MEC Inflight Service & ASHS Update on Pre-Departure Service

Your AFA MEC Inflight Service Committee (ISC) Chair, Heather Coleman and AFA MEC Air Safety, Health and Security (ASHS) Chair, Jennifer Levcun wanted to share the most recent update regarding Full Bar First Class Pre Departure Beverage Service. 

On March 9th, 2026 a Safety Risk Assessment was conducted regarding this service and the Horizon Air Management team has accepted the risks associated with doing this service. Your MEC ISC and MEC ASHSC Chairs have documented AFA's safety concerns within the risk assessment document. 

Hazards documented: 

1. Regulatory and Compliance Hazards. Potential conflict with Flight Attendants' primary safety duties during boarding and the pre-departure preparation. 

2. Alcohol service occurring before crew can fully and confidently monitor the cabin environment.

3. Increased risk of violating alcohol service policies. Intoxication assessment cannot be properly conducted if our back is turned toward the cabin or exit, along with the entering of passengers while mixing drink.

4. Cabin Safety Hazard regarding reduced monitoring. Emergency exits, passsenger compliance, carry on bag issues, delayed identification of medical issues, passenger conflict, intoxicateed passengers and reduced cabin situational awareness. 

5. Boarding phase hazards. Congested aisles, conflict of interest, enforcement of FAA rules vs service. 

6. Evacuation readiness. 

7. Potential to reduce crew coordination and healthy CRM practices. 

8. Workload Hazards consisting of multi tasking between safety compliance and safety duties. Time pressure expectations and a contributing factor to the potential of fatigue. 

9. Concerns with having a single FA vs Dual FA's in the forward position while conducting the Full Bar FC PDB service. 

The above information is captured within the the Safety Risk Assessment. Your AFA MEC ISC and ASHS Committee Chair/s do not support the Full Bar FC Pre-Departure Service as currently described.

This additional service request is not in the best interest of cabin safety and may interfere with required safety duties. It may reduce cabin monitoring as well as add potential threats into our work enviroment. This goes against Threat and Error Management. The number one core value of AAG is 'Owning Safety.' Our stance is that by introducing this new service, we are not doing the 'right thing' in the name of safety. 

One of the mitigation strategies documented was Empowerment. You, as a Flight Attendant, are empowered to stop the operation or the service if it truly becomes a safety hazard or concern. You must file a FAIR (Flight Attendant Irregularity Report) if you if you stop service due to safety. Or you must file a B2B (Block 2 Block) report due to catering issues. Please describe the issues involved that contributed to the reporting. Take screen shots or photos to add to the report if possible. 

Here are examples of report types. 

FAIR:

1.Missing a passenger assessment

2. Bags in the aisles

3. Compliance issues

4. Any safety related issues 

B2B report:

1. The plane was not catered or catered in time 

2. Delayed Boarding 

3. No potable water, or not able to wash hands 

4. Amended Service 

We read all of your emails, texts and messages that you sent to us and took that information with us into the meetings. The reports that you submit do matter. The more reports, the more data. Data drives our future changes. 

 Kind regards, 

Heather Coleman, AFA MEC ISC Chair 
Jennifer Levcun, AFA MEC ASHS Chair