OhSoBlessed

There are a few gestapo FAs out there. The only time I expect them to act that way is if we have some lunatic on the aircraft. I back my coworkers up AND strangers as long as I know that person is in the right.

spartacus

On long flights I remove my shoes and sit with my socks on. I have been doing this for many years. On occasion I have paddled back to the galley or a walk around the cabin on TATL. On my SAN-MSP flight last week I slept through beverage service so I went back to get a drink later (in my socks) and was told by one FA that it was against NWA company policy for me to be out of my seat without my shoes on. Wow, that was a first; never heard that one before! She was a little curt about it but did give me a drink. Later, she came by to chat with me. I think she realized she bit my head off a little and was rather pleasant the second time around. Saved me the trouble of a TTU because I thought the tone and delivery of her message the first time was unprofessional and uncalled for. She mentioned that people upchuck on the carpet and then they never get shampooed and you then have a bio-hazard issue. I resisted the urge to show her my OSHA 40-hour hazmat card in my wallet.

I just love when 'company policy' gets thrown around. I ask my staff to refrain from the 'company policy' line as it is a quick way to ignite a situation to a higher level. It usually ticks people off or makes them defensive. If they put everything that has been quoted 'company policy' by employees most companies would not be able to print them all in one volume. FAs are rather autonomous in their duties and sometimes the 'power trip' attitude comes through. Sometimes you just have to zip it up and move on. You're not going to prevail in a disagreement with a person in a position of authority. Ever wonder why people in traffic court never seem to overcome the 'impeccable integrity' of the guy who wrote you the ticket?

MarcoPolosFootprints

The ability to walk around the aircraft in your socks or barefoot is not against company policy but it is unsafe, unsanitary and defies common sense, especially if entering the restroom.

Bago'peanuts

I've always wondered myself, don't those people in socks ever glance at the floor in the restroom? Yuck.

jjvan

Had one person on an old DC10 come out of the lave at door 2 in his socks. Told me that there is water all over the floor, and his socks were soaked. You should have seen the look on his face when I said that that was not water.

spartacus

Now where did I say I went into the restroom in my socks? I was born in the daytime, 11:17 AM, but not yesterday.

So tell me just how unsafe and unsanitary it is to walk on a carpeted aisle floor for a lap up and down from the wing exit row to the galley? Probably about as unsafe and unsanitary as sitting in a seat that the flight before you may have been someone with head lice or psoriasis.

SpinzCity

>>>>>Told me that there is water all over the floor, and his socks were soaked.

That happened to me too in the lav in my socks. It was water. Unfortunately the water had recently passed through somebody's kidneys and bladder (picking up some zinging adjuncts). That was when the MSP-AMS flight had only just started boarding and I was the first one in the lav(!). It was good to have spare socks in the carry-on which were originally intended for after the shower at the Mercure.

OhSoBlessed

Sometimes we read stories the way we want to read it. I, too, thought you walked into the lav with only your socks. But forgive me, it was just the galley.

Have you looked under your socks to see what you've picked up during your short walk from the wing exit to the galley and back?

The worst I've seen people discard include dirty diapers, used napkins (not just the little square ones with NWA logos on it either), and cups dripping dipped tobacco. Now, how gross is that? As a healthcare professional, I'm used to seeing gross things, but what I've seen passengers leave in the cabin are truly nasty. The groomers clean the plane but like the FA said, the carpets are not cleaned like they should be. It is infested with germs we can't see...ewwww.

Now let's get back to the topic at hand----> "Continued retaliation by NW FAs??"

egoods

OP, I've only skimmed this thread so I don't know if this has been suggested but before you drop a lawsuit you should try sending an email to NWA's executive management team. Be kind in your email, avoid mentioning lawsuits or threats. Explain your side of the story, explain that you understand it's typically outside of the rules for compensation, and apologize for any misunderstanding that the FAs might have had with you and for any aggressiveness they may have perceived. Do include flight numbers, names if you have them, WP number and status, avoid saying something like "I paid full FC fair, and am entitled to ____" this again will be offsetting and more likely to have your email ignored. This should show results, it has for me in the past when my 87 year old grandmother was bumped from a bulkhead seat I worked my pants off to secure for her because somebody flying jumpseat wanted it, she was moved to an isle seat a few rows back. I explained that, yes she can bend her knees, but it was painful for her to sit in that tight of a space for 4 hours. Following the guidelines above, I was refunded (voucher) the full purchase price of that segment, and given a hefty miles boost... My grandmother did have the sense to record all of the employees names and the events exactly as they occurred. Also, other people have said it but having strangers on your side helps, I did include the names of the PAX my grandmother sat around with there contact info that she (my g-ma) collected and I'm sure that helped. Ok on with the contact info:

Douglas Steenland
President, Chief Executive Officer, Director
[email protected]
[email protected]

David Davis
Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President
[email protected]

Michael Miller
Vice President - Law and Secretary
[email protected]

Andrew Roberts
Executive Vice President - Operations
[email protected]

Neal Cohen
Executive Vice President � Strategy, International
[email protected]

Kristen Shovlin
Director, Customer Service
[email protected]

Theresa Wise
Chief Information Officer
[email protected]

Jodee Gruebele
Administrator, Executive Communications
[email protected]

p.s. contact from these addresses will not be direct, it's most likely an executive admin responding, but it is a direct line to top tier customer service.

Sabai

Oh? And what about the socks (and slippers for TPAC) that NW issues in WBC? Are these to be worn only whilst seated?

macoz

Excellent post. Good contact info.

On the sock topic, there are some nasty toe fungus issues that can be hosted and transferred whilst compressing your socks against the carpet. I take my shoes off on a long flight, but affix my shoes before standing.

Hook worm larvae will bore through the soles of your feet. Folks bring in the larvae from walking in their yard or in grass where domesticated animals have relieved themselves. When the 'upright citizen' cleans up after his pet, he removes the solid waste, but leaves a bed of larvae that is unwittingly transferred to the soles of shoes. The shoes then transfer the larvae to the carpet, the carpet transfers the larvae to your socks, and then it's party time at 30k feet.

1/5 of the worlds population is infected with hookworm...ever wonder why?

It's the gift that keeps on giving all year round. Kinda like the Jelly of the Month club. Only different.

skylady

It's one thing to walk to and fro from your seat to the lav in your bare or stockinged feet. The minute you attempt to step foot into the galley, ie kitchen with those same germ infested feet; stop and think, or not. We will try and stop you from contaminating the kitchen anymore than needs be. No kitchen in the world will allow stocking or bare feet.

avidflyer

The AC are regularly sprayed with pesticide not to mention the "water" on the lav floor gets tracked all up and down the carpeted aisles...you just can't see it. I do not get the whole idea of walking around a plane in socks anyway..not sure where it started but I don't get it at all.

avidflyer

**and slippers**

edit to add: The socks in the TATL amenity pack are for use under your shoes upon arrival.

mdb

While this makes sense - how is it different for the cart and shoes going into the Galley?