) (pmAS)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

We are looking for your help to gather data to better advocate for and strengthen our case in regards to our dispute with the company over the proof of relocation requirement to receive the Flat Rate outlined in Section 5.B.2. of our contract. If you transferred between LAX and HNL within the past 10 years and took the flat rate moving expense, we are asking you to complete the form below.

Your participation is critical. The more responses we receive, the stronger and more complete our case will be. 

Click here to fill out the Flat Rate Data Form.

Even if your moving pay was processed without issue, we still need your input. A full set of responses helps ensure we are representing the entire scope of Flight Attendant experiences.

Currently, the grievance has progressed through the initial steps and has been elevated to System Board, with mediation and potential arbitration ahead. Your response directly supports this work.

Mahalo for taking the time to participate and for helping strengthen our advocacy.

In Solidarity,

Hawaiian MEC Grievance Committee

grievance@afahawaiian.org

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants

  • Our JNC met with management this week on April 28 to April 30 in Seattle; our next negotiation session is scheduled for June 2 to June 4
  • Our JNC is working to combine vacation provisions for Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants, presenting a vision for Section 14 (Vacation) as a starting point for negotiations
  • The Crew Meal Survey will be sent to your inbox on May 12 to collect feedback as the JNC evaluates Section 22 (Expenses)

Negotiations Update

Our AFA Alaska + Hawaiian Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management. The JNC met with management on April 28 to April 30 in Seattle, WA. At the negotiating table for this session were:

Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants  Representing Management
Tim Green, Joint Negotiating Committee ChairpersonAllen Thieman, Vice President of Inflight, Alaska
Martin Gusman, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberJoe Wonderly, Vice President, Labor Relations, Alaska
Jeffrey Fuke, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberCarmen Williams, Managing Director, Labor Relations, Alaska
Virginia Fritz, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberKalani Sloat, Senior Director, Labor Relations, Hawaiian
Heather Reier, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberMike Link, Labor Relations Program Manager, Alaska
Paula Mastrangelo, AFA Senior Staff NegotiatorKaren Themelis, Senior Labor Relations Business Partner, Alaska

This session, the JNC continued to look closely at both the Alaska and Hawaiian vacation systems. At the start of the week, we had a helpful discussion about how Flight Attendant vacation is managed. Jake Jones, AFA’s MEC Scheduling Chairperson, joined us along with vacation administrators from both Alaska and Hawaiian: Manager of Crew Planning, Jefferey Hunt; Manager of Crew Staffing, Alex Mandus; Manager of Crew Planning, Colin Beard; Flight Crew Administration Manager, Laurie Shiira; Manager of Crew Pay, Debbie Bakke; Senior Crew Plan Analyst, Rich Nicklaw; and Senior Crew Plan Analyst, Choak O’Connell.


As the JNC began discussing combining the elements of the vacation sections, we identified several important issues that would need close work with company stakeholders. We proposed a collaborative approach to management to tackle the complicated provisions, so both sides can work together to find solutions that meet everyone’s needs. With this in mind the JNC presented our vision for Section 14 (Vacation), which will be used as a starting point for discussion.


The JNC also passed and received from management proposals on the new Section 37 (Temporary Duty Assignment) and shared our first proposal for Section 35 (Flight Attendant Jumpseat and Pass Privileges). The committee also continued to trade proposals on Section 36 (Commuter Policy).

Section by Section Progress

The Alaska CBA is being used as the basis of the joint contract for language purposes. Each section and provision from both contracts will be reviewed individually to incorporate and amend the strongest elements from each agreement.

Sections discussed in this session:

  • 🆕 Temporary Duty Assignments (AS CBA does not address these provisions and HA CBA Section 15)
  • Vacations (AS CBA Section 14 and HA CBA Section 18)
  • Commuter Policy (AS CBA Section 36 and HA CBA Section 34-28)
  • Flight Attendant Jumpseat and Pass Privileges (AS CBA Section 35 and HA CBA Section 30)

Sections in ongoing discussion:

  • Leaves of Absence (AS CBA Section 15 and HA CBA Section 17)
  • Sick Leave (AS CBA Section 16 and HA CBA Section 19)
  • General and Miscellaneous (AS CBA Section 24 and HA CBA Section 27)
  • Domiciles (AS CBA Section 28 and HA CBA Section 5, 14, and 27)
  • Training (AS CBA Section 30 and HA CBA Section 26)

Sections listed below are on hold until discussions regarding future sections, which affect specific provisions, take place.

  • Seniority (AS CBA Section 6 and HA CBA Section 9)
  • Grievance Procedures (AS CBA Section 19 and HA CBA Section 23)
  • Charters (AS CBA Section 33 and HA CBA Section 12)

Crew Meal Survey

Our JNC is in the process of reviewing Expenses (AS CBA Section 22 and HA CBA Section 4). We are looking for your feedback regarding Crew Meals. The survey is currently being finalized and will be sent to your inbox on May 12.

  • Survey opens Tuesday, May 12 at 9 AM PT
  • Survey closes on Tuesday, May 25 at Noon

What’s Upcoming

Our next session with management is scheduled for June 2 to June 4.

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

Webinar Series turns one, thanks for a great year!

Join us for our next Reserve Webinar:

May 6, 2026 (Wednesday)
1100 – 1200 HST
Panelists: Sasha & Joni – LEC 43 Reserve Committee Co-Chairs

REGISTER HERE >>>

Stay up-to-date about the current state of Reserve operations.

Learn about Contract provisions that affect Reserve Flight Attendants.

Get answers to your Reserve-related questions!

This Reserve Webinar brings us full circle to complete one year of being able to connect AFA Hawaiian members with Union Leadership.

There was no shortage of operational changes and challenges since the first Reserve Webinar on May 7, 2025. The abrupt changes since our last Reserve Webinar (in March) added to that list.

Reserve Flight Attendants minimize operational disruptions, cover for us when we can’t make it to work, and complete staffing complements to reduce the strain on working crew during non-normal operations.

MAHALO FOR SHOWING UP!!

We are grateful for the opportunity to meet everyone in flight, during lounge sits, and by way of these Webinars. We look forward to future Webinars and the opportunity to answer more of your questions.

In Solidarity,
LEC 43 Communications Committee

REGISTER HERE >>>

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, May 5, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), Bob Moore (PDX), Slater Areno (SFO), Heather […]

Crew Meal Survey Now Open

Crew meals are an important aspect of supporting the health and effectiveness of Flight Attendants. As part of ongoing efforts to enhance these provisions, the JNC is collecting feedback from Flight Attendants. Your participation in the Crew Meal Survey will directly influence future meal standards and help ensure that your needs and preferences are represented.

Navigating Recovery: Understanding FADAP and Other Support Options

If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with drugs or alcohol, it’s important to know that you are not alone, and support is available. Flight Attendants have treatment options designed to address the unique realities of this career. Note: This video references FAAS (Flight Attendant Addiction Support), which is a program for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants. […]

Go In-Depth with Our AFA EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairpersons

As we wrap up the first week of EAP/Professional Standards Committee Focus Month, we’re excited to share an open conversation that takes you behind the scenes of our support network built for Flight Attendants. MEC Communications Committee Chairperson Brian Palmer recently sat down with pre-merger Alaska MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson Melanie Buker and Vice Chairperson Elizabeth Dillon to […]

Grievance Committee Update – 2nd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Our Grievance Committee is committed to supporting you by ensuring fair disciplinary procedures and upholding our contractual rights. Our contract guarantees at least 13 arbitration dates each year to address both disciplinary and contractual matters. Termination cases are typically prioritized to help Flight Attendants return to work […]

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