I know this has been discussed before, but I wanted to remark on cutbacks when I did a quick trip from BWI to Greensboro, on US Express/Allegheny Airlines.

They do not offer tomato juice any more.

For some reason I have often noticed that a lot of people seem to order tomato juice on airplanes. Even bloody mary mix.

Morale was very low with the FAs on each parts of the R/T. They had to keep explaining "no we don't have that anymore due to recent cutbacks".

I think this sort of cutback hurts morale and therefore service more than it actually saves.

Tomato juice has 1/3 the calories of orange juice and a whole lot less salt than the bloody mary mix. Its one of the few healthy drinks offered, which is why I and I guess many others ask for it. Sounds like another severe cost-cutting measure to make travel more spartan.

The cutbacks themselves are a management decision, and will be proven to have either been correct or not by future events. The larger issue is the signal this stuff sends to employees, who, in their frustration, are taking it out on the customer. Case in point, on a recent transcon I sat next to an off duty F/A who gave me a lecture on why the passengers don't pay enough, and "who did they think they were, ridng in First and demanding full meals and special service for what they are paying?". It's not the first time I have heard this dialogue. We have a real troubled company here, and it may not end well for the regular customer who has invested in this program.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">... off duty F/A who gave me a lecture on why the passengers don't pay enough, and "who did they think they were, ridng in First and demanding full meals and special service for what they are paying?" ...</font>

Sounds like someone forgot the cardinal rule of non-revving! A complaint letter is in order, big time.

The kid had a right to say what she thinks, although that probably wasn't the best place to express herself. My point is, this business is failing. It appears the company has lost its ability to manage the enterprise. All of a sudden the customer becomes the enemy. When the dust settles, you have something akin to the old Eastern, or Continental (pre-Bethune). The cabin staff decides the frequent flyer who has upgraded is some kind of mooch, and treats them accordingly. As the service level degenerates, they make no distinction between the upgrade and the one or two pax who actually paid a couple of thousand. The company has to be sending that message when it tells staff why it's reducing service. The spiral continues, while management does nothing, and eventually the whole thing tanks. This used to be a great airline.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by deelmakur:
All of a sudden the customer becomes the enemy. </font>


When this happens, the airline has "jumped the shark" and begins the slow spiral down, down, down. This is exactly why I am seriously considering getting comped status on AA and giving up on US. Sad, because I REALLY love this airline....

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:
When this happens, the airline has "jumped the shark" and begins the slow spiral down, down, down. This is exactly why I am seriously considering getting comped status on AA and giving up on US. Sad, because I REALLY love this airline....
</font>

Jumped the shark? You've been hanging around koko too much ...

All I can say is, DON'T DO IT!

quote:
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Originally posted by deelmakur:
All of a sudden the customer becomes the enemy.
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It's not just on board that I'm finding this. I was meeting my wife on an arriving flight in PHL. At the arrival gate, the gate agent had the nerve to snap at me when I asked her if the plane that had pulled in at her gate had emptied yet. Apparently she was too busy to answer a yes or no question from a paying customer (and FF).

After meeting my wife, I went to another gate, asked for a supervisor, and bitterly complained about this agent (Donna "I don't have to tell you my last name!" for those of you who may happen to run into her).

Which way of issuing a complaint do you think works better, a letter to the company or a personal complaint to the offending employee's supervisor at the time of the issue?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
All I can say is, DON'T DO IT!</font>


You mean hang out with koko or switch to AA???

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Which way of issuing a complaint do you think works better, a letter to the company or a personal complaint to the offending employee's supervisor at the time of the issue?</font>

Do both. Provide details in both instances.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:

You mean hang out with koko or switch to AA???
</font>

Yes

Some of the deepest cuts made were in the area of customer service. That would appear to be a signal of what management views as it's priorities. Save the 34 cents.

I don't know. I agree with what your saying: that when the customer becomes the enemy, a downhill spiral is inevitable. But I'm just not running into very sour employees. Sure, there are some sour employees in every company (at US Airways, it's simply called Philadelphia International Airport). But, for the most part, all of the gate agents and flight attendants I've talked to recently have been friendly, with a "we're in this together attitude" (we referring to employees and customers). The employees of this company have always weathered rough storms; the post-9/11 crisis and the failed United merger are just the latest storms in the never-ending hurricane season. But they've always been there for me, and I'll be there for me. Even if it means picking up a sandwich or salad before boarding.