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Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2023

Uniform Committee

  • Our AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, November 14 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to uniforms.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are reporting related to uniform quality, wearability, and availability.
  • If you are experiencing any issues with uniform quality or construction, please report the issues to Unisync as soon as possible. Please include your Local Uniform Committee Chairperson on the email so they can help track any issues or trends that might be developing.

On Tuesday, November 14th, the AFA Local Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Present at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), David Jelinek (PDX), Lisa Mueller (SFO), Heather Holmes (LAX), JP Perina (SAN), and MEC Uniform Committee Chairperson Kiara O’Bryant.

The committee also met with Director – Procurement and Logistics Eric Phillipson, Sr Product Manager Marketing Megan Low, Uniform Fit Center Lead Ashley Sentner, Supply Chain Program Manager Lizzie Revard, PDX Base Manager Kristie Stafford, SFO Inflight Base Manager Cierra Lewis and Manager Inflight Policies and Standards Jeannette Waddel.

The next Quarterly Uniform Committee Meeting is tentatively set for Tuesday, February 22, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • The new Unisync website launched at the end of October.
  • New method for reporting quality issues – now located directly on the Uniforms page in Team AAG.
  • Mockneck sweater now available for order. Delivery slated for Q1 2024. Aura vest (blue) is scheduled to ship in Summer 2024 and ordering will be available shortly before then.
  • Spinner suitcase testing will begin in the near future. A Travelpro spinner was previously tested but proved to be too top heavy (tipped easily) and one inch smaller (inclusive of the wheels). This created about two inches less space compared to our current roller making it unsuitable for 4+ day trips. AFA and management will continue to explore other options.
  • New uniform policies were updated at the end of October.
    • Aura and Atlas pieces may be mixed and matched to suit body types and style preferences, however, the style guide must be followed regardless of which pieces are being worn.
    • Uniform checks are currently being conducted. The main areas of concern receiving discipline are:
      • Outerwear – Noncompliant coats
      • Nose rings (hoops) and earrings that are larger than approved size of a quarter
      • Hemlines – Too short
      • Lanyards other than ones from the company store (Labor has expressed that management will not pursue discipline, however, if you are asked to remove your lanyard, please comply and submit a ticket at support.afaalaska.org)
      • Shoes with white soles or stitching (you can use a navy/brown permanent marker or leather dye on the white stitching to make them compliant)
  • Management will consider moving from the current approved list to “boot guidelines and requirements” for the seasonal navy boots. Updates will be made by March of 2024 when boot season concludes.
  • March 2024 will also see the ban of popular lug-style shoes and discipline may be issued for noncompliance. AFA has gone all the way up through marketing (including Luly Yang) in attempts to advocate for the shoe to remain in compliance. The final decision is that these shoes will not be allowed.
  • Seasonal aprons will continue to be allowed and the committee is advocating for marketing to make this a permanent part of the style guide.
  • Maternity pieces should be in full stock and available. Please email or call the Fit Center if you encounter any issues and let your local Uniform Committee Chairperson know if you are unable to obtain pieces.
  • The Uniform survey closed on 11/07/2023 and results will be shared with AFA in late December once the data has been analyzed.
  • Discussed the possibility of opening the PDX Fit Center on an annual or semiannual basis, but there has not been much turn out in the past. If you are interested in this opportunity, please email AFA at uniform@afaalaska.org so we can collect data on how many FAs would attend to return items, have repairs done, and get fitted.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Wear Testing. Trying to create a diverse pool of wear testers. Finding convenient ways to get wear test items to testers other than base office hours as we would like FAs working early AM trips and nighters to also be part of future wear tests. Would also reduce issues with returns getting back to the Fit Center.
  2. Annual Review of Basic Uniform Cost. AFA meets annually to review the cost of the basic uniform per the contract to ensure the allotment amount is correct with the addition of new pieces.
  3. Unisync Usability. Concerns over confusion with new ordering sizes. Wool Sensitivity options are available but not widely known or advertised. Made-to-order pieces (tall) still require a phone call.

