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Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – June 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, June 24, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons/Representatives 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), Virginia Fritz (SFO), Kanako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones.

The committee met with Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Inflight Crew Scheduling Supervisor Matthew Trujillo, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, Crew Hotels Specialist Nichole Turner, Manager of Flight Crew Systems Support Sue Rawlings and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet in person on Tuesday, July 22.

Topics of Discussion

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

Local Committee Chairperson Reports

PDX

  • Flight Attendants can pre-reserve their meals on deadhead flights, a handy option. However, it’s important to note that they only get monetary compensation when flying on flights operated by Horizon or SkyWest.
  • There was some confusion regarding reassignments. If a Flight Attendant is reassigned more than four hours after their original schedule, they should be paid at 1.5 times their rate. However, according to the MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson and Grievance Committee Payroll Representative, this doesn’t pyramid for additional 1.5x pay, which is a point of contention.
  • There’s excitement about the inaugural flights to Rome, which Hawaiian will operate.
  • PDX crews will be flying redeyes from PDX to SEA, a shift in the usual routing.

SAN

  • We had quite a notable month in July with a record-breaking 15 redeye routes, six of which were from SEA. This is a significant change in our flight operations, reflecting how the industry is evolving.
  • The discussion also touched on pyramid pay and reassignment policies, especially under section 9.E.7, where additional flying above the scheduled time should earn that premium pay. It was emphasized that under section 15.G, no one should suffer a loss in pay; premium pay is not currently recognized under this provision. 

ANC

  • We faced a unique situation in which a Flight Attendant was awarded a charter but ran into issues with the minimum block time between trips. This highlighted the strict adherence to the 1:30 block-to-block minimum, which is crucial for base turns.
  • We also had some positive discussions about initial contact processes, particularly with Crew Scheduling making calls, but we agreed that further discussions are needed on contact provisions.
  • There’s also an update on the stranded pay inquiry form. While it still appears in dropdown lists, the Crew Pay team is working on system updates to streamline this. There’s discussion about it being removed.

LAX

  • A significant question arose regarding pay when a Flight Attendant goes under domicile rest. The Flight Attendants who did not waive their rest were reassigned, and it was clarified that their pay is protected based on the greater value of either the trip or the reassignment pay.
  • There was also some confusion around the charter bidding.
  • Flight Attendants expressed a desire for a reference from section 10.R to sections 9.E.6 and 9.E.7, indicating a need for clarity in these areas.

SFO

  • Had its fair share of issues, primarily revolving around pay inquiries. Many Flight Attendants found it challenging to quote TFP and compensation accurately.
  • There was an interesting conversation about whether we’ll be hiring more pay analysts after the merger. The plan is to bring in two analysts for Flight Attendants and two for pilots, which should help alleviate some of the workload.

SEA

  • Discussions centered around various pay questions related to reassignment, pre-cancellations, and diversions. Crew Scheduling built a 4k turn with over 80 minutes of sit time, which was paid under section 10.W.
  • Some Flight Attendants also tried to pick up PO-coded trips, which were similarly compensated under section 10.W. One key point was that charters should have their TFP values input before posting to avoid confusion later on.
  • The timing for block-ins was clarified, noting that the next day starts at 0000 hours.

PBS Subcommittee

  • In the PBS Subcommittee update, we talked about the bidding process. For July, bidding assistance requests were steady, with a trend of multiple bid groups being used in certain instances where single bid groups would be sufficient. July bid awards resulted in high coverage and secondary line generation (SLG), much to the subcommittee’s disappointment. 
  • The subcommittee completed testing on two NAVBLUE releases; however, we encountered defects that hindered the transition to these newer releases.
  • We held several meetings with NAVBLUE to discuss updates on testing and enhancements, including plans for future releases that will introduce new features to improve the user experience.

Pairing Construction

  • The Pairing Construction Subcommittee reported that August pairing solutions were chosen based on soft locks and distribution. To refine the process, a focus on in-person pairing building for July 2025 has been established.
  • There was a mention of looking into SAN and PDX due to the high volume of redeyes, and they sent out raw pairings for review, asking for feedback on any lingering issues.

