FA Charging For Liquor/Drinks in MCE
Jun 16, 2018, 5:12 am
#79
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: CUR
Posts: 2,170
If everyone started giving everything away because it “doesn’t come out of their paychecks”, that’s a solid way to run a business into the ground. I would find that rather unethical behavior by the employee, too.
Jun 16, 2018, 5:53 am
#80
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
Flying JFK to AUS last night and initial drink service was done properly, 2 woodford's and a diet coke, no charge. Later, another FA brought me another round and requested $16. I pointed out the MCE and he said beer and wine only. He processed my card while I grumbled about the lack of clarity, and expressed that I would be reaching out to the Twitter team and getting a refund. Then I realized I was ticketed in 8F but seated in 8A...because the lady in 8A had already mistakenly taken 8F. He reversed the charge and then charged it again, to the correct seat this time as we continued to talk. He pulled out his phone and showed me the email, clearly indicating complimentary beer, wine, and spirits. He said Woodford was "hard liquor" not a spirit...to which the entire row began laughing. He reversed the charge and apologized.
Jun 16, 2018, 2:22 pm
#82
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Rapid Rewards, AAdvantage, SkyMiles
Posts: 2,931
There's a difference. Unless you are a theme park/resort where you have multiple lines of business, businesses primarily have one "asset" that they make/have in order to make money. For restaurants it's food. For department stores it's the merchandise on the shelves. For airlines it's transportation from point A to point B. If this was a restaurant or the employees were giving free flights away, you would have an argument. AA isn't in the business of selling $10 cans of beer, so there is no argument to be had here.
Jun 16, 2018, 3:32 pm
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
There's a difference. Unless you are a theme park/resort where you have multiple lines of business, businesses primarily have one "asset" that they make/have in order to make money. For restaurants it's food. For department stores it's the merchandise on the shelves. For airlines it's transportation from point A to point B. If this was a restaurant or the employees were giving free flights away, you would have an argument. AA isn't in the business of selling $10 cans of beer, so there is no argument to be had here.
Jun 16, 2018, 5:17 pm
#84
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,226
There are some bars that I go to on a regular basis, and occasionally the bartender will give me a free round, perhaps to incentivize my continued patronage--isn't this kind of the same thing?
Jun 16, 2018, 5:26 pm
#85
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Owner of 2,000 TWA shares
Posts: 812
AA is operating 6700+ bars a day with a few dozen "regulars" in each. It adds up.
Jun 16, 2018, 9:57 pm
#86
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Alaska Gold 75K, AA EXP, United 1K
Posts: 472
I think the main reason they don't make MCE and EXP benefits the same is that they clearly do not have enough food as many more people in MCE would take sandwiches and snacks if they were complementary. I've been in an exit row and as EXP and sometimes they have ran out of food items by the time they arrive at row 15. If all MCE people got free sandwiches and snacks, they definitely would run out before they got half way back through the plane. Less revenue (from passengers purchasing snacks) and unhappy people (because they ran out), which are probably things they wish to avoid.
Jun 16, 2018, 10:08 pm
#87
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
But airlines are in the business of ancillary charging... bags, seat assignment, meals, fees for making reservations through an agent. Some flights may only 'make' the airline $50. If a flight attendant gives away 50 cans of beer, that flight suddenly makes a loss.
Those same flight attendants should be aware of the new MCE policy regarding beer/wine/spirits, and they should be adhering to it. From day one.
AA should change its name to "Conair". The prisoners (flight attendants) have total autonomy over the onboard experience. AA management is preoccupied with bending over for investors, and that same management cannot be bothered with ensuring policies are being properly followed.
Jun 17, 2018, 11:46 am
#88
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: BA
Posts: 609
surely the kind of employee you want is one that actually knows how to deliver the product correctly more like it.
Jun 23, 2018, 10:31 am
#89
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
Just flew DEN-PHX and was sitting in row 9 on a 321, so I overheard the FA talking about the new MCE enhancements and how they started giving alcohol on June 5th etc etc. When the cart came by ordered double woodford and no issue with asking for payment. Hopefully by now it's fleetwide knowledge.