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After Relentless AFA Advocacy, Alaska Management Finally Takes Initial Step To Protect Against Injuries From Dangerous Coffee Makers

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

  • Alaska Airlines management has directed that older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers must not be used without a Brew Shield.
  • The action follows months of advocacy by the AFA ASHSC, Inflight Service Committee, and MEC, highlighting ongoing injuries to Flight Attendants from the coffee makers.
  • Our Committees and MEC continue to call for a complete suspension of the older coffee makers until the issue is fully resolved to ensure the safety of both crewmembers and passengers.

After months of relentless advocacy by our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Inflight Service Committee, and Master Executive Council (MEC), Alaska Airlines management has finally taken the first step towards meaningful action to protect crewmembers and passengers from injuries related to scalding hot coffee and grounds spewing from the brew basket of older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers. Effective immediately, management has directed that older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers must not be used to brew coffee under any circumstances if a Brew Shield is unavailable. In such cases, alternate coffee makers must be used to brew coffee; if no other coffee makers are available, coffee will not be served. If a Brew Shield is available, it must be installed and used. Flight Attendants should refer to Special Edition Bulletin #2024-0045 (April 17, 2024) for specific procedures, instructions for reporting missing Brew Shields, and other essential information.

Note: Management refers to the older-style B/E Aerospace coffee maker as the “B/E Classic Coffee Maker,” also identified as Coffee Maker #1 in the FAM. It has five square buttons that include the “COLD WATER” option and does not have a paddle on the hot water spigot.

Management’s recent action is a step in the right direction, but it should have been taken long ago when our ASHSC first raised this issue. It’s unacceptable that several months have passed, and more Flight Attendant injuries have occurred due to the continued use of older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers. Our AFA ASHSC and Inflight Service Committee have been vigilant in putting management on notice that they were knowingly placing the physical safety and well-being of employees and passengers at risk by continuing to allow the use of these coffee makers. We have advised management that the temporary procedures implemented to mitigate the hazards are inadequate and unrealistic given the working environment that Flight Attendants face onboard the aircraft. The ineffectiveness of management’s mitigations has become increasingly evident as Flight Attendants continue to be injured by coffee makers spewing scalding hot coffee and grounds. 

Management’s action may have been overdue and necessary, but it still does not address the root cause of the hazard through physical mitigation. Our ASHSC, Inflight Service Committee, and MEC firmly believe that the only responsible action for management to take is to completely suspend the use of the older B/E Aerospace coffee makers until the issue is resolved. We continue to call on management to “own safety” by removing these coffee makers from service immediately. The safety of both Flight Attendants and passengers must not be compromised. It’s our right to work in a safe environment, and we demand that this right be upheld.

Alaska Management Refuses to Remove Dangerous Coffee Makers From Service Despite Injury Risks to Flight Attendants

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

  • Several Flight Attendants have been injured recently due to older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers spewing hot coffee and grounds.
  • Management denied an AFA request to discontinue using these coffee makers despite the risk to Flight Attendant and passenger safety.
  • A formal complaint is being filed with the FAA, and a contractual grievance will be filed against the company.

Over the past several months, at least nine Flight Attendant injuries have been reported, caused by scalding hot coffee and grounds spewing from the brew basket of older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers on various aircraft. This is an alarming situation that requires immediate attention. It’s suspected that the recent changeover in coffee served onboard, which is packaged differently than the old product, may be contributing to this issue. Management has begun investigating the root cause and has identified some potential solutions to address the problem. However, it will likely take significant time to implement the mitigations fully.

Last week, our Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) sent management an official request to discontinue using B/E Aerospace coffee makers until physical mitigations can be implemented. Despite the inconvenience this may cause by leaving some aircraft with fewer or no coffee makers to use, the Committee believes that potentially seeing multiple Flight Attendants injured while waiting for long-term fixes is unacceptable. Disappointingly, management denied the request, knowingly putting the physical safety and well-being of employees and passengers at risk for the sake of a few more cups of coffee.

This decision by management is a clear violation of their own core value of “owning safety” and displays a shocking level of negligence. Given the gravity of the situation, we will be taking immediate action by filing a formal complaint with the FAA to escalate the issue. Additionally, our Grievance Committee will file a contractual grievance based on management’s violation of section §25.B of our collective bargaining agreement (“The Company will provide a safe and healthy workplace…”).

Flight Attendant and passenger safety must not be compromised. It’s reckless and unacceptable for management to put Flight Attendants at risk by keeping hazardous coffee makers in operation. Removing these coffee makers from service is the right thing to do and the only responsible action for management to take. It’s our right to work in a safe environment, and we demand that this right be upheld.

SEA Domicile Negotiations – October 2025

The recent meetings of the SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee in Seattle and Honolulu highlighted both progress and persistent challenges in negotiations with management. While there has been advancement on some issues, significant concerns remain. Key topics under discussion include the transfer processes, return options to HNL or LAX, staffing, moving expenses, and safeguarding existing bases. Our committee prepares for the next round of negotiations in Seattle during the week of October 20.

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Government Affairs Committee Update – 4th Quarter 2025

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This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, October 2, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) 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 Deb Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Kalin Lackey […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 7 – September 2025

Our JNC made significant progress in shaping our JCBA, successfully reaching a Tentative Agreement on Section 13 – Uniforms. Key provisions include enhancements to uniform standards, ensuring protective measures such as no surnames on name tags from the Hawaiian CBA. While we continue discussions on various sections, including Air Safety Health and Security, Training, and Commuter Policy. We appreciate feedback from the 2207 Flight Attendants who participated in our recent Vacation Survey.

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