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US Airways Flight Attendant would not tell me where flight crew stayed near Airport!

US Airways Flight Attendant would not tell me where flight crew stayed near Airport!

 
Old Jan 22, 2009, 10:21 am
  #31  
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Originally Posted by mike_one2many
<SNIP> But, I though they were supposed to be able to provide you with some sort of an employee number, so you can positively identify them?
I think if you press a FA for their employee #, you’ll probably get something like 90210, 2816969, 867-5309 etc.

All they’re required to give you is a first name.
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 10:50 am
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by N965VJ
I think if you press a FA for their employee #, youll probably get something like 90210, 2816969, 867-5309 etc.

All theyre required to give you is a first name.
My understanding is that if you wanted to compliment them or complain to US about them all you really need is the flight number and date as well as where they worked. I guess the 1st name would make it easier but is not necessary.

For example, the male FA in F on flight 734 on 1/20 did a remarkable job...would be enough for US to identify him.
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 10:53 am
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
Agreed. I've jumped on hotel shuttles and there's the crew from my inbound flight. Nothing like the cold and icy stares that causes.

The funniest over-reaction in recent memory? During the recent BOM terror attacks/massacre when someone online pointed out that airline crews stay at one of the notable hotels under attack. Immediately, indignant posts appeared chastizing the OP for revealing the crew hotel.
I'm trying to figure out why flight crews think that they are such a security risk. Fact is, when terrorists want to attack an airplane, it's not the flight crew in particular whom the terrorists are targeting. The point is to take out the plane and everyone in it, resulting not only in a massive tragedy by killing many people but also scaring (terrorizing) people who were not even on the flight.

That said, perhaps the fear is that a terrorist will follow a flight crew into a hotel and get his hands on a uniform and ID. But if that were really a concern, why would flight crews take an ordinary hotel shuttle while still wearing their uniforms?
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 10:55 am
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by N965VJ
I think if you press a FA for their employee #, youll probably get something like 90210, 2816969, 867-5309 etc.

867-5309!!!!! Great reference. ^ ^
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 11:00 am
  #35  
 
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Originally Posted by tommyleo
I'm trying to figure out why flight crews think that they are such a security risk. Fact is, when terrorists want to attack an airplane, it's not the flight crew in particular whom the terrorists are targeting. The point is to take out the plane and everyone in it, resulting not only in a massive tragedy by killing many people but also scaring (terrorizing) people who were not even on the flight.

That said, perhaps the fear is that a terrorist will follow a flight crew into a hotel and get his hands on a uniform and ID. But if that were really a concern, why would flight crews take an ordinary hotel shuttle while still wearing their uniforms?
Perhaps I'm wrong but I've always interpreted the "security" issue as something to protect themselves from crazy people/stalkers not the plane from terrorists. Just like you wouldn't tell a stranger where you live. Maybe I'm not understanding it right though?
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 11:49 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by N965VJ
I think if you press a FA for their employee #, youll probably get something like 90210, 2816969, 867-5309 etc.

All theyre required to give you is a first name.
I don't completely buy that. There is no way to positively track a complaint or an issue (or a "thank you" for that matter) to a specific employee?! I suppose with a FA, there's always a way to identify him or her by the first name and the flight number/date. But with a GA or another CSR there must be a way to track back to a specific person.

Otherwise, "Sir, we have 22 Joe's working in this department. How am I supposed to know which Joe promised to upgrade your every trip?!"
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 12:33 pm
  #37  
 
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I don't think f/a's are worried about terrorists locating them at a hotel. As someone else said earlier, it's more the wackos and stalkers they worry about. There have been instances in the past where f/a's were tracked down by passengers, but I think they're pretty rare. Rare or not, all you need is to hear a couple of the stories and you would become tight lipped too. I have a friend that was almost beaten to death several years ago in a hotel from someone that had asked her where they stayed. There was also another case where someone asked the f/a's what hotel they stayed at in a certain city; they weren't stalking anyone on that crew, but they were after someone that was going to overnight there a couple of nights later. Less dangerous and more annoying are the ones that do find out your first name and your hotel and then call you all night, either as a joke or being malicious. That being said, there are tactful ways for not telling someone our accommodations. I will usually say very vaguely that I think we stay some place near the airport but I can't remember what hotel, or I think we've changed hotels and I'm not really sure where we stay. There's no reason to be rude about it, I think a high percentage of the people that ask are completely innocent.
As far as complaints go, if you don't have a f/a's name then I would suggest writing down the flight number, the date and a brief description of the f/a. If you were talking about me you could simply say "the drop dead gorgeous bombshell" and they would immediately know you were talking about Galley Wench. Just kidding...By looking at a trip pairing the company has no way or knowing where a particular f/a worked, we change positions all the time.
Put yourself in the f/a's shoes for a minute. If a stranger sitting next to you asked specifically where you were staying that night would you tell them? Some might say yes of course, while others might be more cautious. F/a's basically feel the same way, some will tell and others won't.
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 3:24 pm
  #38  
 
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To the OP...

