Alaska Airlines Faces Staffing Crisis on New Long-Haul Boeing 787 Routes

Alaska Airlines' new long-haul Boeing 787 flights from Seattle to international destinations are facing criticism from flight attendants who claim that the airline is overloading them with service responsibilities without providing sufficient staffing. The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) has filed a formal grievance, stating that management broke its agreement by adding new products and services in the Main Cabin after union approval.

The union argues that months of feedback from flight attendants during a 30-day observation period led to no changes from management. The AFA-CWA is now demanding either increased staffing or a simplified service standard that matches the crew actually provided.

The dispute revolves around Alaska Airlines' adoption of a 'train service' routine, where flight attendants work through the entire cabin on beverage and meal carts. Management introduced several new products and services without retesting, citing claims of needing more data after the 30-day observation period concluded.