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Two gripes: pouring soda & no free check of carry-on eligible bags at front counter

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Two gripes: pouring soda & no free check of carry-on eligible bags at front counter

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Old Jan 31, 2019, 8:39 pm
  #31  
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Originally Posted by daloosh
Ya, we see the FAs cracking those bags, and I hope they're clean, but I generally avoid all ice I can.
I hate the "chunk! chunk! chunk!" sound of the FAs trying to break up the stuck-together ice in bags, but that's squarely in Hall of Pathetic Rants territory...
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Old Jan 31, 2019, 8:43 pm
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I always ask for a can of Diet Coke. I’ll wipe the top off myself. Sometimes I get the FA sigh. Usually I just get handed the can of Diet Coke.
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Old Jan 31, 2019, 8:57 pm
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Originally Posted by FF524
I always ask for a can of Diet Coke. I’ll wipe the top off myself. Sometimes I get the FA sigh. Usually I just get handed the can of Diet Coke.
I always ask for Coke Zero, and request the entire can.
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Old Jan 31, 2019, 10:46 pm
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by daloosh
It's all about the money whisperer. If there's money to be made or saved, you'll be the first to be screwed.

Just an aside about the sanitation, as been pointed out, whatever is on the can gets poured into your cup -- but what about that ice?!?!? Ice machines are the grossest, moldiest, never-cleaned things you don't suspect. I always ask for no ice, I'd rather have a not quite cold drink than eat the ice from who knows where.
I’m particularly careful about this on flights departing places where two water is not always potable - like mainland China, for example, or Mexico. I’m sure the caterers do the right thing and use filtered ice, but skipping it is an easy, low impact precaution, so why risk it?
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Old Jan 31, 2019, 11:52 pm
  #35  
 
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What about when they put in so much ice that it displaces more than half of the cup's volume, and you get something like 3 fl oz of the actual drink? Paired with a salty, even if tiny snack, that's totally inadequate. I think with human nature what it is, many people would be too shy to ask for the whole can. I'm one of those people. I sometimes wonder if asking for a drink that might not be too popular increases the chances of getting the whole can. If only every 20th passenger asks for a ginger ale, the FA might not want to keep an open can in the small space she has on the cart.
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Old Feb 1, 2019, 7:08 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by BenA


I’m particularly careful about this on flights departing places where two water is not always potable - like mainland China, for example, or Mexico. I’m sure the caterers do the right thing and use filtered ice, but skipping it is an easy, low impact precaution, so why risk it?
Interesting.
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Old Feb 1, 2019, 8:46 am
  #37  
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The bag check will never happen. Revenue to start with.

Also, many of those smaller bags that people check are looking for trouble anyways - they are not built to be tossed around. I am constantly amazed at how many "shoulder bags" are checked. Crazy stuff. Or half full bags flopping around like a fish out of water.
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Old Feb 1, 2019, 9:22 am
  #38  
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Originally Posted by andrewk829
Two things I wanted to get off my chest and am curious if others agree:

1. Why is it that Delta, and most airlines, pour the soda into a cup instead of just handing out the whole can (without a cup)? I drink soda out of a can in my normal daily life; I can do it at 32,000 feet as well. I would imagine that the beverage service would go about 4 times faster if FAs simply walked down the aisle handing out cans of soda (or water bottles, juice, whatever). The "cost savings" of serving only a partial can is, I imagine, quite minimal given that volume discounts airlines must get on soda, and is counteracted by the cost of cups and ice. And, handing out whole cans would also enable beverage service on those short "up and down" flights that currently do not have sufficient time to do a beverage service in Y.
Just ask? No one has ever told me no.

Why does DL do it? because somebody in finance figured out it saved them $0.18 a flight

Last edited by vincentharris; Feb 1, 2019 at 9:29 am
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Old Feb 1, 2019, 9:26 am
  #39  
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Originally Posted by andrewk829
Two things I wanted to get off my chest and am curious if others agree:


2. Why is it that Delta, and the other airlines, do not allow non-status passengers to check "carry on eligible" bags for free in the front of the airport (up to one per passenger)? The airlines allow - and in fact encourage - passengers to check bags at the gate, which is complimentary. Why not just allow passengers to check small bags out front? Benefits are as follows:
For passengers:
(a) No need to invest in trial-sized toothpaste, shave cream, and other liquid-ish toiletries
(b) Faster security screening for self and others
(c) Don't need to be in a big hurry to board (and play the game of lining up early) in order to secure overhead bin space
(d) It's just generally more pleasant to navigate airports without a bag in tow.

