FA with Bluetooth Earpiece
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CHI - LIS
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 453
FA with Bluetooth Earpiece
Hi there,
I'm a Chicago-based United flyer, but US Airways (and PSA) was the best way to travel to some small places in Alabama and Florida I just visited.
When boarding my first flight home from VPS to CLT last week, the flight attendant was wearing a bluetooth earpiece. I was totally shocked to see that, since I don't ever recall seeing a member of the flight crew on any other airline wearing a cell phone accessory attached to his or her head while on duty. Was he seriously going to place or take a call during boarding? He took it off shortly after the door closed, but still this strikes me as incredibly unprofessional behavior for a representative of the airline.
I've flown intermittently on US Airways over the past several years and have noticed that a lot of the front line employees I've dealt with seem a half a notch or so below most other US carriers in terms of professionalism, presentation, and, to put it bluntly, class. Something frequently seems a little "off" with the people I've come in contact with on US Airways, at least compared to United and Continental (and obviously also the European and Asian Star Alliance carriers), where I do most of my flying.
Is it just me, or has anyone else ever felt similarly?
I'm a Chicago-based United flyer, but US Airways (and PSA) was the best way to travel to some small places in Alabama and Florida I just visited.
When boarding my first flight home from VPS to CLT last week, the flight attendant was wearing a bluetooth earpiece. I was totally shocked to see that, since I don't ever recall seeing a member of the flight crew on any other airline wearing a cell phone accessory attached to his or her head while on duty. Was he seriously going to place or take a call during boarding? He took it off shortly after the door closed, but still this strikes me as incredibly unprofessional behavior for a representative of the airline.
I've flown intermittently on US Airways over the past several years and have noticed that a lot of the front line employees I've dealt with seem a half a notch or so below most other US carriers in terms of professionalism, presentation, and, to put it bluntly, class. Something frequently seems a little "off" with the people I've come in contact with on US Airways, at least compared to United and Continental (and obviously also the European and Asian Star Alliance carriers), where I do most of my flying.
Is it just me, or has anyone else ever felt similarly?
#2
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
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#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
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Posts: 31,004
I wouldn't assign the characteristics of this one person to an entire employee class. Each airline has their good and bad, but I don't find US to be materially different from other domestic carriers (Southwest excepted - not better or worse, just different).
btw, I've always wanted to make up business cards with the following and hand them out, courtesy of Wired magazine
He can barely pull it off and you are not him.
Don't be a BlueTool
btw, I've always wanted to make up business cards with the following and hand them out, courtesy of Wired magazine
He can barely pull it off and you are not him.
Don't be a BlueTool
#5
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: The views I express here are not necessarily supported by any airline or codeshare partners, nor do I represent their views and/or opinions. They are my own OPINIONS dont like them dont read them.....
Posts: 1,462
Just like all the other threads about employees this one is no different. Do you know why he had it in? Maybe waiting on a call from scheduling to make sure hes working the flight as a stand in? Maybe he forgot it was in? Maybe something happened at home and he needs to to know something? So many reasons it could be..... Just like passengers forgetting to turn theirs off or not wanting to comply with the rules.....
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: The views I express here are not necessarily supported by any airline or codeshare partners, nor do I represent their views and/or opinions. They are my own OPINIONS dont like them dont read them.....
Posts: 1,615
Petty post. There are much bigger fish to fry in the world.
#8
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: Marriott, United
Posts: 71
Sheesh. I suppose if the FA had forgotten his/her sunglasses were slid up on top of their head, it'd be a low class thing too. FA probably had the Bluetooth on between flights and just forgot about it. I'd rank this up there with a FA not realizing their fly was down (as long as nothing was popping out).
#10
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: The views I express here are not necessarily supported by any airline or codeshare partners, nor do I represent their views and/or opinions. They are my own OPINIONS dont like them dont read them.....
Posts: 1,462
#11
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ONT
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Posts: 2,159
Maybe it was a hearing amplifier as seen on TV.
http://www.drleonards.com/health-pro...c-xl/13516.cfm
http://www.drleonards.com/health-pro...c-xl/13516.cfm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: ILM
Programs: US DM Preferred nothing
Posts: 55
Generally, you will find that the East based crew members take customer service much less seriously than the West based crew members. At least that has been my experience. It all goes back to the US / AW merger.
#13
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 755
In fairness, I haven't been exposed to the west side of the operation, but for the most part the east crews are cordial and professional. There will be lemons in any group larger than 1, but painting the majority of the operation as unprofessional strikes me as an unfair generalization. Even more so when the management team from west is in charge, and ultimately managment is responsible for the whole organization - their authority doesn't stop at the mississipi river.
#14
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Yes it has been seven years, and still there are seperations before east and west. Untiil the contract issue are hammered out, there will be problems. Since you haven't really flown with much west crew, I can tell you first hand there is a big difference between the two.
Well. given that it's been almost 7 years, one would figure that the "superior" west training would have made its way across the rockies by now
In fairness, I haven't been exposed to the west side of the operation, but for the most part the east crews are cordial and professional. There will be lemons in any group larger than 1, but painting the majority of the operation as unprofessional strikes me as an unfair generalization. Even more so when the management team from west is in charge, and ultimately managment is responsible for the whole organization - their authority doesn't stop at the mississipi river.
In fairness, I haven't been exposed to the west side of the operation, but for the most part the east crews are cordial and professional. There will be lemons in any group larger than 1, but painting the majority of the operation as unprofessional strikes me as an unfair generalization. Even more so when the management team from west is in charge, and ultimately managment is responsible for the whole organization - their authority doesn't stop at the mississipi river.
#15
Join Date: Apr 2008
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