I was on the 7:30am flight from PHL-BOS today in 1F on an A319. The F cabin was full, as expected with this kind of Monday morning flight.

The FA gave us all bottles of water on the ground and took our drink orders and asked if we wanted the fruit plate with a warm croissant after take-off. Sure, why not - I didn't have breakfast and this sounded like a nice, healthy start to the day (especially since I slept in and didn't eat at home).

After passing through 10,000 she began the meal service in this order:

1A, 1C, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2F, 3A, 3C, 3D, 3F, 1D, 1F.

Does this look right??? When she went from 1A/1C back to 2A/2C, I figured she was doing it one side at a time, but then she went to the 2 people behind me in 2D and 2F.

Finally, she finished row 3 and then came and served me and my seatmate in 1D/1F. I didn't bother asking why she chose to do the service that way. I'm not even going to make an issue of it since it was a quick meal service. I just don't quite understand what happened?? Were we invisible? Is it me??!?

Why gripe about something like this? If you got your meal, then great? If you got what everyone else ordered, then great? If you got your drinks, your food, your blanket, your pillow, etc, then great? I don't understand what the problem is? My better half works as a F/A (on another carrier) and tells me the horror stories of people who complain about such things as this. I roll my eyeballs... I mean, lets face it....
The food is totally unacceptable at a resturant, most people would snarl their nose at it, but when it comes to a plane, everyone wants to have the meal and lord if it was not available, or served quick enough, there is just hell to pay. It is airline food.

Perhaps you made the F/A mad in some fashion? My better half does this to a lot of passengers...if the passenger is a pain-in-the-drain, that passenger gets served last, late, or gets the left overs, or not at all, and smiles the entire time. You might wish to reflect to think, lets see, could I have done any of the following:

1. Threw my coat/jacket at the F/A and said here
2. Handed my coat/jacket to the F/A upon inital boarding instead of waiting
3. Sucked up all the luggage bins
4. Grunted, Groaned, or made the F/A mad at any point?
5. Was demanding because "I'm in first class, therefore I should have my feet kissed"
6. Tried to bring on too much luggage, or luggage that would not fit.

Perhaps it was a simple, honest, real mistake. But I'd suspect my first conclusion is the correct one.


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"We are dimming the cabin lights to enhance the beauty of our flight crew" - Actual Quote.

Chairmans: USAir, Gold: NWA, Diners, HH, Gold: Marriott

I very much respect PHL, so perhaps you should keep your mouth shut on assumptions with him/her until you get to know him/her. You're still new here so thats ok.

Personally I've never seen such an odd serving order and definitely wonder why. The reason USAir Greg offers just doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps that's because I know PHL isn't an annoying whiner, and USAir Greg is convinced that any mention, be it question or complaint or compliment, of in-flight service, means you are a spoiled first class brat.

Welcome to FT Greg. It's nice to have you here.

Just as likely, it was his seatmate who did any of those things ...

Thanks BizJET...I hope that all of you get to know me.... As you will soon find out, I speak my mind and my peace. I'm very easy to get along with, kind, considerate, and actually fun (but don't take away my smoking privs http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif)

You'll also find that I don't shut my mouth very well, you can suggest it, demand it, or ask me, but it is doubtful it will happen.

Now to the matter at hand: I only offered two possible alternatives

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"We are dimming the cabin lights to enhance the beauty of our flight crew" - Actual Quote.

Chairmans: USAir, Gold: NWA, Diners, HH, Gold: Marriott

[This message has been edited by USAirGreg (edited 07-23-2001).]

[This message has been edited by USAirGreg (edited 07-23-2001).]

USAirGreg -

I did none of the things you suggest. In fact, when I took my seat after boarding the FA came to me and offered me a bottle of water, to which I politely replied "Thank You" and took it.

My seatmate got on at the last minute - probably an F standby. He, too, was very polite and soft spoken.

I brought the issue up because we here in the FT forum see all sorts of disparities in service from one flight to another and I thought this would be an interesting one for my fellow 'talkers.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:
My seatmate got on at the last minute - probably an F standby. </font>

Perhaps a non-rev? That could possibly explain the wait?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:
Perhaps a non-rev? That could possibly explain the wait? </font>

I think the simplest explanation is that the FA simply forgot half the row and recovered as quietly and gracefully as possible.

My guess is that they were non rev. From my past experiences ( 13 years) the F/A usually serve all confirmed to make sure they have a chance at their first choice (fruit plate or warm bagel/muffin ) then serve the employees.

