A union representing flight attendants at Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, has filed for federal mediation in an effort to address wage disparities between its crews and those on Alaska's mainline fleet. The filing was made on January 17th, as confirmed by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), which represents Horizon Air flight attendants.
The case will be reviewed by the National Mediation Board (NMB), which handles disputes in the airline and railroad industries. AFA executives argue that Horizon Air flight attendants provide similar services to their mainline counterparts but receive significantly lower pay. The union claims that Alaska's management has "so far failed to offer meaningful pay increases for all Flight Attendants in the workgroup."
Horizon AFA President Lisa Davis-Warren expressed optimism about reaching a resolution through mediation: “Flight Attendants at Horizon Air and in the regional airlines deserve fair compensation. The company needs to recognize the contributions we have made to its continued growth. We are hopeful that with the help of a federal mediator we will work with urgency to get the pay, benefits, and scheduling provisions we have earned.”