rrz518

Who appointed YOU spokeman for the "majority of customers on board"???

What is the basis for this comment, aside from personal opinion? On which study/poll/marketing analysis, etc., are you basing the comment that "the majority of customers on board would appreciate it?"

To make such a statement without said backup is, in itself, douchbaggery. You are entitled to an opinion, but please don't speak on behalf of a group.

Eemraldskies

Might I suggest headphones?

oopsz

I, for one, kind of like the lame jokes.

I think of them kind of like dad jokes. I may groan a little, but I smile, too.

liz4153

I also like the jokes. Sure they are a bit lame sometimes, but I'd rather have a cheery FA telling lame jokes than a sour puss any day. Plus, they are lame in a "dad" way, i.e., they are still amusing.

I also enjoy the gate decoration, etc. I think it's great to fly an airline where not everyone treats their jobs like a bitter daily medicine.

PTravel

I was going to make the same suggestion. As soon as I board ANY airline, I put on headphones specifically for the purpose of tuning out the announcements, as well as the general hub-bub.

coachrowsey

Not against anyone having fun, but early in the am, maybe give it a break.(Not a morning person)

screeton

I fully agree with this sentiment. I may not really be excited by the jokes, and I am certainly not a morning person, but I do appreciate a company which seems to be doing enough right to make many of their employees have an attitude of enjoying their work, rather than the "bitter daily medicine" attitude mentioned above.

jamesteroh

Unfortunately even my bose noise cancelling will not totally eliminate the noise. But it is a BIG HELP

jamesteroh

+1 While I am happy to see people that enjoy their job and try to have fun (as much as I have come to despise flying WN recently their employees are the best are out there IMO), and I found most of their jokes funny the first few times I flew them, if I am trying to sleep I prefer not hearing the intercom at all except when obsolutely necessary (on early AM flights they should do what a crew does on a red eye and only make announcements that are necessary).

spineangel

Guess it's the same as if you say the majority enjoy such behavior......
But I guess it's OK if YOU speak for the group in your opinion????

My basis for the statement is everyone I know in my company that previously used SW, and almost all business contacts I have agree with my statement

rrz518

Your personal contacts and colleagues do not make up for a valid sample group, sorry, so your response is, frankly, laughable.

I, OTOH, simply approve of the company policy on this matter, and as such, am not complaining, rather simply agreeing with SW's policies. (And I seem to be in the majority). But this is not about my opinion, I am criticizing your view that you somehow represent a majority, which you have not proven, except for a somewhat churlish statment that everyone you know agrees with you, thus making your view absolutely correct and universal.

So, if you do not approve of said policy, I urge you to either try to get it changed by expressing said dissatisfaction with SW, or simply vote with your feet and go elsewhere. I can tell you with complete confidence that Delta does NOT support such levity amongst it's staff, and their announcements and FA behavior reflect that position.

I would caution you, however, that challenging SW's culture on this regard would probably prove fruitless, as I'm sure they've undertaken a more scientific approach as to their customer's preferences. Were there such outrage amongst the passengers regarding this practice, they'd have long ago discontinued it.

Starker

I'm glad you got the outcome you wanted. I've never flown Southwest, so I can't say what they're like - maybe this strategy was OK. But it would have been an extremely risky thing to do on some other airlines

6P&E

Years ago, I was flying EA (that's right, Eastern Airlines) from ATL-RSW. In my experience Eastern had often labor problems that made for some unhappy employees.

Imagine my surprise to hear a FA make the announcement prior to take off at ATL "Today Captain X is in command. He's the best pilot flying for Eastern. How do I know? Well, he told me."

Later as we began our descent into RSW, the same FA came on again and said, "Well, he's done it again. Captain X found the airport. Amazing, huh? So we'll head on in and be on the ground shortly."

It was corny, but what a breath of fresh air on a carrier where there never was any levity and service could be indifferent. Maybe such would get stale on a regular basis, but it made me think differently of EA that day, anyway.

Who knows, maybe after EA went out of business, this same FA went to WN and helped set up FA training materials.

Orwaid

Well ... I am glad I touched such a nerve here.

First of all, I do not consider myself a sourpuss. But on an early morning flight, I AM trying to get a little shuteye.

And headphones? First of all they are not allowed to be used while they are going through their safety briefing.

And I did not assume anything about speaking on behalf of other passengers. I only responded to his question to all of the passengers. I was only speaking for myself, thank you.

And I AM a courteous, polite passenger. I quietly took my seat, I helped a senior citizen with her carryon and I promptly got up when someone wanted the seat in my row. I also follow all crew instructions. What was shamefully missing was the FA being courteous and polite to the majority of passengers that obviously didn't care for the excessive banter.

Frankly, I put the lame humor right up there with all of the inflight announcements advertising all sorts of products, from FF programs to flowers to credit cards, that you get on many airlines.

And yes, I would appreciate it if they could do their jobs, even if boring and monotonous, without excessively intruding into what little personal space I have in an airliner.

jkburns1

You're certainly a hero of the modern day.

Here's a newsflash... many of those who don't fly regularly have hesitation and fear over flying. Those jokes that so annoy you often relax some of them and make things just a little more tolerable.

I happen to be a very frequent traveler, my wife, however, although not terrified still will put her hands up and get sweaty palms as we land as if somehow holding the seat in front of her will protect her if something goes wrong. I often smirk and after the fact maybe crack a joke. However, during the take-off's and landing it's a fear, and an unpleasant feeling for her and a decent number of casual travelers. Much like a fear of heights or dark or whatever other fear folks have.

I'm sure for those infrequent travelers with a fear of flying you didn't annoy them.. to the contrary a comment like that would have shaken someone like my wife fully aware of the recent "sunroof" incident.

You sir, are a class act, I congratulate you on relieving that aching annoyed feeling over 30 seconds of shut-eye by being sure to serve up a classless comment that probably scared the crap out of a few lowly kettles.

Well played - you da man!