Hotel Committee

  • We discussed changes to hotel assignments stemming from the bidding process. Crew Planning builds the hotel list and sends it to API, who then populates it, and NAVBLUE gets involved. This means hotel assignments might not be known until after awards, which can lead to uncertainty. When a hotel assignment is not confirmed for a particular pairing, it will show as TBD during bidding.
  • We had an incident regarding the BOS hotel, where renovations were unexpectedly extended, impacting crew accommodations.

Crew Systems/JCTE

  • The Crew Systems team is busy testing new PBS releases, specifically version 25.3. They’re addressing ad-hoc issues with the analyzer and working on updating point reduction forms and TFP calculators. The JCTE release scheduled for July 2, 2025, aims to clean up premium text messages and filters, with an emphasis on ensuring that when a 4k trip is assigned, it will automatically show up in the system.

Flight Attendant Crew Pay

  • The Flight Attendant Crew Pay update was quite revealing. A PowerPoint presentation showed 2,662 total queries in April, with Flight Attendants accounting for 1,514 of those. Despite hopes that the published bulletin would reduce inquiries, there’s been little progress.
  • The stranded pay category is still visible in drop-down lists, and there are concerns about removing it due to the potential loss of historical data.

Crew Planning Management

  • Crew Planning Management discussed a reduction in block hours from July, with a focus on trip mix and reducing the number of single-position pairings. Reserve staffing levels are around 20.8%, with an average line of 77 TFP.
  • They also analyzed commuting patterns, finding that SEA/ANC/LAX are best for three-day trips, while SEA/PDX/SAN work well for four-day trips.

Crew Scheduling Management

  • Crew Scheduling Management reported a 3% increase in sick leave, currently at 12.6%, slightly better than last year’s figures. They’ve been auditing state sick leave and reviewing absence counts.
  • Premium trips in May were expensive, nearly hitting 1,600 trips, while June saw a significant decrease in trips, which raised concerns about taxi times in Seattle extending beyond the scheduled duration.

New CBA Stats

  • New CBA statistics were shared, indicating trends in call-out rates and reassignments.
  • The audit for contactability showed a high accuracy rate at 93.8%, but it highlighted the need for more in-depth testing, particularly regarding B2B processes.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. NAVBLUE. The PBS Subcommittee is working with NAVBLUE to understand the new contractual waive rules adopted in the recently ratified contract. The Committee also continues to provide in person and virtual base sits so that all Flight Attendants may attend and get answers to all PBS bidding related questions.
  2. Crew Scheduling. A monthly review of PowerPoint presentations covered various aspects such as reserve utilization, detailed breakdowns, sick leave (week by week and year over year), premium, personal drops, and other relevant agenda items.
  3. Crew Planning. Crew Planning shared a monthly presentation about Pairing Statistics. Crew Planning is focused on anticipating increased block hours as the summer season approaches, with specific strategies to optimize trip lengths and identify commutability for flight crews. The team is also collaborating with operational analytics to develop dashboards that facilitate better decision-making and scheduling efficiency.
  4. Crew Pay. Crew Pay is working on additional communications to improve clarity and address the high volume of queries surrounding pay discrepancies. The payroll team is committed to resolving ongoing issues quickly to ensure crew members receive their compensation accurately and on time.
  5. AFA Payroll Representative. The Committee has been advocating for a streamlined process to resolve outstanding pay issues for crew members efficiently. The focus is on ensuring timely compensation and improved communication.
  6. Open Time – ADR. We appreciate your patience regarding the crew access challenges you’ve faced. A recent system issue requiring a server restart caused delays in trip information, and some users were logged out. We are working with ITS to address and resolve the problem. Please continue to report any issues by contacting crew scheduling by phone, reaching ITS at 1-877-238-1077, or emailing its.service.desk@alaskaair.com. This issue has been added to ADR (agenda item #026-25A) for discussion.
  7. Chimes/Teams LOA Update. Management has drafted a labor and work requirements proposal regarding the Chimes/Teams LOA, with a response expected soon after review and finalization. There have been ongoing discussions about implementing this LOA, with management confirming progress with ITS and coordinating necessary details. The Committee has been actively following up on the status and emphasizing the urgency for implementation, particularly before the winter storms.
  8. JCTE/Crew Access Update. On Wednesday, July 2, 2025, we will implement a maintenance update to JCTE/Crew Access, which includes enhancements, high-priority bug fixes, and other items to support our back-office teams. This update will impact Flight Attendants with several key changes: text messages will once again be sent for subscriptions that include the premium-only button; after logging into Crew Access and navigating to the trip pool, only trips fitting the saved default filter will be displayed; boarding pay will now be included in the pay TFP value of a trip; 4K reserve assignments assigned by scheduling will automatically pay 1.5 premium; Crew Access will display 5 TFP for reserve duty without an assignment that falls on contractual holidays, though TFP will not show until the day after the holiday, with TFP for holiday RON being displayed in the next release; LIMOs will show a calculated value of 0.75 TFP per hour, with a minimum of 1 TFP; trips on your original award reporting in the current bid period but departing in the next bid period will no longer be dropped when the next period’s schedule is loaded; 00:00 will now appear on unacknowledged roster changes when a schedule change includes those start or end times; the report date of trip splits in Crew Access will consistently show the actual report date of each new trip in transaction reports, though the wrong report date may still appear when trips are created or revised by scheduling; and the footer in the historical changes report in Crew Access will no longer overlap with the change messages. We appreciate your ongoing support and collaboration as we implement these updates, and our Scheduling and Reserve Committees have been actively working with ITS to ensure these improvements are in place.

