AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for committee meeting

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – December 2022

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, December 27 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, December 27, 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), Martin Vance (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Adam Clarey, and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton. The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Inflight Crew Scheduling Supervisor Matthew Trujillo, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

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:

  • Reviewing AFA Alaska Online Support Center tickets related to the recent winter storm and compiling an agenda to review with management the week of January 9, 2023. The issues include, but are not limited to, hotels/transportation, pre-cancellations/reassignments, ground/air commuting, stranded pay, long waits for Crew Scheduling phone lines and return phone calls, holiday/premium pay and attendance points. 
  • If you were stranded during the recent winter weather event, please review contract section 21.N. Be sure to file an inquiry in Rainmaker for pay on the date in question. You will need to login to the Flight Attendant website > administration > pay & benefits > Rainmaker logon. After logging in, you will see a comment box and be able to submit a pay inquiry. It will take the pay analyst approximately two weeks to review the claim. You will find instructions and information in the Rainmaker user guides.
  • Holiday Pay is addressed in contract section 21.H. If you had a cancellation on a holiday, it is possible that you qualify for the provisions in contract section 21.H.3 which states: “If a Flight Attendant reports for a sequence containing a flight that is scheduled to operate on a holiday and that flight subsequently cancels, then the Flight Attendant will receive one (1) TFP at two times (2.0x) her/his trip rate for the canceled flight in addition to all other appropriate pay premiums and pay provisions (including pay protection, if applicable). For a Reserve, one (1.0) TFP will be paid above the guarantee and one (1.0) TFP will be credited towards guarantee, both at straight time.” If you don’t see this pay displayed in Rainmaker, please file an inquiry.
  • Staffing Leaves for February were awarded, review informational bulletin #2022-0132. 
  • CARE Retreat bidding in January will be for March sessions.  If you do not want to be assigned a session, be sure to bid for your class or pick up from Open Time. 
  • Threshold Sequence Number (TSN) might increase in January once the operation is back to normal. This will allow more flexibility in the form of dropping trips to Open Time. 
  • Review of Longevity PTO bidding and awarding.  Flight Attendants are projected to receive this provision and if they don’t bid the dates, the vacation is usually put into January of the following year. This causes issues with removal of vacation in subsequent months. 
  • Expense reimbursement.  If you are due expense reimbursement related to the recent winter weather events, please see an inflight supervisor for assistance. 
  • Crew Access filter bugs and changes.  Management projects that the day filter will be fixed in March 2023.  The days have an error where the system is looking at UTC (Coordinated Universal/Greenwich Mean Time).
  • Flight cancellations.  If your flight is cancelled, report as scheduled unless you contact Crew Scheduling or Crew Scheduling contacts you.  Review contract sections 10.S and 10.R.  Flow charts outlining the process are also available on the Scheduling Committee page of afaalaska.org.
  • If you were an air/ground commuter during the winter weather event, please review the Ground Commuting During Significant Weather Events letter of agreement.
  • Crew Access Known Issues Document.  An updated list was provided in Bulletin Bundle #2022-0120 on November 28, 2022.  You can also find the information on the Flight Attendant website > schedule & bidding > crew access help.
  • If you have pay concerns, please be sure to review both Crew Access and Rainmaker.  AFA Representatives do not have access to your Rainmaker.  If you have a pay issue or an issue with an inquiry, please take a screenshot of the applicable Rainmaker page and provide an AFA representative with a copy by filing a ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center. 

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Scheduling a meeting with Network Planning.  The Committee would like to meet with Network Planning in 2023 to discuss our contract, legalities and suggestions. We want to provide management with the Flight Attendant perspective and in an effort to improve our quality of life. 
  2. Review of JCTE/Crew Access transaction performance.  Each month, ITS provides the Committee with data on performance and transactions within JCTE/Crew Access.  The Committee reviews these reports to ensure our service levels are maintained at the appropriate thresholds.
  3. Scheduling Quality of Life Improvements.  Reviewing ways to improve Trip Length Distribution (TLD) and other quality of life options.  Working with management to develop a quality of life survey to determine Flight Attendant scheduling priorities. 
  4. Review of user guides and links of Flight Attendant website.  Ensuring information is still accurate in existing resource materials, links are still active and working, etc.
  5. Updating Crew Access videos.  Working with management and ITS to update the Crew Access instructional videos to reflect updates and changes to the user interface.

