I'm not looking for an open bar PDB, so I'm happy with the current PDB policy when it's followed.

I did experience excellent service on two SkyWest trips this week. On both flights, the FA, took drink orders and meal preferences before the door closed. My drink was delivered very promptly both times, and on the second flight, she served it within a minute of passing through 10K feet. I think it was the fastest that I've ever been served a drink in-flight.

She also offered both the F&C plate and whatever the other Y option was to F pax as a no-charge option.

OO 3425 DAL-SAN this morning.

FA preemptively made Mimosas and offered to all of first class. No one asked for something else.

Today, AS 760 SAN-MCO

First FA Tiffany seems cheerful and happy to be flying to Orlando. Full PDB service... water, coffee, OJ, Mimosas.

Mimosas went quick.

No PDB on SJC-SEA last night (7:50pm departure). We were even a bit delayed at the gate.
The FA did take drink orders on the ground for service in the air.
However, FA's did an excellent job keeping my drink filled once we were in the air. Definitely no complaints there.

SLC - PDX
 

Freezing cold while boarding. Offer of sparking wine, OJ, and coffee.

First officer welcome at the front of cabin with wind and weather information.

nice job Skywest.

Alaska 3307

A disturbing new trend...

While I've had it happen occasionally before, the last few data points suggest a new commonality (at least for me).

These aren't pmAS or pmVX crews, but all new hires (within the last year, that I've experienced) like to take your drink order either upon boarding or upon coming up to your seat pre-takeoff while explaining that your order will be promptly delivered once service begins in-flight.

These directives have all been delivered usually when we're boarding at T-40 and departing 5 to 10 minutes early, with no catering delays or late inbound aircraft.

Yes, I've submitted flt. info. and F/A info. on each of these instances.

Even though it seems like we've all dealt with these consistent inconsistencies for a very long time now, I'm never going to stop reporting them.

Inflight Management must grow weary of me by now. At least I hope so.

Im confused - is what you're saying is that they take your drink order prior to take-off (that's good) but don't offer the prescribed PDB at any point (that's bad)? If that's the case, then that's really unfortunate, especially if you know that they're new FA's. They have been properly trained on the PDB during their initial training. Nevertheless, it's good that you continue to report when the service is not offered as it's supposed to be.

Never offered the prescribed PDB, but with different approaches, and all with normal boarding procedures/times:

I've boarded towards the end of the process (T-22, today) and had my boarding pass in hand and said hello, I'm right here in 2A and would love a glass of sparkling only to be told that they'll be serving beverages once we've taken off. I've also boarded when F is initially boarding (T-40), been seated and then asked what I would like to drink once airborne (while we've sat on the ground for another 30 minutes).

In both instances on this last trip (and 3 others within the last 6 weeks), and through polite conversation, it's been ascertained that these are all new (several within 6 months, others within the last year) hires to Alaska Airlines.

That's the ol' Pre-Departure Beverage Order Only (for a drink to be served sometime after reaching 10K feet).

For Halloween, that service may be abbreviated to pd-BOO!

:)

Well, my experience has been different albeit it slightly. The trend I have been seeing this past year is that PDB is really hit or miss on the west coast routes; more so on AS mainline as opposed to Horizon. However, pretty much all my trans-cons or Hawaii trips from SEA or PDX had a PDB service; in the last two weeks SEA-HNL and PDX-OGG had a very pleasant PDB service both going and coming back. Looking back over the past years I have come to believe (and I might be wrong) that when you have crews that are doing "milk runs" up and down west coast, they have a tendency to forgo this service.

I’ve experienced this same phenomenon too. I do find a lot of FA’s on flights to Hawaii and routes like EWR are more senior...perhaps that’s why.

11/1 AS 11 EWR to SEA
Departure at 4:30 PM. Water at seats, no PDB offered

Hopefully just a one-off (Rogue) Water bottle tray service...
 

10/29/19 SEA-LAX

I hope this isn’t a new trend (or new standard):

Arrive to board with Group 1 Boarding just about to finish. Upon entry into cabin, I noted FAs standing and greeting some passengers. Seated F passengers have no water bottles at seats or PDB. No PDB offered during my presence. Flight departs.

30 mins after 10K “chime”, an assistant to F FA, comes around with a tray of water bottles and offers it as a beverage to all. I decline, and request a glass of water with ice and lemon. The FA tries not to give a roll-eyes look, goes and gets my request handled, then continues the “new water bottle service”. Other passengers request “other beverages”, which are handled one by one. This service takes 15 minutes.

The amount and variety of inconsistencies in service are quite annoying IMO.

I won’t say much about meal service, as that’s another topic, but 90+ mins to commence it.

Is this a rogue experience, or have any of you had this happen ?

Please write this up. PLEASE.....

Transcons aren't a guarantee either in my experience. I wasn't in first class on my BOS-LAX flight last night but I was in row 6 so I saw everything—it looked like they did the "I'll take your drink order for once we're up in the air" routine and then only did a PDB something like 30-40 minutes into our 70 minute delay.