YES YOU WERE DEFINITELY WAY OUT OF LINE...

As a former Crew Member, if someone asked I would just go Hilton, Sheraton, or Motel 8
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 3:32 pm
  #39  
 
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It would be interesting to read some of those stories Galleywench if you don't mind sharing. I think there are a lot of people who have a "fetish" for flight attendant's more than other careers since they perceive it as being so glamorous and sexy Yeah, the era of the glamorous F/A ended about 25 years ago. I really don't know why people do but that's the way it seems considering how many creepers have posted candid and "up skirt" pictures and videos of F/As. I even read somewhere that some F/As change in and out of uniform before they leave the airport. Someone posted a picture on flickr of them following an F/A home it seemed like. The male F/As understandably don't care since I was on a flight to HNL where one of the male F/As announced to the cabin that he was in a competition at some bar.
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 7:07 pm
  #40  
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Originally Posted by Brand_new_traveler
Maybe she thought I was going to stalk her and the rest of the crew at their hotel. Was my question out of line?
Yes, out of line.

Also, I would not count on US putting its FAs in good hotels
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 9:12 pm
  #41  
 
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Originally Posted by tommyleo
That said, perhaps the fear is that a terrorist will follow a flight crew into a hotel and get his hands on a uniform and ID.
That is the reason why the airline's don't want the information given out. ID's, uniforms and flight manuals. At my airline, we are specifically instructed not to throw away the replaced manual pages in our hotel room trash can when we do manual revisions at our hotels. We are suppose to bring those back to the airport and throw them away in the trash cans in the operations area.

FWIW, there have been a number of instances where uniforms and IDs have been stolen from hotel rooms while flight crews were out at dinner, working out, etc. Such incidents are discussed in our recurrent security training and the specific information about them are distributed to the various airlines when it occurs.
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Old Jan 22, 2009, 10:41 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by GalleyWench
. If you were talking about me you could simply say "the drop dead gorgeous bombshell" and they would immediately know you were talking about Galley Wench. .
She speaks the truth
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Old Jan 23, 2009, 12:12 am
  #43  
 
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For what it is worth, I sympathize with the OP. I can understand being tired, and just wanting a decent hotel. That said, I think the question was inappropriate. Better would be to go to the hotel shuttle area, and hop the first brand you like. Also, near the baggage area, there is (in most large airports at least) a bank of phones that connect automatically with hotels in the area. So the question itself just sound odd. I'm not flight crew, but asked the same question by a stranger, I think my answer would have been the same, abet phrased less rudely.

I think in this case security was less terrorism and more personal -- who is this stalker -- was probably going through the person's mind.

As to complaints/affirmations, I'm sure that if US knows the first name and position (FA, Capt, etc) they know who was on the flight. Same for gate agent -- someone has to sign onto the computer to work the flight, open the door, etc.

As to "names" -- look at the badge the gate agent has. 75% of the time you can read the name.

Dave
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Old Jan 23, 2009, 6:42 am
  #44  
 
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To the OP...

I can guarantee you this the FA in question probably wrote to Corporate Security regarding your question if the FA was by the book.
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Old Jan 23, 2009, 7:08 am
  #45  
 
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I understand not giving out accomodations and it sounds like the OP asked an innocent question in a somewhat threatening manner. From his story, I think the FA could've dealt with a paying customer in a much more way. I've had FA's voluntarily tell me where they stay, but maybe that's because I'm a young looking guy and they were interested

I do have a problem with employees not out their name or Employee ID. To me this is completely unprofessional. If you are a professional at anything you stand by your product and your work. Part of standing by your work is taking ownership of it which means identifying yourself as the owner of your work. Refusing to do so by not giving out identifying information seems to be the antithesis of professional accountability. IMO a successful organization would make it policy that all workers have some safe way to identify themselves to customers so that they can be complimented, or complained about for their work product.

Sean
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