MEC Safety & Inflight Service Chairs - Pre-Departure Beverage Service

Dear Fellow Flight Attendants,

Your MEC( Master Executive Council)  Inflight Service Committee Chair and your AFA MEC Air Safety, Health and Security Chair wanted to thank everyone that took the time to participate in the Flight Attendant Chat meeting with management.

It was a breath of fresh air to see so many new faces participating and using their voice on a topic with much angst around it. 

Some take aways that we noted from members:

• Concerns around additional duties without additional pay. This was requested to be taken back to your Negotiation Committee. (This would be an action to pursue with them.)
• Testing Parameters.
• Testing Accountability.
• Transparency with trainers.
• Mainline variances of the number of Flight Attendants vs Regional Staffing.
• Distractions from Safety Duties.
• Service level pressures from marketing.
• Boarding timeline changes. (No)
• Timeline concerns regarding boarding, taking orders, Pax settling in, bag issues, making the drinks, delivery of drinks and consumption of their beverage. ( No estimation at this time)
• Perception of Service over Safety.
• In cabin Intoxication and disruptive behavior. 

These were just a few discussion examples that you brought forward for all of us. Thank you!

From the AFA Air Safety, Health and Security Committee aspect, here are some questions that have been submitted to the management team.

• Has service testing procedures been through a Safety Risk Assessment to identify parameters and a standard practice? If so , it will be helpful to be able to review the initial SRA.
• Allow testing to be more like IPPSA.(Inflight Peer-To Peer Safety Audit)
• Allowing FAs on duty, to be observed in their natural duty state, to perform the task that’s being tested. This would enhance the potential to see all seniority levels' ability to perform the task, as well as testing different routes and known high intake of FC Pre Departure Service Level legs. Obtaining True working data with various Flight Attendants and from all bases.
• Submission of data, venue of data information for the analytics portion.
• Safety accountability. Prioritization of a Just Culture and truly owning safety in all aspects.
• Request of dates for meetings regarding Full Bar FC Pre Departure Service. Testing Policy and Procedures. Data findings. PRE SRA discussions, PRE-SRA, and then SRA. (Safety Risk Assessment)
• Safety documentation of TEM. ( Threat and Error Management) 

This is my first time as AFA MEC ASHSC Chair to be asked to collaborate with any service testing. This, I find as a true opportunity for the safety of Flight Attendant’s , as well as Cabin Safety. 

To have the ability to see the testing in its genuine natural state, that’s amazing!  Collaborative testing and genuine discussion and analysis review, builds trust and builds confidence in the safety culture. There is a cohesiveness around the value of safety. 

• As a long time ISC committee member and Chair, I remember when we had NO input at all on the service levels or where we could store items in the plane. What reports?! Everything at one time was dictated by someone who didn’t work in ‘our office.’ With much persistence and perseverance AFA kept at it to have a voice to help organize the galley in a way that makes sense for us instead of for someone behind a desk.  The relationships between AFA and management have improved over the years and our committee is now included in testing as well as acting as a voice for the safety and well being of our members along with shaping the galley environment.

During this testing your AFA MEC ISC and Air Safety, Health and Security Chairs will be reviewing many aspects of management’s service proposal.  

We value your feedback, questions and concerns that  may be brought forth as AFA members.

Thank you again for sharing your independent questions, concerns and insight with the management team! It takes each and every one of us, as AFA Members, to contribute to the success and enhancements of our profession and our Flight Attendant Community. Your advocacy helps each and every one of us as QX Flight Attendants.

Wishing our peers a very Merry Christmas!

With much respect and appreciation,

Heather and Jennifer