houserulz77

I have never understood why a flight being delayed has anything to do with FAs offering a PFB. In almost all circumstances (sure there may be a few situations), there is still going to be a good 20 minutes from when PREM boards to when the last pax gets on.

It's one thing when you score an u/g and you're just happy for the extra room, but if DL wants their F cabins filled by the WFBF crowd, they ought to provide that level of service. It's like going out to some trendy, highly-rated restaurant and being told their will be no amuse-bouche because the kitchen is behind.

jamesteroh

No PDB on a LGA/DTW flight a couple months and the flight boarded early and it was a NYC based crew. That flight pissed me off because the FA doing first and one of the coach were up in the galley gossiping a lot of the time during boarding and he didn't bother hanging jackets until coach was in the final boarding stage. I know the First FA was a former NW flight attendant. Also pissed me off because he waited until at least 10 minutes after when he could have safely get up to do the beverage service and he got a little huffy with my seatmate for asking for a refill. One pass of the snack basket and he didn't say anything when I took two items.

I had a couple flights this year that were delayed and a GA made an announcement at the gate that there wouldn't be a beverage service on the ground in first class due to the late departure and to try to get the flight out on time but in those cases the FA's were great about doing a service as soon as they were able to get out of their seats and the one on my LAS/DTW flight was taking dinner orders after we boarded and the door was shut but while we were still at the gate along with drink orders and as soon as he was able to get up got everyone their drinks.

I understand if a flight is late boarding not doing a PDB if the FA's are helping the passengers out to get the flight out ASAP, but they should do a PDB before they gossip in the galley.

houserulz77

I wondered if this is a thread that would make someone go there!!!
It's been so long the acronym has been forgotten (it's PMNW, isn't it?).

GRALISTAIR

This has been my experience too.

Sousaphil

2 recent mainline round trips in paid first: MSP-MKE and MSP-MSY. I was not offered a PDB on any of those segments. On the most recent return from Milwaukee, someone requested a beverage and was denied until we were in the air. None of these flights faced any unusual time pressures. Boarded, departed and arrived on-time or early.

jamesteroh

Yes it is PMNW. Someone above stated they weren't offered PDB's on MSP flights, and I am wondering if it's because they are PMNW's crew and not because it's NYC based crews.

Before the merger the FA's on Delta were a lot better with PDB's than the NW flights I took.

apodo77

Good idea and I plan on it if i get the survey.

I had been 100% on PDB's since last July (not counting delayed flights which often times they still give PDB's) until the last 3 weeks and all were NYC based crews.

I have heard the apology as well for late aircraft and catering. It is a nice touch and much appreciated. On these 3 flights nothing was said other than the emergency briefing.


Overall DL is excellent with PDB's and was curious of others experiences. Service in the air was good as well last night. Refilled drinks and multiple passes of the snack basket.

avidflyer

Going through this now on AA. US gets me my Bloody without fail...I mean every flight regardless. Last week I was on LAX-PHL both boarding and catering were late. They stopped Y boarding to let the carts through. Within 1 minute if the bev cart brakes being set she was at my seat with a Bloody. AA on the other hand is horrible when it comes to PDB. They SOMETIMES offer oj or water and when I say "Bloody" I get the scowl. I am told PDB will be one of the US traits adopted by AA...lets see how long THAT takes.

KDCAflyer

I prefer NYC and DTW GAs since they actually enforce the boarding zones. NYC FAs? Not so much.

SYRRDU

The PDB has been hit and miss often over the years, mainly due to short turnarounds, but it seems that it has been more of a miss lately. I'm not saying that it is completely gone, but I think there is a link to the lack of the PDB and the silly PREM boarding scheme. I am seeing EC filling up before FC, which doubles the amount of people trying to board and restricts the ability of the FAs to move in the aisles without disrupting the boarding process. BTW, I am also seeing jackets and coats being taken at the end of boarding as the door closes, now more often than before.

jamesteroh

The only change made to PREM is that diamond's can now board which I like since I have a bulkhead C+ seat a lot if I'm not upgraded. I can't imagine there being that many diamonds who are sitting in the back of the bus on a flight that it will impair the PDB. That's a benefit I hope Delta keeps for diamonds or at least allow diamonds to board between PREM and SKY

SYRRDU

As a Diamond, I am all for that. I have been very fortunate over the years and even in this post-FCM world (78 of 89 possible UGs this year). But I see the EC getting filled up faster than FC very often, especially out of RDU. 757's are the exception, where the FAs can move throughout FC without disrupting boarding.

MSPeconomist

Did you try asking for a PDB?

MSPeconomist

I posted above about my one flight without PDBs; IIRC it was ATL-MSP. The rest of the time, I've been offered PDBs, including on exMSP flights recently, although I do recall one flight a while ago when the timing did not permit PDBs but the FA took drink orders at the gate and served beverages very quickly after takeoff as well as being attentive about refills; to me, it was an overall positive experiences.

n7371f

The issue with delays creates all sorts of scenarios...and in my experience of 2.5 million miles about 50% of the time it's an excuse to not do work - i.e. providing pre-flight beverages.

In cases where it's clear there's no catering or I'm on a plane like the 737-900 and it's boarding late, I just let it go. But if I ever see a f/a phoning it in (examples provided above) I will make sure I ask - even if it's for a cup of ice. Those type of flight attendants deserve to be subtly called out on it.