For airline:
(a) No hassle of dealing with gate-checked bags (makes life easier for gate agents as well as baggage crews)
(b) Fewer delays caused by full overhead bins that necessitate last-minute scrambling to check bags or otherwise find a solution
(c) I doubt there would be any loss of revenue whatsoever because I imagine it is extraordinarily rare for someone to pay to check a bag that is eligible to be carried on.

For the record, I often check carry-on-eligible bags, because as an elite (and Delta Amex card holder), it's free . . . and mishandled baggage is a very, very rare phenomenon (my checked bags have not arrived with me only two times in 25 years of frequent flying). But no way would I ever pay to check a carry-on eligible bag.
So where is the cut off on "carry on size"? Would DL need to give every single agent a tape measure and then have everybody measure every single bag and if it is over by 1 inch they pay? That is just going to slow down check in because of A) the bag measuring B) people arguing their bag is "carry on size". It may speed up boarding but I can be certain that you will spend more time at check in that would erase any savings at boarding, and probably add more time.

I have a lot of different sized bags up to and including carry on size eligible, a long time ago I decided I am tired of fighting for overhead space etc so I check my carry on size bag. (which is your comment C) I get free luggage but lets say I flew UA or AA instead I have and would continue to pay to check a carry on size bag because again I hate having to battle once on the plane for overhead space. $35 is worth it to me to avoid any stress.
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Old Feb 1, 2019, 10:06 am
  #40  
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1. Whenever I've wanted a full can I've just asked. 9/10 they give it to me with no issues whatsoever. The other times I still get the full can but also a glare or sigh, lol. I agree with the others though that WN is more stingier with giving cans out, but they also do a lot more full beverage services than DL/AA/UA does.

2. Even on flights where they don't make an announcement or isn't a full flight, they are still perfectly fine with me checking my carry-on free of charge. Granted it's carry-on size and abides to the TSA carry-on restrictions, but one less item I need to carry through the airport.
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 12:49 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by BenA


I’m particularly careful about this on flights departing places where two water is not always potable - like mainland China, for example, or Mexico. I’m sure the caterers do the right thing and use filtered ice, but skipping it is an easy, low impact precaution, so why risk it?
Standard advice has always been to avoid ice in certain places. In fact, it's also standard advice to avoid meals on certain third world airlines. People do get sick this way.
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 1:15 pm
  #42  
 
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When asked what I would like to drink, I simply say "Could I get a can of Diet Coke please?", 90% of the time they ask if I would also like ice. I've never encountered any dirty looks or attitude, they proceed as if it's a normal request.

A couple of weeks back a seat-mate asked how I got a whole can, I said it's just habit, I have always asked for a can of xyz, she smiled and said that she would have to remember that, as if I had just unlocked a secret trick of air travel
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 1:38 pm
  #43  
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I want the whole can and a cup of ice, and a garnish of lemon or lime depending on the drink.

DL FAs have a thing about not giving the can IME especially with the sparkling water for some reason. They want to ration it out so people further back can have some (I’ve literally been told that before minus the word ration).
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 1:55 pm
  #44  
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
I want the whole can and a cup of ice, and a garnish of lemon or lime depending on the drink.

DL FAs have a thing about not giving the can IME especially with the sparkling water for some reason. They want to ration it out so people further back can have some (I’ve literally been told that before minus the word ration).
Have you actually been refused the can by DL FAs? How many times out of how many requests in the last five years?
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 2:10 pm
  #45  
 
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Also, they don't always allow for people to gate check their bags. If the flight has a light load and there will be plenty of space for everyone's bags, they won't gate check anyone's carry one.

As for the can, I remember complaining to my dad on my first ever domestic flight that they only poured a glass. He told me if you want the can, ask for the can. It almost always works.
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