We Want to Hear From You!

Whether you have feedback for the Committee, concerns to share, or items you’d like brought up with management – don’t hesitate to let us know. Your Local Scheduling Committee is here to be your voice to management. You can easily open a support ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or directly contact us using the information provided on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Thursday, June 19, representatives from our AFA Local Reserve Committees met to discuss their ongoing work to advocate for Reserve Flight Attendants. Representing you at the meeting were Brandi Urban (ANC), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Adrian Alcantara (SAN). Also present was MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton and MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Jarod McNeill.

The committee met with the Interim Managing Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling & Inflight Operations (South) Sara Cook and Interim Manager of Inflight Crew Scheduling Matthew Trujillo.

The committee is next scheduled to meet on Thursday, September 11.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items during both internal AFA-only discussions and meetings with management. Some of the topics discussed include:

  • Utilization of Reserves: Our Reserve Committee is requesting relief as Reserve Flight Attendants are currently being utilized at an overall rate of 94.1%. Management has increased the number of reserves in SEA for August in hopes of providing some relief.
  • Crew Scheduling: Management has created a new position within her division called Inflight Duty Manager (IFDM). The IFDM will offer 24/7 support in scheduling for Flight Attendants. Management is currently in the interview process and aims to have seven IFDMs ready to begin before the end of this year.
  • Increase in No-Shows and Non-Contactables: We are experiencing issues with Flight Attendants’ cell phone providers, which are preventing them from receiving incoming calls from scheduling. It is essential to ensure you have service while on call and while on APSB. The Committee is working closely with management to address these recent occurrences. If you have received points recently due to issues with your cell phone provider, please reach out to your local Reserve Committee so we can investigate on your behalf.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Developing Additional Tools & Resources for Reserve Flight Attendants. Working to update Reserve 101 & the Reserve survival guide with new CBA provisions.
  2. Assisting Probationary Flight Attendants Through the Reserve Buddy Program. Answering questions from and providing support to probationary Flight Attendants through an expanded AFA Reserve Buddy program. Also, developing a checklist of common topics that new hire Flight Attendants need assistance with within the first 30 days after graduation.
  3. Addressing Reserve Contractual Concerns. Researching and investigating reports from Reserve Flight Attendants and actively ensuring that management complies with our contract.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Reserve 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 Reserve Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2025

On Thursday, June 12, our AFA Local Human Rights & Equity Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to raise awareness and create positive change within our workplace and community. Your representatives attending the meeting included Louise Borras (pmAS LAX), Aaron Miller (PDX), Erika Daniel (SAN), and Freddy Vega (SEA). MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson Chip Hestle II and MEC Vice President Brice McGee were also present.

The committee met with several members of management including Senior Vice President of People Andy Schneider, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Seattle Director of Inflight Base Operations Jenny Bookert, and Regional Director Inflight Base Operations LAX Benito Pasia-Garcia Jr.

The committee’s next meeting with management is scheduled for September 16.

