FA of the Decade - very poor experience, threats to disembark
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
Not to mention "standing up for yourself" won't probably end well for you. In the end maybe your ego is bruised a bit but it's far better being told to deplane and being given a seat for a later flight, likely back in Y. Also, if the GA is also a bit loony (a real probably) he/she might tell you find your own way home and write AA for a refund. There you will be shelling out big $$ for a walk up fare on another airline. Sometimes one needs to just shut up, swallow their pride and see a bigger picture-namely your not as miserable as the FA is about life.
#92
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
I would think that if the GA off loaded you he/she would hold the power on whether to let you travel. Most reasonable GAs will simply allow you to simmer down and rebook you. But if they decide to bounce you all together you have zero recourse, other than apply for a refund.
#93
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
Probably asking too much these days, but, while it's fine for employees to share complaints amongst themselves, I'd rather they stick to the time honored tradition of not showing public disloyalty to one's employer. After they've moved on or in private, fine, gloves off; but, to do so while receiving a paycheck, and to voice it in public while on the clock, in plain view of customers no less, is just distasteful, in my view.
#94
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK
Programs: OZ Diamond (*G), KQ Asante Gold (ST+), Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,511
No excuse for this behavior. I'm all for retraining in situations where the employee cares and is trying but doesn't succeed. This is a different matter though, and should be an immediate termination.
Last edited by zeer0; Feb 6, 2019 at 2:36 pm
#95
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: FNT, but DTW if I can't help it
Programs: AAdvantage Former EXP/Current PLT / Total Rewards - Diamond / Hilton HHonors - Gold
Posts: 757
Probably asking too much these days, but, while it's fine for employees to share complaints amongst themselves, I'd rather they stick to the time honored tradition of not showing public disloyalty to one's employer. After they've moved on or in private, fine, gloves off; but, to do so while receiving a paycheck, and to voice it in public while on the clock, in plain view of customers no less, is just distasteful, in my view.
#96
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
I think it's absolutely crazy that a multiple DUI offender can be CEO of a major company, but that's a separate discussion.
#97
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Not to mention "standing up for yourself" won't probably end well for you. In the end maybe your ego is bruised a bit but it's far better being told to deplane and being given a seat for a later flight, likely back in Y. Also, if the GA is also a bit loony (a real probably) he/she might tell you find your own way home and write AA for a refund. There you will be shelling out big $$ for a walk up fare on another airline. Sometimes one needs to just shut up, swallow their pride and see a bigger picture-namely your not as miserable as the FA is about life.
By the way, an FA absolutely cannot kick you off a flight. You don't even know what you are scared of here. The captain was brought into this and the FA clearly lost, and ended up having to sit in the galley for the whole flight while someone else did her job. Undoubtedly the captain ended up filing an incident report over this. If this ended poorly for someone, it was the FA.
As for the GA situation... no, they cannot cancel your ticket and tell you to contact AA for a refund. Again, you don't even know what you are scared of here.
#98
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
Good god, this is what is wrong with society. Too many people just willing to "take it". Scared because it won't end well for you? Come on, grow up, be a man for crying out loud. I will not cower in fear of someone just because they are wearing a little name tag with wings on it.
AA and other airlines love sending me surveys about my general travel experiences. What they need to be sending is a list of pics and names of each employee I interact with, along with a rating and comments box for each employee.
#99
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Good god, this is what is wrong with society. Too many people just willing to "take it". Scared because it won't end well for you? Come on, grow up, be a man for crying out loud. I will not cower in fear of someone just because they are wearing a little name tag with wings on it.
By the way, an FA absolutely cannot kick you off a flight. You don't even know what you are scared of here. The captain was brought into this and the FA clearly lost, and ended up having to sit in the galley for the whole flight while someone else did her job. Undoubtedly the captain ended up filing an incident report over this. If this ended poorly for someone, it was the FA.
As for the GA situation... no, they cannot cancel your ticket and tell you to contact AA for a refund. Again, you don't even know what you are scared of here.
