American Crew Not Great? (Poor int’l. cabin crew experience)
May 30, 2019, 1:26 pm
#106
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
PS: didn't have major services issues on my TATL flights recently, but both directions they spent a lot of time "Could any passengers in business class look for Bose headphones and let us know, we are currently missing one pair", which was very annoying.
May 30, 2019, 1:56 pm
#108
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SAN
Programs: AA CK, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 839
Totally agree. Whenever possible I book J through PHL because I like the crews and know many of the “regulars” on the PHL-FCO route. Whenever I read (which is frequent here) about bad treatment from crew members, I feel like I’m flying AA in a parallel universe. I never have issues with AA employees. Hope my luck continues.
May 30, 2019, 5:48 pm
#109
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: LA
Programs: AA Plat Pro, SPG/Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,192
I was on a PVG-LAX flight last August where the flight attendant in J was excellent. He was an older gentleman, and he introduced himself and greeted me by name when I boarded, and while descending and preparing the cabin for landing, came by and shook each passenger's hand thanking us for flying. I remember the crew on that flight being great. The year before, I flew JFK-ZRH in J and had a great crew also. My parents' English aren't that good, but one of the flight attendants took time explaining places to eat and see in Zurich. It was a slow conversation, but they were very patient!
May 31, 2019, 9:48 am
#110
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Aadvantage platinum; IHG Spire
Posts: 546
Whilst I agree the behaviour of the Op does sound a bit odd, AA crews are very poor compared to non US airlines. Qantas and BA are significantly better than 99% of the TATL AA crews I've had. Just for one example - in business, the person in front of me asked if the pizza was vegetarian, and the crew members rude and abrupt answer was "I don't know, I haven't eaten it"!
May 31, 2019, 11:31 am
#111
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
I have been reading these comments with great interest. Whilst the idea of standing on a Jetway or hovering by a door to get fresh air at Heathrow of all places, may seem preposterous to me, I have followed the thread all the way through.
I have flown AA for years - mostly domestic as I have to travel to Hawaii at least twice a year as I own property there. I hate to generalise but I have noticed that the more than one of the crews seem lacking in dynamism and positive attitude. It seems that they are there to do the job. fill the hours and go home. There are wonderful exceptions to that fortunately. I blame the work culture of all the changes that have taken place, and as I have said before, the lack of any kind of Service Manager on board the aircraft. There is no one to whom they report. No one can tell anyone else what to do, and sort out conduct. If anyone had come to me and told me that one of my team had answered a customer in a manner that is reported by @Donsyb, I would want to know why and unless I got a good explanation the matter would not end there. That sort of Bulls**t attitude is utterly indefensible, but I would want to hear what they have to say before leaping to conclusions. Similarly the ice incident, if it is to be believed, would have had the same effect. Trust me that from London AA carry enough ice to sink the Titanic. We have threads here with strings of posts about whether the crew could be assed to do PDFs or not. Lots don't as no one gets paid for that. Although it is First Class in name only apart from the seating, it is part of the service but nobody is there to insist that is done and nobody gets into any trouble for not doing it.
Until they have proper Flight Service Managers whose job it is to ensure that the proper service standards are maintained,and that someone actually give a d*mn about the crew then I really do not see what is about to change.
I do sympathise with crew who have seen their contracts changing, different policies come into effect and their pay is probably not that brilliant these days. No, I know that no one made them do the job but I was taught that if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.All in all, it seems to me that there is a fairly toxic company background and some of them have given up giving a d*mn,
I have flown AA for years - mostly domestic as I have to travel to Hawaii at least twice a year as I own property there. I hate to generalise but I have noticed that the more than one of the crews seem lacking in dynamism and positive attitude. It seems that they are there to do the job. fill the hours and go home. There are wonderful exceptions to that fortunately. I blame the work culture of all the changes that have taken place, and as I have said before, the lack of any kind of Service Manager on board the aircraft. There is no one to whom they report. No one can tell anyone else what to do, and sort out conduct. If anyone had come to me and told me that one of my team had answered a customer in a manner that is reported by @Donsyb, I would want to know why and unless I got a good explanation the matter would not end there. That sort of Bulls**t attitude is utterly indefensible, but I would want to hear what they have to say before leaping to conclusions. Similarly the ice incident, if it is to be believed, would have had the same effect. Trust me that from London AA carry enough ice to sink the Titanic. We have threads here with strings of posts about whether the crew could be assed to do PDFs or not. Lots don't as no one gets paid for that. Although it is First Class in name only apart from the seating, it is part of the service but nobody is there to insist that is done and nobody gets into any trouble for not doing it.
Until they have proper Flight Service Managers whose job it is to ensure that the proper service standards are maintained,and that someone actually give a d*mn about the crew then I really do not see what is about to change.
I do sympathise with crew who have seen their contracts changing, different policies come into effect and their pay is probably not that brilliant these days. No, I know that no one made them do the job but I was taught that if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.All in all, it seems to me that there is a fairly toxic company background and some of them have given up giving a d*mn,
May 31, 2019, 4:42 pm
#112
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,228
Strange. On pretty much every US-bound flight I've flown (from LHR or elsewhere), there is usually a series of questions you have to answer before being admitted into the boarding area. At LHR, I've had questions at check-in, and they'll put a little sticker on the back of your passport (although it's been a while since I've checked in at the check-in desks at LHR, so not sure if they still do this).
Although I've experienced the "pre-boarding" screening questions at airports besides LHR, LHR is by and large the airport at which I've experienced the strictest security in general (strict scrutiny of liquid amounts, pat downs, etc.). This is probably more a LHR thing than a US-flight thing, though.
