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Predeparture Drinks / Beverage (PDB) - When, What and Why Not? (consolidated)

Old Jan 2, 2016, 5:51 pm
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Last edit by: JDiver
AA Predeparture Beverages: When, What and Why not?

NOTE: Due to PDB service cancellation, this thread will rest until PDB resumption.
Older posts can be read in the archived thread here.

Post by brc757rr, July 2015:
Originally Posted by AA policy regarding PDB

Pre-departure beverages are expected to be offered on all flights. On domestic flights, customers should be offered a beverage of choice. On international flights with bonded liquor, we offer a choice of orange juice, water, sparkling water, sparkling wine and mimosas and will fulfill requests for non alcoholic beverages of choice provided that supplies can be obtained without opening bonded carts and carriers. If pre-departure beverages cannot be served because of operational reasons, flight attendants are expected to apologize to customers and advise that beverages will be served as soon as possible after take off.
Originally Posted by brc757rr
I was able to receive the exact language of the company policy from American Airlines today via Twitter regarding PDB's. I was actually quite impressed they followed up with me regarding a conversation that started a few days ago. I also received a nice note from Hector Adler who I also reached out to who said that pre-departure services were discussed at great length at a meeting late last week. Let's hope things begin to improve and if not we continue to press the FA's to follow company policy.
...
So there you have it.
Originally Posted by RogerD408
Did a little searching on Twitter. A good hashtag could be just #PDBServed and the condition listed before that. So, something like:

@AmericanAir 08/18 AA123 ORG No #PDBServed
@AmericanAir 08/18 AA123 ORG Full #PDBServed
@AmericanAir 08/18 AA123 ORG Limited #PDBServed

This allows all PDB service to be posted, good, bad, and otherwise. This should show AA that we feel this is a desired service. Maybe if someone gets energetic, a summary post could be done, maybe weekly?
Thanks to RogerD408



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Predeparture Drinks / Beverage (PDB) - When, What and Why Not? (consolidated)

Old May 22, 2019, 12:08 pm
  #1141  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 239
5/18. MIA-LIR. AA1318 No PDB offered. Once airborne crew member serving in F shouted, almost military style, ‘if you want to eat open your tray tables’

So tempted to say ‘Sir, yes Sir’!
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Old May 23, 2019, 2:56 pm
  #1142  
 
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Originally Posted by jcatman
I guess some of the Mesa Airlines flight attendants are unhappy now as well?
Evidently. From today:

5934 MAF-PHX Nothing.
5736: PHX-LGB. Full PDB
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Old May 23, 2019, 3:34 pm
  #1143  
 
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May 21
2888 SAN-CLT
No PDB.
Took over an hour from push back before a drink landed on my tray table. Good thing I stopped by the AirSpace lounge to pre-game this long flight.
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Old May 27, 2019, 7:38 pm
  #1144  
 
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No PDB DFW-JFK

AA2844 DFW-JFK - No PDB. I asked and the FA said “we don’t offer PDBs in Dallas anymore”

The FA was fantastic the rest of the flight so I’ll let this one go.

Last edited by interactfx; May 28, 2019 at 9:46 am
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Old May 27, 2019, 7:52 pm
  #1145  
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Originally Posted by interactfx
AA2844 DFW-JFK - No PDB. I asked and the FA said “we don’t offer PDBs in Dallas anymore”
Just when I thought I had heard every excuse in the book......

Last edited by AANYC1981; May 27, 2019 at 8:31 pm
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Old May 27, 2019, 8:27 pm
  #1146  
 
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Originally Posted by interactfx
AA2844 DFW-JFK - No PDB. I asked and the FA said “we don’t offer PDBs in Dallas anymore”
Boy... you want to pull out the phone and video that! And post for all to see and hear.
(Not recommended... but you want to!)
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Old May 27, 2019, 9:22 pm
  #1147  
 
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Originally Posted by interactfx
AA2844 DFW-JFK - No PDB. I asked and the FA said “we don’t offer PDBs in Dallas anymore”
I am so lazy and hate my job.

There I fixed it!
cynicAAl, brc757rr, cmd320 and 1 others like this.
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Old May 27, 2019, 10:14 pm
  #1148  
 
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AA2206 DFW-MIA on 27 May 2019

No PDB despite over 50 minutes from boarding complete to push back!

boarding completed 6:05pm
scheduled departure 6:20pm
late departure due to maintenance 6:57pm
originally scheduled 777-200
changed to 777-300 day of departure

Pretty much summed up the state of morale among front line employees.... All four crew working “business” cabin clearly hated working for American Airlines. No PDB, bread given only upon request, refills only upon request, no passenger names used, no preorders acknowledged, but they did manage to come by three separate times during flight to offer “two free tickets for just $99” (apparently they didn’t get the memo that DOT has chastised other airlines for calling them “free” during onboard and airport announcements for cobranded credit cards). When one passenger noted that all of the prerecorded announcements mentioned WiFi but it wasn’t working, a FA informed him “that’s because we are now an Ultra Low Cost carrier. We are getting rid of that tv screen soon too. Delta has both.” Even the pilot waited to 6:40pm to come on the PA system to explain the delay and said it was due to “routine maintenance problems” which may have been his way of subtly opining on the ongoing negotiations and related issues....