We Want to Hear From You!

Please email Unisync with any quality issues. In the email, please describe the issue in detail, include the “PO” number from the tag, attach photos of the issue and the tag, if possible, and CC your Local Uniform Committee Chairperson. Please consider opening a ticket at AFA Alaska Support so the Uniform Committee can track these issues.

Would you like to join the wear test pool? Do you have other feedback for the committee or items that you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Uniform Committee is your voice to management. You can find contact information on the Uniform Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Benefits Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2023

Benefits Committee

  • On Tuesday, October 24, the AFA Benefits Committee Chairpersons held a meeting to discuss their continued efforts in assisting Flight Attendants with work-related benefits such as insurance, maternity, worker’s compensation, and leave of absence programs. 
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and address concerns brought forward by Flight Attendants.
  • If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Benefits Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!

On Tuesday, October 24, representatives from our Local AFA Benefits Committees met to discuss their ongoing work related to Flight Attendant work-related benefits, including insurance, maternity, worker’s compensation, and leave of absence programs. Representing you at the meeting were Deb Wallstrom (ANC), Kathy O’Malley (SEA), Ann LaRue (PDX), Julie Pearson (SFO), Majo Tanco, (LAX), and Sonia Quackenbush (SAN). Also present were MEC Benefits Committee Chairperson Terry Taylor and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams.

The committee met with the following management representatives: Mike Link, Senior Labor Relations Program Manager; Josh Madsen, Director – Health and Absence Management; Tiffany Perry, Health and Welfare Program Manager; Leah Ables, Director-Payroll, Margo Fincher, Manager-Absence Management; and Tracy Middleton and Stevie Ray Brown, from the Absence Management Department.

The committee’s next meeting will be scheduled for early January.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • Difficulty connecting with the Inflight FA Leave Team, either via telephone, returned message, or email. Should you encounter this problem, please reach out to your Local Council Benefits Representative. 
  • Challenges with the Return to Work process. Once you are released to return to work, you must send your written release to FA.Leave@alaskaair.com, as well as to Hartford or Sedgwick.
  • Introduction and description of new AirGroup EAP provider, Lyra. This program will take the place of Active Support starting January 01, 2024. Lyra will offer 10 free counseling sessions per covered employee/family member, per situation. They will offer both in-person and telehealth sessions. Those who are currently using Active Support counselors can complete the current six offered Active Support Sessions and will still be eligible for 10 sessions with Lyra starting in January.
  • An electronic version of the Pay Preference form has been in development for some time. This will be very helpful to those employees who do not have access to a printer. It is expected to be available by the end of the year.
  • Washington Paid Family Leave will go into effect for our work group in January 2024. Premiums are partially paid by the company, and partially payroll-deducted. This plan requires online application through the State of Washington. Oregon Paid Family leave went into effect in June of this year, with premium contributions starting that month. Each state has an ‘hours worked’ minimum requirement for eligibility.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Health Benefits following Staffing Adjustment Leave (SAL). We disagree with the new process requiring re-enrollment in health benefits following SALs. We are working to resolve this issue.
  2. Implementation of Washington Paid Family Leave, Oregon Paid Family Leave, and Washington Paid Sick Leave. We have requested the company communicate their processes and intent with implementation, application, and administration of these programs.
  3. Calculator Challenges. We continue to hear from members who believe the TFP calculators are inaccurate. The recent Flight Attendant Website Alert (10/20/23) indicated the company is aware of this and is working on it. As the end of the year draws closer we need these tools repaired and accurate.

We Want to Hear From You!

If you have any feedback or concerns that you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Your Local Benefits Committee is here to assist and represent you to management. You can find our contact information on the Benefits Committee page of the AFA Alaska website. We are committed to helping you in any way we can!

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – October 2023

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, October 24 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Tuesday, October 24, our AFA Scheduling Committee 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 Heather Reier (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz.

