I Received World Class Non-Service SEA-MSP Today
Nov 7, 2010, 9:15 am
#31
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Wow. You want $250 for not getting drinks on a flight where you got a complimentary upgrade to first class.
OK, maybe some compensation is in order but I think your expectations are a bit high.
David
Nov 7, 2010, 9:17 am
#32
Join Date: Oct 2010
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I have to say; as a PMNW customer (and happy one at that) I am starting to see some real attitude from many of the FA's I have flown with for years. It may be the realization that the security of the union they have been with is going away, the fact that DL seems to have higher in-flight standards than NW did, or if they are just feeling beat down after a couple years of change. I will say this though (and I would have never said it a year ago): I CAN pick out PMNW FAs now. There are a higher percentage of them who just seem unhappy at their jobs. I do not get pre-flight drinks from the majority of my PMNW crews and hear them talking about whether or not they will do it (like it is their choice). And, on many flights lately, they seem to think that a single drink refill is acceptable. DL FAs are for the most part constantly looking to see that you are comfortable.
My LAX-DTW flight last week was a great example. The lead was talking to the Y FA and she said "do you want help with the drinks?" as the ac was boarding. The lead (who I KNOW form PMNW) said "no, saved by door 1L wink, wink". I watch PMDL FAs climb back and fourth and never complain (actually got to know one really well when she used the space in front of me in 1B to duck
)whereas I am listening to an FA I know make an excuse. Really disappointing because when they are on their game NWFAs were some of the best out there.
PMNWFAs need to either adopt the new standards (which I really like) or move on. I know I feel a little better about shelling out $30-50k every year to DL after a flight where I felt like a customer not a chore.
BTW, anyone who knows me knows I loved NW and I have always hated the fact that there was a negative view of PMNW on this board. What I am seeing now is miles apart from what I was used to when I was a proud Plat in NW.
My LAX-DTW flight last week was a great example. The lead was talking to the Y FA and she said "do you want help with the drinks?" as the ac was boarding. The lead (who I KNOW form PMNW) said "no, saved by door 1L wink, wink". I watch PMDL FAs climb back and fourth and never complain (actually got to know one really well when she used the space in front of me in 1B to duck
)whereas I am listening to an FA I know make an excuse. Really disappointing because when they are on their game NWFAs were some of the best out there.PMNWFAs need to either adopt the new standards (which I really like) or move on. I know I feel a little better about shelling out $30-50k every year to DL after a flight where I felt like a customer not a chore.
BTW, anyone who knows me knows I loved NW and I have always hated the fact that there was a negative view of PMNW on this board. What I am seeing now is miles apart from what I was used to when I was a proud Plat in NW.
Nov 7, 2010, 9:22 am
#33
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,559
I have to say; as a PMNW customer (and happy one at that) I am starting to see some real attitude from many of the FA's I have flown with for years. It may be the realization that the security of the union they have been with is going away, the fact that DL seems to have higher in-flight standards than NW did, or if they are just feeling beat down after a couple years of change. I will say this though (and I would have never said it a year ago): I CAN pick out PMNW FAs now. There are a higher percentage of them who just seem unhappy at their jobs. I do not get pre-flight drinks from the majority of my PMNW crews and hear them talking about whether or not they will do it (like it is their choice). And, on many flights lately, they seem to think that a single drink refill is acceptable. DL FAs are for the most part constantly looking to see that you are comfortable.
.
.
Nov 7, 2010, 10:05 am
#34
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Denver, Colorado
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Posts: 1,550
Congrats on all the fine detective work determining that FAs are PMNW, but the OP mentions that the flight was on an A320. PMDL did not have A320s, so all FAs on a A320 would be PMNW since there has not been integration of FAs pending the union vote/lawsuit. That will presumably change soon.
Nov 7, 2010, 10:33 am
#35
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MAD
Programs: DL, UA, AA, BA, Marriott
Posts: 599
I think, that as top tier fliers who either buy or earn their way up front, letting poor service slide today means poor service becomes acceptable as the standard for tomorrow. I am tired of not being offered a PFB while watching the FAs chat amongst themselves. If the plane is catered and boarding on time, there is NO reason not to extend the "courtesy" of offering a drink to the FC cabin. I for one have begun to ask for one - perhaps if more of us would, Delta FAs will realize that they aren't doing us a favor, they are actually doing their job.
Rant off...
Rant off...
Nov 7, 2010, 10:35 am
#36
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The only way to stop this nonsense is a report to DL. Can't believe the story, but I kind of know it's true.
$250 is a bit too much, but between the delay, the zero catering and the FAs actually suggesting to drink unsafe water I'd expect to see compensation, no matter if I was upgraded or not.
$250 is a bit too much, but between the delay, the zero catering and the FAs actually suggesting to drink unsafe water I'd expect to see compensation, no matter if I was upgraded or not.
Nov 7, 2010, 10:38 am
#37
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Nov 7, 2010, 10:38 am
#38
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Somewhere near BWI
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Nov 7, 2010, 10:40 am
#39
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MAD
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Nov 7, 2010, 10:42 am
#40
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Personally, I drink my caffeine cold with carbonation, so the coffee issue does not impact me in any way.
