"I didn't stick my finger in it" (FA response to type of pasta)- Recent AA Experience
Sep 9, 2017, 3:52 am
#31
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
FAs are primarily for safety. Their words not mine. Such a role implores a calm and rational mental state. Any FA working without full control of emotions is not just rude but is jeopardizing the physical safety of passengers.
Sep 9, 2017, 6:20 am
#32
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: W29
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Posts: 6,817
I think there is a cultural difference here, where in America, the service is really expected and different to Europe. Being from the UK, it would be fairly normal to receive this response on a BA flight and I suspect par for the course if the server is much older. Whether it's passive aggressive or not, there is always the feeling that you're asking for anything non-standard is a burden, even in J or F. I just find it so incredible that people don't want to consider the person had a bad day and couldn't control their emotions. I don't think it's right but it's a very normal reaction in my experience - a typical response when the FA doesn't hear what your answer is as well - whether 'chicken' or 'beef'.. I mean on a first class flight the other day we had FA slamming shut the screens without warning, and basically shouting at us for doing nothing wrong. My expectation for service is fairly low where I feel we have to respond according to their attitude of the staff.
If I go to a standard restaurant in the uk and ask to be sat in a booth rather than in the open, then we will regularly get 'back chat', a sigh and dissent in terms of body language. And then we would still be expected to tip these staff..
I should say the best service I ever received was on AA flight in first on the transcon, the FA was unbelievably good.
If I go to a standard restaurant in the uk and ask to be sat in a booth rather than in the open, then we will regularly get 'back chat', a sigh and dissent in terms of body language. And then we would still be expected to tip these staff..
I should say the best service I ever received was on AA flight in first on the transcon, the FA was unbelievably good.
If it is a restaurant as you describe, I make sure to review it thoroughly.
Sep 9, 2017, 6:49 am
#33
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New Orleans (MSY)
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If the FA's attitude is too bad to complete regular cabin checks/be observant of the surroundings onboard, that's a safety issue.
Sep 9, 2017, 7:09 am
#34
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
IMHO this can happen on any (US) airline and OP should report it.
Sep 9, 2017, 8:28 am
#35
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Being from the UK, it would be fairly normal to receive this response on a BA flight and I suspect par for the course if the server is much older. Whether it's passive aggressive or not, there is always the feeling that you're asking for anything non-standard is a burden, even in J or F.
I'd be speaking with the CSD/CSM if this happened to me (and it didn't turn out to be an elaborate deadpan joke). There's no excuse for being impolite to a customer asking a reasonable question.
Sep 9, 2017, 8:38 am
#36
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1
Having worked as a flight attendant for many years, we never stick our fingers in the pasta to determine taste or sauce flavor. The only food we stick our fingers in, are the pilot meals to make sure they are truly hot before they go up to the cockpit. It is such a process to get pilots in and out of the cockpit fed, watered and etc. that it must be hot and everything is on the tray so we don't have to open the door again because the meal was not hot....that's the only meal a has had a finger in it.....airplane food is so abysmal, don't you bring your own?
Sep 9, 2017, 8:41 am
#37
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Location: London
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Having worked as a flight attendant for many years, we never stick our fingers in the pasta to determine taste or sauce flavor. The only food we stick our fingers in, are the pilot meals to make sure they are truly hot before they go up to the cockpit. It is such a process to get pilots in and out of the cockpit fed, watered and etc. that it must be hot and everything is on the tray so we don't have to open the door again because the meal was not hot....that's the only meal a has had a finger in it.....airplane food is so abysmal, don't you bring your own?
Have the pilots upset you at some point?
Sep 9, 2017, 10:44 am
#38
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
I started my career in restaurants, customer service is an attitude that cannot be faked. You either care about customers or you don't. It's not a question whether customers act perfect or not, you're there to make their experience a positive one. If you hire people that care, you can train them to do all the other tasks, honestly it's not rocket science. The safety tasks of a FA surely take a higher level of ability but there is still a customer service element that follows closely behind in importance. If you don't feel it, at least try to fake it. If not, get into a new line of work where customer service doesn't matter so much.
Can be called the BEST post....
In my previous life as a CUSTOMER Relations Mgr. for a Fortune Ten company I started to imprint in the culture "that CUSTOMERS are our life blood." Henceforth the word customer will always be in caps to remind us who makes the paychecks possible.
Alas did not last long after my departure...company did go bankrupt 17 years later.
I used to say CUSTOMERS like that in probably the most posted airline thread in FT but the denizen objected mightily saying ai was SHOUTING...nevermind the topic hand was CUSTOMER Service .....
Sep 9, 2017, 12:47 pm
#39
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In a meritocracy, with a short path to the exit/unemployment for poor performance, the crappy tend to get flushed early. Burnouts take a little longer to remove.
But unfortunately, unions will defend this FA to the death.
But unfortunately, unions will defend this FA to the death.