The committee met with Managing Director Ops Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette, Manager Inflight Crew Scheduling Goose Hlaingmyint, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and other management representatives from Crew Planning.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet in person on November 28, 2023.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • Single Duty Pairings with three (3) legs are not desirable for some flight attendants. We are looking to see if there is a way to utilize the optimizer to reduce these types of sequences. 
  • Night rule flying discussions surrounding compensation. There are three (3) items that must occur which include: duty on 4:29 am local time, flying on duty past 8:30 am local time, and duty over 10:30. There is a special exception with 4k flying that includes a 4K nighter carve out. Compensation is not applicable until 12.5 hours because of the waiver.
  • Crew Access bubble(s) that display report and debrief will be removed in a November 2023 release.
  • Second Round of vacation bidding is complete. Awards are published this week. If you are assigned vacation it will be in reverse calendar year order. Vacation Opentime will commence on October 27, 2023. 
  • Staffing adjustment leaves will be offered in January, between 400-500 volunteers based on current block hours. 
  • Management has formed a new Hotel IROP Committee and Process team to assist during Irregular Operations. There are several processes outlined up to seven (7) days prior to an event, and event level determination with focus cities.  
  • Crew Planning continues to review commutability of departures and arrivals, and commute efficiency. SEA and LAX tend to have the best commutability, while SAN and PDX are the most challenging. This is based on departures between noon and 1800 and arrivals between 0600 and 1800. 
  • Increase in redeye flights is concerning. AFA has asked both Crew Planning/Crew Scheduling to monitor the trips as they relate to sick leave, reserve utilization, fatigue, and other mitigating factors.  
  • Pre-cancellations and Reassignments are still happening frequently – please refer to the flow charts as additional contractual resources.  
  • Pay related questions should be directed to payroll representatives, not crew schedulers.  If you experience an error or have a potential grievance please contact your Local Scheduling Chairperson for resolution. 
  • Contactability with a no show or other points from Crew Scheduling is being investigated by the Performance Engagement Team. If you believe you received points incorrectly please file a ticket with AFA for research.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. NavBlue. The PBS Committee spent time on base sits with Flight Attendants. In person and virtual meetings were available. We would like to hear your feedback on how the committee could better assist you with bid awards and understanding results. 
  2. Pairings Survey. It’s been a few years since we submitted a survey on pairing construction. We are discussing survey questions and the possibility of a virtual session or town hall. Meeting with management was set for June 5, 2023 and a follow up meeting needs to be scheduled. There is no update or ETA.
  3. Teaming. Crew Planning is reviewing pairing construction and the optimization of teaming. Teaming attempts to keep costs low and crew together (pilots/Flight Attendants) for multiple segments within a sequence. The system currently teams around 10-15%. The new enhancements would increase this in the range of 20-35% for the winter operations. You will see this in December pairings. We’ve asked management to send out a communication about teaming. For December 2023 flying approximately 23% of sequences will be teamed together while 52% of duty periods are teamed. 
  4. In and Backs. These are flights that follow the crew and aircraft. Network/Crew planning is reviewing initiatives that would help us restart the operation when crews are stranded and flights are canceled. Alaska management will start reviewing the 2023/2024 IROPs plan in September/October. This creates opportunities to clear the flight schedules on day of operations. 
  5. Chime Communications. Flight Attendants could chat with crew scheduling via app/Microsoft teams to alleviate phone calls. This would be Flight Attendant initiated contact. This is in the early stages of development and needs to be discussed with AS Labor Relations and AFA. The parties are still working on testing and implementation in the next few weeks. 
  6. Crew Scheduling. Each month the committee reviews PowerPoint presentations related to reserve utilization for system/bases, detailed reserve breakdowns, sick leave week by week and year over year (YoY), premium, personal drops, and any other relevant agenda items.
  7. Crew Planning. Each month the committee reviews PowerPoint presentations related to the subsequent month staffing, trip length distribution, FA block hours, special initiatives such as IROPs, commutability, and any other relevant agenda items. 
  8. ITS. A representative from ITS joins us at each scheduling meeting to review updates related to NavBlue, Crew Access, Internal systems and Block 2 Block. These include performance updates and data review as well as future release information.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items that you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Scheduling Committee is your voice to management. You can open a support request on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2023

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

  • Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, October 5, to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to safety, health, and security in our workplace.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants face onboard the aircraft.
  • Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever, given the challenges we currently face as a workgroup.  Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed using ReportIt!  Please get in touch with a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.