Nov 7, 2010, 10:44 am
#41
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MAD
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I have seen that very thing (using the big water bottles) on several of my most recent flights on the MadDogs and DCs. On three separate occasions, I have observed the FA make a pot of coffee using the normal spigot, only to have the coffee handed back by the pilot/co-pilot with an observation of not using tank water due to a "chemical" taste.
Personally, I drink my caffeine cold with carbonation, so the coffee issue does not impact me in any way.
Personally, I drink my caffeine cold with carbonation, so the coffee issue does not impact me in any way.
Nov 7, 2010, 10:46 am
#42
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Flying my bi-weekly flight home SEA-MSP today. Was UG'd to FC and was looking forward to a much needed flight home. Our aircraft was an Airbus A320. We boarded early and I observed that our Lead FA and her assistants were legacy NW FA's. As the coach PAX filed on board, it was apparent that the Lead FA and the other FA's up front were not going to give us a pre-flight drink. Okay.... I guess we can let this slide. After we are boarded, there is talk and discussion up front. FO makes an announcement that there was a "teany, tiny" computer glitch and we would be delayed for a few minutes. About 30 minutes later, FO makes another announcement that they would have to disconnect from power completely and have us sit in the dark for 7 minutes will everything "reset". We would be using a backup system which keeps the tail wing lubricated / wet. All this time, the lead FA and the other FA's are doing NOTHING. No offer of refreshments or anything. Okay.
Very predictably... over one hour later... after "dinking" around with this problem, the FO makes another announcement that we will be switching aircraft. Great, just great. I know that the crew knew darn well at this time that our new aircraft (also an Airbus A320) had NOT been catered. Also, this was red eye time. Okay. Did the Lead FA and the other FA's offer any of the PAX on our flight pop or water out of our catered drink carts as we deplaned? Nope.
I wonder if they will take any for themselves? Hmm..
By the time we boarded our replacement aircraft, it was apparent that we were waiting on catering. I believe the Lead FA (motivated by making this delayed flight even easier for herself and the other FA's)... takes a verbal "straw poll" of the PAX up front. She pulls a 40 minute estimate to be catered out of thin air and asks the upfront PAX, "Do you want to wait 40 more minutes to be catered or do you just want to leave?" She does disclose to those of us partaking in this poll that we have NOTHING on board, including water, and that if we wanted water during the flight - we would have to get that water from the sink in the bathrooms. Predictably, everyone around me opted to just leave. I wanted to wait the extra 5 minutes it would have taken to get the carts moved over, but given the general dauer atmosphere in our plane, I wasn't going to take up that cause...
So we have the safety briefing and are waiting to back away from the gate, when, and I kid you not... I hear the lead FA crack open a couple of softdrinks for herself and the other upfront FA. WTH???
I'm going to hold out for $250 in compensation for this. Let's see what I can get out of DL.
-A
Very predictably... over one hour later... after "dinking" around with this problem, the FO makes another announcement that we will be switching aircraft. Great, just great. I know that the crew knew darn well at this time that our new aircraft (also an Airbus A320) had NOT been catered. Also, this was red eye time. Okay. Did the Lead FA and the other FA's offer any of the PAX on our flight pop or water out of our catered drink carts as we deplaned? Nope.
I wonder if they will take any for themselves? Hmm.. By the time we boarded our replacement aircraft, it was apparent that we were waiting on catering. I believe the Lead FA (motivated by making this delayed flight even easier for herself and the other FA's)... takes a verbal "straw poll" of the PAX up front. She pulls a 40 minute estimate to be catered out of thin air and asks the upfront PAX, "Do you want to wait 40 more minutes to be catered or do you just want to leave?" She does disclose to those of us partaking in this poll that we have NOTHING on board, including water, and that if we wanted water during the flight - we would have to get that water from the sink in the bathrooms. Predictably, everyone around me opted to just leave. I wanted to wait the extra 5 minutes it would have taken to get the carts moved over, but given the general dauer atmosphere in our plane, I wasn't going to take up that cause...
So we have the safety briefing and are waiting to back away from the gate, when, and I kid you not... I hear the lead FA crack open a couple of softdrinks for herself and the other upfront FA. WTH???
I'm going to hold out for $250 in compensation for this. Let's see what I can get out of DL.
-A
Nov 7, 2010, 10:47 am
#43
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Although, I did not see how they loaded the water from the bottle into the coffee maker on the other flight, the FA mentioned that they did it "manually", so I assumed it was bottled water and that there must have been a way to get the water into the system.
Nov 7, 2010, 10:58 am
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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i think the delay within itself is common. i am very uncomfortable flying airbus, after a couple incindences sitting at the gate and having the plane rebooted. ...sorry, gotta shut it all down again and try and reboot again.......and again. when they dump the plane, do not go to the kiosk to which they direct you with all other 200 other peasants. run to the front gate agents and rebook there.
i would also think no comp, as that is a "mechanical" failure.
the FA'a have probably been unstructed nor ro muck with the supplies because if they ever do get the piece of junk airworthy and moving again, they do not want to have to inventory and fill.
why ask for $250? why not 500 or 1000, or 5000. your time is obviously very special.
i would also think no comp, as that is a "mechanical" failure.
the FA'a have probably been unstructed nor ro muck with the supplies because if they ever do get the piece of junk airworthy and moving again, they do not want to have to inventory and fill.
why ask for $250? why not 500 or 1000, or 5000. your time is obviously very special.
What's the issue?