PUCCI GALORE

I think that this was a threat rather than a promise. Short of calling the police and reporting a theft, which is not likely, there is very little that they can do in practice. People will have connections, the gate staff will be wanting to clear the aircraft and turn it around. The costs of holding an aircraft at Heathrow will soon eclipse the cost of a headset. Whether it was found or not, I doubt that would have kept the aircraft from going to the gate. ATC would want to know why and the loss or suspected theft of a headset would not cut it.

Quite frankly if it were me sitting in Business or First and we were at the gate, I would get off anyway. What are they going to do? Physically restrain you? I don't think so - if that were the case I would call the police.

I know that these headsets are an affair of state for the FAs but if they are careless about the distribution then they have no one but themselves to thank for it.

nrr

Why can't AA put ant-theft chips on their headphones? If one is missing they use a detector to hunt for missing phones.
I did a GOOGLE search and was led to www.alibaba.com; a "quick" search show inexpensive chips; some detectors cost < $100 [amortized over the life of such a device, makes them "cheap".]

brewdog11

The headsets are normally collected early (I.e. 30-45 min PTA) but not that early. That's rediculous.

arollins

While a great idea, I just don't see AA making the investment in protecting the headset. That will also require some sort of receiver that will trigger an alarm or beep. I can see the threads in FT, my flight was delayed for several hours since the alarm couldn't shut off. I still say that it is just a matter of proper record-keeping and inventory of the headsets upon distribution and collection time. It shouldn't be that difficult. Perhaps they could require a signature from the passenger.

I've also been on the receiving end several times with FA waking me up or asking me on the headset thinking that I kept theirs while in reality it was mine all along. I've gotten to the point that I leave the case out in the open so that they can see the difference and notice the lack of AA branding on it. I'm kinda regretting getting mine due to this.

pauleeepaul

Indeed it is.

DevilDawg1960

I carry my own Bose. After several instances of being woken up because they thought I was wearing "their" Bose, I always take the AA ones when they are being handed out so that I can leave both cases out so they do not wake me trying to get my personal pair. They just grab the AA case. Since I adopted this technique I have never been woken up.

At first I thought it was silly to have to do this but after many uninterrupted sleeps I will do it every time.

nrr

What I saw on www.alibaba.com was a hand operated device [I don't know its range], so if a BOSE HS is missing, a FA could walk down the aisle(s), the device would "beep" when a HS is detected. [What stores use is much more elaborate, their detectors are permanently in place at the entrances and exits.

FlyerBeek

Great advice. ^ I do the exact same after missing out on 30-45 mins of extra sleep far too many times. You'd think they'd reference their own headset distribution inventory sheet, but far too often they don't when collecting the headsets, resulting in everyone who has a Bose headset being awoken (regardless of whether it's an AA headset or not).

-FlyerBeek

satman40

A Tile Ap..on each headset for less than $25.00, keels track of my keys, I have one on the mower in my garage, just in case it walks..I can track it..

Seat chart for hand out, seat chart for pick up...little check mark..not a big problem..

kenban

Never understood why AA did not do this. Keep track of who gets the headset then keep track of them as they are returned. Might not work 100% of the time but should make it easier to track down missing headsets.

AshleyF

Hmm. Unusual .ON AA72 to LAX About to take off and the missing headset has not been found.
Security supposed to go thru all bags if it isn't found during the flight.
Could be interesting.

discoverCSG

AA's flight attendants are very, very strict about those things.

I'm curious, though... was it missing from somebody's seat (as in, they'd be distributed before boarding) or from some cart in the galley?

Kaneohe0850

I've seen this happen at the end of the flight after collecting the headsets and they find one missing but never at the beginning of the flight...will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I've always wondered, why don't they simply number the headsets and then log which seat is assigned to each headset? At the end of the flight, all they need to do is re-inventory the headsets to determine which one is missing and which passenger to detain for waterboarding & interrogation.

vasantn

Can they do that? I would not let security go through my bags.

Dr. HFH

They can, I believe. Similar to a security guard checking your bags as you leave a department store. However, I believe that you have the right to insist that a police officer (as opposed to a private security guard) do the search if you're willing to wait for one. I did that once at a department store, -- insisted that they could call the police or I would walk out.