US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Filthy First Class Cabin

I cannot believe what has happened to the quality of service on US Airways First Class. I boarded a flight today from CLT to LAX. I went to my seat in First Class to discover it and the adjoining seat were covered in red wine. It was dried, sticky and had clearly been there forf quite a while. The head rest in the row ahead was covered with wine and the carpet was soaked and smelled of dirt and stale liquor.

When I inquired with the flight attendant I got a very rude "it's not our responsibility to clean the planes between flights and we don't check them either." When I pointed out that it was their responsibility to ensure that the cabin was in order, she became highly indignant and said "well, I suppose I can call the cleaning service and have them clean your area."

The cleaning service arrived and their solution to the problem was to take the bottom seat cushion covers off and exchange them with new ones. I spent four and a half hours sitting in a pool of stale red wine that stunk to no end. When I deplaned, by shoes were sticking to the carpet.

In chatting with another flight attendant (a much friedlier one), I learned that the aircraft are cleaned about once a week and the lavatories are mopped about every four days. That attendant even commented on the uncleanliness of the galley.

I have NEVER seen such shabby service and unprofessional responses from the flight crew. I cannot imagine that US Airways would expect that their preferred members are going to tolerate such poor service. Plastic cups and little bags of peanuts are bad enough but this takes the cake.

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Honestly,

I am getting worried as to where US air will be a year from now... The more and more I think about it, the more I think it will be gone.
It's a pitty because they do have a great FF program, and great staff. (well not in your case I am sorry).

I do also have to say that I am amazed at the difference of cleanliness between a European and a US airplane! Everytime i set foot on an AF plane, it's such a difference...

Synd

Surely, this will have to improve before they are admitted to Star Alliance. The attitude issue is reminiscent of Eastern. Only management can fix that, and clearly they do not have the hearts and minds of the employee group. I personally believe it started when the company began blaming the customers (and the fares they pay)for its troubles. From that point on, the upgrade list supplied to crews onboard became a target roster. Unkempt aircraft are just another sign of a business with no direction. Before you can correct things, you have to realize they are wrong to begin with. And then they wonder why they are in the crosshairs of every predator in the industry.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SOBE ER DOC:
I cannot believe what has happened to the quality of service on US Airways First Class. I boarded a flight today from CLT to LAX. I went to my seat in First Class to discover it and the adjoining seat were covered in red wine. It was dried, sticky and had clearly been there forf quite a while. The head rest in the row ahead was covered with wine and the carpet was soaked and smelled of dirt and stale liquor.

When I inquired with the flight attendant I got a very rude "it's not our responsibility to clean the planes between flights and we don't check them either." When I pointed out that it was their responsibility to ensure that the cabin was in order, she became highly indignant and said "well, I suppose I can call the cleaning service and have them clean your area."

The cleaning service arrived and their solution to the problem was to take the bottom seat cushion covers off and exchange them with new ones. I spent four and a half hours sitting in a pool of stale red wine that stunk to no end. When I deplaned, by shoes were sticking to the carpet.

In chatting with another flight attendant (a much friedlier one), I learned that the aircraft are cleaned about once a week and the lavatories are mopped about every four days. That attendant even commented on the uncleanliness of the galley.

I have NEVER seen such shabby service and unprofessional responses from the flight crew. I cannot imagine that US Airways would expect that their preferred members are going to tolerate such poor service. Plastic cups and little bags of peanuts are bad enough but this takes the cake.

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US Airways Office of Consumer Affairs
Post Office Box 1501
Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1501

Wow, what a bad experience, usually those flights are pretty good- at least from my experience. What flt # were you on?

I understand completely. On my flights this weekend, I wanted to ask the FAs for a bottle of 409 and some paper towels! I am, by no means, a clean freak, but filth is filth!

US Airways has to get it together. For all his faults, there is a reason that Gordon Bethune has as his mantra: "CLEAN, safe and reliable air travel". It is the one thing that all people can easily judge, and is the easist to resolve. Passengers will, rightly or wrongly, attribute more negative characteristics to a dirty airline than a clean one.

CWPFLY

For the record, United still cleans their planes before ever day of flying, before each transcon, international flight as well as redeye. The flight attendants to a tidying sweep through the cabin on flights under 3 hours. Sometimes the Shuttle planes are kinda dirty, but for the most part, the planes have been kept really clean.

I think its important you send a letter to US Airways Consumer Affairs.

Why? Are they going to send somebody over?I have made two legitimate complaints to them in recent months, including one on air safety (following witnessing a lone F/A on an Express flight lose it with me and several other passengers without provocation). The result has been to get "canned" formula responses via email or phone message. Why would you think that people who won't spend money to clean their major point of contact with customers would spend money on any meaningful attempt to listen to them. These are the same folks who want their best aircraft maintained by people who don't work for them. The last bunch to do that in a big way were Valujet.

PS, I am not suggesting they are unsafe, but body language (what people see you say and do) is a fundamental part of reviving a business (as mentioned in the earlier post on Bethune).

Having just spent the better part of three weeks flying other airlines, I too am really worried about US's future. Their FF program may be great but the quality of service has declined so much in the last year I am concerned. I've flown AA, UA, CX, SQ, KE, and TG in the last three weeks and all had far superior service and attitudes. The flight on Thai Airways was probably the to most revealing in that it was on an ancient A-300 from BKK to TPE and even thought the plane was old, the attitude and service was phenominal.

