aceflyer2

FAs violate procedures without fear of disciplinary action because there is no supervision, no performance evaluation, no onboard passenger feedback mechanism, and ultimately no possibility of disciplinary action. I'm surprised the service is as good as it is...

LAXJFKesq

On AA every week between LAX and JFK for years. My experience has always been outstanding. Of course when traveling so much I can come across a bad experience or two. owever, for the most part my satisfactory level is very high. Also, when I travel internationally to Europe or Asia the food in the Flagship Lounges is very good -- especially JFK and LAX.

ESpen36

Wirelessly posted (Apple iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B206 Safari/7534.48.3)

I just flew JFK-LHR in F on the 772 and the service was outstanding! Purser was efficient and professional, addressing us by name, offering pajamas and turndown service, and collecting the BOSE headphones without disturbing us (I prefer to wear my own for sleeping). Great flight! Wish it had been a longer flight so I could have enjoyed the service for longer.

stratofortress

I flew JFK-EZE and EZE-MIA last week in AA F (Vip upgrade from J), and the JFK-EZE was mediocre, while the EZE-MIA was pretty much as dismal as OP's experience (though I didn't see a FA asleep in a chair).

The turndown service wasn't offered - I finally just went over and grabbed the "mattress topper" out of the bin myself and did the turndown service for my husband and I. The one FA in the cabin at the time just watched me do it. Nobody else had the little mattress topper when I woke up, so I assume nobody else ever got turndown service either.

Another minor complaint: on MIA-EZE and JFK-EZE in either J or F, the dishes are always waaaaaay overcooked. I've even gone so far as to ask the FA to pull mine out 1/2 way through the cooking cycle. Doesn't seem to matter - always tough as shoe leather...

FAA1996

I had a similar experience, just this Monday June 4th I flew AA139 LHR-JFK and the service in F was outstanding. There were two of us traveling on one purchased ticket and one award ticket. I was very surprised with the great service we received. There were two gentlemen who did most of our service and they were both friendly and efficient.
We advised them that we wanted to go to sleep soon after take off since we had just eaten in the lounge at the airport (BA galleries, not FL). They came around and asked us if we wanted them to save something from the main emal service for them to prepare for us before landing.
They also handed out the little cards expelling the new service and took the duvets out before take off. After takeoff, they immediately came and turned our seats into beds and ga e us extra pillows.
They also served me my sundae before I fell asleep and only a few seconds after take off.
I was also surprised by the way the treated another family traveling with two small kids; I think their parents were also amused at how well the kids were being treated.
Finally, I didn't wake up on time for a meal, but just in time for the water spritzer with citrus garnish.
Needles to say I as impressed and thanked them for their service; one of them commented that they used to be one of the best and hope they can be one of the best again.
I guess the issue is consistency, but as has been mentioned befor, most of the issues seem to be with LA routes.

worldtraveler19

Ironic! Likewise. USA starting to look more 3rd world as well (..whatever that means--- LOL!)

scubadu

I continue to be utterly perplexed as to why some people are obsessed with things such as this, I really seriously am.

I have an electrician coming to my home today and a plumber coming on Tuesday. I will likely be paying them more money for services rendered than I spend on an airline ticket. Neither of them will likely remember my name 20 minutes after I greet them at the door. Who gives a crap?

Additionally, I'd be interested to know what percentage of folks who always whine about stuff like this actually remember and use the FA's name during the flight, as opposed to "Hey Miss or Sir" or just "Excuse me can I get more booze?"

Regards

elitetraveler

Many people feel when flying in premium cabins on long-haul flights the service should be more like a nice restaurant than a moody plumber. To that end the service employees - in this case FAs - should deliver the service elements that their company expects them to and should do it in a friendly and welcoming way. Obviously RyanAir makes a lot of money by saying you're getting a flight where you want to go in a crowded tube(Period). AA on the other hand has multiple ads focusing on the premium experience it offers customers. Each approach leads to certain expectations. I don't know how your plumber markets his/her services?

aaupgrade

Most people give a crap.

