PTahCha

Is this just a title change, or responsibilities changed as well?

Does this mean all purser-certified FAs need to get new pins?

They are trained to translate Jersey Shore-speech into normal English, ya know.

JOSECONLSCREW28

F/As who are qualified to speak another language on a flight tht requires a foreign language speaker. for example Flt 120 from EWR-BCN is staffed with 6 F/A

1 - ISM
3 - F/A
2 - SPEAKERS SPANISH

Also Newark is sub-divided into 3 bases. NLS is the base code for Newark Language speaker.

pigx5

Soon we will see some GAs get new title "team leader".

JOSECONLSCREW28

Theres alot of pride in FSC and ISM as well. At CO to become an ISM you actually have to complete 3 years of service with the company, not have any withstanding writeups, be in good standing with the company, go through the interview process, get special training, there's alot involved with becoming an ISM/FSC. So to say FSC/ISM is mumbo jumbo is a slap in the face towards CO employees who take pride in working the leadership role.

channa

While I understand your point, how is a customer supposed to understand when CO is hyping, or there's something legitimate behind what CO is saying.

If FSC/ISM is a legitimate position, while a BF Concierge is just for show, that's pretty confusing.

I know that "finest people in the business" is hype, so I don't really expect everyone to be great. If anything, by referring to the FSC/ISM as "mumbo jumbo" is not as much a slap in the face as it is lowering the bar closer to reality from the level at which your leader set it.

spaced2

ok so basically you are advocating walking up to a manager who takes pride in their job and say they are worth nothing. yeah i don't really care about your opinion.

corporate cultures have to merge somehow - CO management is the new UAL management so it makes sense they would be comfortable with their management style. ::shrug::

UA-NYC

"Purser" is a recognized / standardized term in the industry - I spoke with the "Purser" on SQ on the way home from FRA last week, did so on LH a few months ago as well. I'm sure the ISM/FSC (I can't remember what they stand for now) are excellent in what they do, and I don't doubt their training. I'm saying the terminology is mumbo jumbo, not the position.

Sure, maybe it's trivial, but it's just another step in erasing anything UA-related from this airline save the name and E+.

I guess I'll go back to playing in my "whining sandpit" now.

channa

Huh? Where was that said?


Which is fine, so then pitch it as a CO takeover. Quit pitching it a merger of equals and then disregarding most things UA.

danville 1K

Ya think? This is just like about 99% of the other things in the merger, right up to and including the boarding process.

StarlightSusan

Yo! It's pronounced Joy-see ya know [cracks chewing gum loudly for effect].

adisneyfan2

From what I hear from them they should be "safety monitors". It cracks me up to hear them say "we are here primarily for your safety but if there is anything we can do to make you more comfortable..."

notabob

So you're saying it will therefore make it less efficient? It's a job title. Whether you're a purser, FSC, or lead uniformed crew member - the job is essentially the same. I understand that employees may be more attached to one name vs the other, but it's really all the same. And I as a passenger certainly don't care what the job title is. The CO operating certificate is the one surviving the merger. CO's job titles therefore remain. Why does anyone but the employees whose titles (though not responsibilities) are changing give a rat's behind about this and making a big stink out of nothing?

3bjbno1

True that the job is still the same, notabob, but the title makes a difference to a lot of people, including pax. In the last few days (or so) I was on multiple flights between HNL, SFO, and PEK. On all flights announcements came from individuals calling themselves pursers. This is an old and honorable title, as several others have pointed out, and we all understand what it means. What, OTOH, do all those other titles mean? Nobody knows. IMO they represent a subtle kind of de-professionalization of the FA staff.

daron4000

Actually SQ doesn't use the purser terminology. The leading crew member in charge is the Inflight Supervisor. There is also a chief steward/stewardess (red tie/kabaya), multiple leading stewards/strwardesses in green (2 serve F and 1 in Y), and then the regular flight stewards and stewardesses in blue. SQ is not the only airline that doesn't call the cabin crew member in charge as purser. For example on BA there is the Cabin Services director and I know Qantas and Cathay also have their own terminology too.

notabob

See. Didn't take long at all to twist this into a dilution of some sort. Thank you for proving my point.

A 'purser' may be an old and honorable nautical tradition, but it is one that has little relevance on a modern jetliner, short of a bit of nostalgia. Most people aboard a plane have no idea what the job of a purser used to be. 'Lead FA' on the other hand is very clear as to it's purpose. Even Flight Service Coordinator, which in my opinion is itself an overly long and self-serving title, is more intuitively understood than 'purser'. But ultimately, as I said before, it's all the same to me. I only expect good service and professional demeanor from the crew. What they choose to call themselves is irrelevant to me, as it is to most other folks on the plane.