Meal service is a crap shoot... you'll never know what order they serve in. That's all.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pitflyer:
Meal service is a crap shoot... you'll never know what order they serve in.</font>Remember geo1004's "Serve from the West" Theory? :rolleyes:


[This message has been edited by chexfan (edited 07-24-2001).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by chexfan:
Theory.</font>


Because a policy is not consistently implemented does not mean it becomes "theory". It just means there are a lot of people out there not following the policy. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 07-24-2001).]

Maybe all those who were served first were paid First Class passengers. What a concept!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:
USAirGreg -

I did none of the things you suggest. In fact, when I took my seat after boarding the FA came to me and offered me a bottle of water, to which I politely replied "Thank You" and took it.

My seatmate got on at the last minute - probably an F standby. He, too, was very polite and soft spoken.

I brought the issue up because we here in the FT forum see all sorts of disparities in service from one flight to another and I thought this would be an interesting one for my fellow 'talkers.</font>


I will agree that I've seen the F/A's handle things differently and not always the same, but hey, makes life interesting... I'd rather them do things differently than to be robots doing it exactly the same over and over again. Plus I think it is human nature to forget, mess up, etc.


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"We are dimming the cabin lights to enhance the beauty of our flight crew" - Actual Quote from USAirways F/A: CLT-BNA.

Chairmans: USAir, Gold: NWA, Diners, HH, Gold: Marriott

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by zzflyer:
Maybe all those who were served first were paid First Class passengers. What a concept! </font>


Lets hope this is NOT the case, however, I would seem USAirways does not think very highly of their upgraded passangers. I found this out on the way back from Rome. Anyone care to his this horror story in the sky? It caused a huge stink.


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"We are dimming the cabin lights to enhance the beauty of our flight crew" - Actual Quote from USAirways F/A: CLT-BNA.

Chairmans: USAir, Gold: NWA, Diners, HH, Gold: Marriott

Bring it on.

This whole F/A thing is starting to build. Last night on a PBI to DCA flight, I was told to either check a bag or be taken off the flight. First Class was not full, and the overheads were empty (take note of that for an indicator, you guys in Alexandria). My luggage consisted of a briefcase, a plastic bag with magazines and papers, a thin notebook (weighs 3.5 lbs) and a small case. The case took hardly any room in the overhead, and the three other pieces fit neatly under the seat in front. All together, the volume of space consumed was much less than was taken by many of the things I saw brought on. In spite of my asking nicely if it would be all right to have the extra piece, this gal just decided to go for me, and eventually called the gate agent on board. He backed her up (by the way,I wish these people would stop telling passengers those rules are from the FAA....they're not. Each company sets its own). Now, I'm not exactly the poster boy for air rage, and I needed to get where I was going,so I did what they wanted, but that was ball busting at its finest. Even the seat next to me was empty. It appears to me that with managment distracted by all this merger stuff, nobody's watching the store. The 2 bag limit aside, flight crews always have the discretion (by the way, I had carried the same stuff on 4 previous legs, including 2 transcons)to make allowances. These people evidently have decided to take it out on the customers, and where better to start than the good ones. I believe this attitude thing is becoming a real issue.

[This message has been edited by deelmakur (edited 07-25-2001).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by deelmakur:
This whole F/A thing is starting to build. Last night on a PBI to DCA flight, I was told to either check a bag or be taken off the flight. First Class was not full, and the overheads were empty (take note of that for an indicator, you guys in Alexandria). My luggage consisted of a briefcase, a plastic bag with magazines and papers, a thin notebook (weighs 3.5 lbs) and a small case. The case took hardly any room in the overhead, and the three other pieces fit neatly under the seat in front. All together, the volume of space consumed was much less than was taken by many of the things I saw brought on. In spite of my asking nicely if it would be all right to have the extra piece, this gal just decided to go for me, and eventually called the gate agent on board. He backed her up (by the way,I wish these people would stop telling passengers those rules are from the FAA....they're not. Each company sets its own). Now, I'm not exactly the poster boy for air rage, and I needed to get where I was going,so I did what they wanted, but that was ball busting at its finest. Even the seat next to me was empty. It appears to me that with managment distracted by all this merger stuff, nobody's watching the store. The 2 bag limit aside, flight crews always have the discretion (by the way, I had carried the same stuff on 4 previous legs, including 2 transcons)to make allowances. These people evidently have decided to take it out on the customers, and where better to start than the good ones. I believe this attitude thing is becoming a real issue.