On Thursday, October 5, 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 in person were Debi Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Blair Kimball (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Carin Meritt (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN). Also present was MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple.

The committee met with Inflight Training Supervisor Ken Hawkins, Infight Policy & Procedure Specialist Kevin Weatherbie, Manager of Inflight Safety & Compliance Johanna Giese, Manager of Inflight Policy & Procedure Kaliko Howell, Inflight Regulatory Compliance Safety Analyst Danette Thomas, and Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder.

The next scheduled Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee meeting is Thursday, January 4, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items when meeting with management.  Some items discussed include:

  • Definition of “Guardian.” The FAM states that no one in an exit row can be responsible for a child 15 or under elsewhere in the cabin. The Committee would like “guardian” to be better defined in FAM. Kaliko will review verbiage in the FAM and include Airport Operations & Customer Service (AOCS) and Customer Advocacy in any discussions about updating definitions or language for alignment.
  • Cabin divider curtain. Flight Attendants are closing the curtain in an overhead bin, using the bin door to secure it in the open position. Kaliko will ensure the FAM reflects the current procedure for closing and securing the curtain. He will also follow up with Maintenance & Engineering to see the status of the new curtain restraints.
  • D position traveling alone/4 crew pairings. This concern has been escalated to EVP and COO Constance von Muehlen—no update at this time.
  • Inboard jumpseat assignment. The Committee prefers that the B and C Flight Attendants move inboard for better cabin management and visibility. Inflight Policy & Procedure would like to keep the current practice. We will keep advocating for this change.
  • Issues with onboard cleaning products.  Flight Attendants have reported physical reactions that they believe may be caused by exposure to onboard cleaning products. One problem is that we only sometimes have the correct bag to stow the spray bottle. It was also noted that Fleet Service may be over-spraying more product than necessary to perform cleaning tasks. Their procedure is to spray into a cloth and then use the cloth to wipe. Fleet Service Agents should not spray cleaner directly onto surfaces. In the long term, the Committee wants to replace the bottle of cleaner with surface wipes for Flight Attendant use.
  • Air quality events not identified and reported as they are happening. When multiple Flight Attendant operating the same flight experience symptoms, crews and ground personnel should suspect a possible air quality or hypoxia event. Failure to identify an event can result in an inadequate operational response and a lack of support for the impacted crew. Cabin Safety Manager Heidi Stiley will see if this information can be included in Pilot and Flight Attendant training. We will also look at manuals to make sure this is called out.
  • Door opening procedure from outside the aircraft. There are different understandings about who may open an aircraft door from outside. It is taught in Alaska Initial Flight Attendant Training and will be added to Recurrent Training for 2024. However, legacy Virgin America Flight Attendants never received this training. Kaliko will look at past communications to see where it was communicated that Flight Attendants are not to open the L1 door from outside and report back to the group.
  • Single-door catering stations. IAD had single-door catering, and crews were delayed in boarding/pre-flight due to inability to center aisle blockage and then rushed for passenger boarding. Single-door catering can happen anywhere. ACTION: Matthew will discuss with the Catering Ops team
  • Surgical masks stocked on the aircraft. With the uptick in COVID-19 infections, we would like to see more masks boarded in Flight Attendant Kits for a total of 10 each. Heidi will bring the topic to an upcoming meeting.
  • SFO airport transportation. Crew Access says to “walk to hotel.” The Committee has requested that the Air Train information’s phone number be added to Crew Access. Kaliko will follow up with the Crew Hotels team.
  • Weigh restriction zones. We would like for there to be a more straightforward means of knowing what the zones are on a weight-restricted aircraft. We would also like management to allow some freedom in moving passengers within the same row or zone when weight-restricted.
  • Firm/rough landings. Heidi shared that the aircraft registers a hard landing at 2.2Gs and higher. Anything else is not technically a “hard” landing. Regardless of what they are called, the Committee is seeing a lot of landing-related injuries of Flight Attendants, and we have asked management to look at ways to reduce the number of injuries occurring.
  • EMK/EEMK supplies. We have previously requested that a better blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, and glucose monitor be added to the kits. Johanna told us that the FAA may update the required contents of the EMK, and management is considering adding an assessment kit, which would include a blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, glucometer, and stethoscope.

