One of my sisters is an ex-FA and she sez the onboard service is often crap. On my last trip with her no drinks were being served or coats being hung up in F/C. She got up and went forward to get some water. When she returned she remarked “I listened to the 2 FA up there talking in the galley, then I told them to simply cook the roast for 30 minutes at 350 deg and please serve my brother a scotch-n-water and I will have a water with ice, PLEASE.” The FA soon showed up and apologized. She confirmed it was airline policy to serve the F/C cabin preflight drinks except in very rare circumstances.

In the past couple of years my traveling booze consumption has gone up 50% or more do to the constant stress, the constant yelling and the constant hurry up and wait policies instituted in the name of “security”.

MisterNice

As someone who's normally fairly happy to board with Elites so I find a space for my carryon in coach I feel that FC should be able to board before us. And yes I've heard the announcement that FC and Elites can start boarding now without the call for FC first.

Now on my last flight (MFE-IAH) I did get a pre flight drink (got the battlefield bump, and they brought two others from coach, including the person next to me who had Plat tags on carryon), but somehow the FA never came around during the flight even ONCE to see if I'd like another. Thought about the call button, but by the time I decided to use it, we started the descent (55 min flight, no snack).

I was not pleased about being ignored, but it was still nice to be up front. OTOH, on a short hop like this with few pax exit row would have been almost as comfortable.

One time without pre-flight drinks was on an MD-80 IAH-SAN, but there's just NO room for pax and FA at the same time.

EmailKid

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I am NOT a tin elite! Then again, what the hell do I know?

The only time I haven't received preflight drinks is if we're running late or boarding takes forever and it's just not feasible to get up & down the aisle.

If I'm not getting drinks as often as I want them I just get up and ask. The only time I'd use the button is if I'm trapped in the window seat, which is very rare.

Some how I just don't buy this....NWA seems to be able to do it on their 140+ 9's

I haven't had any issues with pre-board drinks; or refills during flight, everything is running as usual.

Of course, there are exceptions - on a recent SEA-CLE; the FA was OUTSTANDING! Pre-board drinks, and during flight was constantly checking if any glass needed to be refilled! She was the most professional and pleasant FA to date!

I think it is all about the crew... Flying well over 100 flights with NW and a 98% upgrade rate in the past 14 months I am finding the pre-flight drinks at best runs about 70%. The good crews find a way to do it.

So don't think it is a CO only problem.

What is the big deal about getting a drink before takeoff?? Yeah, it is a nice courtesy. But it is just that, a courtesy. I also agree that it would be nice if they could hold off boarding the entire aircraft at once. Getting out in that aisle during boarding is a pain in the *ss.

As far as FA's being 'more' courteous 20 years ago, the passengers were probably more courteous than they are today as well. Nowadays everyone is just ME, ME, ME!! And I don't think that there are any worries about CAL going in to Chap 11 anytime soon. Sorry!

I always find the stigma of using the call button interesting. It seems even other passengers find it a bit offensive and unsettling to invoke the flight attendant that way. Maybe it's the unnecessarily loud ding that catches everyone's attention.

On long flights, I've never understood why a flight attendant can't walk through the 3-6 rows every so often to clear away empties and generally make eye contact with anyone who might be interested in something (I see this on NW much more regularly). Oh, and do it quietly so as not to disturb people who aren't awake or interested.

Back then it was a "treat" to fly. Everyone was more respectful to each other. Today good manners have been replaced with ATTITUDE.

And the ATTITUDE DEFINITELY starts w/the FA's. If they have a good attitude it normally starts off much better than if they start off w/a bad one. And they should also remember that one person giving them a hard time doesn't mean we all will or that they should take it on in everyone else. I have met some fantastic ones that made the trip a pleasure. Speaking of drinks, on a flight in F from IAH to DFW Saturday night at around 8:30. The FA's were busy having a cooking conversation and didn't move until the door was closed. Meanwhile the captain announced that the weather would be a little rough so they were going to stay in their seats. Now don't you think they could have done a drink service BEFORE we took off, being there were only 4 people in F anyway? They didn't even take the jackets until I asked. And the flight wasn't rough at all and still no drink service. I have seen some of these poor FA's fight turbulence like we were on the high seas some times but this was inexusable.

I've been cutting back on CO since the EQM disaster but flew CLE-BWI yesterday on flight 456 and FA Mark H was awesome. He greeted everyone in F by name, shook hands and served preflight drinks. He was very attentive throughout the short flight. I'm definitely not shy about complaining so I guess turnabout is fair play. Anyone know the email address to send compliments?

Same as the one to send complaints: [email protected]

On my recent flight, a lady next to me managed to suck down 3 scotch and waters on an on-time takeoff. And, I rarely see them hanging in the galley. They are usually checking coats, checking counts, making sure the trays are locked in

I wouldn't complain, at least in domestic CO business first (and NW) you get real wine, out of a good bottle.

Recently, I have been in some domestic AA (American) business flights and they were serving wine in business, but not a large bottle, but basically opening the little ones they sell in coach for $5.00 If they really want to save money, perhaps they could buy the wine sold in countries like Chile or Spain that comes in a cardboard tetrabrick...it would be better quality than those little bottles.

Anyways, just saying that so you acknowledge CO has not hit that stage yet!

I've flown a few times and yes indeed they have not offered a beverage to the FC cabin, even twice when nothing was particularly busy with only 1/3-1/2 load...