AFA Update – July 19, 2019

In This Edition

• Cabin Air Quality Reporting Form
• Air Quality Fume Event Q&A
• Let’s Talk It Out–AFA Professional Standards

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Cabin Air Quality Reporting Form

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) – Air Quality Subcommittee

On June 10, 2019, management issued Emergency Interim Bulletin (EIB) 19-11 regarding Cabin Air Quality.  This EIB was subsequently incorporated into the FAM with revision 51, which became effective July 10, 2019.  The information is contained in section 2.700, pages 1-5.

Along with this update, management launched the new Cabin Air Quality Reporting Form (form 2-5366). This form can be found onboard in the Stationery Kit on all aircraft and should be used in a suspected cabin air quality event.  

The form is an excellent resource which was developed with input from your AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC). It provides step-by-step guidance to identify and describe the indicators of the event (type of odor/location/source/phase of flight, etc.). The completed form is then used to concisely relay the information to the Flight Deck in a timely manner,  allowing the pilots to take the possible steps to mitigate the situation and communicate to maintenance.  Both pilots and maintenance are familiar with the new form and look to Flight Attendants to use the form to report possible events.  

The Cabin Air Quality Report Form should not be confused with the AFA Onboard Air Quality Checklist. The AFA form was previously developed by AFA to help provide Flight Attendants with a tool to use in a suspected cabin fume event.  As there is no longer a need to use the AFA Onboard Air Quality Checklist, please discontinue using the checklist and destroy any copies that you may have. Going forward, the company’s Cabin Air Quality Reporting Form should be used in any suspected cabin fume events.

In a suspected fume event, it is recommended that you work with your fellow crew members to quickly complete the form, take a picture of the form with your IMD for your records, and notify the Flight Deck as well as hand off the form to the Flight Deck. By taking a picture of the completed form (and sharing it with your crew), the information can be used to help with any subsequent debriefings and to complete the required FAIR (Flight Attendant Incident Report) and voluntary ASAP (Aviation Safety Action Program Report). 

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Air Quality Fume Event Q&A

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) – Air Quality Subcommittee

To better understand Air Quality Fume Events, your AFA Air, Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC) strongly recommends you read the AFA Air Quality Fume Event Q&A document, which can be accessed by clicking here.  This resource is specific to procedures at Alaska Airlines and was created in collaboration with the AFA International Air Safety, Health, & Security Department and your AFA Alaska ASHSC. 

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Let’s Talk It Out—AFA Professional Standards

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) & Professional Standards Committee

AFA encourages the use of Professional Standards whenever a member is experiencing a concern about or a conflict with a flying partner.  Professional Standards provides members with an informal and confidential process to disclose and resolve such problems.

Professional Standards offers:

1. An opportunity for involved parties to maintain control over the outcome of a conflict
2. Acts as an alternative to the supervisory-discipline model
3. Reduces expenditure of resources in the grievance process

Professional Standards does not monitor or evaluate work performance, “fix” or “change” others’ behaviors or “investigate” the activities of its members.

Professional Standards exists to help members resolve co-worker conflicts/concerns involving or stemming from:

• Personality clashes
• Differences in communication and/or interaction style
• Work and/or personal habits
• Offensive conduct
• Physical and/or emotional health

Professional Standards will not accept complaints involving:

• Issues addressed by corporate policy, federal aviation regulations or inflight handbooks
• Issues where management is actively involved
• Training or skill deficiencies
• Contract issues
• AFA political matters     

Professional Standards contact information can be found on the EAP/Professional Standards Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.