"There's too many of you to do a beverage service"
May 17, 2013, 1:20 am
#31
Join Date: May 2005
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May 17, 2013, 6:34 am
#32
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: LAX,SNA,CLD,SAN
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Posts: 602
Today on my flight to Seattle (which was delayed almost 2 hours), I was seated in First Class and asked for a Diet Coke after giving my coat. I was told "There's too many of you to do a beverage service" on a 737. She had plenty of time to talk with her colleague in the galley. Very pathetic.
May 17, 2013, 7:00 am
#33
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 455
Agreed. I fly midcons every week and always watch glasses go empty for hours as ex-CO flight attendants disappear after the meal service. I've learned to never turn down a refill opportunity on these flights. It will likely be the last offer you get. Of course, if you go to the galley and ask, it will be refilled. But that's F class these days.
Yes, there are bad apples on every carrier. But on a UA plane with pmUA flight attendants, the glass goes empty and you will likely see a refill within a few moments. A few FAs I have chatted with about this were very aware of the difference and its been discussed at the domiciles frequently apparently.
Yes, there are bad apples on every carrier. But on a UA plane with pmUA flight attendants, the glass goes empty and you will likely see a refill within a few moments. A few FAs I have chatted with about this were very aware of the difference and its been discussed at the domiciles frequently apparently.
I've noticed the exact same thing. It really makes me prefer pmUA for longer flights.
I'm more than a little troubled by your last comment. Since everything seems to eventually go the pmCO way, does this mean that pmUA crews are going to start acting more like ex-CO?
May 17, 2013, 7:20 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Chicago
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 477
I think the response from 1K Voice was very appropriate (and surprisingly speedy):
"The response you received from our flight attendant definitely is not the level of service we expect our employees to give. I am very willing to make a formal complaint about this service failure, however I am unable to find flight 1179 on in your MileagePlus account."
I checked and the flight number and mileage plus number was correct and forwarded a picture of the boarding pass - pretty sad when the airline can't tell which flight you actually just completed - probably because they didn't see the miles in my account yet - but we all know that will take a while!
"The response you received from our flight attendant definitely is not the level of service we expect our employees to give. I am very willing to make a formal complaint about this service failure, however I am unable to find flight 1179 on in your MileagePlus account."
I checked and the flight number and mileage plus number was correct and forwarded a picture of the boarding pass - pretty sad when the airline can't tell which flight you actually just completed - probably because they didn't see the miles in my account yet - but we all know that will take a while!
May 17, 2013, 8:12 am
#36
Join Date: Apr 2007
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This goes right in line with the lunch service I got the other day ORD-SNA with a sCO crew. No PDB at all (no delay whatsoever), service started almost an hour into flight and was slow as molasses. I ordered doubles because I knew the girl wouldn't be around for another 45 minutes. No nuts, no rolls, no hot towels. When I inquired about the missing elements her the answer was "gone for 4 years, forgot." while I could clearly see the bag of rolls just sitting in the galley in plain sight.
She was of course very chatty with her FA friends, probably talking about how bad sUA is for CO. Sent an email to 1K voice and got a generic response. I specifically said I didn't want any compensation and didn't get any. There is a very common theme here with sCO crews lately, they just don't care.
She was of course very chatty with her FA friends, probably talking about how bad sUA is for CO. Sent an email to 1K voice and got a generic response. I specifically said I didn't want any compensation and didn't get any. There is a very common theme here with sCO crews lately, they just don't care.
May 17, 2013, 8:53 am
#37
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 317
Lil Abner's Year to Date Premier Segments: 87
Lil Abner's Year to Date Premier Miles: 112,819
Lil Abner's total experiences in steerage for 2013: 3
Lil Abner's total upgrades for 2013: 84
Lil Abner's total times NOT receiving pre-departure drinks: once maybe twice
Reasons for NOT getting a drink while boarding: Delayed flight and they were in a hurry to get the plane loaded and on its way.
# of times I felt that was being screwed for not getting something to drink during pre-departure: 0 out of 1 or 2 times
# of times that I just wished that people who don't have the foggiest idea how to put their excess crap in the overheads and sit their a$$es down and get the hell out of the aisle: Every time!
# of times I wished that the f/a would use the mic and tell people to move out of the way and forget about pre-departure formalities - Anytime we're running late
# of times I get tired the FT whines re comparison of pmUA vs pmCo service and lack of an early glass of wine: A zillion
# of times I almost puke hearing Smisek's name mentioned on here: Immeasurable as it's Never-Ending!
Lil Abner's Year to Date Premier Miles: 112,819
Lil Abner's total experiences in steerage for 2013: 3
Lil Abner's total upgrades for 2013: 84
Lil Abner's total times NOT receiving pre-departure drinks: once maybe twice
Reasons for NOT getting a drink while boarding: Delayed flight and they were in a hurry to get the plane loaded and on its way.
# of times I felt that was being screwed for not getting something to drink during pre-departure: 0 out of 1 or 2 times
# of times that I just wished that people who don't have the foggiest idea how to put their excess crap in the overheads and sit their a$$es down and get the hell out of the aisle: Every time!
# of times I wished that the f/a would use the mic and tell people to move out of the way and forget about pre-departure formalities - Anytime we're running late
# of times I get tired the FT whines re comparison of pmUA vs pmCo service and lack of an early glass of wine: A zillion
# of times I almost puke hearing Smisek's name mentioned on here: Immeasurable as it's Never-Ending!
)
May 17, 2013, 9:02 am
#38
Suspended
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I know it goes against your 100% zero-deviation-of-any-kind support of Smisek agenda on this forum, but this is my experience without any anomalies as someone who flies 100K a year.
sCO flight attendants tend to have a slower service and some don't provide beverage until meal is served an hour after takeoff. We've had many reports on here of them eating the snack basket.
