FA refuses to give name
Jun 17, 2012, 6:16 pm
#61
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Not true! I have had very very few altercations w crew members in my life (maybe 2) but I had a knock down drag out fight 15 years ago or so on a flight to TPE w the purser She had security meet the flight and I just tossed my return tkt to the UA mgr and told him to refund / endorse it over to any other carrier. That he didn't have to worry about me flying UA any longer. I won't go into all the details but I was in F as the ONLY pax on Thanksgiving day. The pursers 7 year old daughter was on board sitting as a non rev in C (breaking the rules as children under a certain age can't fly in C unless accompanied. Anyway. F/A in F gave me a bottle of DP to take home (yes, UA used to serve DP in F). The little girl noticed me put it in my bag and when I was sleeping she went into my bag, thru my stuff and took the bottle out. (7 years old!) When I woke I noticed my bag open and the bottle gone, as I went to question the F/A the little girl came up to me and said "I saw you steal that bottle and I told my Mommy and her boyfriend the Captain". Sorry but I lost it. I told the other F/A who was as shocked as I was to "get this little brats mother (who was on break). I lost it and was screaming so loudly at her (I was wrong there) that they called security, blah blah blah. Refused to fly UA home - took SQ instead
how did story end? W me getting a call and a nice gift from Steven Wolfe and this woman lost her flying privileges for her family!!!?
how did story end? W me getting a call and a nice gift from Steven Wolfe and this woman lost her flying privileges for her family!!!?
Jun 17, 2012, 6:54 pm
#62
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Jun 17, 2012, 7:00 pm
#63
Join Date: Jun 2004
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If a FA does not wear his/her name tag on EK, it's considered out of uniform and they can be written up for it. Not only does it say first and last name, but the new ones also say what country they are from. That's a little TMI. personally, I don't care if they give there name or not. I can address them. "miss", "hay you", "stewardess" of Just "Yo". But without the name being given on request (or employee #) there is no accountability p.
Last edited by fastair; Jun 18, 2012 at 10:10 am Reason: added words "treated...as"
Jun 17, 2012, 7:04 pm
#64
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Anyone in uniform represents their employer. It reflects badly on the employer if they shove a passenger aside on a public bus, if they sceam and swear, etc. If this bothers them, they can change into the uniform when they arrive at the worksite.
Jun 17, 2012, 7:20 pm
#65
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First off. This is a small nit pick on my side. My general experiences with FAs are usually positive.
On today's UA667 from LAX to LAS was in F on a paid ticket. As he was serving me my pre takeoff beverage I was being friendly and asked, like I do all FAs and he said: I don't give my name. I asked why? He said "I just don't. I've flown international enough to know not to"
What the heck? Common decency?
On today's UA667 from LAX to LAS was in F on a paid ticket. As he was serving me my pre takeoff beverage I was being friendly and asked, like I do all FAs and he said: I don't give my name. I asked why? He said "I just don't. I've flown international enough to know not to"
What the heck? Common decency?
Jun 17, 2012, 8:02 pm
#66
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If a flight attendant on ek does not act like the personal property of the airline, they get in trouble. There are many articles from former ek flight attendants that attest to the fact that they are not humans, but gears owned by the company. Civil rights in the UAE are more than 50 years behind the western world. Maybe the service is good, but the servitude isn't very evolutionary
Woah, wait a minute. If I'm paying $9000, I expect a modicum of service decency in return. Like I said in my original post, it's a little bit nitpicky on my end and I'm not making a Federal case out of it, but if you have the CEO of the airline in the intro video on each flight saying that his business is about "service" and treating people like you want to be treated, then this is a little bit hypocritical.
Giving your name if it's asked by a customer, regardless for praise or about regarding an issue, is customer service 101. I can't think of any time that a representative, agent, waiter, civil service worker, or vendor has refused to give me their name.
I'm a weekly flyer on United. I've flown 92k miles this year (not bragging, just trying to credentialize here), and I always ask the FA's name. Why? Because I'm being polite. I'm not stalking them. I'm not in my 40's, 50's or 60's and that guy who thinks if I use their first name, I'll get better service.
