msntriathlete

OK, I'm not one for rants on FT, but my experience on DL3382, DTW-MSN, 25 November in EC deserves a rant. I think I just experienced one of the most customer-service-averse FAs I've found in a while.

The flight is scheduled for a full beverage service in F and Y. We board after a short maintenance delay, and F gets no preflight service (OK I thought, maybe they're trying to get us out quickly). After takeoff, the FAs are released, and they announce they "won't have time" to do beverage service in Y, so they'll only serve water. FA Diane comes through the cabin with a bottle of water in one hand and a stack of cups in the other, frowning at each row and saying "Water." Not even "would you like water?" just "Water." Next row, "Water." Next row, "Water." There was no turbulence or other reason the FAs had to remain seated. Then after her 5min water-service, Diane proceeds to sit in the forward jumpseat eating snacks out of the catering trolley, in plain view of the passengers she refused to serve!

Photo is at https://www.icloud.com/journal/#3;CA...3-DE290FBE777A

and I tweeted it @rose0005.

Her colleague, Mary, just stayed in the galley chatting with her. At the end of the flight, she got up and served the snack basket to the F pax, stopping at each row and holding the basket without saying anything! Of course, not until after she had her fill of the snacks right in front of them first!

Diane was perfectly smiley and happy chatting with Mary in the galley, but completely frowny the second she had to face pax in either cabin.

Both FAs, Diane and Mary, but especially Diane, have no realization that they're in a service industry and no concept of customer service. If they hate airline passengers so much, why do they bother?

I sent DL a TTU about their failure to adhere to DL's service standards for this flight (I fly MSN-DTW-MSN a lot and am familiar with the service standards) and generally bad attitude. I hope DL passes this feedback on the Pinnacle.

CPMaverick

Glad you are reporting this. I don't think you'll find many arguments with your complaint (but maybe a few, this is FT after all).

Was there a beverage service in F?

No reason 2 FA can't service this route properly.

msntriathlete

Yes, F got an inflight beverage service by Mary, while Diane did water in Y. Then Mary & Diane sat in the galley chatting and giggling, Diane eating the inflight-snacks, until Diane finally did a snack-basket run in F before landing.

The plane was in awful shape, too. Two overhead bins in disrepair, one missing a door, and one with the door taped shut with masking-tape. The seats and floor were filthy. The storage-bin-doors aft of the wardrobe were not latched and came flying open during takeoff, swinging right into the space of the passenger in 1A. Klassy.

I love flying on CR9s, and I'm willing to overlook some variability in customer service, but this was not a good experience.

fattieonboard

Nor do both FAs have a realization that passengers now have cameras pointed at them. These clueless girls need to join the awful food service workers in the ATL concourses.

readywhenyouare

This is typical of Pinnacle. Earlier this week I flew MCO-CVG-MEM and CVG-MEM was operated by Pinnacle. There were three Pinnacle pilots who were deadheading to MEM and I shared the exit row of the CRJ-200 with them. After takeoff they proceeded to discuss the most recent aircraft crashes and then for the rest of the flight discussed the great Delta conspiracy that drove Pinnacle into bankruptcy. These guys really had it out for Delta.

The flight attendant was also really rude. One lady had to use the bathroom and he made multiple announcements over the intercom for her to sit down. On mainline Delta even if the seat belt sign is on you won't be chastised for going to the bathroom. The Delta flight attendants will just remind you that you are up at your own risk. Toward the end of the flight I was trying to sleep and the flight attendant came over and yanked my window shade open.

IMO, Pinnacle is the worst DLCX carrier. Skywest is the standard for how a regional airline should operate.

EricStratton

I've not seen Pinnacle be that bad. I get to use them each week going ATL-BMI. There is one girl, Anne-Marie or maybe Anna-Marie, that is absolutely incredible. She's been on the route a few times and has always been super attentive. I'm sure they'll beat the newness and customer concern out of her soon enough though.

A few weeks ago there was a head mistress/stewardess or whatever they are called to check on their service. She sat in 5B, took notes the whole time, kept turning around and giving the stinkeye to the rest of steerage, and then spent the last 30 minutes of the flight in the front galley seemingly given both stewardesses the third degree while they slipped out to check on passengers now and then. It seemed to be getting a bit heated up there but I never said anything.

flyertalker003967

I fly Pinnacle twice a week from JFK and this is the norm with them if the flight isn't cancelled. I'm just used to it and don't really care much on my 45 minute flights.

fattieonboard

It's best not to say anything. Passengers have been known to disappear on those flights... never to be heard from again.

davetravels

Come on, a workin' girl's gotta eat, ya know?

Something like this?:



This is a CR7 I was on. As soon as the FA closed the bin, I heard a CRUNCH, then the bin door literally fell off right behind me! The hinge broke in two! We had to wait something like 25 minutes for a mechanic to bring out the duct tape! One FA said to the other - Can't we just keep it empty and fly? Nope! I guess there's some FAA reg about it. The funny thing was that the whole interior seemed really crisp and new!

I can't remember if it was the same flight or not, but, I was on a PIT/DTW CR7 or CR9 recently, and absolutely NO drink service whatsoever - in the back or up front! ZILCH! I asked the lead FA about it after we landed, and he told me that there's NO drink service on flights under 200 miles. PERIOD - Not even in F! Is that true? I have never NOT had at least minimal service from PIT/DTW - especially in F. I later checked and found out that PIT/DTW is 201 miles!

spudley007

Pinnacle has not been helpful for me lately into or out of DTW. I can't remember the last time they were on time. Not sure what the issue is, but I'm now trying to avoid them whenever I can. It gets frustrating the number of significant delays or cancellations I experience with them.

johnslloyd

+1 on SkyWest. SkyWest is a first-class operation, top to bottom. I can say this with confidence, having flown some 160+ SkyWest segs YTD.

MSPeconomist

I've generally had good experiences on Pinnacle, mostly on their CRJ-900s which always look fresh/new/clean to me with no obvious bin problems.

32767a

I've been on a lot of Pinnacle 200s and 900s and they've been well worn, but no major issues like broken bins.

I was on an Expressjet 700 last week that looked like it had been through a war zone.

xliioper

The Delta cut-off for service in coach is actually 250 miles. FC should still get a beverage service and the "light" snack service (peanuts, biscoffs, or pretzels) for flights under 250 miles.

davetravels

That's exactly what I thought! Thanx. I was going to drop a note online, but I never got around to it.