I avoid sCO flights as much as I can -- mainly though because I desire a comfortable F seat.
sCO flight attendants tend to have a slower service and some don't provide beverage until meal is served an hour after takeoff. We've had many reports on here of them eating the snack basket.
I avoid sCO flights as much as I can -- mainly though because I desire a comfortable F seat.
Thanks for continuing the tone - although I suspect you may have me confused with someone who actually supports that agenda.There are hostile, militant FAs who couldn't care less about customers in both the sCO and sUA portion of UA. That is without question. If you get one of them you're going to get a bad experience. If you want to see the other side of your point look at the various sources available to you where you can see the outrage expressed by large numbers of sUA FAs at the very thought that customers should be allowed to choose their own drink pre-departure
"Who the !@!* do they think they are!!!" is one choice expression that I came across on a crew discussion forum. But there are thousands of them that have no issue with this and provide excellent, prompt service, just like there are thousands of sCO FAs who provide excellent, prompt service.Bad apples everywhere.
May 17, 2013, 9:06 am
#39
Formerly known as CollegeFlyer
Join Date: Jan 2004
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If you want to see the other side of your point look at the various sources available to you where you can see the outrage expressed by large numbers of sUA FAs at the very thought that customers should be allowed to choose their own drink pre-departure "Who the !@!* do they think they are!!!" is one choice expression that I came across on a crew discussion forum.
"Who the !@!* do they think they are!!!" is one choice expression that I came across on a crew discussion forum.And if the policy of allowing pax to choose their own PDBs (since that makes it take longer) is what gives some FAs an excuse to say "There's too many of you to do a beverage service," that's an even more inappropriate response to the policy.
People often say this to justify ignoring bad behavior, but it's no justification. Bad behavior should not be ignored.
May 17, 2013, 9:09 am
#40
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Location: ORD / DUB / LHR
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I agree 100% and completely support reporting this type of behaviour. If you look at the previous posts, this was in direct response to a poster describing this as "typical sCO attitude". In fact, it's "typical poor FA attitude", nothing more.
May 17, 2013, 11:00 am
#41
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
I think it was inexcusable for an F/A to act in that manner.
Pretty silly that the 1K Voice agent couldn't look up the record though.
Pretty silly that the 1K Voice agent couldn't look up the record though.
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 17, 2013 at 2:02 pm Reason: off-topix
May 17, 2013, 1:52 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,942
So what? None of these stats prove anything or are meaningful. If it doesn't happen to you, doesn't mean it didn't happen for anybody else 
Lil Abner's Year to Date Premier Segments: 87
Lil Abner's Year to Date Premier Miles: 112,819
Lil Abner's total experiences in steerage for 2013: 3
Lil Abner's total upgrades for 2013: 84
Lil Abner's total times NOT receiving pre-departure drinks: once maybe twice
Reasons for NOT getting a drink while boarding: Delayed flight and they were in a hurry to get the plane loaded and on its way.
# of times I felt that was being screwed for not getting something to drink during pre-departure: 0 out of 1 or 2 times
# of times that I just wished that people who don't have the foggiest idea how to put their excess crap in the overheads and sit their a$$es down and get the hell out of the aisle: Every time!
# of times I wished that the f/a would use the mic and tell people to move out of the way and forget about pre-departure formalities - Anytime we're running late
# of times I get tired the FT whines re comparison of pmUA vs pmCo service and lack of an early glass of wine: A zillion
# of times I almost puke hearing Smisek's name mentioned on here: Immeasurable as it's Never-Ending!
Lil Abner's Year to Date Premier Miles: 112,819
Lil Abner's total experiences in steerage for 2013: 3
Lil Abner's total upgrades for 2013: 84
Lil Abner's total times NOT receiving pre-departure drinks: once maybe twice
Reasons for NOT getting a drink while boarding: Delayed flight and they were in a hurry to get the plane loaded and on its way.
# of times I felt that was being screwed for not getting something to drink during pre-departure: 0 out of 1 or 2 times
# of times that I just wished that people who don't have the foggiest idea how to put their excess crap in the overheads and sit their a$$es down and get the hell out of the aisle: Every time!
# of times I wished that the f/a would use the mic and tell people to move out of the way and forget about pre-departure formalities - Anytime we're running late
# of times I get tired the FT whines re comparison of pmUA vs pmCo service and lack of an early glass of wine: A zillion
# of times I almost puke hearing Smisek's name mentioned on here: Immeasurable as it's Never-Ending!
May 17, 2013, 2:05 pm
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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May 17, 2013, 2:17 pm
#44
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 316
This does not sound unusual and is probably within procedure. If the flight was already 2 hours late, they want to board as quickly as possible and serving pre-departure drinks in F on a 737 delays boarding because it blocks the aisle. The might do it on a 757 because it loads at door 2 and F passengers turn left and Y passengers turn right but 737s load at door 1 and everyone has to file past F. I assume they managed to serve drinks after takeoff.
May 17, 2013, 7:21 pm
#45
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: RIC
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 3,387
How do you figure? Sounds more like serving drinks would interfere with chit-chatting in the galley for 10-15 minutes while overhead bins are closed by the Economy FAs.