AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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

Jeppesen Crew Access Failed. Again. (…and Again and Again…)

Crew Access went down as SEA Open Time opened

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) is aware that Flight Attendants could not log into Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) for approximately twenty minutes. Although access has now been restored, the outage started at 1:59 PM PT—just as Seattle Open Time trading was opening. This all went down despite a whole crew of IT personnel monitoring Open Time.

Likely not a server issue

Many of you have asked if this is related to the number of servers dedicated to Crew Access. It is too early to say whether this latest outage is a server issue, but Alaska Airlines IT and Jeppesen have sworn in the past that the number of servers is not a significant contributor to the various problems that we continue to experience.

“Real-time” trading grievance and related mediation

AFA filed a contractual grievance alleging a violation of JCBA §12.C.1 when the Company failed to provide a “real-time” trading system, and we mediated that issue in July 2017. (See “Grievance Report – July 2017” for more info.) The MEC continues to pressure management to have Jeppesen program a more “real-time” trading system as was agreed to in that mediation. Small incremental changes have been implemented in the interim, but there have been few significant fixes. Glaring system shortcomings continue to negate the various mostly cosmetic improvements so far.

Management needs to do the right thing

The MEC knows you are tired of apologies. You want accountability and action. We have asked management to provide a meaningful response to Flight Attendants. As usual, management is “looking into it.”

It is beyond time for Alaska Airlines management to provide Flight Attendants with a functional real-time trading system: Just do the right thing and fix it!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee; and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones

[AS] New Crew Tracking System and Payroll Disputes

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

AFA is not okay with the situation

The Master Executive Council (MEC) sent out a “Trip Trades/Pickups and Screenshots” communication on September 20, 2017, that generated a number of concerns from the membership. We wish to clarify the intent of that communication and to assure you that AFA is definitely not okay with the situation.

Our new crew tracking system is a hot mess

Let’s be honest: From the Flight Attendant perspective, our new crew tracking system is a hot mess. As just one example, pairing values sometimes change due to reasons unknown as of this writing. Crew Administration has been taking the position that in order to guarantee pay when a pairing value has changed on the roster or is different than listed in the bid packet, then there needs to be a screenshot as proof. Otherwise, Crew Administration generally has not been paying the difference.

Documentation (e.g. screenshots) is generally needed as evidence in order for claims to be successful

In order for AFA to successfully achieve pay protection for a Flight Attendant pursuant to CBA §10.W [Scheduling Errors], management has usually been requiring objective evidence to substantiate the pay claim. One of the easiest ways for a F/A to provide evidence to AFA in order to help us advocate on your behalf is to take a screenshot of the pairing.

Similarly, if F/As wish to bring forward complaints to the state or to file a lawsuit, then documentation (e.g. screen shots) is generally needed as evidence in order to be successful. When you also consider that F/As can only look back 60 days on their respective rosters, then screenshots seem like one of the easier methods of verifying activity. AFA’s primary goal here is to get you paid correctly as soon as possible, which is why we recommended screenshots in the previous communication.

The law says the burden of proof for wage claims lies with the employer, not the employee

That being said, AFA believes the scheduling and payroll situation is completely unacceptable. Your AFA leaders and representatives advocate to management on a near-daily basis that Flight Attendants are being denied the tools to successfully manage their schedules and to verify their pay. Thankfully, AFA and management recently arrived at the same understanding on one very important point: The law says the burden of proof for wage claims lies with the employer, not the employee.

Consequently, AFA is advising F/As that you should not be required to provide screenshots to management in order to be properly compensated. However, AFA will continue to ask members who request our assistance with pay discrepancies to supply us with screenshots and any other available documentation so that we can research and resolve your disputes.

Jeff Butler’s October 3rd “JCTE and Payroll” email is a step in the right direction

The MEC appreciates Vice President of Inflight & Call Center Services Jeff Butler acknowledging the issues in his October 3rd “JCTE and Payroll” email, which is a step in the right direction. AFA is committed to continuing to work with management and advocating on your behalf to resolve these issues as soon as possible.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee; MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams and MEC Grievance Committee Representative Christina Frees

[AS] Open Time Update – September 2, 2017

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

What is “Back to Book”?

The “Back to Book” Open Time system is the trading system outlined in the 2006-2010 Flight Attendant Agreement as modified by the 2011 AFA Arbitration Award No. 6-99-2-18-11 “Withholding Open Time.” This modified trading system was in place 2012-2015. The contractual language associated with this system is found in CBA §12.F [Exchange of Sequences – Back to Book: Open Time Trading]. The “Back to Book” Section 12 Exchange of Sequences follows the regular Section 12 and precedes Section 13 Uniforms in your contract. The arbitration award follows LOA 6 Contract Implementation Schedule and precedes the index.

