Recent Hotel Changes

Charleston: We have recently contracted with ———-. This was the AFA Hotel Committee’s choice, and we are happy the company secured this for our Flight Attendants. The hotel is right in town and is close to dining, shopping and entertainment. We hope you enjoy it. 

Guadalajara: The current hotel we have been using (the —-) is quite a drive, so a hotel closer to the airport was needed for the short layovers. Both AFA and ALPA chose the ———— by the airport because of the proximity to the airport, the fact that it is a brand new build, restaurant offerings and hours that coordinate well with our arrival times and the amenities offered. We hope our crews will be happy with this hotel for short layovers. Please note, we are not giving up the RIU downtown for the longer layovers. 

PLEASE NOTE: The above hotel names were removed for safety/security reasons, as this is public website.

Hotel Incidental Charges

We  are still getting reports of Flight Attendants making room charges or using items in the room that are not complimentary (snacks, mini bar or water). Please remember that water is NOT complimentary in all hotels, so make sure to check if there is a price attached to the bottle etc. Always remember to leave a credit card on file or pay when you check out if you are planning on making room charges or using room amenities that are not complimentary. Checking out and not paying for incidentals can lead to discipline up to and including discharge, so please be careful. 

Refrigerators and Microwaves

We would like to remind you that refrigerators and microwaves are NOT contractual, and we do not have plans on adding these to the language. When we do a site inspection, we do take this into account and we ask if they are available or if they can be made available. If we have two hotels that are comparable to choose from we take this into account when making the final decision. The reason we are not looking to add this to our language is that it could potentially lower the quality of hotels we have to choose from, including their locations. We will of course always advocate to choose properties that have the most amenities, but will take everything into account including location, etc. 

Crew Care

Do you use Crew Care? Anytime you have a contractual violation with your hotel accommodations, a Crew Care should be completed. You can find the link on the Inflight Website > Hotel & Station > Hotel Links > My Crew Care. If you have a hotel contract violation or if a hotel is having issues, please report it.  Please note, it is also nice to complete a Crew Care with compliments on hotels or for individual staff. We take these into account when selecting hotels or deciding to continue a relationship with a current property. Also, when you send in a compliment on a specific employee of a property, API will forward it to management on site and that employee will be recognized!

Upcoming Hotel Site Inspections

Site inspections are common when a contract comes up for renewal. Sometimes a current hotel is not interested in continuing the relationship, the hotel no longer meets the contractual language or we are simply re-assessing the market to see what other properties have become available.  We have site inspections coming up in the following markets:

• SFO
• ABQ
• JFK (possibly)
• CHS (short layover only, not looking to replace current DT hotel)
• PSC/RDM
• KOA
• TPA/RSW
• PHX
• BUR
• ORD

Hotel Etiquette

Please keep hotel etiquette and expectations in mind when on your layovers, including behavior of your guests. Even though you are on a layover, you are representing Alaska Airlines in a room paid for by them. Bad behavior will make its way back to management and will be acted on.

Hotel Shuttles

We utilize two different kinds of shuttles on our layovers. At some of our hotels we use hotel provided transportation and at others, we use a third party. When using a third party, it is at their discretion on whether they allow guests of employees or not. Please keep a few things in mind. Some of our transportation companies use an SUV that will only have enough seats for the working crew. In Charleston, the provider charges $10 per guest. The company we use is a small company and that fee covers the extra insurance they have to carry for guests. Also, in PVR a bulletin was previously issued reminding that guests cannot ride in the shuttle until further notice, as of today that bulletin has not been over turned. This is the policy of the transportation company. Please make sure if you are bringing guests to any of our layover hotels, be prepared to pay for transportation in case its not available for your guests (vehicle not large enough, etc). Also we would like to remind you that the shuttle time when leaving a hotel is the time that shuttle should be leaving the hotel, not the time you meet in the lobby. 

As always, we advocate hard for the best hotels we can possibly secure. We always appreciate your feedback, we take it to heart and use all feedback when making our recommendations on crew layover hotels. If you have questions that do not warrant a Crew Care, you can reach the Seattle Hotel Chairperson at sea.hotel.chair@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity, 

Your Seattle Hotel Committee

Winter Newsletter

Council #19 SEA

PARKING

We continue to be asked when garage parking will end, and why those who have returned from a Leave of Absence, or will be returning soon do not have garage parking restored.  The Port refuses to issue additional garage parking.  All other carriers besides Alaska have already lost garage parking.  The current estimate is ‘sometime in March.’  That said, we’ve also been advised that since Delta has left the garage, the North Parking lot is now at capacity.  Apparently Alaska will be contracting for a new parking facility only for Alaska employees, that is about 10 minutes north of the North Parking lot.  They plan to use Alaska owned buses, and McGee employees to operate the buses.

CBTs

We continue to have issues with Flight Attendants not completing CBTs timely.  Discipline is then issued.  We are aware that some have had technical issues with completion.  If you are having difficulty, please contact the IT help desk.  Several have moved through steps of discipline, up to and including suspensions for failure to complete CBTs. Until you receive an email that your CBT is complete, and verify through Cornerstone that it is no longer listed, your CBT is ‘in progress.’  

Commuter Violations

Every month the Company reviews Commuter Travel (D8Y) usage.  Violating the commuter policy, does result in discipline.  The most common issues include using D8Y status after being released from a deadhead at a city other than one’s domicile, rather than E1Y travel.  In addition, we have continuing issues resulting in disciplinary action that involve commuting to base during the reserve availability period.  Even if one has self-assigned, the reserve availability period is the required time to be in base.  Assignments (even self-assignments) can be changed.  

Pre-Board of Directors Local Council Meeting

This year is a ‘budget only’ Board of Directors meeting.  The budget for the fiscal year 2023/2024 has been prepared and will soon be sent out to all BOD delegates (the Local Council Presidents for each base.)  We have scheduled a pre-Board of Director’s meeting to review the budget, from 1-3 pm on March 15, 2023.  This meeting will take place in the Earhardt Room on the lowest level of the STOC, in the South Tower.  This building is directly across the street from the airport, in the same building that houses 13 Coins Restaurant.