Topics of Discussion

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

  • Change of DEI Department Name: The DEI department has been renamed “Culture and Belonging” in response to current regulatory requirements and government orders. As a government contractor, Alaska recognizes that compliance with regulations is essential to our business operations. Senior management stated, “We take pride in our ability to adapt while staying true to our core values. Regardless of external changes, the leadership team is committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong.” The Committee has requested that senior management be more transparent by communicating excerpts of the executive order to the Flight Attendants.
  • Company Participation in Pride Events: The Committee confirmed with management that Alaska is scheduled to participate in 11 Pride events systemwide.
  • Making Event Information More Accessible: The Committee discussed with management the need to make information about celebratory events more accessible to Flight Attendants across multiple platforms.
  • Land Acknowledgment Announcements: The Committee submitted a draft of Land Acknowledgment Announcements for all seven Flight Attendant base airports for management’s review and consideration.   

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Optional Pronouns on Wings. Awaiting finalization of the merger with Hawaiian Airlines, as there may be an overall new design.  
  2. Arrival “Land Acknowledgement Announcements” for our seven current domiciles airports (both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian).
  3. Batok Tattoos Visible While In Uniform. Awaiting finalization of Alaska merger with Hawaiian.
  4. Business Resource Group (BRG) Listening Sessions, co-facilitated with pre-merger Alaska Local AFA Human Rights Chairpersons for 2025. 

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Human Rights & Equity Committee is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the Human Rights & Equity Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – June 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Updated 06/13/2025 17:56 PT to remove a reference that indicated that there were no PVR layovers in July. There are in fact scheduled PVR layovers; these crews will be relocated to the crew hotel’s sister property.

On Monday, June 9, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met 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), Chris Cardenas (LAX), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), with MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich facilitating the meeting.

The Committee met with Senior Crew Hotels Support Specialist Nichole Turner, Crew Hotels Support Specialist LaFay Williams and Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett.

The next scheduled Hotel Committee meeting is Monday, July 14.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items during the meeting with management, most of which focused on hotel decisions and challenges in our layover markets. Some items discussed include:

  • City Specific Updates:
    • PVR: Our crew hotel is closing down on June 30 for renovations. Once they shut down, crews will be relocated to their sister property until renovation work is completed in October.
    • BOS: Our former crew hotel has completed its renovations, and the crew will begin to see trips with some layovers here in July. Please refer to the Hotel Hotline for complete details on these markets.  
  • Hotel-Provided Transportation: The Hotel Committee has been made aware of a van time discrepancy at properties that provide their own transportation. The time printed on the sign-in sheet (or communicated through the MyCrewCare app) is the recommended departure time provided by API. Unfortunately, this time does not always coincide with the transportation schedule provided by the hotel. To ensure crews are not late to the gate, please take the hotel shuttle immediately prior to the recommended departure time. For example, if your recommended departure time is 09:40, and the hotel provides shuttles every 15 minutes, crews will need to take the 09:30 shuttle, not the 09:45 shuttle. API is working on a fix for this discrepancy so that the exact shuttle times are communicated.   
  • Hotel Auto-Processing:  Another issue discussed was the auto-processing of hotels anytime there is a change to a pairing. When a pairing is changed (such as a posted delay), the change causes the hotel to be removed temporarily. There are positives and negatives to this. If a layover is significantly reduced, the system will remove the long-stay property and book the short-stay property so the crew member has an appropriate hotel. However, it poses a challenge when there are minimal schedule changes and multiple hotels in a market that we use. In this case, one long layover property could be swapped for another. The Hotel Committee has asked that guardrails or buffers be implemented so that minimum schedule changes do not cause drastic hotel changes. Crew Hotels will work with Crew Scheduling to see what can be done to prevent this when it is unnecessary.  

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Conducting Hotel Site Visits: The Hotel Committee conducts visits to hotels that are considered by management to ensure that the selected options provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants. Scheduled site visits include RSW (June), SEA (June), OKC (June), and FAT (July). We do not anticipate many site visits will be scheduled for the second half of 2025. Market reviews are triggered by factors such as contract expirations, crew complaints, and opportunities for cost savings. Depending on the outcome of these reviews, additional site visits may be arranged in those cities.
  2. Hotel Gainshare Program: MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich, MEC President Tim Green, and MEC Vice President Brice McGee met with Labor Relations led by Carmen William and Mike Link on June 12 for the second Hotel Gainshare investigatory meeting. Company subject matter experts (SMEs) Brittany Audette, Trisha Bennett, and Nichole Turner also attended. Topics discussed included answers to questions posed at the first meeting, updated data analysis, and back-end process challenges and requirements.  The company has been given further action items, and the group will meet again in July to discuss the program further.    