I actually value the service contributions that FA's make, and what better way for me to show them gratitude is to say "Thank you John" or "Thank you Sally" when they hand me my drink or if I ask for something. I say please, I say thank you, and I smile because I know more often than not there is some rude person sitting nearby who doesn't take the time and effort to show appreciation.
Giving your name if it's asked by a customer, regardless for praise or about regarding an issue, is customer service 101. I can't think of any time that a representative, agent, waiter, civil service worker, or vendor has refused to give me their name.
I'm a weekly flyer on United. I've flown 92k miles this year (not bragging, just trying to credentialize here), and I always ask the FA's name. Why? Because I'm being polite. I'm not stalking them. I'm not in my 40's, 50's or 60's and that guy who thinks if I use their first name, I'll get better service.
I actually value the service contributions that FA's make, and what better way for me to show them gratitude is to say "Thank you John" or "Thank you Sally" when they hand me my drink or if I ask for something. I say please, I say thank you, and I smile because I know more often than not there is some rude person sitting nearby who doesn't take the time and effort to show appreciation.
If so, the FA was out of line. OP was not trying to pick up the FA in a bar. He was asking the FA's name in the FA's workplace.
If not, then UA has bigger problems than I've thought.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Jun 17, 2012 at 10:10 pm Reason: merge
Jun 17, 2012, 8:29 pm
#67
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This is not by accident. I have seen FAs (mostly on CO) perform a sort of ritual involving taking the tag off and putting it on backwards or hiding it in some fashion.
Most people in their job are not allowed to go 'incongito'. I am not sure why FAs feel entitled to.
Most people in their job are not allowed to go 'incongito'. I am not sure why FAs feel entitled to.
Jun 17, 2012, 8:52 pm
#68
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I have not seen them go through the ritual, but there's a reason why they put on the name tag backwards .... allowing bags not just under exit row seats, but actually sticking OUT from under the seat in front
And yes, I have the pixs to prove it.EmailKid
Jun 17, 2012, 9:03 pm
#69
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Indeed, why does he want to know? Very odd. When odd stuff occurs, volunteer as little info as possible.
Jun 17, 2012, 10:59 pm
#70
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Jun 17, 2012, 11:02 pm
#71
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Jun 18, 2012, 12:41 am
#72
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Even after the OP gave you a name to use, you don't want to use it. No wonder it is not a big deal to you if a F/A gives a name or not.
Jun 18, 2012, 2:02 am
#73
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If a flight attendant on ek does not act like the personal property of the airline, they get in trouble. There are many articles from former ek flight attendants that attest to the fact that they are not humans, but gears owned by the company. Civil rights in the UAE are more than 50 years behind the western world. Maybe the service is good, but the servitude isn't very evolutionary
Civil rights has nothing to do with anything. Western EXPATS are treated very well in the UAE! Civil Rights? I don't know what your referring to. One of the few places in the region where woman are not 2nd class citizens. Yes, it is very similar to Singapore but if you don't get involved w drugs and don't commit violent crime or theft, it's actually a very very nice place to live (I'm Jewish and born and raised in NYC and Dubai is certainly safer and more civilized. (I've never been discriminated against as a Jew). So civil rights is the wrong argument (especially regarding EXPAT ZFlight attendsnts (if your aPakistani worker?, Another story). Singapore is very similar but the #1 most sought after place to live as an Expat (and "SQ GIRLS" are the highest paid in the industry
There was a girl from New Zealand who it was found out was dealing drugs and running escorts from her apartment. They SHOULD have thrown her little ... in jail but instead deported her on the next flight out to Auckland. She had an article written about her in one of the NZ papers and went on and on how she was treated like a slave (that's where those rumors come from). (how bout her keeping 50% of her escorts pay? That's like owning slaves)
FYI: my GF is not allowed to be rude to a passenger know matter what he/she says to her. She's told to walk away and report the incident to the SD, SM or Purser. However, if a passenger touches her (very common from Saudi men who can't touch girls at home but can't wait to swap a girls ... on a foreign airline). She has all sorts of ways she's allowed to take care of that (including ripping his arm out of it's socket)
There are other Gulf carriers that hire mostly expats and I have heard SOME of them do not treat there girls quite as well (GULF AIR & Etihad both hire mostly Western girls) and I know some are unhappy w GULF AIR and living in Bahrain (never heard anything bad from the girls at Etihad / Abu Dhabi) but then since you bring up civil rights, I guess that makes sense since it is Bahrain that has a PR problem these days. The UAE
I'd much rather be treated like sn EK FA then a UA or AA FA on almost every level by both the company and the passengers (but they do have to wear name tags)
One doesn't lose one's flying benefits for on the job related punishment, they lose them for using them against the terms of their use. The daughter, who was not the purser abused the benefit. As such, that benefit was suspended. A person cannot use their nrsa benefits while on the clock, but others can, and their behavior carries consequences. Apples and oranges. Job related things carry no punishment, abuse of other non performance benefits that are not part of the job/work on the other hand are not the same.