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.

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2022

Hotel Committee

  • Our AFA Hotel Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, December 8 to discuss their ongoing program of work to protect and improve the quality of Flight Attendant hotel accommodations and ground transportation providers.
  • The Committee met with representatives from management and the Company’s crew accommodations vendor to review current trends and concerns related to layover hotels and transportation.
  • You can help the Committee by reporting hotel and transportation feedback (both positive and negative) through CrewCare. Feedback that is reported through CrewCare provides the Committee with important data to support keeping hotels that are Flight Attendant favorites or drive change when conditions are unacceptable.

On Thursday, December 8, 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), Cassie Dole (SFO), Chris Cardenas (LAX), and Selwyn Morales (SAN).  Also present were MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson Laura Hinojosa, MEC Hotel Committee Vice Chairperson Jodi Snow, MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson-elect James Bozanich, and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Crew Hotels & Administration Manager Nichole Turner, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, and Managing Director of Operations Staffing & Resource Management Brittany Audette from management.  Representatives from the Company’s crew accommodations vendor Accommodations Plus International (API) and ALPA participated in the meeting as well.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items during the meeting with management and API.  Some items discussed include:

  • Overview of new technology developed by API that will allow management to forecast the number of hotel rooms that may be needed for unscheduled layovers and secure those rooms in advance.  This technology has been implemented and will hopefully keep crewmembers on unscheduled layovers at regular contracted crew hotels more frequently.
  • Review of technology that API has available to provide additional hotel information, communication, and functionality to crew members.  Management is working with IT to determine how the features can possibly be integrated into Alaska systems.
  • Review of working relationship between API and Crew Scheduling, including how things are handled when crewmembers call in with a problem that needs immediate resolution.
  • Statistics about API’s performance in handling unscheduled layover reservation requests.
  • Ongoing issues with lack of room availability when crewmembers arrive at the hotel.  Management and API are working to take action to prevent these situations from happening by taking action with problem hotels.  If crewmembers have to wait for a hotel room upon arrival, it is essential to call Crew Scheduling to report the issue and follow up with a documented report using the feedback function in MyCrewCare.
  • Review of hotel utilization statistics: top cities for hotel usage and spending, makeup of contracted hotels by brand, utilization over expected (relocations, unscheduled layovers, etc.)
  • Issues with ground transportation provider challenges.  The problem is industry-wide and is affecting all airlines.  There is a shortage of drivers and vehicles which is compounding the problem.  Management and API are working to build vendor contracts that focus on improving performance and delivering results.
  • Review of CrewCare reports filed (both complaints and compliments).  Top complaints by crewmembers are: noisy hotel, room assignment issue, no rooms available upon arrival, unclean room, and housekeeping disruption.
  • Review of hotel van times, early/late arrivals to the airport and gate, and KCM-related issues that are causing crewmember delays in arriving to the gate on time.
  • Review of the overall condition of the hotel industry and how the industry is recovering from the pandemic.  The hotel industry continues to show strong performance when compared to where it was pre-pandemic and average rates and occupancy percentages have increased almost everywhere.  The conditions make it challenging to find hotels that are interested in contracted crew business.  Some cities have been and/or will be particularly challenging to find desirable hotels.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Conducting hotel site visits.  Visiting hotels under consideration by management and advocating for management to select the hotel that will provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants.  Our Hotel Committee has conducted site visits in over 25 cities in 2022 and more are anticipated in 2023.
  2. Investigating CrewCare reports.  Reviewing CrewCare reports and working to hold hotel and transportation providers accountable through management and API.
  3. Advocating for an established process for bed bug exposure incidents.  Together with the AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), working to address management’s lack of a published process for handling confirmed instances of bed bug exposure.  The Committees are in the process of formulating an initial proposal to present to management.

We Want to Hear From You!

