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Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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Pairing Construction Subcommittee

What Does This Subcommittee Do?
The Pairing Construction Subcommittee works with the company and the Inflight Crew Planning Department to build Flight Attendant pairings.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
  • Regularly communicate with and provide updates to the MEC Scheduling Chairperson on the activities of the subcommittee
  • Meet on a monthly basis with the company and the Inflight Crew Planning Department to review problems and suggested resolutions regarding construction of Flight Attendant pairings and monthly lines of flying.
  • Maintain a permanent file for all local schedules for the use of the MEC Scheduling Committee.
  • Keep the MEC informed on all activities relating to the pairing construction process. When meetings or communications are due to unusual scheduling activities, a written report will be made.
  • Keep the membership informed of the results of the pairing construction process on a monthly basis throught the MEC Communications Committee Chairperson.
  • Solicit feedback from the membership regarding desired pairings, trip lengths, and types of flying through Local Scheduling Committees and advocate for such during the pairing construction process.
  • Discuss any problems occurring within the pairing construction process with the Local Scheduling Committee Chairpersons on a monthly basis and will provide any suggestions for remedy of problems to the MEC.
Why Would I Contact This Committee?

The Pairing Construction Subcommittee is available to help you with:

  • Questions about how pairings are built
  • Feedback about specific types of pairings

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Who Do I Contact?

For assistance, contact MEC Scheduling Vice Chairperson–Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell at karen.ferrell@afaalaska.org or your Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson.

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Subcommittee News

View the Pairing Construction Subcommittee news archives

Pairing Construction 101

Posted: October 25, 2024

Scheduling Committee Introduction to the Pairing Process Pairing construction is a complex process that occurs every month to create the work schedules, or “pairings,” that Flight Attendants will operate. A team consisting of four individuals—three Company Crew Planners and one AFA Pairing Analyst—work together to build these pairings. Karen Ferrell, our AFA Pairing Analyst and […]

[L-AS] November 2018 PBS Bid Awards

Posted: October 15, 2018

This message is for Legacy Alaska Airlines (L-AS) Flight Attendants Trouble with the November 2018 PBS bid award The Master Executive Council (MEC) was informed on Friday, October 12, 2018, that the wrong one-position (“D”) pairing file was loaded into NAVBLUE PBS.  That file did not contain all the one-position flights—in excess of 1000—requiring staffing […]

Pairing Construction 101

Posted: August 26, 2016

What is involved with pairing construction? Approximately one month prior to the bid month, Network Planning provides a Standard Schedules Information Manual (SIMM), which includes all of the scheduled legs in the system on a daily basis for FA 1-Position, FA Combi and FA 3-Position. Each of the legs are formatted as a single line […]

Introducing AFA Pairing Analyst Karen Ferrell

Posted: January 27, 2016

At the January meeting of the Master Executive Council (MEC) earlier this week, your MEC interviewed candidates for the position of MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson for Pairing Construction, commonly referred to as the AFA Pairing Analyst.  In total, four candidates interviewed for the position (one Anchorage-based flight attendant, two Seattle-based flight attendants and one […]

AFA Alaska MEC Pairing Analyst Interviews

Posted: November 24, 2015

Your Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) would like to take this opportunity to thank Sherrijon Gaspard for stepping up to the plate as MEC Pairing Analyst for the last six months. Regretfully, she recently stepped down from her position due to unforeseen family circumstances. The MEC is now in search of qualified individuals interested in […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 14 – April 2026

The 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.

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States—a time to celebrate the vibrant stories, achievements, and enduring impact of these communities. Their cultures, traditions, and innovations have enriched every facet of American life, from art and science to activism and public service. What started in 1978 as a weeklong observance […]

Join The Picket Line: Support Horizon Flight Attendants on Tuesday, April 28

Since November 2023, Horizon Air Flight Attendants have been in negotiations, fighting tirelessly to secure a new contract that recognizes their work. Even after applying for mediation in January 2025, management continues to offer proposals that ignore the essential contributions Horizon Flight Attendants make to the success of Horizon Air and Alaska Air Group.  On […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – April 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, April 21, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met in person at the Alaska Airlines Global Training Center in Renton, WA to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – April 2026

On Monday, April 13, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met virtually 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 pmAS), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Barry Spitzer (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX pmAS), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), […]

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