[This message has been edited by deelmakur (edited 07-25-2001).]</font>

I agree, that if F/C was pretty empty, and the bins were pretty empty, they should have premitted the baggage to come on board (see I'm not a total jerk) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif You ran into a F/A who decided she/he had enough that day, and you were the lucky victim. I've seen F/A's who just follow the book exactly, to the letter, just black and white, and no exceptions. I don't know if FAA makes the rules for carry-on's, I don't think they do, but I'll find out from my best source and let you know. I've seen people drag on 10 items and they smile and not say anything..sometimes you either get the person who looks at the amount that you have and says, well, it is 4 things, but 3 of the four things are as big as one laptop bag so no big deal, and then you get the ones who look at it and go, thems the rules. I'll type up the ROME trip and let you all read it, it will make this F/A look like a sweet innocent butterfly.

As I said before, I've had some that were exceptional, and some that should be running a prison. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Now me, being me, would have said, "oh, ok" and shoved everything into the plastic bag (regardless if it fit or not) and said, there ya go, now I have just one carry on, thanks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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"We are dimming the cabin lights to enhance the beauty of our flight crew" - Actual Quote from USAirways F/A: CLT-BNA.

Chairmans: USAir, Gold: NWA, Diners, HH, Gold: Marriott

[This message has been edited by USAirGreg (edited 07-25-2001).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by deelmakur:
My luggage consisted of a briefcase, a plastic bag with magazines and papers, a thin notebook (weighs 3.5 lbs) and a small case.</font>

Esteemed Maker 'o Deals, despite the size or volume of your bags, you were over the numerical limit. We all receive exemptions to the rules from time to time but to expect them is something different. I personally would rather see a uniforn implementation of the bag policy across the board. There should be, IMO, no distinction between the 4 bag carrying Chairman's Preferred or the once-a-year 4 bag carrying vacationeer returning from a Bahamas cruise with their straw hats and boxes of rum.

However, if there was ever a time for an exception to the bag policy, sounds like you were a prime candidate. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Your point regarding the "It's an FAA rule" is noted. I hear this one a lot with regards to the serving of pre-departure beverages in plastic cups in FC. Last May I sat next to an FAA employee on a FC flight. He said to me "Watch this..." and then asked the FA who arrived to serve pre-departure drinks in plastic cups why we couldn't have glass. She said "FAA regulations". She left. We both got a kick out of the whole thing. It's not an FAA regulation it's a cost cutting move by the airline beancounters.

btw, before anyone jumps on my case about being a snob and demanding a glass vs. plastic, the whole excersise was academic. Neither the FAA guy or myself gave a rat's behind whether we got one or the other.



[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 07-25-2001).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by deelmakur:
My luggage consisted of a briefcase, a plastic bag with magazines and papers, a thin notebook (weighs 3.5 lbs) and a small case. </font>Could you have simply put the bag 'o magazines in the briefcase and the notebook in your small case to have avoided the hassle?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:
Esteemed Maker 'o Deals, despite the size or volume of your bags, you were over the numerical limit. We all receive exemptions to the rules from time to time but to expect them is something different. I personally would rather see a uniforn implementation of the bag policy across the board. There should be, IMO, no distinction between the 4 bag carrying Chairman's Preferred or the once-a-year 4 bag carrying vacationeer returning from a Bahamas cruise with their straw hats and boxes of rum.

However, if there was ever a time for an exception to the bag policy, sounds like you were a prime candidate. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Your point regarding the "It's an FAA rule" is noted. I hear this one a lot with regards to the serving of pre-departure beverages in plastic cups in FC. Last May I sat next to an FAA employee on a FC flight. He said to me "Watch this..." and then asked the FA who arrived to serve pre-departure drinks in plastic cups why we couldn't have glass. She said "FAA regulations". She left. We both got a kick out of the whole thing. It's not an FAA regulation it's a cost cutting move by the airline beancounters.

btw, before anyone jumps on my case about being a snob and demanding a glass vs. plastic, the whole excersise was academic. Neither the FAA guy or myself gave a rat's behind whether we got one or the other.

[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 07-25-2001).]</font>

You snob!!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

hahaha..sorry, I could not help myself http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

BTW: My source (my spouse) tells me that the policy of no-predepature drinks on an International is not an FAA regulation. What they are doing is keeping service to a minimum so that they can quickly pickup, discard, and take off for international. USAirways says it is an FAA regulation. Not sure who to believe.

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"We are dimming the cabin lights to enhance the beauty of our flight crew" - Actual Quote from USAirways F/A: CLT-BNA.

Chairmans: USAir, Gold: NWA, Diners, HH, Gold: Marriott

For light reading, I often carry my FAR/AIM manual. That way I can show it to the FA who throws the 'old "FAA REGULATIONS REQUIRE US TO.....". (KIDDING!) If you're into light reading, it's online at the www.faa.gov (http://www.faa.gov) site. I encourage anyone to find the reg. that talks about drink containers or carry-on luggage on airline operations. It doesn't exist.