If you’ve had an unacceptable or substandard experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider, please report the issue!  Our AFA Hotel Committee receives a copy of every CrewCare report filed and each one is read and reviewed.  You can file a CrewCare report using the web app on your IMD home screen or by clicking here. 

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

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2022

Reserve Committee

  • Our AFA Reserve Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, December 1 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent and advocate for our Reserve Flight Attendants.
  • The Committee also met with management to review a number of specific concerns that were brought forward by Flight Attendants.
  • Your Local Reserve Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any reserve related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Thursday, December 1, 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 Heather Reier (ANC), Conner Gallagher (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN).  Also present were MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton and MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Jarod McNeill.  The committee also met with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Manager Sara Cook from management.

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:

  • Plans for Initial Training classes for next year.  Management has indicated intent to hire more Flight Attendants. Number of classes and specific numbers of students in each class will be dependent on delivery of new aircraft.
  • Service flights and service training will continue in Initial Training for next year.
  • Top cause of occurrences for probationary Flight Attendants is forgetting to check in for trips and APSB on Block2Block.
  • Increase in requests for assistance with PBS and bidding from new hires.  
  • Reminder to new hire Flight Attendants about the AFA Alaska Online Support Center to report issues, raise concerns, or ask questions.
  • Management staffing within Crew Scheduling.  Four new Crew Scheduling Supervisors started this fall and they are in the process of interviewing for a Director of Crew Scheduling and one additional manager to help support operations. 
  • Review of reserve utilization statistics in all bases.
  • Status of management’s new upgraded telephone system in Crew Scheduling. Management provided statics on call volumes, wait times, and call duration times.
  • Issues and glitches with Crew Access that are affecting Reserve Flight Attendants.  Review of where known issues are documented and newly added issues. 
  • Update on topics of interest that were reviewed at the monthly Scheduling Committee meeting.

The committee is next scheduled to meet on Thursday, March 9.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. 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.
  2. Addressing Reserve Contractual Concerns.  Researching and investigating reports from Reserve Flight Attendants and actively ensuring that management is compliant with our contract. 
  3. Developing Additional Tools & Resources for New Flight Attendants.  Working to create a plan to provide more user friendly, easy-to-access resources about the CBA and other job-related information for new Flight Attendants.

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 Reserve Committee is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the Reserve Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2022

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on Wednesday, November 30 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.
  • The Inflight Service Committee continues to work with management to continuously improve onboard catering and engage in discussions leading to future improved processes. Please continue to report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

On Wednesday, November 30, our AFA Local 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), Johanna Thomas (LAX), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN). Also present was MEC Inflight Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett. The committee met with Senior Vice President of Marketing and Guest Experience Sangita Woerner, Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Managing Director of Guest Products Todd Traynor-Corey, Inflight Product and Experience Director David Scotland, and other management representatives from the food & beverage and catering operations. 

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:

  • Elite comping program changes.  Flight attendants have asked for a change to the Elite Comping Program and a small modification is coming soon.
  • Marketing focus on California.  Marketing has shared a renewed focus on California.  Efforts will target the Bay Area first and will then shift to Southern California.  Marketing is building brand awareness with new initiatives. 
  • Onboard entertainment. The new holiday music is being loaded in the next few days.  Streaming entertainment will have movies from Paramount and Universal and the movies will be available a little bit longer on our flights.  There will be increased entertainment from HBO and other TV shows.  Many improvements to the fleet Wi-Fi are taking place which will lead to better performance of our systems.  The IT team is attempt to be more proactive at notifying passengers when there may be a possible interruption in the Wi-Fi service.  Flight Attendants are also being notified in advance of issues with the system.  The Committee is appreciative that we are all receiving advanced notice as to further be able to assist passengers.
  • Coffee. The Committee is hopeful that aft galley coffee showers will be a thing of the past.  A new brew basket has been designed and the first aircraft install is early this week.  New coffee carafes that will keep coffee at the correct serving temperature are also being reviewed.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Addressing ice issues.  The Committee has been invited by management to participate in a workshop to explore solutions for ice issues.  All opportunities for improvement will be examined.  Flight Attendant reporting has been instrumental in pinpointing the issues with both dry ice and wet ice .  The Committee is pleased that work is starting on this project early in 2023.  The goal is that ice problems be resolved prior to summer. 
  2. Providing input on tools. The Committee is working with management to review new tools and equipment.  The new slotted trays for the Premium Class and water service should be available soon on aircraft serving premium long haul routes. We will continue to advocate for tools that allow us to provide excellent service in a safe manner.
  3. Advocating for realistic service levels.  The Committee continues to advocate for testing proposed service level changes prior to their inception to ensure the changes meet passenger needs and safe service standards.  Committee Members will be testing the tray/water service with the new slotted trays as soon as practical.

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 that 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. 

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – November 2022

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, November 22 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, November 22, 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), Martin Vance Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Adam Clarey, and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton. The committee met with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Manager Sara Cook, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

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:

  • Review of D position pairings, distribution by domicile, and hotel/transportation within the United States.
  • Holiday Premium as outlined in CBA Section 21.H.
  • Minimum Days as outlined in CBA Section 10.E.1.a./b.
  • Reassignment pay under 10.R.5.
  • Reminder that filing for Stranded pay under 21.N is not automated.
  • Identified TFP discrepancies and auditing mileage.
  • Care Retreat.  The last chance to bid is January for March.  Management will assign training if not bid.
  • Line holders picking up reserve days may be assigned to Care Retreat. See Care Retreat 2022-2023 LOA.
  • Changes coming to PBS web hosting.  The PBS website will have a new URL.  The current website will be set up to direct Flight Attendants to the new location.  Refer to PBS Info page.
  • Accessing sick leave balances in Rainmaker.  The balances show total accrued and estimated accrual. Refer to Rainmaker guide on the Flight Attendant website.
  • Flight Attendant contactability requirements per the FAA and collective bargaining agreement.
  • Review of Crew Scheduling phone systems and how irregular operations are handled.
  • Staffing changes and management job postings within Crew Scheduling.
  • Crew Access Known Issues and JCTE Errors.  Upcoming expected release in December 2022. 
  • Future planning, scheduling, and aircraft delivery/retirement in 2023.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Scheduling a meeting with Network Planning.  The Committee would like to meet with Network Planning in 2023 to discuss our contract, legalities and suggestions. We want to provide management with the Flight Attendant perspective and in an effort to improve our quality of life. 
  2. Review of JCTE/Crew Access transaction performance.  Each month, ITS provides the Committee with data on performance and transactions within JCTE/Crew Access.  The Committee reviews these reports to ensure our service levels are maintained at the appropriate thresholds.
  3. Scheduling Quality of Life Improvements.  Reviewing ways to improve Trip Length Distribution (TLD) and other quality of life options.  Working with management to develop a quality of life survey to determine Flight Attendant scheduling priorities. 
  4. Review of user guides and links of Flight Attendant website.  Ensuring information is still accurate in existing resource materials, links are still active and working, etc.
  5. Updating Crew Access videos.  Working with management and ITS to update the Crew Access instructional videos to reflect updates and changes to the user interface.

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 – December 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, December 16, 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), Melinda Jorge (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), […]

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, December 11, 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 Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). Also present […]

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

On Thursday, December 4, our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work in representing our Flight Attendants and advocating for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Naomi Parcell (ANC), Ross DeJong (SEA), Todd Horn (PDX), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX pmAS), and Andrew Malone (SAN). MEC […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 10 – December 2025

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) met with management this week to continue bargaining sessions in Seattle, WA. Discussions focused on narrowing issues in Leaves of Absence, Association General, and reviewing vacation provisions as part of the joint contract process.

Recent Posts

News By Month

News By Category

AFA News Now Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/HA Merger AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX (pmAS) Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX Council 47 LAX (pmHA) EAP/Professional Standards Committee Extension 2021 Blog Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights & Equity Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Membership Committee Membership Engagement Committee Message from the MEC President Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee

Want To Stay In The Loop?

Stay up-to-date on AFA Alaska news and information by signing up for our email and text message updates. Click a button below to get started or update your preferences if you're already a subscriber.
Sign Up for Emails
Sign Up for Text Updates