AAerSTL

Just got off a four hour mid-com USAIR flight and scolded for ringing the flight attendant call button. The #1 F/A was terrible, did not offer pre-departures, didn't offer to hang jackets, and barely went through the motions for the meal service. About 60 minutes into the flight the service concluded and all three crew members rushed to the aft galley for gossip and magazine time.

No one was attending the forward cabin all this time. I was seated in a widow seat so to me this seems reasonable. Yes this a US carrier, (USAIR no less) so I'm not expecting polished service but they should at least be present and periodically check with passengers.

Ring call button no response. Wait nearly five minutes and no one appears. Ring the button again and F/A finally appears. She confronts me saying this is for "emergency use only" and if I need another drink I should either wait for the second service or come find a F/A. I ask the F/A where the policy is written that it is indeed for emergency use only, and if she can direct me to US Airways magazine or other company furnished directive indicating such. I told her I am well traveled, flown 50+ carriers around the world and never heard such a thing. Yes I get that disgruntled crew members don't like providing onboard service but this is unacceptable. I'm planning to right into Hector Adler along with my feedback on the pitiful "meals" they are now serving.

skunker

USAir hasn't existed for almost 20 years.

But, the line about emergency use only is a bunch of bull.

AAerSTL

US Air(ways) whatever, at any rate you and everyone else know what I am referring to. Plenty of LAA people call it "USAIR".

I had a horrid experience to TLV last summer in Envoy and this flight was equally disappointing. US Air(ways) cabin crew don't seem interested in providing any level of customer service. Leadership starts from the top and I guess after being conditioned by management that passengers only care about arriving at their destination on-time and with their luggage this is what we get.

Doc Savage

What do you expect from USAir? All the flights I've been forced to take with them over the last 10 years have been clusterflogs. And now, they'll be infecting AA with their lousy service.

It's a race to the bottom for domestic airlines.

phlwookie

You should expect decent service regardless of carrier. Conversely, the worst flights I've had this year have all been in AA F - regardless of which carrier we fly, with a large employee base of service employees, there will be bad apples.

AAerSTL if the service was poor enough to post here, please report it to Customer Service. I do whenever I have a poor experience - and I also do when I have a really good experience. Whether the long term impact is material or not is hard to determine, but it's all but guaranteed to not get fixed without a report.

(Edit to add: As I see you're EXP, I would start with the EXP desk and let them toss it over to the US side. I route complaints and kudos to the Chairman's line on the US side as they tend to be more aggressive in fixing things.)

lizs

Please report to customer service. On US it is the norm to get a PDB and in F I find the FA's typically come around at least once an hour, some far more, to check on drinks after meal service.

I'm sorry your experience was not good but I can tell you that it's not normal on US. I've actually found drink service significantly better on US than AA in F, surprisingly.

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Dear AAerSTL

Want to complain? Ok. But I'm in your city frequently and can tell you stories about STL based AA employees who have no concept of on time performance or timely luggage delivery. Guess these aren't metrics for the "premium" service provided by pmAA.

GNRMatt

The FA was clearly wrong on both the use of the call button and not being attentive enough to the passengers that there was a need to use the call button. The call button is most certainly not just for emergencies. It is there in case you need to speak to an FA for any reason. I know there are FA's that feel differently, but there is absolutely no published policy that the button is to be used only for emergencies on any airline's website or other customer information portals.

When it comes to first class, it is reasonable to expect that for the majority of the flight that there is an FA available to be able to provide drinks. I know on the many US flights I have flown, for the majority, that is the case. However, I'd say in maybe 10-20% of the flights, there is a bad FA at the front of the cabin who doesn't do their job correctly. When this is the case, you should definitely write in to let the company know. I'm also explicit that I do not want compensation when this happens, but for the company to take proper steps to rectify the issue for future flights. I usually get the typical response saying they'll forward the information to the proper people to allow for re-training. I don't know if that actually happens or not, but I know it is the only way things will ever get better with the bad apples out there.

apeortdz

I hope you didn't give her an A&B certificate but rather a B&A for Below and Abysmal.

dml105

What cabin were you in? Were you in main cabin?

BSBD

And this is relevant because.....????

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Relevant because OP indicates poor service on US is due to poor management. OP's beloved AA offers worse service.

BSBD

Oh, I see. Well, as long as we're going to stretch reality until it breaks, I'll offer you this:

Two wrongs don't make a right. They make the New American Airlines

fordan

I have recently heard a FA during an announcement refer to it as the "emergency bell" which is a pretty blatant attempt to get people to not use it. If I was scolded for pressing it and told it was for "emergency use only" I'd a) ask "what, this button with a picture of someone holding a tray is for emergencies?" and b) get their info and contact customer service so either they or I could be reeducated about the proper use of it.

Of course, I can't remember the last time I actually used the button; I usually get an aisle seat so if I'm in first I'll walk up and find the FA if I need them or if in coach I take what they give when they give it.

AAerSTL

Been gone from STL since 2008 but agree the baggage handling is atrocious and always has been across carriers at Lambert. I've also lately had poor experiences with the counter and gate staff, however the Admirals a Club staff is always very nice.