FlyerX

Does this mean that FAs are somehow encouraged to tell jokes as part of their training? Because... that would explain a LOT.

Even though the OP's tone is perhaps a bit self-righteous in that first post, I'm also a passenger who intensely (maybe overreactively so) dislikes the jokes and my feeling is if the FAs are going to dish it out, they should be able to take it in. I'm also the kind of shopper who really dislikes being bothered by sales people, so it's just my personality that I like to be left alone. I used to fly SWA more often when they had unbeatable deals, and considered the jokes and snarks just something to put up with for the price I paid. I don't fly them so much anymore because other airlines often have comparable and at times, even better, fares. I don't miss the jokes

JackieChiles

+1.

jamesteroh

I think WN has the best FAs out there but I think some of their jokes cross the line. Especially when they make jokes at the competitions expense.

I was on a BNA/DTW leg in March where the FA made at least three jokes mentioning Deltas name (and the funny thing was that flight was 90 minutes late I was on and the earlier DL flight was on time) and I was about ready to tell the FA I wished I was on DL because I would have been home on time. She also did the one old jingle they do where it end "and we get you there on time" and I really felt like telling her that her watch battery must need replaced because both my watch and my cell phone were showing us at the gate over 90 minutes past what my itenerary was.

And another time I flew WN, I had my Medallian luggage tag on my roller bag. I like to use it because no personal info is on it (but I do have a business card and contact info inside my luggage) and figure on the rare chance it is lost delta will simply scan the barcode and as long as the person hasn't opened my bag they wont know my personal info. An FA on a flight a couple months ago on WN saw the tag and jokingly said I needed to remove it. It was another WN flight that was seriously delayed and I jokingly told her to get me a luggage tag from Southwest and I would gladly put it on my bag and she replied that she couldn't do that but if the bins filled up and they ran out of space and someone without a competitors luggage tag on their bag needed bin space she was giving them my bin space and my bag would be gate checked. She asked me if I was a-list and I said no and said I flew a lot of DTW/LAX flights to be medallion. She told me that DTW and LAX are WN airports and I should use them and could be a-list and have elite benefits with them. I felt like telling her that even silver on Delta was better than a-list on WN and that I would have to fly that route 15 times to be just a-list on WN and if I flew that route 154 times on DL I would be almost Platnium. I know she was kidding but I found that totally out of line, and I was pretty ticked off at the time seeing how delayed this flight was (and seeing hopw delayed WN always is out of DTW anyway after 12 pm) but she provided great service so I just let it slide.

Sorilla

+2^

rrz518

Well, sounds like even though you dislike that practice, you did not take it upon yourself to "stun the FA into silence"....by means of a reprehensible allusion to a recent SW (near fatal) accident.

Nolarchy

After reading all of these posts I think I can see both sides, although, as relatively anonymous message boards are want to do, the emotions have certainly be ratcheted up. OP, I understand your point, the jokes/rambling get old quickly. Much like you, I just want to get the show on the road when I fly; I don't really need the act.

I think people are reacting to two separate issues here. The biggie is the subject of the rejoinder to the FA--pretty sure most people would put it under the heading of, "too soon." In hindsight, you can probably admit that it may have been just a bit on the tasteless side without admitting that your point has no validity. I think that's fair.

I think the second point is the stridency (if it's not a word it should be) of your original thread title and subsequent defense of yourself. Without trying to offend you, it comes off to me as prideful and pretentious. Whether you meant to or not, that was my initial reaction and I think many of these posts started from the position of, "who the hell does this person think they are."

The crux of the issue is, it seems to me, that in your experience the FA's go overboard with their banter. Unfortunately, this is always going to be a matter of personal preference. I think if your response to the FA had been different, and if you had coached the initial post differently, you may have gotten a different response here, maybe not. The trick for you going forward is to find a middle ground. Is it ludicrous to, as you board, ask the flight attendants to tone down the banter? I don't know. But I would think if approached semi-privately, with a, "you know the last 6 AM flight I was on with you guys there was a lot of chatter over the PA and I couldn't sleep at all. I'm really bushed, is there anyway you could help me out," you may get a result closer to what you're looking for.

