chapookie

It's terrible to say, but I know when the "time crunch" for closing the door came (GA yelling that we have to close NOW, ops calling and wondering what the holdup is), many times I WASN'T thinking about anything other than getting the bins closed, everyone in their seats for taxi, arming and crosschecking doors, waiting for "all call," and other mandated duties that had to be done before and during taxi. I'm willing to bet that I did some slamming (unintentionally) in my time merely because my mind was focused elsewhere.

On the other side, as a pax it is annoying. Even when I was working as an F/A and commuting or deadheading, I would be fast asleep as soon as I was in my seat from being dead tired and would be starled awake with bin slamming.

I don't understand how or why one would do it intentionally, but, who knows? If anyone out there has some insight on why, I'd really like to know!

skydiva44

I only close the full bins until I get a thumbs up sign that all have boarded...of course there may be some stragglers so I make a mental note also of where there is space. I try to make an effort in closing them as quietly as possible, but some that are borderline too full may have to be forced.

sfogate

Actual situation: Departing flight has been delayed by several hours, due to lack of "legal" crew. Deadheading crew is being flown in from IAH (3 hour flight) to work the outbound flight. Crew arrives, plane is sitting there waiting, customers are staring, GA is beyond help and drowning in questions and the new crew spends over 20 minutes holding a briefing.

Why does it take so long to brief yourselves, when all of you flew on the same plane and could have talked while in route.

skydiva44

That is pretty much the Captain's call. I have had many Captains brief as soon as we meet at the gate so we can get busy with pre-flight checks as soon as we get on the a/c. SOME are very long winded to say the least with their briefings, it is frustrating to us also when we need to get to work so we can board. But I sure see your point.....

OPFlyer

What does the briefing include?

skydiva44

Mainly things like what the weather will be like during flight, if turbulence has been reported, flight time, the CA's preferences to certain problems that should arise, etc.

spleenstomper

I was serious when I asked how often do people fall down the air stairs...

skydiva44

Well, Continental doesn't have airstairs....you must be referring to Express and I can't answer that one.....sorry

sbm12

By "airstairs" do you mean walking out on to the ground and then up the stairs to board? If so, I've used them at BRS. And I believe that they are used at SJC, and possibly a couple other places, too.

I know that the person asking the question has a vested interest in the statistics.

skydiva44

You are correct SJC does have stairs, I forgot about that one since I don't go there very often....also in Mexico, but again, I don't fly there so it slipped my mind.

N9MD

Sorry, ecq. I disgree. It's always interesting to see how folks have a different take on posted responses. I agree with CAL PHL FLYER's terse response. The OP introduces himself/herself as a CO/FA ... and someone jumps in immediately with a complex issue/question that doesn't even come anywhere near the function or knowledgebase of an in-flight CO employee (FA). FA's, as far as I know, have no involvement with reservations, flight schedules, booking and re-booking issues, upgrade criteria, layover times, and so on. Not to be too critical of the questioner's Alaska Airlines query, but I felt it was inappropriate --- not mean-spirited or anything bad, just something that would be out of the purview of a FA.

Meanwhile, may I, too, extend a warm welcome to COEWRFA ... and a hearty shout-out to the FAs (and GAs and Pilots) who have been so helpful to many of us in the FT Continental Airlines Forum ... especially to those who recognize my wife and me up in FC on our frequent R/Ts from EWR to Florida where the Baileys & Coffee is always ready for us.

sbm12

That question was also posed by someone who just joined FT. Actually the first two posts on this thread are from people who joined FT on that day and both started posting around the same time (though they are certainly different people). Yes, the question about an AS reward was misplaced, but it also would be misplaced were there a thread that CO Insider kept open for questions. After all, he'd not responsible for flight schedules, layover times or reward bookings either.

In reality, FlyerTalk benefits by having more people involved, not fewer. Suggesting that we limit questions to a single party doesn't make any sense, especially when there are so many others here who can, will and enjoy helping out and sharing their knowledge and experiences with us.

chapookie

Wish I could help, but any place I've been on a hardstand (airstairs), I don't remember having anyone fall - neither up nor down them . Not to say that it doesn't happen, people fall down stairs everyday, right? Personally, I have the tendency to fall UP the stairs.

MBM3

One of your co-moderators came darn close to making the news in BUD yesterday by slipping on the stairs on the hardstand in a light rain. But that is for another forum.... I could have taken out 20-30 people.....

spleenstomper

Yeah, I was just curious.