What is the Status of “Back to Book”?

It has been three months since our last Open Time update (“Open Time Negotiations Update – June 1, 2017”), so it is not a surprise that Flight Attendants have been inquiring about the “Back to Book” Open Time system. As indicated in the last update, AFA filed a grievance earlier in the summer disputing management’s failure to to provide sufficient IT resources for reverting Back to Book. That grievance was subsequently sustained by management, which essentially means management agrees with AFA’s position. Management further agreed to remedy the situation by contracting with Jeppesen to program Back to Book.

It is ridiculous that a whole year has passed after ending the Open Time Trial, yet very little progress has been made toward actually programming Back to Book into the new Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) crew tracking and trip trading system. Management has been citing “IT limitations” as the reason why reverting Back to Book is still so delayed. (“If reverting, the timeline for rolling back will be dictated by IT limitations” per §12.F.9.a [Exchange of Sequences: Open Time Trial]). Management and Jeppesen claim that all available resources have been allocated to implementation of JCA.

Representatives from the Master Executive Council (MEC) and Alaska Airlines management have met several times recently to have frank discussions about the entire situation. Some of these meetings have included representatives from Jeppesen. The MEC’s goal in these meetings has been to achieve implementation guarantees for programming the new Open Time Tentative Agreement (TA) reached back in May and/or programming Back to Book. As you may recall, the MEC unanimously voted against releasing the Open Time TA due to a lack of implementation guarantees. Unfortunately, the meetings have been depressing.

Management is not inclined to agree to implementation guarantees without confident estimates about when the work would be completed. Further complicating the programming of a replacement Open Time system is the reality that Jeppesen and Alaska management have limited resources. Those resources are stretched even more thinly due to merger-related projects that have aggressive deadlines and several key staffing changes at Jeppesen and in Inflight management.

Finally, the eMaestro system is totally and irrevocably gone. Jeppesen cannot simply ‘flip a switch’ and resurrect eMaestro and/or Back to Book Open Time. Going Back to Book requires Jeppesen to completely replicate the Back to Book trading rules in JCA. Even if implementation were seamless, the “new” Back to Book system would have a significantly different look and feel than in eMaestro.

The very preliminary estimate for programming Back to Book is late summer next year. Based on our recent and ongoing experience with JCA implementation, let’s just say that the MEC does not have confidence that Back to Book—or a completely new Open Time system—will be implemented on time or without glitches.

AFA and management are meeting again early next week to discuss our options. The MEC will provide another update after that meeting. After all the disappointments with extremely delayed implementation timelines and a disastrously executed transition to the new trip trading system, you deserve better!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

[AS] Jeppesen Crew Access Update

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

This evening at 10 PM, the largest update for Crew Access to date will be installed.  The update, which should take approximately 40 minutes, includes a combination of fixes and new items.  Included are approximately 30+ fixes will directly affect our workgroup.

The most anticipated and long awaited installation is the ability for Reserves to Advertise and Trade in Crew Access. Reserves will no longer have to use the “Reserve Trading Board” after this evening.  Attached to this communication is a PDF which gives instructions on how to Advertise, Grab, Trade, Shift, and Split Reserve blocks and days.

Below is the list of the fixes and enhancements that are included in this evenings update.

  1. Will no longer see Pilot flying preferences when logging into Crew Access.
  2. Lineholder will no longer be able to self-assign trip longer than the reserve block picked up.
  3. Lock on last 5 days of month functional
  4. Hotel reservations no longer lost on call-out
  5. Server clocks are now synced
  6. FA now able to advertise SIP departing more than three hours out
  7. Quick Trip Report – TFP now showing and Times displayed
  8. Premium trips on Published Roster will now show 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 etc.
  9. Hotel information no longer lost on SIPs
  10. “Ignore” button added to Notification window in Crew Access
  11. Days will now show as limited at 10am day prior once self-assigning starts
  12. Sipped trips that do not report on same day as original trip will now show correct day and trip number
  13. Addition of vertical delineation between calendar days
  14. HomeBase filter will no longer show all bases
  15. LAX no longer listed as Co-Terminal on LTFA
  16. Charter rest rules being applied correctly
  17. Notifications that were acknowledged but still popping up will go away
  18. “HTTP method POST not supported” message resolved
  19. Issue of check in time same as departure resolved
  20. Limiting FAs to single session. If logged in twice, you will have some functionally in the first session but will NOT be able to process transactions.
  21. “Enter” key no longer functional when trying to complete consecutive trades

