AwardBee

Ok, so US-based airlines aren't exactly renowned for the quality of their service, and I've flown enough, both domestically and internationally, to know not to expect much from them. But seriously?

There was an FA on DFW-ICN, in Business Class, whose attitude was reprehensible. After the mid-flight snack, I wanted to sleep and there was a bunch of used dishes and cutlery on my tray table. So I gathered them up and brought them to the galley. The FA, who was playing solitare on her phone, got upset with me and barked "Give me a chance to come and get them!!" As though she was really annoyed I didn't just wait for her, and took the initiative to clear my own tray so I could sleep.

Later, about 1.5 hours before landing, I inquired (to the same FA - my mistake), as to when I could expect breakfast to be served. As with before, the FA was on her phone playing solitaire. She looked at me, then pointed at a service cart and said, in a very condescending tone, "It's cooking". The look on her face, however, said it all... "You dumb***, can't you see we're making you breakfast??" Mind you, this was just a regular service cart, not the kind that plugs in to an outlet to heat food. So I doubt there was any food cooking inside it.

Of course, having flown Asian airlines before, the responses in both cases would have been dramatically different. Probably something along the lines of "Oh Mr. Bee, breakfast will be served shortly, we're preparing it right now and we'll be serving it in 10 minutes."

It's too bad because the Korean FA on the same AA flight (they usually have at least one Korean FA working) was so nice and friendly and probably belonged on Asiana rather than AA, was amazing. Too bad her colleagues in Y had to take a break and she had to head back there and assist them, leaving me to deal with her temperamental colleague in J.

AANYC1981

This sounds eerily similar to my DFW-ICN flight in September 2013. Did you sit on the left side of Business Class? I've found the Asian speaking FA works the right side from my limited two flight experience. But both flights the Asian FA was way better than the US FA on the left.

It's a shame someone this bad is able to work such a long flight in a premium cabin. Makes me cringe booking DFW-HKG as I'm afraid of getting her or someone similar again.

IMH

I'd have read on if I hadn't encountered your unnecessary references to the age, build and gender of the FA you presumably go on to complain about. Your complaints might well be interesting valid -- we'll never know.

Steve M

In addition to being inappropriate and rude, her answer was non-responsive to the question.

AwardBee

Fair enough, I've removed those references, since they're really irrelevant to the service this FA delivered. And I apologize for this mistake.

I was sitting on the right side of business class, and originally had the Korean FA. But then she had to go relieve her counterparts in Y, so the left side FA was covering the J cabin while most people were sleeping. Yes, having taken over 4 different DFW-ICN flights, I've found that the Korean FA usually works on the right side of business class.

It's a shame that someone like this is working in a premium cabin, and had I paid the full price $7,000 for that seat, I would have been even more offended.

blakepilot

I have found the service on DFWICN to be fairly lacking myself. I haven't encountered flat-out rude service, but it seemed like fairly new crews that didn't seem properly trained with even less than the usually miserable attentiveness. And IIRC, I've read similar stories on here of less than hospitable premium cabin service on that route as well.

Personal opinion, this isn't a big bread and butter route for AA, and every time I've flown the route, loads have always been fairly light. Perhaps there isn't much incentive for AA to put some of their best crews on this route. Then there also might be the factor that bidding on Seoul isn't nearly as glamorous as London or Tokyo when you're climbing the ranks of seniority.

Steve M

I don't think it has anything to do with loads or how profitable the route is. That is, it's not who AA chooses to put on the route. Rather, it's controlled by the bidding per the union contract. It's solely the FA's that are qualified to fly the route that decide who's going to fly it, based on seniority and their preferences. The exception will be the native Korean-speaking FA's - they are assigned to the route based on language skill and not seniority. That's why they'll often be quite a bit younger than the other FA's: if there aren't enough regular FA's that speak Korean fluently and want to fly the route, then AA will hire native speakers specifically for that position. That's the only one they'll fly, and they may be brand new flight attendants, as compared to the others that work the flight that might have had to work many years in order to have enough seniority to get the route.

AwardBee

Load factor was definitely low (2nd week of April). Entire first row of Y was empty (rest of the cabin looked about 40-50% at most, and J was maybe 60% full. I wonder if they might cut this route, which would be a pity because I love visiting Korea (some of the best food in the world IMO) and there's often good deals on this route.

ICN isn't a OW hub though. They contract with Asiana for lounge access in ICN.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

[B]"After the mid-flight snack, I wanted to sleep and there was a bunch of used dishes and cutlery on my tray table. So I gathered them up and brought them to the galley. The FA, who was playing solitare on her phone, got upset with me and barked 'Give me a chance to come and get them!!'"

It's a shame you were treated so rudely, and got such poor service. Unfortunately, virtue is often its own punishment these days. Next time, just ring the call bell, and ask the F/A to remove the service items because you want to sleep. It's not your job to clear the dishes; it's the F/A's.

freeupgrade

To the OP -

I am so sorry for your experience.

Please, please write a letter to Customer Relations. Even if you don't know her name, do the best you can to describe the FA.

This type of FA behavior cannot be tolerated and accepted by AA and passengers. These are expensive seats (no matter how you got there), and the FA behavior/comments are inexcusable. The loads are absolutely no excuse.

This is beyond rude behavior, and (frankly) is outrageous.

Please, please write this letter. The FA really needs to be written up for this, and AA needs the documentation.

IMH

Having now read the rest of your post, I have to agree that you would be doing AA and other passengers a favour by reporting the FA.

Your report will have more impact if you stick strictly to facts (and leave out, for example, your interpretation of the way the FA looked at you -- even though I strongly suspect you read it correctly!).

relangford

I take this route fairly often, but, since I am stuck in Y, haven't had this problem - the FAs I have had have been good to very good. I hope AA keeps this route (I live in Korea and my grandkids are in Dallas).

JDiver

Steve M is correct; FAs do not get assigned on the basis of load factor, they bid for their predilect trips and get assigned them on the basis of seniority.

Most FAs I encounter are fairly professional, and one such as described by the OP should get reported. No documentation, no action.

ExpatSomchai

"Asiana rather than AA"

*A so doubt that very much.

FabrizioB

I'm sorry for the OP too.

But about other comments, hey, a rude FA in Y is unacceptable too

$1000 whatever called "super low deep discount" tickets is a lot of money for many (most of) people. AA customers should expect friendly, helpfull and polite FAs at all times, all flights, all cabins.

I've experienced those bAAd FAs once in a while. In fact, the rudest laziest ever I noticed that I can remember was in domestic F a couple times.
On TATL, it's really a matter of whole crew all together (I call them A flights, B flights).