I really miss the e90s already now that they've been yanked from Yow in favour of A320 and less flights (eg one YOW-YEG vs two all year).

I too noticed the absence of a FA in J for about an hour after meal service, then a FA break. Doesn't always happen but often does.

Having the SD "hovering" for 9 may not be a "fair distribution" of the workload, but those 9 people are paying for better service. When the SD disappears into the back for an hour, it's not "worse" service, it's NO service.

And they used to allow for two to three drinks.

So I had the opportunity of having a passionate discussion about this 1:50 change with a few FTers

It wasn't clear to me until it was said to me.

When it was 1:40 on the E90, it was 1 in J, 2 in Y. When it become 1:50, it really become 1 in J, then 2 in Y after the meals/drinks are served up front. (so loss of the J FA during Y service)

So what did the 1:50 accomplish? Easy, the FA that was in J was axed.

So the SOP from what I can tell on a E90 is this.

1 in J, serves food/drinks, then goes to Y, finished BOB and then goes back to J.

From the time the FA is done serving in J and goes to Y, that entire time the SD/J FA is non existent. One notices this not only on a PLH but on a rapidair route.

The change is very obvious. From my Rapidair E90 routes to my PLH routes YYZ YEG, this change is huge.

I talked to Ben Smith about this a few months ago, he's adamant they can get to LH service levels and he believes that people will get better service despite the change.

Really?

Non-Existent? I respectfully disagree with this. There is no question that 3 can do it better than 2, however we've been mandated to work differently on this aircraft. During the course of service while in Y/C, it's not uncommon to return to the forward galley a dozen times to replenish beverages, coffee tea, water, etc. In doing so, I survey the J Cabin and observe whether drinks are in need of replenishment, dishware/glasses need to be picked up, etc. There is no question that the SD is much less idle on this aircraft than before, and one has to work diligently.

Thanks, we actually talked about you yesterday

This is where a few of our experiences differ from what you wrote. There was a SD on a YQR YYZ flight which did what you posted, but it's a datapoint that isn't normal for us.

1) J service, Y BOB, and then back to J about oh I dunno, 3-4 times to keep the J passengers served.

The issue though is that it's not what we're seeing. The majority of mine (and other FTers on here)'s experience is a complete abandonment of the J cabin after the meals and drinks are served once. The SD goes back to Y after the initial meals/drinks are served and disappears until BOB is done, which from what was told to me is SOP. (obviously I will divert to your info on what is SOP).

Nonetheless, this is overwhelming what i'm seeing, and I spend a lot of time on E90s. Last night the discussion that was had was the different experiences that we as pax get versus what is shared by you when it comes to what you do onboard. FWIW, and you know as well as others that i'm an AC lover, but in this case there is a material change based on service received because of this 1:50 service. SD's simply are, for the most part, ignoring the J cabin, and so this 1:50 change impacts who? J pax (the most)

Diligent SD's are noticed and I do write in about them, especially on a E90, but it appears to me (respectfully of course) that the majority of SD's abandon J after the initial service and go to Y.

I know i'm a dick for picking on this, but let's say YOW YYZ, it's even more apparent because like Cow says, there isn't enough time for the SD to replenish say drinks after the first round. On a SEA YYZ it's less apparent because the flight is longer but Ben and I had the discussions where he didn't think there would be a change in the quality of service received, and I respectfully (privately) and now in public would say I disagree.

I can't dispute anything that you're saying, other to say that some of us are able to multi-task a little better than others. Funny you should mention YOW & SEA as they are 2 flights that I've operated on this aircraft. Frankly, despite the time constraints, I found SEA far more taxing because of the amount of back and forth required and the level of BOB sales on this particular route. Most Customers - J and Y expect a very basic level of service on the YYZ-YOW run which often is a mere 37 minutes in the air.

Of course, and I as well as many FTers would say that you're a much better SD than others that we see/encounter.

