Horizon FA'S Lying to Passengers?
Oct 13, 2017, 9:19 pm
#61
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: AS MVPG; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 145
Flew PDX - SEA tonight, and got the new message about "no drinks due to turbulence." The FA came on at the end of the flight and apologized for "less turbulence than we expected. Wish you would have gotten you those drinks." Seemed forced and full of crap to me.
Oct 14, 2017, 7:03 am
#62
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Plat, AS MVPG, Bonvoy Plat/LT Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,260
So there it is, company policy now. I expect this will just roll upwards as time goes on. There's nothing in print that outlines exactly what is supposed to be provided so as newer FAs come on board and see they can take seats and read, muck with their phone, or chat with their pal in the galley for a trip, why not on a slightly longer route? And so on.
For clarity, this isn't new. I've heard it for years on this route, albeit with increasing frequency in the last year or two.
Oct 14, 2017, 9:16 am
#63
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 90
Similar to the on-time departure that suddenly flips to a delay once I check-in. Or as with my most recent experience the on-time departure that suddenly flips to a delay at the scheduled boarding time. Meanwhile I’m on flightaware and the inbound plane is still parked at the departing airport. I go to speak with Gate agent and FA and they dismiss me saying per Horizon operations our plane is in the air en route. So now I’m confused as to whether there is a swap. A couple of minutes prior to new departure time, they announce another delay. Turns out the plane still parked was my plane, and I disn’t get home until 3am. All Horizon had to do was be honest about the situation (Mechanical delay, plane still on the ground in Portland) and I would have booked a hotel at 10:45pm. Instead I worked Friday on 3 hours of sleep. Awesome job.
Oct 15, 2017, 12:15 am
#64
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Exactly. Or it will be that QX/OO E175's (or mainline AS on QX heavy routes) don't offer complimentary beer/wine so it'll be eliminated from the Q400 for service consistency.
Oct 15, 2017, 12:18 am
#65
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: WA State
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, Hilton Gold, Red Lion Gold
Posts: 176
It continues.
SEA GEG on Thursday. Seat 2D so I was right there. As boarding was almost done, the FA from the back came up front and asked the front FA "do you want to ask or should I?"
I'm pretty bold. And in the front row. I asked the front FA what it was about. She straight up said "she wanted to know who should ask the pilot if we can stay seated and not do service."
We had what was actually a fun visit after that, and the back FA DID ASK, I watched and heard, and the pilot said no. There was no turbulence expected.
We had service. And the front FA was fun and friendly. But the back made me mad as a passenger. She wanted a hall pass to do nothing but get paid. I'm glad the pilot said no.
I will I'll send this as a note to Customer Care.
SEA GEG on Thursday. Seat 2D so I was right there. As boarding was almost done, the FA from the back came up front and asked the front FA "do you want to ask or should I?"
I'm pretty bold. And in the front row. I asked the front FA what it was about. She straight up said "she wanted to know who should ask the pilot if we can stay seated and not do service."
We had what was actually a fun visit after that, and the back FA DID ASK, I watched and heard, and the pilot said no. There was no turbulence expected.
We had service. And the front FA was fun and friendly. But the back made me mad as a passenger. She wanted a hall pass to do nothing but get paid. I'm glad the pilot said no.
I will I'll send this as a note to Customer Care.
Oct 15, 2017, 10:28 am
#66
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
I have not flown horizon in quite a while. However years ago I recall one flight where the pilot announced before pulling back from the gate that everyone would be seated for the duration of the flight due to expected turbulence. There was absolutely none, the whole flight was completely calm. I was left wondering whether there hadn't been some sort of collusion between the pilot and flight attendants?
Oct 15, 2017, 11:27 am
#67
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,844
Oct 16, 2017, 7:03 am
#68
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: PDX
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 99
i haven't sat coach on AA LAX - LAS in quite some time, but up front they do the standard predeparture drinks, once in air, more drinks and a snack basket. I'm actually flying this in a few hours.
Oct 16, 2017, 9:35 am
#69
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: AS MVPG; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 145
Oct 16, 2017, 2:37 pm
#70
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,029
You’re missing the point. It’s the lack of honesty and effort that is ticking the majority of us off. Offer service, don’t offer service, just don’t lie about the reasons.
Similar to the on-time departure that suddenly flips to a delay once I check-in. Or as with my most recent experience the on-time departure that suddenly flips to a delay at the scheduled boarding time. Meanwhile I’m on flightaware and the inbound plane is still parked at the departing airport. I go to speak with Gate agent and FA and they dismiss me saying per Horizon operations our plane is in the air en route. So now I’m confused as to whether there is a swap. A couple of minutes prior to new departure time, they announce another delay. Turns out the plane still parked was my plane, and I disn’t get home until 3am. All Horizon had to do was be honest about the situation (Mechanical delay, plane still on the ground in Portland) and I would have booked a hotel at 10:45pm. Instead I worked Friday on 3 hours of sleep. Awesome job.
Similar to the on-time departure that suddenly flips to a delay once I check-in. Or as with my most recent experience the on-time departure that suddenly flips to a delay at the scheduled boarding time. Meanwhile I’m on flightaware and the inbound plane is still parked at the departing airport. I go to speak with Gate agent and FA and they dismiss me saying per Horizon operations our plane is in the air en route. So now I’m confused as to whether there is a swap. A couple of minutes prior to new departure time, they announce another delay. Turns out the plane still parked was my plane, and I disn’t get home until 3am. All Horizon had to do was be honest about the situation (Mechanical delay, plane still on the ground in Portland) and I would have booked a hotel at 10:45pm. Instead I worked Friday on 3 hours of sleep. Awesome job.
Oct 16, 2017, 7:29 pm
#71
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SEA, NW/DL 1.6Million Miler
Programs: DL 1MM Annual Silver,AS 100K 22-24, AS 75K 15-21
Posts: 4,277
Sounds like AS/VX could resolve this by offering sacked goodies consisting of small drink and snack during boarding. Featured brew/wine alcohol, sadly, will suffer the cut, except on a longer flight, or on a short flight where F cabin is available.
Jiburi
Jiburi
Oct 17, 2017, 5:36 pm
#73
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
During the 50 minute in-air flight the beverage cart made a pass offering coffee or a selection of juices.
In conversation with the FA prior to departure I mentioned that we had just achieved 75K. During service she asked if we would like wine or beer and happily opened a celebratory bottle of PNW microbrew to enjoy with our chocolate bar.
We had an awesone time on all our flights and more than one FA that exceeded expectations.
Oct 17, 2017, 5:46 pm
#74
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New York
Posts: 7,341
Another no service EUG-PDX in clear skies. FA did have time to hawk the credit cards and pass out applications. It was the birthday for one of the FA's and the captain led the cabin over the PA in a round of Happy Birthday. Her dad flew down to meet and ride back on her flight wearing an inflatable Alaska Airlines balloon hat. It was very nice and homey, but given the decline in service reinforced the message that we're self loading cargo and the flights are operated for the benefit of Horizon employees.
Carfield
Oct 17, 2017, 5:52 pm
#75
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Already did.
Speaking of which, I wonder if it's like many employee referral programs where there's either an incentive/commission for the employee or a performance quota for a minimum number of sales.
Heard back from AlaskaListens on my comments about no water service but hawking credit card apps on EUG-PDX:
[...]Due to safety reasons we have discontinued our water service on some of our shortest routes. We have found through customer feedback that our water service was not offered on a consistent basis because of the possibility of turbulence. If a flight doesn’t offer a beverage service, our flight attendants should not be offering the VISA applications.[...]