We Want to Hear From You!

Don’t let any unacceptable experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider go unnoticed! Please report the issue via CrewCare so that it can be addressed. CrewCare is the only official way to report issues, as the Hotel Committee does not monitor social media channels.

Each CrewCare submission is forwarded to your AFA Hotel Committee, Crew Hotels (Alaska management), API and the hotel or ground transportation provider. This ensures quick action can be taken to correct the issue or fix it for the next crewmember. It also allows us to monitor hotel and transportation trends. You can quickly file a CrewCare report using the web app on your IMD home screen or by clicking here.

Do you have any other feedback you would like to share with the committee or any specific items you want us to bring up with management? Please let us know! The Local Hotel Committee is here to represent you and ensure management hears your voice. You can find our contact information on the Hotel Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Thursday, May 15, our AFA Inflight Service 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 Naomi Parcell (ANC), Ross DeJong (SEA), Todd Horn (PDX), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN). MEC Inflight Service Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett was also present.

The committee met with Senior Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Principal Cabin Product and Experience Manager Chris Dela Rosa, Director of Cabin Experience David Scotland, Director of Food and Beverage Products Mita Padhi, Manager of Food and Beverage Planning and Programs David Rodriguez, Senior Food and Beverage Product Manager Jessica Johnston, Food and Beverage Planning Systems Manager Gayatri Watwe, Principal Food and Beverage Programs Gracie Truex, Director of Catering Operations Andrew Moyer, Catering Safety Compliance Manager Raena Alonzo, Regional Catering Performance Manager Jayson Yang, and Regional Catering Performance Manager Katie Thompson. We also met with Service Strategy Product Manager and Marketing/Sales Jesse Starmer, IT Contractors Chris Pettigrew and Chris Daniels, and the new Managing Director of Products & Experience Mark Krolick.

The next committee meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 18.

Topics of Discussion

The Committee discussed several topics during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some of the items included:

Aircraft Interiors

  • New Overhead Bin Signage and Lavatory Placards: New reserved overhead bin signage and lavatory trash placards are currently being installed. The lavatory placards are intended to mitigate the misuse of the amenity cabinet, which contains toilet seat covers, as a trash compartment by passengers, especially on the 737 MAX. Please inform your Local Inflight Service Committee if these placards are effective.
  • Concerns Regarding Aircraft Cleanliness: There have been recent concerns regarding aircraft cleanliness, particularly the galley 1 trash compartment on the MAX 9. The area surrounding the trash container should be cleaned daily according to the RON cleaning schedule. Additionally, the cleanliness of the new hard plastic material used for the forward bulkheads in newer cabin interiors has been noted. These bulkheads tend to show dirt and grime, including footprints. Management acknowledged that this material is not meeting expectations, and alternatives are being evaluated. In the meantime, Fleet Service should clean and wipe down the bulkheads regularly. If you notice any cleanliness issues on the aircraft, please report them.
  • Reporting Broken Lavatory Furnishings: If you encounter broken lavatory furnishings, such as toilet paper or soap dispenser holders, please document these issues as a cabin discrepancy. It has been noted that Fleet Service has increased the frequency of deep cleanings for some aircraft and expanded the number of locations where these cleanings occur.

Catering Operations

  • Ice Quality Issues: Ice quality has been a significant issue due to a vendor change in Seattle. Management is working with LSG to switch vendors immediately, and a quality improvement is expected. Please be diligent in reporting any ice issues using catering feedback tool in Block2Block as we head into the warm summer months.
  • Old Carts on SEA-ANC Flights: Concerns were raised regarding old carts not being removed from the aircraft on SEA-ANC flights, and follow-up is requested from the SEA and ANC kitchens.
  • Missing Meals and Meal Components: Issues with missing meals or meal components, shortages of gold chocolate bars, and an influx of new catering staff have been prevalent. While these issues are frustrating, please continue to report them using the catering feedback tool in Block2Block.
  • Trash Cart Replacement Procedures: When an aircraft is re-catered, the empty trash cart in the aft galley (G4) should be replaced, not just emptied. Seattle has been experiencing ongoing issues with a shortage of carts due to handling by catering personnel. The catering operations team has assured us that new carts have been integrated into the system, and this issue should be resolved soon.
  • Use of Onboard Supplies by Fleet Service: Fleet Service Agents using onboard supplies, such as gloves and trash bags, for cabin cleaning was brought up. They should be using their station-provided supplies.
  • Procedure for Pre-Ordered Meals on Last-Minute Aircraft Swaps: The Committee expressed the need for a procedure to transfer pre-ordered meals to a new aircraft in the event of a last-minute aircraft swap. The catering operations team will work on establishing this procedure to mitigate issues during such events.

