kellytoronto

Everyone seems to have their hot issue, be it SWUs from Japan, fuel surcharges, or the superiority of UA MP to AE. I've been watching with dismay on my flights between YYZ-YUL as the number of cabin crew / flight crew / white collar AC employees has been climbing and climbing. Now, with the 14-seat J cabin on the A320-series planes, they are close to approaching a majority. To wit, on last night's AC425, I had flight attendants seated to my left, right, behind, and in front of me. In all, 6 of them out of the 14 seats. All of the J overhead space taken by the time I boarded, their coats taken before others, their beverage service offered before some of the (I assume) paying customers.

Does AC not hear any of the feedback on this? To say it's offensive is an understatement when their were almost certainly latitude-paying status customers stuck in the back. What really goes through the heads of these employees as they take spaces that would likely engender positive response from loyal high-paying passengers. Certainly it can't be the premium-ness of the front cabin - having employees up there only devalues it in a customer's eyes. If AC is serious about customer experience - they need to start running their business from a customer's viewpoint.












And what better way to start the day than a sensationalist post title?

brewster

That's nothing. Last year on a flight from YYC to YYZ with my significiant other and I were bumped into middle seats 6 rows apart and crew were assinged our seats which we had pre booked!

I guess we shouldn't have expected very much since we were both on tango fares ,but this was after PAY $15.00 for prebooking our seats. The gate agent/dragon, told us there was a change in AC, which was a total lie and issued us new seats with a simple "I'm sorry there are no seats together", she didn't even look up from the counter.

Onboard I explained my upset to the service manager, but got very little sympathy, and a stupid explination about the union contract.

omkhar

I was with ya 100% till you started making assumptions about the latitude customers in the back. You really don't have any proof that there were/weren't any in the back.

From previous threads, the only time an AC employee might trump an UPGRADED passenger is if the AC employee is a Pilot (4 stripes) that's dead heading. And from what I understand revenue J is never oversold, so its a moot point for revenue J passengers.

Other staff might have been op up'ed as a courtesy based on capacity.

kellytoronto

I have reasonable cause (in fact I'd bet money on it) given the dozens of times I have been that latitude-paying SE in the back while the front filled every spare space with crew.
Either upgrade the paying customers or leave the seats empty - don't fill them with crew and piss people off.

TMOliver

On the same grounds that the USAian public (and Congresscritters) reacted so vehemently and negatively to the automoguls traveling in company jets to Baghdad 'pon Potomac, the citizenry, especially the citizenry which pays to fly, is gravely offended by the mere sight of employees up front (or employees assigned anything but leftovers seats in the back). Aside from the Chairman and CEO (but not the COO or CFO who ought to be more concerned with selling seats for filthy lucre), the staff ought to understand that it's the short straw you draw when you're on the payroll and traveling.

On cruise ships, the role of senior officers dining with the passengers is for public relations purposes. Otherwises the crew, deck, snipes and pussers' gang, berth and eat below decks.

A middle seat back in Row 33 is a far better thing than a seat at the unemployment office, the likely result of all the perks and privileges built into some employment packages.

binkymontreal

When I asked about this type of situation to an agent, I was told "it's our right to be comfortable"

kellytoronto

No one is going to be justifiably annoyed if the seats go empty, but that "right to be comfortable" is the flashpoint. In fact, routine op-ups probably do devalue the J-cabin, so it's best not to do them at all.

1st Class Gekko

This happens all the time, especially on the rapid air flights where they fill J with FA's and 1st officers etc and say that the J cabin is full. I have found the best way to mitigate this is to try and U/G at the 7 and 4 day windows if you can. At the time of boarding a flight or just prior it comes down to a timing thing, if the G/A's have already moved the deadheading crews up to J and you come up to them to U/G you're probably out of luck to be granted your U/G.

At any rate on the rapid air routes I think AC should have a better policy in place during the rush hour periods for assigning J class seats to its own staff. At off peak times I have no problem fighting for J space with crew but at peak times it should all be about revenue first.

Stranger

I would rather take a more moderate stance on this.

First, we know that as per collective agreement, deadheading captains qualify for J class seating. So we can't argue with that.

Second, if the seats are going to go empty anyway, I don't see it as a problem if they get filled by employees.

Finally, however, employees should behave reasonably. Thinking in particular of luggage bins. I have seen a bunch of pilots in J filling all the bins before customers came on board, although that was a few years ago. That surely is not appropriate, but my impression has been that they are more careful nowadays.

YWGcanuck

The counter to this is that the employees could be ambassadors for the company.

I have flown UA in the past and a pilot was seated next to me (in the dreaded middle seat). He was friendly and we chatted for a portion of his flight. He was a tremendous representative for his airline and made a great impression on the pax around us. He said that his crew were all deadheading and he pointed out his co-pilot and some of the FA's - all seated in middles around us.

Colour me naive but I had loads of respect for them.

Stranger

That takes reasonably happy employees. Not sure if it would work at AC?

airbus320

I have a strange feeling of déja vu

kellytoronto

That's déjà vu. Just like the kind I get on every rapidair flight.

Vaclav

Yes, yes - and it does not bother me at all any more.

When on Rapidair, I try to get the lowest fare possible, get settled in whatever seat I get and block the rest of the cabin out. I do not need anything, not even a drink (I can go to MLL prior), I do not speak to anyone (unless my seatmate is able and willing to carrry an interesting conversation), just leave me alone.

willflyforfood

AC is whistling on their way to yet another bankruptcy, and yet they still can't find a way to extract more revenue or customer goodwill from their actual paying customers. I dream that the executive leadership team of AC reviews the labour agreements as they are being ushered out of the building by security. Maybe they should have stood up to the idiot unions that made irresponsible demands? Too late. I wonder if the FA's are happier to have had a short career, but flown in J every now and then, or would they rather have a longer stint, but sit in the back with most other passengers?
I can't think of any instance, other than a completely empty plane, where staff, any staff, should take a J seat ahead of a revenue passenger. Any revenue passenger. I don't care if you're on a Tango, AP ticket, Air Canada Vacation, or whatever, if a passenger has laid out any payment for a ticket, they should be moved up ahead of AC crew. You want to build loyalty and long-term devotion from your customers? Don't dis those paying customers by giving useless perks to employees, and then rubbing those customers' faces in it.
My two cents.