I know it's much rarer then it should be but there ARE things Union and non union employees can lose there job / privileges over. Don't you think the system is screwed when an employee can act w impunity knowing know matter what they do, there job is "almost" impossible to take
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Jun 18, 2012 at 5:10 am Reason: multi-quote
Jun 18, 2012, 6:30 am
#74
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
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The WSJ for one. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122877609256789273.html
"Tough rules are enforced, including some that would be deemed discriminatory in the West, such as weight requirements and a no-pregnancy policy for unwed women."..."Emirates' rules require attendants to politely accept a business card or phone number if it's proffered by a passenger"..."If a single female attendant shows up pregnant, she's fired. Openly gay male attendants need not apply"..."In some countries, applicants are put on a scale and weighed. (The practice is against the law in many Western countries because it's considered discriminatory, according to the company.)"
ALso 1st had discussions with both ex Emirates pilots and ex Emirates flight attendants, who both say that some things about their programs were great, none of them would ever do them again, they are far happier making less $$ at a US airline where they are treated as humans instead of as pieces of flesh for the company to parade or use whenever however they want.
Similar articles exist for Ethiad, in fact more, so I am betting Emirates isn't as bad as Ethiad, but they both are very similar, most likely due to the culture. Now maybe things have changed since the artcle and since I have talked to these former Emirates flight cres have been hired by US carriers, just like WN has a reputation for being on time and inexpensive, a reputation follows you many years later.
"Tough rules are enforced, including some that would be deemed discriminatory in the West, such as weight requirements and a no-pregnancy policy for unwed women."..."Emirates' rules require attendants to politely accept a business card or phone number if it's proffered by a passenger"..."If a single female attendant shows up pregnant, she's fired. Openly gay male attendants need not apply"..."In some countries, applicants are put on a scale and weighed. (The practice is against the law in many Western countries because it's considered discriminatory, according to the company.)"
ALso 1st had discussions with both ex Emirates pilots and ex Emirates flight attendants, who both say that some things about their programs were great, none of them would ever do them again, they are far happier making less $$ at a US airline where they are treated as humans instead of as pieces of flesh for the company to parade or use whenever however they want.
Similar articles exist for Ethiad, in fact more, so I am betting Emirates isn't as bad as Ethiad, but they both are very similar, most likely due to the culture. Now maybe things have changed since the artcle and since I have talked to these former Emirates flight cres have been hired by US carriers, just like WN has a reputation for being on time and inexpensive, a reputation follows you many years later.
Last edited by fastair; Jun 18, 2012 at 6:35 am
Jun 18, 2012, 7:42 am
#75
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Incidentally I just dropped in to the AA forum, where they're having this thread's alternative-universe mirror image:
fa calling me by first name
Choice quotes: "I hate it when I get addressed by [legal] name. Why do some FA's insist on it?"
fa calling me by first name
Choice quotes: "I hate it when I get addressed by [legal] name. Why do some FA's insist on it?"