Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Approve Contract Extension

Alaska Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA today jointly announced ratification of a two-year contract extension for the airline’s 2,830 flight attendants.

The ratification vote, which concluded at noon, extends the contract through April 2012. The contract was previously amendable on May 1, 2010.

The extension offers flight attendants a 1.5-percent pay increase on May 1 of 2010 and 2011. Flight attendants also will now participate in the same performance-based incentive plan as the airline’s dispatch and management employees.

The extension was ratified by 53.8 percent of the flight attendants who voted. Company and union representatives said they were pleased with the outcome and eager to move forward.

"I am pleased with today’s ratification of the tentative agreement to extend our current contract," said Kelle Porter Wells, Master Executive Council president, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. "This gives us an opportunity to go forward for the next several years knowing our work rules and compensation are secure as we address the challenges ahead."

"This contract recognizes the outstanding work and dedication of our flight attendants and reflects a desire on both the union and company’s part for a stable labor agreement in the face of difficult times," said Ann Ardizzone, vice president of inflight services.

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world’s largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afanet.org.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group , together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Traditional Network Carriers (tie)" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 North America Airline Satisfaction Study(SM). For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: maria.koenig@alaskaair.com

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines