Will UA use Purser, Lead or Service Mgr? - UA to standardize on "Purser" post-Oct2018
May 29, 2011, 8:08 am
#46
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Two companies are merging, lots of things are changing. Get over it! I understand that a lot of decisions may be moving in the CO direction, but on every customer satisfaction poll, CO has ranked higher in the past 10-15 years, why wouldn't they adopt CO style then?
Also, as already known, the operating certificate that is remaining is CO's due to close conformity and language the FAA recommends, this means a lot of the operations terms will remain CO's.
May 29, 2011, 8:27 am
#48
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When Jeff makes decisions he often seems to forget that part of his statement. And the Purser/lead FA is charged with ensuring that great service. That said, I personally doubt that changing the title would affect the quality of the service--UNLESS the pursers/lead FAs themselves dislike the title, and/or feel snubbed by the new one, in which case, lower morale/motivation will obviously impair service. I think most of us have witnessed the difference that an apathetic crew can make for service.But I haven't heard from any pursers/lead FAs themselves that the new title is bad.
OTOH, I do remember reading on FT that PMUA pursers are not in a supervisory position over the other FAs--is that true? And if so, is the "lead FA" title accurate?
May 29, 2011, 8:38 am
#49
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Being a United 1K now for three years and also being with United for 10 years since high school. I find this change a good thing...I believe the new titles are descriptive and current.
May 29, 2011, 12:06 pm
#50
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May 29, 2011, 12:20 pm
#51
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Come to think of it, the term "captain" is an antiquated nautical term as well. Perhaps it would be more descriptive to call them the "Flight Deck Coordinator". Except Deck is another silly term of tradition having to do with ships, so perhaps Airplane Control Area Person In Charge (ACAPIC) fits the bill accurately. "Good morning folks, this is your ACAPIC speaking ..."
Let me add that the FA was "ranting and raving" but not loudly and only to a few of us who happened to ask what must have been the wrong question about the merger.
May 29, 2011, 12:33 pm
#52
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Come to think of it, the term "captain" is an antiquated nautical term as well. Perhaps it would be more descriptive to call them the "Flight Deck Coordinator". Except Deck is another silly term of tradition having to do with ships, so perhaps Airplane Control Area Person In Charge (ACAPIC) fits the bill accurately. "Good morning folks, this is your ACAPIC speaking ..."
May 29, 2011, 12:40 pm
#53
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May 29, 2011, 6:41 pm
#55
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... They just added the "Eco Skies" recycling bag on United flights this month. OH MY GOD, what are we going to do without the clear ones anymore?!?!
Two companies are merging, lots of things are changing. Get over it! I understand that a lot of decisions may be moving in the CO direction, but on every customer satisfaction poll, CO has ranked higher in the past 10-15 years, why wouldn't they adopt CO style then?
Also, as already known, the operating certificate that is remaining is CO's due to close conformity and language the FAA recommends, this means a lot of the operations terms will remain CO's.
Two companies are merging, lots of things are changing. Get over it! I understand that a lot of decisions may be moving in the CO direction, but on every customer satisfaction poll, CO has ranked higher in the past 10-15 years, why wouldn't they adopt CO style then?
Also, as already known, the operating certificate that is remaining is CO's due to close conformity and language the FAA recommends, this means a lot of the operations terms will remain CO's.
May 29, 2011, 9:15 pm
#56
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They'll still be using nautical miles for a while though.
Of all the topics to bring multiple people out of the lurkasphere in the first two pages, I wouldn't have picked this one.
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 29, 2011 at 9:24 pm Reason: merge
May 30, 2011, 1:13 am
#57
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Yes. Who cares. It's an airline, not your childhood best friend. It exists to get you from point A to point B.
Complain about reduced upgrade rates, complain about the boarding processes, complain about the lack of hot nuts- but don't complain about silly cosmetic things that won't have an effect on your flight experience.
Having a globe on the tail won't make your flight any faster, slower, or more comfortable.
Complain about reduced upgrade rates, complain about the boarding processes, complain about the lack of hot nuts- but don't complain about silly cosmetic things that won't have an effect on your flight experience.
Having a globe on the tail won't make your flight any faster, slower, or more comfortable.
Seeing more and more UA traditions get dumped for CO ones, such as the pursers losing their title and UA losing its identity just makes this new united an even worse airline than the old continental. Yes, seeing UA things dumped by the way side DOES affect our travel experience, thank you very much.
I hope pursers win out, and further UA traditions come back and vanquish the inferior CO ones.
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 30, 2011 at 5:05 am Reason: off-topic portions removed
May 30, 2011, 10:07 am
#58
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First of all, welcome to the couple of FTers who were brave enough to have their first post in this thread!! (Mine was in the thread discussing the upgrade of the PMCO 772s to lie-flat BF seats.)
That, my friend, would be Brooklyn speak
(Bolding mine)
Is that true? I never thought about that one way or the other, but I would've imagined the UA operating certificate would be the one surviving. Where'd you hear that, and practically speaking, what does that mean?
I can hear where people who want "purser" to remain are coming from, but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. ISM is much more explanatory of the job than purser. As for UA-NYC's point, if every one of the "soft" decisions went the UA way, I wouldn't care either. I'm a CO fan, and made elite with CO, and never really flew UA. I had been scared off of UA from years ago, just as many UA flyers may have been scared off of CO. Now that they've merged, the color of the carpet doesn't matter, nor does the name of the lounge, or the colors of the livery... Sure, it's nice to keep tradition, but what's more important are the hard facts, such as E+, boarding... (I'm not getting into that discussion again of which boarding scheme is better.) The point I'm trying to make is that there are certain things that aren't worth fighting as much. Something tells me if Tilton was remaining and Smisek was leaving, the carpet would stay red, "purser" would remain, etc. And I wouldn't have cared
That, my friend, would be Brooklyn speak
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?
Is that true? I never thought about that one way or the other, but I would've imagined the UA operating certificate would be the one surviving. Where'd you hear that, and practically speaking, what does that mean?
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.
It's the equivalent of changing from a red to blue carpet. Is it literally any different on our feet as we walk across it? No. It is however symbolic of a pattern of changes that moves away from anything UA-related, when it has come down to a 50/50 decision.
E+ was kept either for financial reasons (I'm guessing CO saw it was wildly profitable), and/or consumer loyalty factors (guessing not as important to them). So that was easy. But on the "softer" elements that may not directly affect profitability, it seems to be slanted 100% towards CO style/methods/attitudes.
E+ was kept either for financial reasons (I'm guessing CO saw it was wildly profitable), and/or consumer loyalty factors (guessing not as important to them). So that was easy. But on the "softer" elements that may not directly affect profitability, it seems to be slanted 100% towards CO style/methods/attitudes.
May 30, 2011, 10:24 am
#60
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