Whether you joined us live or are looking to watch on your own schedule, we’re excited to share the full recording of our June 8 MEC Town Hall! Catch up on the discussions and hear directly from our MEC Officers and AFA panelists—now available to you anytime on the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian YouTube channel using the private link below. Please note the recording is accessible only via this link and isn’t posted publicly on our channel.
We’ve put together a summary of the questions Flight Attendants asked during the Town Hall, along with answers from our MEC Officers and AFA panelists. You can read the Q&A below.
We’ve also already started planning for our next MEC Town Hall in September! Save the date—Wednesday, September 23—and mark your calendar so you don’t miss your chance to join the conversation.
MEC Town Hall Q&A
The following Q&A section from the June 2026 Master Executive Council (MEC) town hall provides a streamlined overview of the questions asked and officer responses:
Q: What should I do if a conflict or situation cannot be handled by Professional Standards?
A: If you are unsure if a situation falls within the scope of Professional Standards, reach out to your LEC Officers for guidance.
Q: Are there any plans to expand routes into Southeast Asia?
A: There have been no official announcements from management regarding expansion into Southeast Asia. While the company has mentioned a goal of 12 international destinations from Seattle, AFA is not involved in those decision-making processes, and management keeps their plans confidential for competitive reasons.
Q: Can an increase in the parking stipend be negotiated, or can commuters get parking at their home city?
A: Our Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is aware that the current $75 stipend is insufficient due to inflation and is looking into negotiating an increase.
Q: Why does it sometimes take over a month to receive a reply to an AFA Alaska Online Support Center ticket?
A: A month-long delay is not standard. Tickets are assigned to AFA Committee Members and responses are sent via email. If you don’t see a response within a few days, check your spam or junk folder. If you don’t hear back, contact your LEC Officers directly for assistance.
Q: How will the language-qualified program work?
A: While its inclusion in the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) is yet to be determined, the current Hawaiian contract serves as the foundation for discussions about a language qualified program. The current Hawaiian program involves a language proficiency testing process, a small pay premium, and specific bid positions for certain destinations.
Q: When will Alaska Flight Attendants see a pay increase following the United contract ratification?
A: The current Alaska agreement includes a scheduled 3% increase for March 2027. While recent industry raises (like the newly ratified TA at United) are being monitored, they have not yet triggered the contractual market rate adjustment (Letter of Agreement 16) that would exceed the already scheduled 3% increase.
Q: Can we expect language-qualified positions on Mexico and Central America flights once cross-flying begins?
A: Alaska already has language in its contract for voluntary foreign language training, but management has chosen not to implement it. The JNC will need to work on ensuring language qualified positions are negotiated for these routes similar to the existing program at Hawaiian.
Q: Does the Hawaiian contract allow Flight Attendants to approve or deny proposed service changes?
A: The Hawaiian contract states service changes must be approved by AFA, but it also specifies that approval cannot be “unreasonably withheld.” Our JNC is pushing to incorporate similar language into the JCBA to ensure Flight Attendants have a say in practical service implementation.
Q: Is it true that the Anchorage base will be receiving fewer turns?
A: This is likely related to the upcoming retirement of the Boeing 737-700 aircraft, which is well-suited for the Alaska market. While changes are expected once those planes retire, it is too early to determine if turns will be replaced by larger aircraft or regional flying.
Q: How can AFA assist with contractual questions on Facebook in real time to prevent misinformation?
A: Our MEC is working to expand Committee Members in social media groups. You may see official AFA Representatives with specific profile photo frames to identify them. However, for official answers, you should still contact your LEC Officers or Local AFA Representatives directly.
Q: Can we negotiate higher pay for international flights due to the upscale service and extended time?
A: This topic is on the JNC’s radar for future negotiations, as they recognize that our Flight Attendants often have prescribed service levels above and beyond industry standards on these routes.
Q: Why are two-day pairings in San Francisco being moved to other bases?
A: Reductions in transcontinental flying out of SFO have made it difficult to build these trips. Management is data-driven and will move aircraft to routes that make the most financial sense, regardless of how full a flight appears to be.
Q: Has AFA considered negotiating increased assistance for Flight Attendants who become sick on a layover and cannot fly home?
A: This is a new suggestion. While management often handles these as “one-off” approvals, our JNC will look for ways to incorporate this into negotiations to ensure all Members are protected.
Q: Why is it important to use Crew Care for positive feedback and not just complaints?
A: Management is data-driven. Without positive data to show which hotels or services are liked, our Hotel Committee has little leverage to fight to keep them when management wants to make changes.
Q: Is it true that company work groups must vote on a joint contract before they are truly merged?
A: Yes. A joint contract must be ratified before seniority list integration can occur and cross-flying together can begin.
Q: Why should I vote in a Union election if a candidate is running unopposed?
A: High voter turnout, even in uncontested races, signals to management that our Members are unified and engaged. This engagement provides leverage during contract negotiations.
Q: Are there plans to increase the Hawaiian Los Angeles base as Flight Attendants move to the Seattle domicile?
A: There are no current plans to increase the LAX base. Management believes current staffing levels (roughly 100-125) are acceptable for their current flying needs.
Q: Are there plans to open a Las Vegas base?
A: There have been no discussions regarding opening any new bases at this time.
Q: Who holds Local Executive Council (LEC) officers accountable for their duties?
A: Ultimately, the Local Council Members hold them accountable through the election process. There are also internal processes through AFA International outlined in the AFA Constitution & Bylaws if needed.
Q: What can AFA do to hold management accountable for ongoing payroll issues?
A: Flight Attendants must continue to file AFA Alaska Online Support Center support tickets (pre-merger Alaska) or contact their LEC Officers (pre-merger Hawaiian) for every discrepancy to provide our MEC with the data needed to help build our case to substantiate the extent of the problem to management.
Q: Should Hawaiian Flight Attendants at LAX be concerned about the long-term stability of their base?
A: Our MEC negotiated a provision that the LAX domicile for Hawaiian Flight Attendants cannot be closed as part of the SEA domicile opening. While the base may shrink in size based on flying needs, it is not at risk of closing.
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