ijgordon

So, ever get any pushback or snotty attitude? Just curious. Do the other pax all start asking too?

For the record, I never meant to imply that one should ask for the sake of just having a preflight drink because on is in F, but sometimes I am truly thirsty, perhaps having forgotten to buy a bottle of water. If i'm in Y, I know I have to suck it up. If I'm in F, I know I shouldn't have to.

HNL

Excatly. Nail on the head.

Overall - I'm batting .600 this year for predeparture beverages.

vasantn

I often look forward to an alcoholic pre-departure drink when I'm on an evening flight after a long day. I could stop at the bar first but I feel that I shouldn't have to. On those occasions (and I don't do it if I see that the FAs are really busy trying to get the flight out), I ask the friendliest-looking FA if it would be possible to get an adult beverage. The result has always been that everyone in F gets served, and I've never encountered any attitude the times that I've done this.

PUCCI GALORE

I've noticed that pre-flight now seems to be the exception rather than the rule. I have wondered sometimes if that is a result of having less FAs on the aircraft as running drinks on a 757 would probably be tricky unless you had someone fixing the drinks and someone else delivering and taking orders. It has never bothered me particularly one way or another. To my mind they should just decide either to keep it and do it properly - or do away with it altogether. Probably the best compromise is to offer juice or water to everyone. Champagne would not be an option on domestic for expense reasons. Taking orders for lots of different things at the gate is time consuming.

I've never asked as I have - probably wrongly but neve mind - always thought that they would do it if they had the time available. What surpirses me is that there now seems to be no one to meet or greet the passengers apart from whoever is checking the BPs at the gate.

Crazy4Birds

Exactly. And, as with you, the usual result is that everyone in F gets served, though anyone is at liberty to refuse.

Pre-departure service sets the tone for one's 'first class' experience, and when some airlines, like Delta, provide it almost without exception, then AA starts feeling second rate, especially at times when the plane is boarded early and there is plenty of time to provide pre-departure service. How is Delta able to do it so dependably?

Robt760

Another option would be to slow down the boarding process. Even though folks with elite status are first to board, the manner in which boarding takes place means no break in between groups. If First Class and maybe group 1 were called first, then a delay of maybe 3-5 mintues were to occur. This would give the attendance a better crack at greeting, taking jackets, and possibly taking a drink order from the group of 9-16 F passengers boarding. I think it would set the pace for a more pleasant boarding, even if it does a a few short minutes to the process.

AEpilot76

There would be no reason to release the parking brake with the door open. Releasing the break usually will cause the aircraft to move just a little bit as the tires settle against the chocks. So, if people are boarding that's not a good thing, plus, you also have a tug driver down there possibly attaching a tug.

ijgordon

And CO, for that matter.

Two major problems:
(1) the FAs aren't getting paid until the brakes are released, so anything that makes them work more for free is bound to run into major resistance
(2) Notwithstanding #1, it still costs AA lots of $ to keep planes at the gate any longer than necessary, in terms of support staff, opportunity cost, etc., particularly when you multiply 3-5 minutes times hundreds of flights per day.

Don't count on this happening anytime soon, or at all.

kflyer2

OK, so I too must ask the question: How does Delta manage to provide this service or any other airline whose normal routine is to offer predeparture drinks?

Their FAs also probably get paid when wheels push back. I for one don't understand why that would be a reason to delay helping PAX in any way, but I suppose there are people out there who have that mindset.

How do other FAs manage to offer this service but AA is so spotty with it? Do they perhaps put the 3-5 minute break inbetween the initial boarding groups?

AEpilot76

If you look at CO's flight attendants they are much much younger and a more junior group. They still enjoy their job and have a smile on their face. Employee morale is much better at continental (can't say that for delta, although I don't fly on them much). AA flight attendants are just bitter at the company, they shouldn't be bitter because of the pay, they do make more than most first officers at AE. I see the difference in the flight attendants at eagle, they are younger, and for the most part enjoy what they do.

Flyer23

I fly various routes, and I would say that I'm offered pre-departure drinks more often than not.

I took a couple of flights in F on DL last year, and I don't remember them always offering pre-departure drinks. They did put a small bottle of water at each F seat, so I guess if that counts as a "pre-departure drink," they do it quite dependably... not that that requires a whole lot of effort on the part of the FA.

oklAAhoma

Thanks, for the clarification. I have always thought that brake release implied the doors were already closed, but the way you capitalized the and in your ealier correction of my post ("Door closed AND brake release"), made me wonder a bit.

kflyer2

Some effort is better than NO EFFORT , and water is sufficient in most cases.

My sister is an DL FA. I think I will pose the question to her on their rule just to see if it is completely up to them and not a requirement. Just curious about that even though I realize this is an AA board.

kflyer2

My sister has been flying for DL for 18 years and says that:

DL considered eliminating predeparture service but decided to keep it, with FAs supply each seat with bottled water as a minimum. If boarding/departure process is normal, there should be time to also ask each PAX what they would like to drink. They like at least doing the predeparture bottled water because (a) customers are happier to have something at least to drink and many prefer water and (b) it's easy, takes 1 minute to put the water at each seat before PAX board and is faster than taking individual drink orders.

IF no drink service was offered, and a PAX wrote in to complain, the FAs would be questioned why they didn't at least serve water since the records showed that it was a normal boarding process for that particular flight. Would they be written up for not serving predeparture drinks? No. Would it be questioned if a PAX complained? Yes. Is it expected? YES!

She says it is true that she doesn't get paid until pushback, but it's a simple service that they believe is important, so they do it.

I know that each airline has its own procedures, but this is how DL looks at it. Now, back to AA matters at hand...

nologic

Flew MIA to BOS last week. Flight delayed more than 30 minutes with door open waiting for pilots to arrive from their DFW connection. No drinks offered except one had tray with H2O and OJ. I asked for a mimosa when they came around with the tray and was denied. I didn't try a second time.

We waited a while for the pilots to arrive (probably 15 minutes or more -- not like it was a secret what time they were arriving from DFW), and then it was a good 15 minutes or so for them to do their full pre-flight checklist.

Throughout any and all of those times, the FA's should have offered drinks.

I understand boarding can be conjested sometimes, and if the cabin is full with 20+ PAX, there's really no time sometimes for pre-flight drinks, especially if the FA's are not on top of things and don't strat asking for orders right when the F PAX board (before the rush).

IME, pre-flight drinks are a major exception on domestic flights these days.