thamk yu my guud frend, "tree" fore sercheng an finding thes "glas botom bote". arturo kan sea clerlie now, the rain es gon. yu knot hav to wach arturo, consuelo wach hem two mucho.

Glad this topic was brought back. As a woman frequent traveller, I have had mixed success with treatment. I would say that over 60% of the time, I am somewhat neglected in FC by the FA's when it comes to pre-board beverages, coat checks, requests during the flight etc. At hotels, I generally have better success--perhaps it is because I frequent the same hotels and they have gotten to know/recognize me. I frequently dine alone on the road and have not really had any bad experiences--I usually eat fairly early so service is not a problem. The one area where I find I am treated very well is amoung other frequent travellers. Whether it is during an ultra long delay at an airport, waiting for a car at the rental counter or checking into hotels. I have found my fellow travellers to be friendly, informative, supportive and not in the least offensive to a woman alone. I have shared many a drink at an airport/hotel bar without fearing that I was sending the wrong impression. I want to commend all of you out there -- maybe there is still some of that 50's chauvinist thing going on in the services area but the rest of us seem to have progressed to the 90's!

Pat on the back from mauld graciously accepted (darn, she didn't know that I WAS interested)! Just jokin' but we guys can be so...you know!


I heard Punki was actually at Defcon in LAS! Rumor has it she's expert at spotting the Feds!

First I would like to say that women, I believe, are treated with less interest and service than men by most FA.
Secondly, the mix in first is not a measure of today, as of yesterday. I spoke to the woman in charge of the mileage program with United, at the 1 k party, and she said that only 10% of the 1k's with UA are women...that probably accounts for the count issue in first, at least partially.
Finally, there is a big difference between two people equally dress (like kind, or appropriately dresses) and a young man well underdressed for the occasion...yes as measured by the attire of 400 other guests. You could do so much more going with the flow sometimes, especially on this issue, than fighting it. Tie is not a four letter word! PS, I did pass on the certificate as you suggested.

As a female traveler, I often have to ask to have my coat hung, whilst the males around me don't have to ask. However, I've also had some good (or at least equal) experiences. One time an FA started the meal service with me, the only female in FC and in the back row, because she said "we females need to stick together!" On the other hand, I guess the males might consider that an example of reverse discrimination!

Sadly, this problem still exists today.

Last week I was flying from LA to NY, first class on continental. The FA was taking jackets fromthe male passengers, skipped right over the woman, a total stranger, sitting next to me, she had her jacket off and in her lap. We were in row 3, she took care of the rows one and two, the passengers, across from us in 3, and then started on row 4. I called over the FA, pointed out that she missed the woman next to me.

A got an icy stare from the FA, a thank you from the woman next to me. She said she's noticed quite often that FA's served men first. I suggested a Dear Gordon letter.

I like to get on the plane first to stow my luggage and get settled. On a wide bodied plane, I will frequently toss my bag in the overhead and then go hang up my own jacket. This always results in an extremely grateful FA (male or female) rushing up and thanking me profusely and immediately offering me a drink. They then continue to take very good care of me throughout the flight.

On narrow bodied planes, obviously hanging up your own coat would be cumbersome, so I don't do it, but even then, I can't ever remember a time when the FA forgot to ask me for my jacket.


I might add, however, that I am a great believer in smiling, winking and/or saying something nice like "hello" or "I love your earrings" as I board the plane.



[This message has been edited by Punki (edited 07-13-1999).]

The glass ceiling reminds me of the capital venture idea I started in South Florida for glass bottomed bus tours. See Florida widelife up close while it still exists! Sales are currently slow! However, I hope to make that up in advertising at stop signs.

Since we started this thread in January, I realized I wasn't being paranoid. I still get skipped over to have my coat hung so I just go and do it myself. What really bugs me is that the men who sit beside me always get asked first what they want to drink. They also get asked about refills much more frequently than I do. I also realized that it didn't matter whether I sat in the aisle or window seat. What is up with this? Thank goodness, meal choices are usually by my frequent flyer status or I'd never get my first choice!

I notice that this kind of "sex-discrimination" is discrimination of the same sex.

"My" ladies discussed that over this past weekend and agreed saying that if they have a choice (at ticketing desks or check-in counters) they try to be served by a male.

Like the suggestion of hanging your own jacket by Punki and I've often thought to do it myself espacially when the FA's are busy but I never have for feel of clogging the aisle or more importantly fear of irritating the FA's before a long flight by sending (seemingly) them a message (which I'm not) that I'm doing this job since you're not or can't or whatever. maybe I'll try it next time.

I try to do everything myself, the hanging of the coat/jacket (unless an F-A is there within 30 secs, a few follow me right to my seat) putting the luggage in the overhead, handing over my tray, not demanding Seagrams 707 or Jack Daniels or wine every two minutes.

But I too notice the treatment... for both sexes. Surprisingly, by a small margin, the MALE flight attendants are nicer to me than the female. This is wierd.

But I have seen women being ignored, strugging with bags, etc when there are F-A's chatting away.

So I say let's SMASH the Glass Ceiling and treat all teh passengers equally. HEY! IT's the 19-90's and it's not fair to be treated differently.

Catman- A few years ago, flying into Cairns by the Great Barrier Reef in a brand new Ansett A340, my wife was astonished at the attention a FA gave me. Let me check and see what other fine Shiraz I can find for you and so on, and so on... When he finally invited me to the cockpit for a better view during descent she truly became concerned that it was a "sex" thing! She leaned over and whispered in my ear asking "Are you sure that he knows you are with me?"

I prefer to think he was just a great FA during the absolute best job he could for me and that's just as it seemed to me! I guess (surprisingly) that it's hard to actually provide each person with the "appropriate" amount of attention, so as not to either "bother" them or "neglect" them!


[This message has been edited by doc (edited 07-19-1999).]

Catman - what a shameless ploy!!!! I hereby nominate you for the "Sensitive Guy of the Month" Award!!!! Seriously - its out there, it exists, and my hat goes off to those flyer dudes out there who are nice enough to speak up when they see people of my gender get "passed over" or ignored by FAs!!

And, telling from the photos on the Gallery - who can blame the male FAs??