What the Committee is Working On

  1. MAX8 galley. A representative from the ASHSC and Inflight Service Committee spent several days with management and Boeing representatives reviewing the design of the MAX8 galley at the manufacturing facility. At this stage, the Committees were able to provide feedback on galley units that have been built but have yet to be installed. Almost all of AFA’s recommended changes to the design to improve functionality and safety will be implemented in the production units, including improvements to the trash receptacles and trash volume. Unfortunately, improvements to the MAX galley bar were not deemed feasible.
  2. Locking lavatories. We have been working with management to determine whether we should continue locking lavatories for taxi, takeoff, and landing. Our Local ASHSC Chairpersons have mixed feelings about this proposed change. There are concerns about cabin management, with passengers potentially entering the lavatory at an inappropriate time and possibly hindering egress should a lavatory door be open during an evacuation. Positive outcomes of the change may include reducing distraction during door-disarming procedures and allowing passengers to use the lavatory in an urgent situation without a Flight Attendant needing to leave the security of their jumpseat. The Committee has asked about benchmarking and what the procedures are at other airlines. In conjunction with a change to the lavatory door locking procedure, the Committee has asked Inflight management to assess the timing and necessity of the pre-departure and pre-landing lavatory flush.
  3. Adding passenger briefings to cabin areas of responsibility. We already use cabin areas of responsibility for emergencies, equipment checks, and compliance checks. The Committee would like to see this include passenger briefings to remove confusion about which Flight Attendant is responsible for ensuring they are completed before door closure.

We Want to Hear From You!

If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please help the committee to advocate for improvement and change by filing a report.  Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) reports, and fatigue reports can all be submitted using ReportIt!  If you’re not sure what type of report to file for a particular situation or need help, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of your Local ASHSC.

Do you have other feedback for the committee or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local ASHSC is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the ASHSC page of the AFA Alaska website. 

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2023

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, September 26 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Tuesday, September 26, our AFA Scheduling Committee 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 Heather Reier (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz.