I can guarantee though that nothing will happen if OP doesn't complain to AA as opposed to ranting on an internet bulletin board.
OTOH-MrsDallas49er and I had FABULOUS AA crews in J last week ORD-PEK and this week PEK-DFW.
My last AA flight was SEA-DFW in F. Absolutely stellar service by a senior DFW-based FA. On the way out to LAX in F on that same trip though it was typical disinterested/minimal (though not rude) AA service by mostly younger FAs.
Sep 9, 2017, 3:58 pm
#40
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TPA/DFW/K15
Programs: AA EXP, Mar AMB, HH LT DIA
Posts: 1,652
Having worked as a flight attendant for many years, we never stick our fingers in the pasta to determine taste or sauce flavor. The only food we stick our fingers in, are the pilot meals to make sure they are truly hot before they go up to the cockpit. It is such a process to get pilots in and out of the cockpit fed, watered and etc. that it must be hot and everything is on the tray so we don't have to open the door again because the meal was not hot....that's the only meal a has had a finger in it.....airplane food is so abysmal, don't you bring your own?
Sep 11, 2017, 3:20 am
#41
Join Date: Apr 2017
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Posts: 1,852
While the questions asked hardly qualify as Michelin star back-and-forth, I have to agree with the sentiment. It's a simple question, chicken or pasta... just pick one without wasting everyone's time.
Sep 11, 2017, 3:52 am
#42
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
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Posts: 8,314
hard to imagine that the point is still being missed. Folks with allergies or vegetarians HAVE TO ASK. Nowadays, there are rarely peanuts in dishes, but that wasn't the case always, and it could be life or death for those people.
Sep 11, 2017, 7:51 am
#43
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
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Posts: 3,209
I think there is a cultural difference here, where in America, the service is really expected and different to Europe. Being from the UK, it would be fairly normal to receive this response on a BA flight and I suspect par for the course if the server is much older. Whether it's passive aggressive or not, there is always the feeling that you're asking for anything non-standard is a burden, even in J or F. I just find it so incredible that people don't want to consider the person had a bad day and couldn't control their emotions. I don't think it's right but it's a very normal reaction in my experience - a typical response when the FA doesn't hear what your answer is as well - whether 'chicken' or 'beef'.. I mean on a first class flight the other day we had FA slamming shut the screens without warning, and basically shouting at us for doing nothing wrong. My expectation for service is fairly low where I feel we have to respond according to their attitude of the staff.
If I go to a standard restaurant in the uk and ask to be sat in a booth rather than in the open, then we will regularly get 'back chat', a sigh and dissent in terms of body language. And then we would still be expected to tip these staff..
I should say the best service I ever received was on AA flight in first on the transcon, the FA was unbelievably good.
If I go to a standard restaurant in the uk and ask to be sat in a booth rather than in the open, then we will regularly get 'back chat', a sigh and dissent in terms of body language. And then we would still be expected to tip these staff..
I should say the best service I ever received was on AA flight in first on the transcon, the FA was unbelievably good.
I take your point about cultural differences-MrsDallas49erwas raised in the UK between ages 8-22.
Having said that, I feel very strongly that it IS NOT EVEN REMOTELY MY RESPONSIBILITY as a PAX/Customer=Revenue to put up with any servers=Expense "bad day"/bad attitude/crap whether they be FA, GA, restaurant server, etc. In my industry, there is never an excuse for it.
And before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, I waited tables and tended bar for 6 years to pay for college, coming out debt-free. I know what exemplary, great, good, and mediocre service is. I also know pasture pancakes when I see/experience it.
As a result,MrsDallas49er and I have had had a running disagreement
for almost 30 years on what she sees as my "over-tipping" servers or handing out "AAplause" certificates to FAs and GAs when I see exemplary/great.
Sep 11, 2017, 7:54 am
#44
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: DL DM, AA EXP, various hotel
Posts: 2,227
I actually don't know the answer to this question, so I'm not just being snarky:
How expensive would it be to print little postcard sized menu cards? They could be sitting on the seat at boarding along with blanket and pillows, and could actually include ingredient/allergen lists that were more extensive than an FA could provide.
How expensive would it be to print little postcard sized menu cards? They could be sitting on the seat at boarding along with blanket and pillows, and could actually include ingredient/allergen lists that were more extensive than an FA could provide.
Sep 11, 2017, 7:54 am
#45
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AA PP 1.8MM, PC Spire, Hertz 5*, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,030
The irony to me about this thread is that I rarely ask questions in a Michelin star restaurant. The one's I have been to have always had a very good written description about what is being served.
I wish AA would do the same as JL and other carriers. In Y, they give out a laminated menu when the FA reaches your row. Once you have chosen the FA gets the menu back, serves you, and uses the menu for the next row.
I wish AA would do the same as JL and other carriers. In Y, they give out a laminated menu when the FA reaches your row. Once you have chosen the FA gets the menu back, serves you, and uses the menu for the next row.