Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Clears Final Regulatory Hurdle

Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Clears Final Regulatory Hurdle

September 17, 2024 — The Department of Transportation (DOT) has completed its review of the merger and granted an exemption authorizing transfer of international route authorities in the combination of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. This is the final regulatory hurdle. The merger will now proceed to financial close in the coming days. 

Mergers take time. Upon closing of the financial transaction, the intensive work of actually merging the airline begins. As a reminder, we were successful in reaching a Merger Transition Agreement (MTA) with management that provides significant job protections and the means necessary to ensure Flight Attendants benefit from the merger like any other stakeholder. Review the communication on the Merger Transition Agreement (MTA). 

DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will play a significant role in the operational merger. But the operational merger also cannot be completed without an AFA certified seniority list and a ratified Flight Attendant Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). 

Within the next 30 days the AFA-CWA International President will call a meeting with both the Alaska and Hawaiian elected leaders to review the merger process outlined in Section X of our Constitution for seniority integration, joint contract negotiations, merging of the MECs, and the structure for continuing daily representation and enforcement of each contract until a JCBA is ratified. At the same time, the Alaska MEC and Negotiating Committee will work to achieve a Tentative Agreement that can be ratified with immediate relief for Alaska Flight Attendants and a stronger foundation for all Flight Attendants in negotiating a JCBA.

We will provide regular updates about this process as it moves forward.

Within the coming weeks your Master Executive Councils (MECs) will post details on their process for electing positions for the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC). Each of these committees will include two positions from each pre-merger airline.

We will all do better through our solidarity. Stay close to union communications, fly safe, and as always look out for each other. We are stronger and better together.

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