The Alaska Pilots Podcast

With the merger transaction between Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines now final, the separate pilot groups from each carrier will continue the process of combining into one. A significant part of that includes negotiating a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) under which the new combined pilot group will work. The Master Executive Councils (MECs) of each pilot group, as part of the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA), have elected six pilots (three from each airline) to negotiate with Alaska Airlines on their behalf. This episode introduces the Negotiating Committee Chairs from each MEC—Alaska MEC Negotiating Chair David Wilhelm and Hawaiian MEC Negotiating Chair Doug Grant. The hosts, Alaska MEC Communications Chair David Campbell and Hawaiian MEC Communications Chair Mike Davis, discuss with Captains Wilhelm and Grant the process of negotiating a JCBA, the importance of working together as a new single unified pilot group, and what the pilots may expect in the next few months, including contract education and pilot input via survey and polling. 

ALA HAL JOINT MERGER WEBSITE

In this episode, Co-hosts Alaska Communications Chair David Campbell and Hawaiian Communications Chair Mike Davis interview Alaska MEC Chair Will McQuillen and Hawaiian MEC Chair Larry Payne. Captains McQuillen and Payne discuss the vision they share for the collective future of a combined pilot group and the critical importance of pilot unity, engagement, and feedback in upcoming contract negotiations. 

In addition to the episode’s audio content, please watch the video linked below to hear more from the two Union Chairs and other pilots from each carrier.  

VIDEO  

JOINT MEC WEBSITE 

A Tentative Agreement (TA) has been reached between the Alaska Master Executive Council and Alaska Airlines which will soon be up for a ratification vote by the Alaska Airlines pilots. This TA would extend the current contract’s amendable date by 16 months while providing two additional annual pay increases. In this episode Strategic Communications Chair David Campbell discusses the details of this TA with MEC Chair Will McQuillen and Negotiating Chair David Wilhelm. 

Full Language Tentative Agreement

On July 25, a negotiated Transition Process Agreement (TPA) was unanimously ratified by the Master Executive Councils of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines. In this episode, Host Strategic Communications Chair David Campbell discusses the details of that agreement with MEC Chair Will McQuillen, ALA Negotiating Chair David Wilhelm, and Executive Administrator Drew Coyle. Also discussed is the recent agreement made between Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines management and the Department of Justice (DOJ) on a 10-day extension to the timeline for antitrust review. This agreement extends the deadline to August 15, 2024.  

Full Language TPA

MEC Chair's Message

123.45: TPA Reached

Order an ALPA Pin

Order a Blue ALPA Lanyard by sending an email to the ALA office administrator.

In this episode, Host Strategic Communications Chair David Campbell speaks with Chair Will McQuillen, Vice Chair Garin Tentschert, Secretary Scott Rubin and Executive Administrator Drew Coyle about the MEC’s work over the last several weeks including scheduling, merger progress, rumor control, and other ongoing projects.

IFALPA Global Pilot Survey

Please complete the survey using login password: vffd24

Reserve Preferencing Instructions

In this episode, Host Strategic Communications Chair David Campbell speaks with MEC Chair Will McQuillen, Scheduling Chair Chandler Blair, and Negotiating Chair David Wilhelm about the recent Letter of Agreement 24-04 which will create the option to bid for a reduced bid credit value. These bid options will be awarded based on seniority. Also discussed, are data and trends on the first two cycles of bidding using PBS. 

LOA 24-04 VRBO 

March has marked several significant transitions for the Alaska pilots and their elected leaders. This episode covers some of those important changes. The implementation of Contract 2022 will be complete in May when pilots begin working under the first monthly schedules built using preferential bidding. MEC officer terms started on March 1. Perhaps the biggest transition facing pilots is the merger between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. In this episode, each of these topics will be discussed. 

Included in these show notes are a table and flowchart of the monthly PBS bidding timeline. If they don’t show on the device you are using, scroll down and select “Episode Website” to view.  

PBS BIDDING TIMELINE

 1st 0900 - 7th 1200

NavBlue Bidding Open

 7th 1200 - 11th 1600

Trading closed for Last 10 Days of Month

 11th by 1600

Awards Published in Crew Access

 11th 1700 - 13th 1500

Secondary Reserve Bidding Open

 13th by 2100

Secondary Reserve Bid Award 

 14th at 0900

Trading for BBH Open

 16 at 0900

Trading for Reserves Open

Letter to CEO Mr. Minicucci 

Request to Negotiate Transition and Process Agreement 

This episode includes conversations among Host Strategic Communications Chair David Campbell, MEC Chair Will McQuillen, Negotiating Chair David Wilhelm, Scheduling Chair and MEC Secretary-Elect Scott Rubin, and Strategic Planning Chair Brad Beachler. McQuillen gives some details of the recent MEC and Joint MEC meetings that occurred in January. Wilhelm explains the Incentive Line (IL) LOA (24-01) including the provision suspending reserves’ ability to pick up flying on their days off while the LOA is in use as well the replacement of LOA 22-06 with LOA 24-02 which enhances reserves’ ability to pick up work on days off when the IL LOA is not in effect. Rubin discusses preferential bidding which will start on April 1 for the May bid period and explains where to find training materials. Finally, Beachler discusses upcoming unity events. 

For answers to questions about the new reserve system, please listen to episode 61, TA 6: Reserves.

Preferential bidding will go live on April 1 for the May bid period. Now is the time for Alaska pilots to become familiar with the new system so that they may achieve the best possible outcome in the bid award. A great number of resources have been created to facilitate this learning including three rounds of mock-bidding beginning on Monday, February 12. In this episode, Scheduling Committee Chair Captain Scott Rubin and other members of the Joint Preferential Bidding System Working Group (JPWG) including  Captains Ben Brooks, John Owens, and Jake Woods explain how and where to find these training materials and discuss the details of the final implementation timeline. Pilots may find additional support by using one of the contact methods below.

• Send a DART – Use the PBS topic

Additional information on PBS is available on prior Podcast Episode #58 PBS and Trip Construction.

On December 3, Alaska Airlines announced an agreement with Hawaiian Airlines to merge. Pending regulatory approval, this announcement begins a long process that will conclude with a merged pilot group working under a single Collective Bargaining Agreement. In this episode, Host Strategic Communications Chair Capt. David Campbell discusses the steps required before a merger will be complete as it relates to pilots. Broadly, these steps include negotiating a Transition Process Agreement and a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement, merging the pilot Seniority Lists, and finally merging the respective Master Executive Councils into what will become the new governing body of the merged pilot group. Campbell is joined by MEC Chair Capt. Will McQuillen, MEC Executive Administrator Drew Coyle, and Alaska Merger Committee Chair Capt. Greg Wertz. 

Pilots of either carrier may submit questions via the DART system.  

DART.alpa.org