Alaska Airlines Faces Staffing Shortages on Long-Haul Flights

Alaska Airlines has been operating long-haul flights using ex-Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 787-9s, but staffing levels are proving to be contentious. The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) claims it's impossible for six flight attendants to serve the economy section of these planes, with 266 passengers and numerous new amenities.

The union has filed a formal grievance against Alaska Airlines, stating that management has not provided sufficient staffing levels to meet service expectations. The AFA argues that this is a direct violation of their contract, which requires mutual agreement on inflight service requirements.

The issue at hand is primarily related to economy class staffing levels, with flight attendants working each aisle front to back rather than being assigned one specific section. This has made for a very long and complicated service process.