The pre-departure plastic vs. glass is definitely an airline choice/policy. It's a lot more efficient for the FAs to be able to clean the cabin in one fell swoop before take-off with a garbage bag rather than collect glassware and store it. Not to mention that they would have to have 2 times the amount of glassware on board rather than one set that can be refilled at the cusotmer's seat.

Frankly, it makes complete sense and I laugh when people complain about not getting glassware on the ground(certainly, no USAirways FT'ers are complaining about this!). The FAA is an easy scapegoat for the airline personnel to fall back on with the blanket phrase "FAA REGULATIONS DON'T ALLOW....." since the alternate "OUR COMPANY POLICY IS...." would lead to a customer mad at the airline instead of the government.

Back on the topic of luggage -

Didn't Continental sue Delta because Delta was putting those annoying luggage templates on the luggage x-ray machines at Atlanta? See - CO expanded their overhead bin space to accomodate larger bags, but their customers were getting stymied at the security checkpoint. It made for an interesting story a few years ago.

Deelmakur, how did you manage to even be carrying 4 seperate items!??! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

PHL beat me to the punch.

[This message has been edited by chexfan (edited 07-25-2001).]

The FAA has a guideline that state that the airlines must have carry on bag programs but that is left to individual airlines and if they wanted to do so, they could set up a program for 3, 4 or maybe it all has to fit into this space no matter how many or few. The FAA do not set bag regulations, only the airlines do that. They will check the airline for compliance with their program so maybe this is the "the FAA requires it" genesis. As for glass verus plastic drinks that is also airline policy.

On CO and bag templates, CO sued Untied at Dulles and won in federal court just recently. I have not checked in at Dulles lately so I do not know if the templates were removed.

BTW, in previous duties I used to deal with FAA on some security issues and still some involvement on certain hazmat issues with DOT.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by biggs:
I have not checked in at Dulles lately so I do not know if the templates were removed.</font>

They were removed. Unfortunately, they did not take the people movers away as well.

I´d have thought the plastic bag would fall into the "handbag" catagory and thus not be counted against the limit??? Maybe it was the the same size as the plastic bag my sister usually comes back with from the "After Thanksgiving Sale" http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif.

Yonatan

This happened to me once when I had my purse (small), my laptop case, and my rolled-up garment bag. Usually, they don't count my purse. This day, they decided they would. My garment bag and laptop case were packed to the max and I couldn't jam my purse in them. I turned around, saw a businessman w/ only a briefcase and asked him if he would carry my laptop case onboard. He said, of course - The gate agent wanted to say "no" - I could tell that he did - but the line was growing behind us and so he let us do it muttering under his breath. Turns out the gentleman was my seatmate in 2C.

Was this technically against any rules any of you are aware of or is this a legitimate option if anyone is found in this situation? The "have you packed your bags yourself" thing comes to mind..

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by svpii:
This happened to me once when I had my purse (small), my laptop case, and my rolled-up garment bag. Usually, they don't count my purse. This day, they decided they would. My garment bag and laptop case were packed to the max and I couldn't jam my purse in them. I turned around, saw a businessman w/ only a briefcase and asked him if he would carry my laptop case onboard. He said, of course - The gate agent wanted to say "no" - I could tell that he did - but the line was growing behind us and so he let us do it muttering under his breath. Turns out the gentleman was my seatmate in 2C.

Was this technically against any rules any of you are aware of or is this a legitimate option if anyone is found in this situation? The "have you packed your bags yourself" thing comes to mind.. </font>

Not really sure, but I think the "Did you pack the bag, and did anyone ask you to carry anything for them". The F/A really could have gotten you both on a tech, and possibly have gotten into some trouble, I don't know for sure though. I guess the F/A figured it is not really a big deal since the guy behind you had only 1 bag...maybe an F/A could, or gate agent could better speak to this.



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"We are dimming the cabin lights to enhance the beauty of our flight crew" - Actual Quote from USAirways F/A: CLT-BNA.

Chairmans: USAir, Gold: NWA, Diners, HH, Gold: Marriott

Writing this one from Europe. As a PS to my post, I called the company, and received an apology (business must really be lousy!). We agreed there is a rule, but they felt it could have been relaxed under the circumstances. Hopefully I'll be getting a coupon for a complimentary cold chicken plate as compensation.

Hello US FTers,

Boy, this thread is really getting a lot of comment. I have been in US domestic FC twice in the last four years where the FA suggested combining to the person with several small carryons. The FA ,in one instance, even asisted the person with the combining of the carryons. In both cases,it was handled in less than 30 seconds.

Just my 2 cents worth.


Cheers,

Va.SquireFlyer