Are you able to share what the SOP is on a E90 after this 1:50 change? Is there policy that says what a SD should do after the initial meal/drink plop in J?

I'm not sure if you can share, but I think many of us would like to know.

WRT your comment, yes, I do expect a very basic level of service, say on YYZ YOW, but, at least for me anyways, I've noticed a big drop in service in J. I'll live with it, but then again, I'm not the person buying J, I'm eupping, but if I were dropping $x to sit up front, I mean...i'd be pretty annoyed...

And now I feel like the 1% being a moron, sorry.

The SD is an integral part of the service in Y. The lone F/A is not expected to oversee the comfort and service for 88 passengers. As mentioned, the SD will be required to return to the galley a dozen times on a typical flight and in doing so, observes and attends to the needs of J.

And I totally agree with you. Let me put it this way.

Because there's now 2 FA's on a E90, it makes 150% sense that the SD will now have to help out in Y during BOB. I think it would be completely ludicrous and inappropriate to say that the SD should remain in J. (like say, on a A320 with 3 FA's, one being a SD).

I think the opportunity for an improvement would be this: The SD serves J, plonks down a meal and drinks, goes to Y to help out with BOB, and then returns on J every so often to keep the J cabin....served. I mean, to be fair, it's what you do, and if it was done consistently, at the very least I'd be fine with it. What is currently done is not that, and I don't complain for the purpose of being a troll, I do so to try and provide feedback, and I guess my $0.01 CDN cent would be....other than checking my thighs for my phone underneath it, that this would go a long way I think there is a happy balance for 2 FA's on a E90, I really do.

Some of my most memorable flights were on YYZ YQR, and SEA YYZ and on those flights, the SD, like you, found a great balance. This isn't a [expletive] fest, but just something I really hope gets more consistent across the board (wrt service on a E90). I hope you take no offense to my comments, because none was intended.

I have had no issues with service levels received on Embraer a/c
I have had 6 segments to date in 2015 and levels of J service were fine.
I am completely satisfied with one or two drinks on a flight of 1 to 4 hours.

So the question one has to ask, which is the subject of this thread, has there been a drop in service levels on your E90 flights after the 1:50 change?

If not, that's a perfectly valid datapoint IMHO.

My experience - YOW/YYZ (or back) - definitely - but its a short flight (though it does have me paying attention to aircraft when I know I'm going to upgrade - now actively avoiding E90 on that route unless I'm in Y)

Every other E90 route I've flown - no, I have not experienced an impact on service levels.

To clarify, I have not noticed any difference or drop in service levels on my E90 flights after the 1:50 change

What you do is not something I've seen though.

If the SDs were always coming around and topping up our drinks, this thread wouldn't exist.

Well there are three service levels that matter to me:
1. What I expect
2. What I received with 1:40
3. What I receive with 1:50

2 and 3 are different. 2 was more than 1. 3 is less than 1.

Even the 320 is noticeably different. We've had this discussion before, and you say you can serve all 14 meals very quickly, but my experience in my favourite seat of 1D is that I'm always done eating before all the meals are out. I've had the SD forget to bring me my food because their workload was much higher. I've finished my drink right before the main comes out, and then I have to wait 15 minutes to get something to wash the food down with, because the SD is clearing appetizers and serving the main.

See this is where we're very different. So far in the past 2 hours I've had about a liter of water. That's maybe four glasses on an AC flight, right?

So I'd want 8 glasses on a 4 hour flight. I don't think one drink per 30 minutes is too much to ask for in J. But when there's no FA for an hour, it becomes noticeable.

Luckily, I have no frequent routes where an E90 is a problem (the only ones would be Rapidair, but I can just go an hour earlier or later, and it's such a short flight), so I've only had a few EYW trips on an E90 in J.

But the 320s are worse too.

ok, maybe I am just lucky? But I have taken E90 flights in the last 2 months (any MANY of them) from YVR - YYC and back, YVR - YEG and back, YUL - YYC and back, YOW - YYC and back and never once noticed a difference in service.