I completely agree. My wife and I flew in F from LAS-PHL and in Envoy from PHL-LGW on Sunday, and we were both in awe at how dirty things were.

I mean everything from peanuts that hadn't been swept up to intense grime in every single corner.. it was as if the only time the plane was cleaned was when it was last modified.. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Overall, we thought the service on both flights was fantastic. But then again, it was our first upgraded itinerary.. I am sure other airlines offer better service.
--Alex

I've been complaining for 2 years about the filth in the planes. It started when we went to Europe in Envoy and the lavs were deplorable. The seats were nasty too, and I used the hot towel (remember those?) to clean our seats and arm rests. You should have seen the look on the FA's face when I handed him back the filthy rag and told him where that dirt had come from.

Not too long ago I was delayed at DCA and started a conversation with a woman who works at US. I asked her if the people at Consumer Affairs actually fly on the airline and she laughed out loud! She said they were paper pushers trained to respond in certain ways to our complaints. She said she herself had complained about the dirty planes and got the brush off. Her management actually told her that their planes are cleaned to "industry standard". What a laugh! Lately, I've flown WN, UA & AA and none of their planes had layers of scum on the seats.

One day, someone is going to get seriously ill on an airplane and it is going to be traced back to the unsanitary conditions in the lavs or galley, and then maybe, just maybe, they'll pay attention.

No. More and more people will get fed up with the inferior service and the dirty planes and they will take their business elsewhere. The beancounters at CCY will scratch their heads and wonder why nobody is buying tickets. The US union contracts (with their wickedly inefficient work rules) will keep the stranglehold on the airline and the death spiral will continue. To cut costs more, they will shrink the airline routes and mainline flights some more and cut back further on services (I can't imagine how, but they will find a way) and down, down, down, we go... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

According to the FA I spoke to last week, Dave Siegel does fly in F. However, he sends an entourage in advance, so the cabin is spotless by the time he boards. I guess he's not one to randomly spot-check (no pun intended) his aircraft cabins to make sure everything is up to his standards. Or, even worse, his standards for cleanliness and hygiene are abnormally low.

Evidently, Dave S. flies to the caribbean quite often to his home on St. Thomas, I believe. (although it may be somewhere else, like St. Croix or something)

I wonder if they cater F with half-sized meals on his flghts?

I flew US for the first time in a couple of years this weekend, and I must say the FC cabin in both the A321 I had SAN-PIT and the 733 PIT-BOS were disgusting. I had to wipe peanuts out of my seat on the SAN-PIT redeye, and when I opened my seat back to look for the in-flight magazine, not only did I not find a copy of Attache, but I was greated by bubble gum, used tissues, and all sorts of other deterius.

I understand FAs can't clean the plane themselves, but the US F cabins are without a doubt the dirtiest I've seen in years---and the pen marks all over the seat back in front of you is by far the least of it. It's a pitty really, as the Airbus equipment is some of the nicest in the industry.

Needless to say, I'm in no hurry to book another ticket, FC or otherwise, on US.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by nawlinsdoc:
Evidently, Dave S. flies to the caribbean quite often to his home on St. Thomas, I believe. (although it may be somewhere else, like St. Croix or something) </font>

Interesting you should mention that - last week, Dave's weekly telephone message to the employees contained a rumor control note at the end about this story of him allegedly building a house in the Carribean. He steadfastly denies he's building one - and notes that the confusion is due to a real estate guy with the same name who is building a house down there. It sounds like some employees are throwing this rumor out there to make Dave look even worse.

Well, I'll say this:

I don't know or care if the FAs or others are responsible for cleaning the plane, however something has got to be done. These planes are hideous and disgusting. My last flight to DCA from FLL had me in 3C in 1st and the entire armrest was no longer attached to the seat. Of course, pen marks and the like were equally apparent and I felt as though I had traded my ticket on US for a seat on a Greyhound bus. Nasty would be an light term to use in this situation. I felt as though US should have all of us for flying in such deplorable conditions and still living to talk about it. I have had better experiences with cleanliness flying in coach on United. What gives US?

Domestic first class was quite the let down after flying to/from London in Envoy this weekend. I knew I was back on a domestic US plane when I sat down with the pen marks n th echair in front of me.

Geez, I must be lucky! I've found the planes and service no worse than the short haul crews from NWA.

I fly in first to YYZ tomorrow, I'll report in and I'll look closer.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Alysia:
Domestic first class was quite the let down after flying to/from London in Envoy this weekend. I knew I was back on a domestic US plane when I sat down with the pen marks n th echair in front of me.</font>


From what I've read on the London 'Do threads, I'm surprised you were sober enough to notice! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SS255:

From what I've read on the London 'Do threads, I'm surprised you were sober enough to notice! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>

Well, I did drink plenty of champagne and mimosas on the plane today.

I took the other Mr StSebastian to FL a few weeks ago and we went in US F (on a UA ticket since that was cheaper). Amazingly enough, we were in a 24F 757 that didn't have pen marks, and was in generally decent condition. Being a CLT flight there wasn't any food, but the service and F/A's were nice and friendly.

He did notice that the seats weren't properly set up and had some bolts loose along with a few other things that needed to be tightened/fixed/cleaned. I wouldn't know the difference, but since he's currently laid-off from a big-6 airline doing this exact kind of maintenance work, I figure he knows what he's talking about.