Alaska Airlines and its Flight Attendants Tentatively Agree on Five-Year Contract

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Dec 13, 2013, 04:09 ET

SEATTLE, Dec. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants announced today they have reached tentative agreement on a new five-year contract for the carrier's 3,300 flight attendants.

"We're very pleased to have agreed on a proposed contract that recognizes the contributions of our outstanding flight attendants, who play a key role in providing our customers with safe travel and award-winning service," said Andy Schneider, Alaska Airlines' vice president of inflight services. "We appreciate the union's diligent efforts to work with us and make many improvements to our flight attendants' quality of life while also helping our airline remain competitive."

Once the tentative agreement is approved by the union's leadership, Alaska Airlines' flight attendants will conduct a ratification vote that is expected to be completed in mid-February 2014.

"Alaska Airlines flight attendants were unwavering in our resolve that a new agreement recognize the contributions we make each and every day to our award-winning airline," said Jeffrey Peterson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants Master Executive Council at Alaska Airlines. "We are proud partners in the great success of Alaska Airlines. It is now up to flight attendants to review the details and decide if it recognizes our innumerable contributions."

The current contract became amendable on May 1, 2012. Contracts in the airline industry do not expire. Once they become amendable, the current contract remains in effect until a new agreement is ratified.

Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together with its partner regional airlines, serves nearly 100 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines has ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates North America Airline Satisfaction Study^SM for six consecutive years from 2008 to 2013. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines