jmappleby

I was flying from LAX to JFK last week in J, kept awake much of the night by FAs who decided that their personal conversations were more important than the night flight passengers' sleep. The week before, I'd flown Cathay in J, and the service was incredible. Honestly I've come to expect quite average service from AA in J.

Fast forward to Monday on AA2360 DFW-TPA, where I boarded to find a Purser, AJ. He was normally scheduled out of JFK on international F, but was flying out of TPA for a few weeks domestic, for personal reasons. He struck me immediately: well dressed with a blazer and wings with his name, and he held himself like he was proud to do his job.

For the next 120 minutes the cabin was treated to a memory of how domestic F ought to to be. Sure, we had the same old AA liquor, food and amenities for domestic F, but he made every part of it sing. He didn't stop for a minute of the flight, he was constantly looking after customers and ensuring that the flight went smoothly. More than anything, he was humble and friendly with his approach, and made people feel at home.

I was left both happy for such a great experience, and DM'd the AA Social Media team to let my thanks, and also a little sad. AJ didn't have anything special at his disposal - just the regular amenities. He hadn't had the job all his life - instead joining some years ago as a second career, after retirement.

If I was AA management I'd take people like AJ and have them training the future FAs on how to do it. If AA could achieve this kind of service on a regular basis, people would flock.

So thank you AJ... And AA if you're reading, please think about what you can learn from him.

jmappleby

Oh, the horrible irony. Whilst I was writing this note, AA downgraded me from F to Y on a paid ticket. When I arrived at the gate, they told me I "wasn't checked in". Despite the fact that I was holding a boarding pass in my hand.

No good deed goes unpunished.

CodeAdam10

Posts like this make me sad. Sad about the good times gone by.

Glad you experienced the exception. ^

Someone at AA must have realized you just flew with a too-good-to-be-true FA and decided to give you a dose of reality to keep you in-check about your future expectations

jmappleby

True that!

What happened is actually more concerning. I was due to fly TPA-CLT-EWR, and had checked into that flight and got a BP. My assistant then changed it to TPA-CLT-PHL, due to a changed meeting, with me booked on the same flight.

It looks like when that happened, the ticket was reissued, and my BP was invalidated, and I was no longer checked in. In the AA iPhone app it showed me as checked in, and gave me the BP.

What's concerning is that the invalidated BP allowed me right the way through security without flagging an issue. Needless to say, I filed a DOT complaint about this, as it's a potential security attack vector.

From a personal perspective, these are first world problems, I'm on my way to the next city.

jmappleby

It doesn't have to be this way though! The FA didn't have champagne or caviar at his disposal, or even a good cigar :-)

He just had an amazing demeanor. This could be re-taught into the airline industry, if there was the desire to do this. AA tweeted to me "we want to be consistent with our service". The sad reality is that the easiest way to do this would be to get rid of the exceptions

muishkin

I had the same annoying experience in April when I flew AA 85 (JFK-SFO transcon). The flight was scheduled to land close to midnight PST. The people who are on east coast time, like me, obviously wanted to sleep during the last 3 hours of the flight. But the FAs on that flight were very chatty. Whenever I was about to doze off, some outburst of conversation or laughter from the galley would inevitably wake me up. What a bunch of clueless clowns!

rjw242

It's not, actually. TSA had your Secure Flight Info; the validity of the BP is irrelevant.

cestmoi123

The boarding pass was issued to a passenger who had previously been run through the database, and didn't require an SSSS. That passenger showed up, was screened at the checkpoint, and then sent through. What security vulnerability is there again?

If I check in for a flight LGA-ORD, get to LGA, go through security, and then on the other side of security, discover that, instead of going to LGA, I need to go to DCA, so I cancel my ORD flight by phone, buy a ticket to DCA by phone, check in online, should I have to go back out and return through security?

jeremysmith

I've had two very similar experiences with an FA, Eugene, who flies between MIA/LAX. Absolutely incredible service from the moment I stepped on board. I too shared it with AA.

guv1976

"He struck me immediately"

That's one way to keep the passengers in line!

yankeezulu

On the LAX-ORD run back when AA used the 763 for that route, there used to be two different pursers who ran a really tight ship as well as being very attentive themselves. I know the management structure on AA flights is kind of loose (i.e., purser-in-name-only), but whether in Y or F, the crews on their flights were always great.

captainstubing

Hilarious!

cestmoi123

Excellent service - most of the time on AA these days, you have to push the call button and wait for an FA to arrive and administer your beating.

Buster CT1K

Well written report, mostly. Except the "security attack vector" seems to be a bit of hyperbole, like others above have pointed out. Glad you had a good flight.

The chatty transcon FAs need to zip it.

fedechat

Your post reminds me about a great FA that I have on GIG-JFK in Feb, his name is Greg (JFK based). He was on the same route 2 weeks later but I was seated on the otherside where he usually work.