Agreed, nothing here we don't already know. Some of what she said was on target, like the TSA. Some of it was my job has gotten tougher, the industry has changed, etc. etc. FAs should remember that if the industry started to charge money making fares a lot of capacity would go away and crew jobs along with it.

If you encounter many miserable and bitter people, you are probably not so positive and happy yourself.

Let's face it, hundreds of people in a metal tube is not exactly a positive environment for the most part. The majority of people will be miserable because most don't like to not have control. If you go in with a negative attitude, that's what you'll get.

Oh, and misery is not limited to Flight Attendants. Singling them out is very common. Expectations are high for passengers for some odd reason. Odd because this is 2010. Long gone are the days of Stewardesses shaking their tails for you, and handing out cocktails while you sit there in a business suit.

People want cheap fares, but have high expectations of what they get. It's the world we live in.

I hardly interact with FAs and when I do, it is usually positive... but... my observations and what I hear when they talk to each other is usually a lot of negativity and bitterness

I think this FA nailed it with the recommendation to just be friendly and nice all the time...

I never knew FAs could get personally fined by the FAA.

Yes it would be great if every human being could be nice, and friendly all the time. However even the nicest FAs have their days. Not to mention that in the service industry, when a customer does not receive something they think they will get, the Crew member is automatically rude.

Remember that when told the word "no", people will think a FA is being rude, or lazy. Passenger wants to go into the first class cabin, then said FA says "no". Passenger automatically equates that to being rude, unfriendly, or bitter. When the fact is that the passenger has no right to be up there, and people paid good money for privacy.

I've encountered miserable and bitter people in all industries, but I'm not going to sit here and say that every person in that particular industry is miserable and bitter. I think it's unfair, and shows ignorance in the fact that the airline industry is not what it use to be.

Surveys show that when the airlines gave out complimentary amenities, passenger satisfaction was up. Take those amenities away, and all of a sudden satisfaction was down, with passenger complaints up. Who were the targets? You guessed it! You see people need to put a face to the airline, and when not given what they want, will use whatever means possible. No upgrade? You're rude! I want your name and social, so I can write a letter and receive miles that I'm entitled to!

Anyone being nice and friendly all the time is not humanly possible, especially when you encounter someone who is not happy, and is angry at the airline, and the world.

This is such a piece of junk it wouldn't have made my college paper.

Apart from the fact that the headline ("no holds barred") is grossly misleading as there are no probing and provocative questions and certainly no revelations in the article, the editing is downright dreadful.

Look at the last "answer." The interviewee says:

The article continues with a story:

So why mention Christmas?

Scott McCartney has nothing to worry about.

And in FA101 they tell you that this will never be a Monday through Friday predictable 9 to 5 job. Get stuck somewhere on a mechnical cancellation when you had plans at home that night, tough. I suspect that some got into this job for the "excitement" and "freedom." But those things wear off real quick. If you are not in for the people, your in the wrong job.

My favorite section of the interview:

QT: You know, most of us can't stand the TSA. I once boarded a flight to Costa Rica on United and the crew member was shouting to the TSA official "you are nobody, you have no authority." I thought that was strange. Can you tell us; is this a common feeling amongst flight attendants about the TSA?

FA: Many flight attendants feel that the TSA is a sham the government uses to create a sense of security, trying to show that they are doing something about something, but things are unavoidable. Just look at what happened on Christmas! If it is going to happen, it is going to happen. The TSA is a pain in the butt and they are idiots, mostly uneducated, and rude. They really have no use other than to delay all of our lives.

^ Glad to see some solidarity from a FA. Hope there are many other airline employees who feel the same way.

As this is a more general article that could have been an interview with any U S airline FA and only happens to be with an American Airlines FA, it will NRSA over to Newsstand, after discussion with moderators in both fora. JDiver, AA Moderator

Any American FA who genuinely feels their International Coach Service is cutting-edge is clearly not on this planet. Certainly they have never flown with an Asian, Arab or Antipodean Airline, even most of the European Airlines surpass AA on International Long Haul Services.

I think you misread it. I think the FA was saying that there were "cutting edges" in International Coach meaning that the maintenance folks hadn't done a very good job in repairing cabin breakage. That's certainly the more reasonable interpretation

Cheers.

Nothing cutting-edge mentioned. You misread it.

Hmmm

A flight attendant with 13 or 14 years experience doing an interview.

Wonder who that could be?