Last edited by DCAstudent; May 28, 2019 at 3:00 pm
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Old May 27, 2019, 10:26 pm
  #1149  
 
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Originally Posted by DCAstudent
AA2206 DFW-MIA on 28 May 2019

No PDB despite over 50 minutes from boarding complete to push back!

boarding completed 6:05pm
scheduled departure 6:20pm
late departure due to maintenance 6:57pm
originally scheduled 777-200
changed to 777-300 day of departure

Pretty much summed up the state of morale among front line employees.... All four crew working “business” cabin clearly hated working for American Airlines. No PDB, bread given only upon request, refills only upon request, no passenger names used, no preorders acknowledged, but they did manage to come by three separate times during flight to offer “two free tickets for just $99” (apparently they didn’t get the memo that DOT has chastised other airlines for calling them “free” during onboard and airport announcements for cobranded credit cards). When one passenger noted that all of the prerecorded announcements mentioned WiFi but it wasn’t working, a FA informed him “that’s because we are now an Ultra Low Cost carrier. We are getting rid of that tv screen soon too. Delta has both.” Even the pilot waited to 6:40pm to come on the PA system to explain the delay and said it was due to “routine maintenance problems” which may have been his way of subtly opining on the ongoing negotiations and related issues....
...to which you should have asked "will the AA crew on that $99 flight provide better service than what the passengers are receiving on this flight?"
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Old May 27, 2019, 10:27 pm
  #1150  
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Originally Posted by DCAstudent
AA2206 DFW-MIA on 28 May 2019

No PDB despite over 50 minutes from boarding complete to push back!

boarding completed 6:05pm
scheduled departure 6:20pm
late departure due to maintenance 6:57pm
originally scheduled 777-200
changed to 777-300 day of departure

Pretty much summed up the state of morale among front line employees.... All four crew working “business” cabin clearly hated working for American Airlines. No PDB, bread given only upon request, refills only upon request, no passenger names used, no preorders acknowledged, but they did manage to come by three separate times during flight to offer “two free tickets for just $99” (apparently they didn’t get the memo that DOT has chastised other airlines for calling them “free” during onboard and airport announcements for cobranded credit cards). When one passenger noted that all of the prerecorded announcements mentioned WiFi but it wasn’t working, a FA informed him “that’s because we are now an Ultra Low Cost carrier. We are getting rid of that tv screen soon too. Delta has both.” Even the pilot waited to 6:40pm to come on the PA system to explain the delay and said it was due to “routine maintenance problems” which may have been his way of subtly opining on the ongoing negotiations and related issues....
Wow.....sad and pathetic.
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Old May 28, 2019, 4:22 am
  #1151  
 
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Originally Posted by interactfx
AA2844 DFW-JFK - No PDB. I asked and the FA said “we don’t offer PDBs in Dallas anymore”
You didn't hear the new rule? Don't Allow Land Libations / Awful Service.
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Old May 28, 2019, 9:15 am
  #1152  
 
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On a lighter note:
5/24 - 2355 MIA-MSY - boarded 55 mins late, mad scramble to stuff everyone and their refrigerators onto an oasis sardine can. PDB granted!
5-27 - 773 MSY-CLT - 15 min late arriving LUS A320 from CLT, turned that puppy around in 35 mins and departed 3 min early! PDB granted by a jovial FA (had to be LUS)
5-27 or was it 28? - 1577 CLT-MIA - a 10;45pm departure delayed, presumably aircraft's AC was inoperable (must have been like an oven on the very recent arrival) , 65 mins later we started to board on an alternate oasis aircraft at the gate next door, while boarding was basically pandemonium the FA courageously served the PDB's. I commended her, she thanked me. (hard to imagine she could be LAA ) BTW, we sat at the gate for another 30 mins before taxi. <yawn>
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Old May 28, 2019, 9:36 am
  #1153  
 
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Originally Posted by DCAstudent
AA2206 DFW-MIA on 28 May 2019

No PDB despite over 50 minutes from boarding complete to push back!

boarding completed 6:05pm
scheduled departure 6:20pm
late departure due to maintenance 6:57pm
originally scheduled 777-200
changed to 777-300 day of departure

So you've written this complaint about a flight you will take this evening? I mean it is American so we know it'll probably be that bad.
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Old May 28, 2019, 9:38 am
  #1154  
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Question

Originally Posted by DCAstudent
AA2206 DFW-MIA on 28 May 2019
27th, I'm thinking, right? (773 did indeed sub yesterday)

Wanna make sure the right crew gets the attention.
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Old May 28, 2019, 11:48 am
  #1155  
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5/27

AA 2570 MIA-PHL 767-300: OJ or Water

Based on the last few posts I guess I should consider myself lucky
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