By the way, an FA absolutely cannot kick you off a flight. You don't even know what you are scared of here. The captain was brought into this and the FA clearly lost, and ended up having to sit in the galley for the whole flight while someone else did her job. Undoubtedly the captain ended up filing an incident report over this. If this ended poorly for someone, it was the FA.
As for the GA situation... no, they cannot cancel your ticket and tell you to contact AA for a refund. Again, you don't even know what you are scared of here.
This has nothing to do with standing up for yourself. This has everything to do with complying with crew member instructions even if they seem outrageous.
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
#101
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Phoenix/Columbus
Programs: Delta Silver Medallion, United Gold, US Airways silver
Posts: 1,718
I'd love to agree with you, but I'm more inclined to say "what's wrong with society" is people like the FA, and companies' (not just AA's) reluctance to implement proper feedback mechanisms for their customer-facing employees.
AA and other airlines love sending me surveys about my general travel experiences. What they need to be sending is a list of pics and names of each employee I interact with, along with a rating and comments box for each employee.
AA and other airlines love sending me surveys about my general travel experiences. What they need to be sending is a list of pics and names of each employee I interact with, along with a rating and comments box for each employee.
Personally, I wish there was a system to provide feedback for ALL flights during or immediately after the flight (like SuperShuttle and an increasing number of service providers - e.g. Uber). When this is done, it has been my observation that the service provider seems acutely aware of the impact of their performance in the feedback they are likely to receive, and presumably being held accountable for. AA should do this.
#102
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: DFW
Posts: 8,036
Looks like this one has some legs - saw it on my Google News page this morning:
A Passenger on an American Airlines Flight Asked For an Irish Coffee. Then, a Horrific Escalation
A Passenger on an American Airlines Flight Asked For an Irish Coffee. Then, a Horrific Escalation
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,780
I have not received a request for feedback on a flight for quite some time (> 1 year?) Sometimes when I have received an e mail requesting this feedback, it has been nice to recognize good service when it is provided. Conversely, when it has been bad, it has been nice to offer that feedback too (providing something is done with it!). Have others seen a decline or discontinuation of a request for feedback?
Personally, I wish there was a system to provide feedback for ALL flights during or immediately after the flight (like SuperShuttle and an increasing number of service providers - e.g. Uber). When this is done, it has been my observation that the service provider seems acutely aware of the impact of their performance in the feedback they are likely to receive, and presumably being held accountable for. AA should do this.
Personally, I wish there was a system to provide feedback for ALL flights during or immediately after the flight (like SuperShuttle and an increasing number of service providers - e.g. Uber). When this is done, it has been my observation that the service provider seems acutely aware of the impact of their performance in the feedback they are likely to receive, and presumably being held accountable for. AA should do this.
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,780
To be fair, they're not collecting a paycheck when the door is open. A woman asked a FA if she could use the restroom during boarding, and he said "For a small fee" as a joke. Then as the FA walked away to let her through, he turned to me and goes "Oh jeez, I hope Doug Parker didn't hear that. He'll get ideas." If I'd had an AApplause cert I'd have handed it to him right then.
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,780
Good god, this is what is wrong with society. Too many people just willing to "take it". Scared because it won't end well for you? Come on, grow up, be a man for crying out loud. I will not cower in fear of someone just because they are wearing a little name tag with wings on it.
By the way, an FA absolutely cannot kick you off a flight. You don't even know what you are scared of here. The captain was brought into this and the FA clearly lost, and ended up having to sit in the galley for the whole flight while someone else did her job. Undoubtedly the captain ended up filing an incident report over this. If this ended poorly for someone, it was the FA.
As for the GA situation... no, they cannot cancel your ticket and tell you to contact AA for a refund. Again, you don't even know what you are scared of here.
By the way, an FA absolutely cannot kick you off a flight. You don't even know what you are scared of here. The captain was brought into this and the FA clearly lost, and ended up having to sit in the galley for the whole flight while someone else did her job. Undoubtedly the captain ended up filing an incident report over this. If this ended poorly for someone, it was the FA.
As for the GA situation... no, they cannot cancel your ticket and tell you to contact AA for a refund. Again, you don't even know what you are scared of here.
If you have to deal with crazy people, the best thing to do is to say as little as possible, even if you would like to stab the person in the neck.