FA Charging For Liquor/Drinks in MCE

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Jul 17, 2018, 8:21 pm

#256

DCP2016

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Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMan

I was on a DFW-ORD flight yesterday and going standby took the last seat in very back of plane. FA 's appeared to be a rather new FA, with several seasoned mature FA. The first drink pass was completed, and the seasoned attendants were constantly complaining about MCE, while the new FA was serving all the drinks. It was 30 minutes of how we don't have time to serve coach, while they were literally standing in the back complaining. Its a good thing they don't fly WN with all the drink coupons flying around, and the requirement to ask every customer if they would like "anything else". Why is this a big deal on AA 737-800 with about 5 rows and not a big deal on WN with a whole coach section?

"We don't have time". Typical laziness. It's too bad these new hires who are awesome and know the rules by heart are brainwashed into being lazy/going against company policy by the senior dragons.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF

In fact giving away liquor to the entire cabin would take less time than processing a single credit card?

Yup, that's what I love, it takes less time to just hand out a free drink than it does to set up the device, swipe the card etc.

Jul 17, 2018, 9:22 pm

#257

aafflyer

Join Date: Dec 2002

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So what's the policy exactly, ONE free drink or free drinks being more than one?

Jul 17, 2018, 9:29 pm

#258

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

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Quote:

Originally Posted by aafflyer

So what's the policy exactly, ONE free drink or free drinks being more than one?

No limit (usual rules for drunk/intoxicated passengers I guess).

Data point, friend’s mom flew MCE just now, no status so paid for seating there. Offered free drinks.

Jul 17, 2018, 10:29 pm

#259

aafflyer

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF

No limit (usual rules for drunk/intoxicated passengers I guess).

Data point, friend’s mom flew MCE just now, no status so paid for seating there. Offered free drinks.

AA obviously is having a rough roll out. Denied a second drink on 2 of 3 MCE flights last week (all 3+ hrs).

Jul 17, 2018, 10:38 pm

#260

CHOPCHOP767

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Quote:

Originally Posted by aafflyer

AA obviously is having a rough roll out. Denied a second drink on 2 of 3 MCE flights last week (all 3+ hrs).

Speaking of rollouts, can't help but wonder if it would help were AA to just dispense with the pleasantries of the current complimentary MCE at booking for PLAT and above and just make MCE a separate booking class like DL. The writing for such seems to be on the proverbial wall. I don't fly DL enough, let alone in Y to know if comp. booze is an issue for their C+ "class of service"...

Jul 17, 2018, 10:42 pm

#261

jcatman

Join Date: Apr 2009

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CHOPCHOP767

You lost me there. How would that make a difference?

The AAtitude and LAAziness of the flight attendants at American over this new MCE policy reminds me of the bitter FA's over at United who complain about having to handle all of that Polaris bedding without being paid one dime more.

Jul 17, 2018, 10:53 pm

#262

serfty

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This was an international flight, AA56 MIA-LHR, but here's an anecdote from Australian Frequent Flyer:

AA in Premium Econ MIA > LHR | Australian Frequent Flyer

Quote:

Originally Posted by fifo

The weird bit was on first drink service I was told by the attendant 'you know you are only supposed to have one of these right', in reference to a whisky. I was all...er no why would I know that?

On meal service I asked for another, he said you have to pay for it. I was dumb founded...premium cabin apparently! I had a wine instead - same as Y offering. The attendant was...rude at best...

Quote:

Originally Posted by fifo, post: 1811980, member: 37808

I have no idea. The point of my post is that it's a slight y upgrade not a j downgrade as I feel it is on other carriers I've flown it on. So i guess that's to be expected.

You were dudded ... many AA FA's don't read the memos. PE is a relatively new service.

When they said "... right", it was likely more of a query. It was your missed opportunity to affirm to the FA that you knew you could have more spirits.

Premium dining − Dining − American Airlines

Contrast that with:

Main Cabin food − Dining − American Airlines

And, AA's response:

Quote:

sorry that you experienced anything less than fantastic service from one of our flight attendants. Fifo, our goal for every employee is to provide friendly, courteous service. Clearly we let you down on your flight to London/Heathrow.

Currently, there are no restrictions on the number of complimentary alcoholic beverages for our Premium Economy Cabin. Please be assured I have made your comments available to the appropriate inflight management personnel for internal review.

Fifo, thank you for taking the time to contact us. Your comments will be used constructively to improve our service. The next time you travel with us, we will do our best to make sure that your trip is a good one.

CHOPCHOP767 likes this.

Jul 17, 2018, 10:58 pm

#263

CHOPCHOP767

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jcatman

If anything, the additional revenue would incentivize AA Inflight Services management to push the FAs into providing service; although I'm sure there are CBA issues with this already. I'm also a bit more reluctant to blame the FAs here; although I've vented frustrations with individual FAs numerous times on these pages. Management really should be pushing the issue, stating that the the comp. booze is a promised element of the MCE service. In many ways, AA is still a tale of two airlines and management has had plenty of time to address that issue, see PDB thread; see also various discussions of LAA hubs v LUS hubs.

Jul 17, 2018, 10:59 pm

#264

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

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Quote:

Originally Posted by serfty

This was an international flight, AA56 MIA-LHR, but here's an anecdote from Australian Frequent Flyer:

AA in Premium Econ MIA > LHR Australian Frequent Flyer

And, AA's response:

International, but also a different cabin and product.

Jul 17, 2018, 11:45 pm

#265

serfty

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF

International, but also a different cabin and product.

But it is an example of a very similar inconsistency of service from the crew ...

Jul 18, 2018, 6:18 am

#266

wetrat0

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Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMan

Because WN flight attendants either (a) like their job or (b) have been browbeaten by the company into pretending to like their job. It's 100% a culture thing. I read somewhere that WN makes a big deal of weeding out people who don't have good customer service attitude at the hiring stage, for all positions. No idea how they do it but it is clearly working. I have faced my share of problems on WN but surly FA is not one of them. I have never been refused a drink on WN when I asked nicely and had the proper credential (coupon).

WN also has a lot more personal responsibility. They divide the cabin into 3 (or 4) sections and then each section has one FA who takes care of that section. There's no way they could pull something like what you observed where the senior FAs stood around griping while the junior FA had to serve all the drinks.

Jul 18, 2018, 6:26 am

#267

james318

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Quote:

Originally Posted by genotonda

You are referencing an int'l itin. Which, I believe, includes beer and wine no matter where you sit. This MCE conundrum involved domestic only.

This was MCE on DFW-FRA. Does international MCE not provide free liquor?

Jul 18, 2018, 7:38 am

#268

mvoight

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CHOPCHOP767

Well, that certainly would lose a lot of my business and I rarely drink alcohol. If giving out booze is going to cause elites to not get MCE, then I would prefer to keep the MCE seat and not have booze
This would be especially painful for those flights I now have Prem Economy seating like DFW-MIA (772)

Last edited by mvoight; Jul 18, 2018 at 9:08 am

Jul 18, 2018, 8:19 am

#269

CHOPCHOP767

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mvoight

I completely agree; even if only because a drink is complimentary for EXPs in all of Y

In all seriousness though, with only three rows of MCE plus the exit row seats, AA seems to be following the DL model of economy with extra space seating plus amenities instead of UA's, which has significantly more Economy Plus seats, but you have to pay for drinks. I prefer the latter. And looking at all of the hoopla from the FAs regarding the 737 Max, I'm really not surprised that AA hasn't been able to implement this drink service feature. Both issues stem from management...