Inflight Mobile

  • Updates to Block2Block App: The inflight mobile team is rolling out an update to Block2Block, which will require Flight Attendants to certify their pre-flight readiness in three categories. Early adopters have already received this update. The Committee has noted that some certifications are pre-trip and not pre-flight, which should be removed from subsequent legs of multi-leg trips.
  • Contactability Rollout: Contactability in Block2Block will be rolled out in mid-June. This feature will allow Crew Scheduling to contact Flight Attendants in the event of a schedule change via the Block2Block team messaging function.
  • Development of Block2Block 3.0: Block2Block 3.0 is still in development, and the Committee previewed the various functions the team is working on. The update will include different views for pre-flight, boarding, and service processes. The Committee believes this enhancement will introduce valuable features to the app.

Cabin Product Team Updates

  • Sustainable Product Testing: Management is interested in testing more sustainable products, such as bamboo cutlery and fiber-based food containers. The Committee will monitor this testing to ensure these products are safe and easy for Flight Attendants to use onboard.
  • Clarification on Snack Loading: Management acknowledged the confusion caused by loading two types of snacks in the beverage cart on LH and PLH flights, especially now that only one type of snack is served on all flights. The second snack is not intended for premium class. The team will work on ensuring that only the type of snacks designated for a specific flight are loaded into the food cart.
  • Premium Class Snack Basket Update: The premium class snack basket is currently on hold but is still expected to launch in the future. The Committee will ensure that sufficient testing is conducted and that an adequate amount of product is loaded to deliver this service without disappointing passengers.
  • Blanket Availability Issues: Management noted ongoing challenges in receiving enough blankets for PLH flights due to a shortage caused by a held shipping container. Consequently, crews will continue to experience inconsistent blanket availability for the time being.
  • Potential Upcoming Service Changes In The Future: The marketing department would like to explore and possibly start preliminary testing for additional crew support for the First Class Cabin. They are very early in this exploration, but our Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons emphasized the need to evaluate the balance of duties and establish very clear procedures if this moves forward. Management is also evaluating a full bar pre-departure selection and would like to begin testing that service. The Committee expressed concerns, including wanting to make sure our Flight Attendants are set up for success. This includes providing proper tools, individual water at seats, and clear procedures and training materials.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. More Inflight Service Committee Involvement in Onboard Testing: Our MEC and management recently signed a letter of agreement (LOA) to allow Committee Members to participate in onboard product testing. For future testing, we want to use Committee Members whenever possible as part of the working crew or as a cabin observer. The Committee will continue to push for extensive onboard testing before any sweeping service changes are rolled out. 
  2. Optimize Cart and Galley Loading: We all know space is at a premium onboard. The Committee wants to look at how we can make cart setup and galley packing even easier for crews and help minimize the steps necessary to begin service. We’ll take a thoughtful approach and look at creative solutions to help make our jobs easier.
  3. Updated Reporting Tools: We want to work with management to streamline the catering feedback tool in Block2Block so that reporting is easier for Flight Attendants and requires fewer steps. The Committee would also like management to explore adding a Fleet Service reporting tool that’s as easy to use as the catering feedback tool. This new tool should facilitate the easy reporting of missing supplies, such as alcohol wipes, lavatory supplies, and issues with dirty airplanes, all of which can affect inflight service.

We Want to Hear from You!

Please continue to report any catering issues or problems with onboard service using the catering feedback function in Block2Block. If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please submit a report through ReportIt! Your reports provide the Committee with the data needed to continue pushing management for meaningful improvements in our workplace.

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

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