Programs: UA MP Global Services; SPG Platinum; Avis First
Posts: 6
Continental Flight Attendants
Hello
I'm a GS in Chicago and have spent years flying United. While not every crew was perfect, there was a level of professionalism and dedication to their craft.
Two years in to the merger I'm naturally on more and more legacy Continental crewed flights.
I've noticed that the flight attendants just don't seem to share the same level of professionalism and dedication. Perhaps it's related to their contract. It seems they never start serving until the seat belt sign is off. In fact, a few flights they're still seated and talking away even after the sign is off.
I don't mean to disparage them and have had some really nice crews. However, it's not consistent. What gives?
I have to say that it's surprising given all the accolades Continental received over the years for great service.
Programs: United Premier 1K; SPG Gold; Hilton Silver; Hyatt Platinum; Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,138
+2. I've noticed the pmUA crews tend to be happier these days and pmCO crews tend to be less happy and less professional. I hope that an integrated contract will help things along in the future...
Programs: Formerly over-entitled UA 1K, now under-entitled UA PP.
Posts: 2,977
Quote:
Originally Posted by unitedchicago
Hello
I'm a GS in Chicago and have spent years flying United. While not every crew was perfect, there was a level of professionalism and dedication to their craft.
Two years in to the merger I'm naturally on more and more legacy Continental crewed flights.
I've noticed that the flight attendants just don't seem to share the same level of professionalism and dedication. Perhaps it's related to their contract. It seems they never start serving until the seat belt sign is off. In fact, a few flights they're still seated and talking away even after the sign is off.
I don't mean to disparage them and have had some really nice crews. However, it's not consistent. What gives?
I have to say that it's surprising given all the accolades Continental received over the years for great service.
I agree completely with your observations. And, I share your sense of surprise, because I thought this merger was going to be a good thing, given all the accolades that CO received in the past. We've had some conversations about this on the board, and it seems the accolades were earned under a prior regime, and once $mi$ek took over CO, the downhill trajectory started.
Case in point - I had a horrible flight home on sCO yesterday with the most hostile and unprofessional crew that I've ever experienced on any flight, period. Some examples:
1. I was searching for a place to store my luggage. Whenever I've seen someone in this predicament on sUA metal, the sUA FAs will stop and help the PAX find a place for luggage. The motivation is clearly to help and to get the PAX in his or her seat as quickly as possible. On yesterday's flight, the sCO FA screamed at me to get out of his way because I was blocking him from moving through the aisle. Instead of helping me, he ordered me to stop what I was doing to make space for him to move past me. That's it.
2. In the pre-flight check, he saw that one of my bags wasn't sufficiently under the seat for his liking and rudely exclaimed "you're gonna have to find overhead space for that if you can't get it all the way under the seat." Again, the contrast with sUA is that sUA would "help" find overhead space if deemed necessary.
3. As per usual on all sCO flights, the FAs were totally absent from the cabin at all times except during specific service runs. In between the scheduled service runs, there was no sight of FAs. On sUA, they always seem to be around.
4. I fell asleep and missed the drink service. I walked to the FA about 10 rows behind me and kindly asked him for a glass of water with no ice. He flatly refused and said I'd have to wait for him to get back there later. I asked him what that meant, because I knew he was going in the opposite direction and wouldn't be "back there" within the next few hours. Then he said he'd bring water to me. He made me wait till the end of the service, then another 20 minutes, then brought a glass of ice to me. I knew this guy was a hostile *** and saw no point escalating, so I gently asked him if I could have water with no ice (which is what I asked for). He refused to leave until I took the glass of ice and forced me to sit with it until the scheduled trash pickup - refusing to just take the bloody ice back when he went to get the water. Really. Such tiny stuff - I've never seen anything like this in my life. And, for the sCO apologists here who think the PAX is at fault for everything - I really was calm and kind and pleasant, I saw no point in getting angry or being rude.
It seems they do exactly what they have to do, and nothing more, absolutely nothing more. It's almost like some kind of a work to rule protest is going on.
In addition to this, I notice that sCO FA's and also the new faces showing up at the check-in counters, all are at least half the age of sUA check-in agents and FAs. And, my impression is that they have had no training whatsoever, in how to do their jobs. It seems to me like it's all about money. Hire whoever they can get for cheap and throw them into the job with no investment in training or management oversight.
i haven't noticed this. In fact, the service I have gotten from exCO flights that I have been on is superior to the typical service I have received on UA flights both pre- and post-merger.
Perhaps it's just the luck of the draw, but I've had consistent PDB service, smiling flight attendants, more consistent / constant beverage service throughout international flights, and I also think the food has been better.
4. I fell asleep and missed the drink service. I walked to the FA about 10 rows behind me and kindly asked him for a glass of water with no ice. He flatly refused and said I'd have to wait for him to get back there later. I asked him what that meant, because I knew he was going in the opposite direction and wouldn't be "back there" within the next few hours. Then he said he'd bring water to me. He made me wait till the end of the service, then another 20 minutes, then brought a glass of ice to me. I knew that I was on the verge of being thrown into Guantanamo with this guy so I gently asked him if I could have water with no ice (which is what I asked for). He refused to leave until I took the glass of ice and forced me to sit with it until the scheduled trash pickup - refusing to just take the bloody ice back when he went to get the water.
Here is a tip. If you walk back to the galley, they will give you a drink. Really, they will.
Sounds like you happened upon a real juicebag, but please note that he was not the only FA on board.
Programs: Formerly over-entitled UA 1K, now under-entitled UA PP.
Posts: 2,977
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc Savage
Here is a tip. If you walk back to the galley, they will give you a drink. Really, they will.
Sounds like you happened upon a real juicebag, but please note that he was not the only FA on board.
On this flight, I felt as though such a request would have been refused, and that if I'd asked twice, they would have called in air marshals and shot me dead on the spot. That's honestly what it felt like to be on that aircraft.
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 417
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigbit
i haven't noticed this. In fact, the service I have gotten from exCO flights that I have been on is superior to the typical service I have received on UA flights both pre- and post-merger.
Perhaps it's just the luck of the draw, but I've had consistent PDB service, smiling flight attendants, more consistent / constant beverage service throughout international flights, and I also think the food has been better.
I'm just lucky, I guess??
I don't know if its luck, but I've has the same experience as you. I can tell right off the bat when its a CO crew -- I get an offer for a drink before I even get settled into my seat.
Programs: Formerly over-entitled UA 1K, now under-entitled UA PP.
Posts: 2,977
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerichohill
why did you not report this fa?
To whom? And, for what purpose? UA is one of the top 10 most "hated" companies in America, they have the highest complaint rate of any airline tracked by the DOT, and they respond to very serious issues with form letters, or not at all. What purpose could there possibly be for reporting a rude FA and is there anyone at UA who would care, even slightly?
The point of my post is that these seem to be the kinds of people they are hiring now. It's my impression that they want fresh, cheap labor, and they don't care about anything but cost. If I wrote this up, the person reading it would understand that this was the intended outcome of their current cost cutting strategy and just laugh at me for expecting someone to care.
Programs: AA PLT, COdbaUA 1K, Hertz Gold, National Executive, PriClb/SPG Gold, Accor PLT, Marriott/HHonors SLV
Posts: 1,688
I have to say that I largely agree with the OP. The well-documented, "this flight is operated by a Continental aircraft and crew" announcement and crew is usually a good indicator of service level. I, like several others above, have had good crews on CO. Without a doubt, however, this is more commonplace on pmUA aircraft, though, IME. Plus, while CO crews can be good, I've never had "outstanding, personalized service" like I often get on pmUA.