The committee met with Managing Director Ops Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette, Director Inflight Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and other management representatives from Crew Planning.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on October 24, 2023.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • Block hours reduction. For the fall of 2023 we will see line averages reduced. You should notice a difference when bidding your September schedule. Line averages could be 75-78 depending on the number of leaves offered by base. 
  • JCTE/Crew Access update. We are expecting a new update (7.4 MR13) for filters and “trade handshake” in September 2023. This was rescheduled for September 26, 2023. Please refer to the recent bulletin bundle for updates. 
  • Staffing Adjustment Leaves. Management has reviewed the anticipated block hours and decided to offer leaves. This is a change from last month’s update. If you are interested in a leave of absence please review the recent bulletin. Management is reviewing all options of SAL and Low Bid to determine the best business decision.  
  • Pilot Retiming Block In/Out. Management recently issued a bulletin bundle providing an update on this issue and a plan for implementation in a future crew access update. Please continue to file the appropriate forms until a permanent resolution is installed. As of today, there have been 873 inquiries and 163 approvals. 
  • Base Turns. Each month Flight Attendants are surprised they combine two sequences over 10 hours 30 minutes and that some of their contractual legalities are waived. If you are adding sequences together refer to Section 8.T. There are also issues with splitting base turns that require Crew Scheduling assistance. 
  • Vacation Bidding. Prepare for 2024 vacation bids. Find 1st round, 2nd round and Open Time dates in the applicable bulletin bundle. First round of vacation bidding is complete.  Approximately 1500 Flight Attendants did not bid in the first round but will have an opportunity in the 2nd round for Slots 7 and 8.
  • Section 11.E.1.c. “ISA” marker. Unavailable for self-assignment. When Flight Attendants trade into/out of trips with this label the premium will disappear.  Flight Attendants can contact Crew Scheduling if they notice a trip in Open Time that is labeled as “ISA” but doesn’t show premium and request removal of the ISA or require the premium be added back onto the trip. Crew scheduling has the discretion to determine which action they choose. The ability to trade these trips was added to ADR for further discussion.
  • Hotel wait times. If you are waiting in excess of over one (1) hour for a hotel, please ensure you are keeping in contact with Crew Scheduling and opening a ticket with AFA.  
  • Crew Scheduling Error. We do have approximately 39 schedulers in Crew Scheduling, some of whom are new to the position. Scheduling management appreciates Flight Attendants reporting contractual violations so they are able to coach/train. Please remember to fly now and grieve later. We’ve seen pre-cancellations, reassignments, domicile rest and other contractual provisions that were violated by accident and remedied through discussions with Crew Scheduling management. 
  • PowerPoint Presentations. Each month management from Crew Scheduling and Crew Planning provide the scheduling committee with updates. These are shared with your MEC/LEC officers. The information includes but is not limited to Reserve utilization, sick leave, sick leave by base, winter operations, personal drops, trip commutability, trip length distribution and what to expect in the near future. Some of the information contained in the presentation is under our non-disclosure agreements but AFA continues to engage in the topic discussions.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. NavBlue. The PBS Committee is preparing to have more base sits and presentations for Flight Attendants. We will provide dates/times/locations in a future update – stay tuned. 
  2. Pairings Survey. It’s been a few years since we submitted a survey on pairing construction. We are discussing survey questions and the possibility of a virtual session or town hall. Meeting with management was set for June 5, 2023 and a follow up meeting needs to be scheduled. There is no update or ETA.
  3. Teaming. Crew Planning is reviewing pairing construction and the optimization of teaming.  Teaming attempts to keep costs low and crew together (pilots/Flight Attendants) for multiple segments within a sequence. The system currently teams around 10-15%. The new enhancements would increase this in the range of 20-35% for the winter operations. You will see this in December pairings. We’ve asked management to send out a communication about teaming.
  4. In and Backs. These are flights that follow the crew and aircraft. Network/Crew planning is reviewing initiatives that would help us restart the operation when crews are stranded and flights are canceled. Alaska management will start reviewing the 2023/2024 IROPs plan in September/October. 
  5. Chime Communications. Flight Attendantss could chat with crew scheduling via app/Microsoft teams to alleviate phone calls. This would be Flight Attendant initiated contact. This is in the early stages of development and needs to be discussed with AS Labor Relations and AFA.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local Scheduling Committee is your voice to management.  You can open a support request on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – January 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, January 27, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), […]

Celebrating Black History Month

February 1 marks the start of Black History Month in the United States—a vibrant celebration with roots dating back to 1925, when acclaimed historian Carter G. Woodson first introduced “Negro History Week” to highlight the remarkable achievements of Black individuals. In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford expanded it to Black History Month, calling on all […]

Never Forget: Honoring Alaska Airlines Flight 261—January 31, 2000 

On this day, we pause to remember and honor the anniversary of the tragic loss of Alaska Airlines Flight 261, which occurred on January 31, 2000. This heartbreaking event claimed the lives of all 88 passengers and crew on board, leaving an enduring impact on all of us. As we reflect on this tragic day, […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 11 – January 2026

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) continues to make steady progress in collective bargaining sessions with management. Recent meetings have focused on refining contract Section 15 (Leaves of Absence). The JNC continues to incorporate the strongest language from both Alaska and Hawaiian agreements.

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – January 2026

On Monday, January 12, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle 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), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX-pmAS), Kanani Vallot (SAN), […]

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