FlyerX

Considering that jokes were made on every SW flight I've flown, it would really only be worth it if I said something on every flight I'm on (assuming that I even had the nerve to do it) and even then, it's not likely to end the joke-making practice... so it would ultimately result in a lot more stress on me than it's worth. Even initiating a thread about it on FT would be too much stress for me

What's interesting is that people who dislike the jokes (and I've noticed it does come up both in the air and online) have such violent reactions to them. Why is that? I'm the kind of person who gets wildly irritated just seeing something like "Don't forget you're bag" due its obvious lack of professionalism, so I'm ready to accept that I'm just hypersensitive.

FluffyBunnyFuFu

Orwaid? Can you add another "t" to "attempt" in the thread title? Just was bothering me. Mmmmkay, thanks.
Hope that you have better luck on other airlines.

nsx

You know, I have heard an FA mention a competitor by name perhaps 20 times over the years. Every single time it was Delta. I wonder why? Do you suppose that there is only one FA in the company who does this?

Orwaid

FluffyBunnyFuFu - I would love to edit the title to add another "t" .. maybe you or someone else can tell me how to do it?

FlyerX, I am sure that WN slams DL every chance they get, considering DTW/DFW/SLC are (for starters) big battlefields.

Nolarchy, thank you for your reasoned, measured post. If I am not offended by being called a d-bag by all the joke listening apologists, I certainly am not offended by being called prideful and pretentious. I apologize if I came across that way.

Again, I would just say that if WN FA trainers/mentors already know that FAs need to know their audience before launching into an "open mike" routine, they must know on some level that this is a potential problem and or stumbling block to attracting higher fare passengers they are trying to target.

And rrz518 - I tend to treat others as they treat me. As FlyerX said, if they dish it out, they should be able to take it in.

And, maybe you could tell me what Kindergarten book you read about manners that said it was OK to call someone a d-bag repeatedly. I'll make sure to keep that one away from impressionable young children.

spineangel

This sums up why a lot of heavy business travelers have left the SW circus
^

jamesteroh

Maybe it is a FA that used to work for Delta who got fired and this is her way of getting a little bit of revenge? Seriously if the FA on the BNA/DTW flight would have slammed delta one more time, I would have been ready to ask her why they were 90 minutes delayed while Deltas flight from BNA was on time.

mdurette

We were going PVD to MCO last week. New England school vacation - the plaine was full of kids. The "jokes" were very seductive in nature. Heavy breathing and talk about the fines for joining the mile club. Kids didn't get it, adults (including myself) got a chuckle, but I still though it was not appropriate because of the amount of kids on board.

Also.....she kept on saying. "we can see that there are still 3 cell phones on" please double check. I don't think they can really tell (could be wrong) my assumption is she just got a good laugh at all the moms and dads double checking.

luvfa

When I started here 11 years ago, it was comment to make some cracks at other airlines i.e. " if you could afford the $2000 fine you would have flown---".
Back then we were more of an underdog maverick carrier so these jokes, ( though good natured) were more appropriate. As we have grown larger, we seem to have lost that "underdog" status which may seem to come off as arrogant! This isn't our intention but we seem to be creature of habit.

When I have made some of these jokes I tend to be more subtle, ex if you could afford $2000 you wouldn't have flown Southwest. Trying to keep it positive with the right crowd/ time. For those of you loyal Delta fliers, we thank you for flying Southwest as well!

InkUnderNails

I have a new joke and a suggestion for the title of the OP.

First fixing the problem. NRR-33's work for me.

New joke:

If you need light press the button with the light bulb on it. If you press the "dim" bulb button, a Delta flight attendant will wait on you. (I know, bad joke. And I only used DL as it was the source of comments up thread.)