Originally Posted by
Gaucho100K
Its the soft product, stupid !!!!
My recent EZE-DFW flight in Flagship Business got me thinking about how little things that dont cost significant $$$ make a huge difference. American is investing relevant amounts of capital on improving the hard product, but it is super clear that staff morale is at an all time low. When Pursers with 39 years of flying make basic service mistakes it is clear something needs to be done about motivating staff and getting interests aligned in the same direction. Yes, getting FA's a decent new contract is part of this, but money alone doesnt get a service company where it needs to be to compete and thrive.... its like geopolitics and "soft power", a cultural change isnt achieved by only throwing money at issues, its a lot more elaborate than that. Of the big three american carriers, AA seems to me is having the most problems with the average FA's quality of service.... and without a serious improvement in its soft product, all that capital's ROI is hugely diminished.
I would take American back to the days when they were a world leader and not an also ran. I am mostly interested in the service aboard and the quality of that service. I would pay the FAs from the time that they checked in for their flights. Thus all the crew would be properly remunerated and do the services on the ground such PDBs. They should be paid above the industry average in order to attract and keep the best. I would set up an on-board "management" where the lead Flight Attendant could tell the others what to do if needs be. It would not be all the Seniors getting the plum flights which earn lots but would, preferences taken into account where possible, be a crew with mixed seniorities. I know that is not the American way but it would mean that service aboard would be overseen so that this going behind curtains to play Candy Crush would stop. These are the people who are the public face of AA. I would stop all this removal of crew to minimum levels - and I would throw out all this credit card nonsense. The meals in F need an upgrade and the bar needs replenishing! I would seek to make American an airline that people enjoy flying It used to be so until the penny pinching and bean counting took precedent.
It might bankrupt the airline and cause a major strike but you did ask what I would change. not whether it was feasible or not.