Although I've experienced the "pre-boarding" screening questions at airports besides LHR, LHR is by and large the airport at which I've experienced the strictest security in general (strict scrutiny of liquid amounts, pat downs, etc.). This is probably more a LHR thing than a US-flight thing, though.
As for the crew, we had a very good one on Tuesday's flight into DFW. They were friendly, polite, present and seemed to be working well together.
May 31, 2019, 8:52 pm
#114
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
May 31, 2019, 9:34 pm
#115
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,669
For all of you confused out there, this is what the OP was trying to do, was that too much to ask??
https://imgur.com/gallery/azCwIAg
https://imgur.com/gallery/azCwIAg
Jun 1, 2019, 2:24 am
#116
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Aadvantage platinum; IHG Spire
Posts: 546
For all of you confused out there, this is what the OP was trying to do, was that too much to ask??
https://imgur.com/gallery/azCwIAg
https://imgur.com/gallery/azCwIAg
Jun 1, 2019, 10:25 am
#117
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
Glad OP made it to the former colonies safely. We don’t recognize peerage here. One of the many reasons we left.
Just booked my last AA trip on purpose-A “SWU run” LAX-LHR-LAX to burn my last 2 almost useless SWUs. Bought J, and upgraded to F. Expectations=zero and don’t expect ****.
Currently in China, having flown LAX-CAN-FOC on China Southern. Service in J would easily rival CX. Also $2500 cheaper than AA. Better service and lower price, what an interesting combination.
Upcoming through 2019:
DFW-CDG-DFW twice. AF J, always superb service. $1100 cheaper on one, $550 cheaper on the other than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
DFW-NRT-DFW on Aeromexico in J. Always great service. $1900 cheaper than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
DFW-SYD-DFW on Qatar in J. GUARANTEED great service. $4800 cheaper than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
I can book away from AA (and am). Why would MrsDallas49er and I spend more to book the TATL and TPAC “service crap shoot” on AA? Perhaps some of the intelligencia and “Eminence Gris” on this board have an answer.
YMMV
Just booked my last AA trip on purpose-A “SWU run” LAX-LHR-LAX to burn my last 2 almost useless SWUs. Bought J, and upgraded to F. Expectations=zero and don’t expect ****.
Currently in China, having flown LAX-CAN-FOC on China Southern. Service in J would easily rival CX. Also $2500 cheaper than AA. Better service and lower price, what an interesting combination.
Upcoming through 2019:
DFW-CDG-DFW twice. AF J, always superb service. $1100 cheaper on one, $550 cheaper on the other than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
DFW-NRT-DFW on Aeromexico in J. Always great service. $1900 cheaper than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
DFW-SYD-DFW on Qatar in J. GUARANTEED great service. $4800 cheaper than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
I can book away from AA (and am). Why would MrsDallas49er and I spend more to book the TATL and TPAC “service crap shoot” on AA? Perhaps some of the intelligencia and “Eminence Gris” on this board have an answer.
YMMV
Jun 1, 2019, 10:55 am
#118
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
Glad OP made it to the former colonies safely. We don’t recognize peerage here. One of the many reasons we left.
Just booked my last AA trip on purpose-A “SWU run” LAX-LHR-LAX to burn my last 2 almost useless SWUs. Bought J, and upgraded to F. Expectations=zero and don’t expect ****.
Currently in China, having flown LAX-CAN-FOC on China Southern. Service in J would easily rival CX. Also $2500 cheaper than AA. Better service and lower price, what an interesting combination.
Upcoming through 2019:
DFW-CDG-DFW twice. AF J, always superb service. $1100 cheaper on one, $550 cheaper on the other than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
DFW-NRT-DFW on Aeromexico in J. Always great service. $1900 cheaper than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
DFW-SYD-DFW on Qatar in J. GUARANTEED great service. $4800 cheaper than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
I can book away from AA (and am). Why would MrsDallas49er and I spend more to book the TATL and TPAC “service crap shoot” on AA? Perhaps some of the intelligencia and “Eminence Gris” on this board have an answer.
YMMV
Just booked my last AA trip on purpose-A “SWU run” LAX-LHR-LAX to burn my last 2 almost useless SWUs. Bought J, and upgraded to F. Expectations=zero and don’t expect ****.
Currently in China, having flown LAX-CAN-FOC on China Southern. Service in J would easily rival CX. Also $2500 cheaper than AA. Better service and lower price, what an interesting combination.
Upcoming through 2019:
DFW-CDG-DFW twice. AF J, always superb service. $1100 cheaper on one, $550 cheaper on the other than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
DFW-NRT-DFW on Aeromexico in J. Always great service. $1900 cheaper than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
DFW-SYD-DFW on Qatar in J. GUARANTEED great service. $4800 cheaper than AA. Better service, lower price. (No SWU available)
I can book away from AA (and am). Why would MrsDallas49er and I spend more to book the TATL and TPAC “service crap shoot” on AA? Perhaps some of the intelligencia and “Eminence Gris” on this board have an answer.
YMMV
Glad OP made it to the former colonies safely. We don’t recognize peerage here. One of the many reasons we left.
'''Errr....LEFT the former colonies or driven out, let me be diplomatic: ...or persuaded to leave?
Jun 1, 2019, 6:15 pm
#119
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
Jun 2, 2019, 6:36 pm
#120
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,252
if buying J or F is always an option, then do whats best for you. my uncle happens to be PPS Solitaire or whatever on SQ, but thats materially irrelevant to him as he flies J or F and this happens to occur as part of that.