Reserve Specific Changes

  1. Ability to Grab, Trade, Split Reserve days now functional
    • Ability to Direct Trade multiple reserve blocks with another FA
    • Ability to Advertise end of month and/or beginning of next month’s reserve blocks individually.
    • Reserve FAs able to give away their FAS to another FA with the same reserve block and classification
    • Able to direct trade multiple reserve blocks
    • Able to grab multiple reserve blocks
  2. LTFA will recognize start time based on release time of previous trip. 11.5 hours and 9 hours if waived rest.
    • New FAs will now show on LTFA Report
  3. Standalone airport standbys will receive 5.0 TFP
  4. Reserves that self-assign Premium trips will no longer see “1.5, 2.0, 2.5” in Roster or “Premium” in Published Roster

After this installation, we will be receiving regular updates from Jeppesen every six weeks. We still have a laundry list of items and we have been working hard with Alaska Airlines management as well as Jeppesen management to resolve these issues quickly. We appreciate your patience and we will continue to advocate for Flight Attendants and use all resources available to ensure timely fixes.

If you have any questions about this update to Crew Access, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Zac Weeks

[AS] Adjusted Trip Trading Dates

For release to pre-merger AS councils only

Trip trading using the new Jeppesen Crew Exchange system continues to be extremely frustrating for everyone—especially on Open Time day. AFA has filed several more grievances related to Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) since our last communication on the subject. AFA will highlight the status of JCA-related grievances in a separate communication shortly.

AFA and management have agreed to adjust the trip trading dates so that Flight Attendant-to-Flight Attendant trades will no longer occur on the same day as Open Time. This is effective in June for July trading. Because Flight Attendants did not have an opportunity to bid for the new trading dates in June, the parties have agreed to keep Open Time trading on the 15th and instead move FA-to-FA trading up a day to the 14th. Starting in July for August trading and beyond, FA-to-FA trades will go back to the contractual trading date of the 15th and Open Time trading will occur a day later on the 16th.

Click here for the “Adjusted Trading Dates” Letter of Agreement (5/25/2017) >

June 2017 (for July trading)

Posting of Trips FA to FA Open Time & Recurrent Trip Drop Coupons
All bases 13th 20:00 SEA 14th 14:00 SEA 15th 14:00 Due 13th 06:00
    ANC 14th 10:00 ANC 15th 10:00 Results 13th 08:00
    PDX 14th 10:00 PDX 15th 10:00    
    LAX 14th 12:00 LAX 15th 12:00    
    SAN 14th 09:00 SAN 15th 09:00    

 

Out of domicile FA to FA & OT Pickups 17th 09:00 PT

 

July 2017 (for August trading)

Posting of Trips FA to FA Open Time & Recurrent Trip Drop Coupons
All bases 14th 20:00 SEA 15th 14:00 SEA 16th 14:00 Due 14th 06:00
    ANC 15th 10:00 ANC 16th 10:00 Results 14th 08:00
    PDX 15th 10:00 PDX 16th 10:00    
    LAX 15th 12:00 LAX 16th 12:00    
    SAN 15th 09:00 SAN 16th 09:00    

 

Out of domicile FA to FA & OT Pickups 17th 09:00 PT

The AFA Alaska Contract page has been updated with this latest letter of agreement. AFA will continue to advocate to management that improvements to JCA are not occurring fast enough and that management needs to make things right with the Flight Attendants.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

September 15 marks the start of Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month in the United States, a vibrant celebration dedicated to honoring the rich contributions and diverse cultures of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. Spanning a full month, this observance—also known as National Hispanic Heritage Month—has its roots in Hispanic Heritage Week, which was established by legislation signed into law by […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Monday, September 8, 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), Ila Christy (PDX), Hilary […]

We Will Never Forget – September 11, 2001

AFA Never Forget Website United Flight 175 Robert J. FangmanAmy N. JarretAmy R. KingKathryn LaBorieAlfred G. MarchandMichael C. TarrouAlicia N. TitusCaptain: Victor SaraciniFirst Officer: Michael HorrocksCustomer Service Representatives: Marianne MacFarlane and Jesus Sanchez United Flight 93 Lorraine G. BaySandra BradshawWanda A. GreenCeeCee LylesDeborah WelshCaptain: Jason DahlFirst Officer: Leroy Homer American Flight 11 Barbara AresteguiJeffrey CollmanSara […]

Vacation Survey Now Open

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants Your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is working diligently to understand and improve the vacation benefits for our Flight Attendants at Alaska and Hawaiian. Your input is essential in ensuring that the vacation provisions we adopt reflect your needs and preferences. To gather your perspectives, […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Negotiations Update The SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management.  The SEA NC met with management on September 3 to September 5 in Honolulu. At the negotiating table for this session were: Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants   […]

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 Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX 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 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