Detroiter

Hell, on DTW-NRT flights, I can remember many a J-class FA who seemed annoyed about these passengers interrupting their flight to Japan.

olouie

That was my FAs on recent LAX-LHR and back flights on AA. You know it’s bad then BA service has got you beat. Funny thing was the young FAs on the flights were good but old ones were horrible - literally throwing food into tray tables. AS I’ve not had many bad interactions with the more experienced FAs and actually all of our regional carrier have been great. I’m pretty sure this FA was right out of training school and likely their first job ever.

Visconti

I know it's not a laughing matter, especially since OP had actually eaten it, but when I viewed that pic, I had to laugh. I mean, my initial impression was literally "WT*"! LOL It's hard to imagine this actually happened on a flight AS marketed and sold as "First Class."

OP - I'd probably have taken your wife's counsel and not eaten it.

lalala

My flight on 2/12 to DEN was delayed for various reasons and one of the reasons was the Inaugural flight of the new class of FAs doing that actual service with back up from the trainer. It was rough, but I thought they did a good job with the announcements and meals were dispensed in a timely manner. I think the next few weeks will be rough until they get the hang of it.

One of my BFFs is a surgeon and tells me that the first week of July is when the new residents start -- that is not a great week for getting admitted to the hospital -- things go slowly and even though they have back up , they are still cutting people open, so things go slowly until they get more confident and experienced. I'd give them a little grace.

RatherGhastly

I flew SEA-DEN on the 13th Feb, which must have been their second day, and we had an enthusiastic young man working FC, with a more experienced (and only slightly older) woman alongside him, who seemed to be a trainer of sorts, although she also helped with the service. However, I wouldn’t have described the situation as the young guy “doing actual service with back up from the trainer”, as IIRC she made all the announcements, and he wasn’t really functioning independently, but often had to be prompted, and had frequent recourse to her. He did try to show initiative, e.g., when she picked up a tray from a passenger, he would come and collect the tray from her to take to the galley, but it didn’t seem like he could have managed on his own, as even the process of opening a wine bottle needed to be explained to him.

olouie

Sadly too late now but maybe it’s part of Alaska’s new weight loss campaign 😂. Too bad I couldn’t include the photo in the Alaska listen’s survey.

Eujeanie

Did they SAY anything when they plunked down ice cold meat in front of you? Explain? Apologize? Offer an alternative?

Looks like the salad and bread were edible?

BayAreaTrvler

I’ve been noticing this same phenomenon, often with coach service WELL underway before the FA emerges from their galley cocoon, even just to take initial orders. I was on a 3.5 hour flight last week, in row 2, and the FA managed to only get meals and one drink to everyone before initial descent to landing. She was polite, but glacially and unacceptably slow. If the FA’s in back can do two runs of the cart through an entire cabin, the first class FA should be able to do the same thing for 16 passengers paying the price for first.

Visconti

Is this a situation where the more senior and tenured AS FAs prefer to avoid working F, for whatever reason (I assume they're tired of the DYKWIAs), making this "trial by fire" a necessity? Assuming there is a training program, one can only speculate what it entails if even after the process, a new trainee appears to quite literally have almost no clue on what to do.

adambrau

Just a couple of thoughts on this thread:

1. Airlines are hiring thousands of new flight attendants.

2. Crew Scheduling will put these new FA's as purser/ISM and in all cabins from day one.

3. The emphasis in training is very heavily centered on safety. Which one would expect. Service training - a few days.

Hopefully as this generation gets the hang of things, service will improve!!

Visconti

Ah, this could take some time...

olouie

She didn’t even know it was cold. I asked if it was supposed to be cold and she said “oh it’s supposed to be served lightly heated”. I told her it was not heated at all and she didn’t apologize or anything - was just super inexperienced and said “oh”. She did offer to heat it up but at that point I’m not sure it would have helped - maybe with taste but likely damages to food safety was done.

mbluecpa

Of the several head-scratching comments in this story, I think this takes the cake. I’ve got to think that 99/100 non-FAs surveyed would say beef and mashed potatoes aren’t a “lightly heated” dish. Has the FA never reheated leftovers or cooked a frozen meal at home? And wouldn’t the catering bins with the meals have reheating instructions?

I can’t help visualizing that they were screw-top….

We had a new FA in F on a flight fairly recently (DL, I think) who was shadowed by another FA for the service. The chatter I overheard from 1B was interesting, mostly tips on making setting up/serving easier or more efficient.

SFO2OGG

FA used cart to serve meals yesterday. Stopped at each row, pulled out tray, removed foil from entree, added roll, placed warm chocolate chip cookie on tray then handed tray to passenger. New procedure?

PaperGlider

Slow-Rolling Service is so noticeable to frequent flyers. And it is a subject is worthy of its own separate thread. Such as "How long from 10,000 feet until beverage service"

Worst case: I had one flight where the Flight Attendant in First disappeared behind the curtain and didn't come out until it was time to prepare for landing, I presumed the flight attendant must have been not well/ having a bad day. Other times, the FA is busy on their phone.