Either you are having a lot of electrical and/or plumbing work done, or you never buy F or J tickets. BTW, my contractor to whom I recently paid an amount that was about the cost of a few RTW F tickets does address me by name. So do the carpet and window treatment contractors whose compensation is must smaller. You need to find new contractors if you are paying them tens of thousands of dollars and they don't even address you by your name. I always refer to my customers by name, why should any other good business person, contractor, FA or otherwise be any different? Failing to do so is just bad business, IMO.

Also FAs in First on CX, QF and BA always address me by my name, so why can't the airlines from 3rd world America do them same? Those airlines have edible food, too. The meals I had 2 weeks ago in AA F to LHR and back were inedible and an embarrassment.

brp

Actually, I'd bet that most don't give a crap. Some do, but I'd think that most don't as the percentage of people who need to be stroked like this to make an experience "good" is likely not that high.

Seems that these BZE routes have poor service. Haven't flown that route. All of the other routes I've flown have been universally good to very good. I guess that there's something special about this route. I'll have to go there to experience this and start a thread about it.

Cheers.

hillrider

Addressing people by their name is pretty fundamental in service businesses and it's shown to work.--Dale Carnegie

This stuff is so old, rehashed, and proven, I'm surprised to see so much resistance here. AApologizing anyone?

Science Goy

Once again demonstrating that the differing opinions on AA's service are entirely due to differing priorities. If my contractor's the best at what s/he does, I don't care if s/he calls me "bub" and shows up wearing an "I'm With Stupid" shirt. Similarly, I'm really more interested in the tangible, rather than superficial, aspects of onboard service. But I'm sure we can spend another several pages fruitlessly arguing our subjective opinions on the matter as objective fact.

brp

Precisely. Anyone who's service requirements don't match yours is defending substandard service. Carnegie's advice certainly works to make members of the masses feel special. No argument there. I'm just not one of the masses in that regard and don't need these strokes. Some people do, and not getting them diminishes the experience. I get it.

In all fairness, I should add that, while unnecessary for me, it is a nice touch. This can be one facet in the difference between good, and great, service. Never had less than good. Lately, though, more great experiences as a percentage than in the past. All of the extra attention must be the reason why AA are bankrupt

Cheers.

Clipper110A

Have seen BOTH types of service delivery, but...

Actually it is not the poster's service requirements..it is American Airlines' service requirements...it has been basically global industry standard to address premium customers by name probably since the DC-6...AA asks its crews to do this as part of the job they are being compensated for...if that is too much to ask, or the drama too great, FA go find another job where you will be happy, work three days a week JFK-EZE (two 12 hour flights with collapse at hotel in between)--heck you can sleep in First Class too apparently... and have tons of sked flexibility...etc, etc..etc..

One of the problems is that the pax is left to the luck of the draw and the tyranny of the mood and 'tude of the individual crew...We see decent and professional crews doing what AA directs them to do (or not do), in their service guidelines, and then we get ones that are radically different...

Who cares what posters on here care or don't care whether they are addressed by name, invited to turndown service, etc... what matters is that these are AA's standards, and whatever individual person finds them to be important or not should expect that delivery and consistency whether it is personally important to them or not...

Another issue is that we see cheeseburgers in first class when 30 years ago on the same route it might have been a lobster tail..maybe some of today's pax don't know what decent service is...AA's food is garbage and has been for years, even if it is "better" (or at least more substantial) than most US carriers, that is not saying much..

brp

I care. This is a thread about a "disappointing experience." This is based upon expectations. If I don't expect, or need, something, then I won't be disappointed if it is not present. Consequently, expectations are considerably more important than "service standards" when it comes to whether a given person is disappointed.

Definitely true. Of course, in adjusted dollars, the fares are also considerably lower. Want to pay twice what you're paying now? Maybe you can get lobster. It's silly to pay substantially less and still expect the same food and beverage. This goes back to reality of expectations.

Cheers.