"There's too many of you to do a beverage service"
May 17, 2013, 8:35 pm
#46
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
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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.
May 17, 2013, 8:46 pm
#47
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Portland, OR, USA
Programs: UA 1K 3 Million/ex-many year GS, AA PLT/2 Mil, AS MVPG, HH Dia, Starwood Life Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,401
There really are two separate issues at work here poor FAs and company training/expectations. Any crew sCO or sUA can be bad and should be reported if not providing the promised service. However it has seemed to me that there was a training and expectation difference between CO and UA that has the sCO crews not being expected to provide certain service levels. This isn't because they are poor crews. It just seems to me having ridden with both now that the training for CO crews must not have emphasized continuous service past the meal. There doesn't seem to be any other explanation for how often I see a different service level. The new UA needs to decide what it thinks appropriate service levels are and train to that because the consistent inconsistency is just bad company service and not the crews fault. Of course I just booked another first class ticket with a competitor so UA just lost another $2k of my business so I am solving the problem for myself.
May 17, 2013, 8:58 pm
#48
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: sfo
Programs: U/A premier 1K. UA 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 285
Reminds me of the time on a sfo to Hnl in first. I believe this is the only domestic flite with champagne. No champagne was offered Unlike on many prior flites. Asked for a pd glass of champagne and was told no because if the bottle was not finished it would go flat before they could pour it in flite. I was fit to be tied. Explained I was from wine county, napa valley and that if she poured it, it would be gone before take off. At that time several passengers asked for it. She poured and it was empty by take off. Plus of course she was wrong about it going flat in less than an hour.
May 17, 2013, 9:09 pm
#49
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Programs: Military Space-A, UA Plat, AS MVP Gold 75K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,248
I have routinely had similar good experiences up and down the California coast.
May 17, 2013, 10:39 pm
#50
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"Too many..."? Considering with UA's UDU policy for all elites, I've seldom been on a NAmerican flight where the F cabin isn't 100% full which would mean this FA refuses to do preflight drinks on all her flights. I can understand if boarding is so delayed and pressed that the door was about to close and taxiing to begin, but under normal circumstances there'd be at least 15 minutes or more to serve, consume and collect before the plane hits the taxiway.
May 17, 2013, 11:30 pm
#51
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold75K
Posts: 850
Good for you!
Plenty of sCO flights from SEA to ORD and IAD. I actually like them because they have more F seats, and I continue to be upgraded 100% of the time from SEA (since hitting 1K last year).
+1
+1 million
Plenty of sCO flights from SEA to ORD and IAD. I actually like them because they have more F seats, and I continue to be upgraded 100% of the time from SEA (since hitting 1K last year).
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 18, 2013, 3:17 am
#52
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: CLE
Programs: CO Gold - 1MM, IC Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,644
I am not sure that you understood my comment.....Pre Merger sCO FAs almost always offered the PDB, thus following the procedure. sUA it was hit or miss, thus not following the "procedure"...at least sUA from IME ex-CLE-xxx and ex-ORD/IAD/LAX-CLE flights. YMMV of course.
May 18, 2013, 5:23 am
#53
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,605
I agree. While I have had some excellent service from sCO crews, I have encountered their post meal service disappearing act for more often than I have experienced a surly sUA crew.
This is indeed the difference between the average sUA and sCO crew.
There really are two separate issues at work here poor FAs and company training/expectations. Any crew sCO or sUA can be bad and should be reported if not providing the promised service. However it has seemed to me that there was a training and expectation difference between CO and UA that has the sCO crews not being expected to provide certain service levels. This isn't because they are poor crews. It just seems to me having ridden with both now that the training for CO crews must not have emphasized continuous service past the meal. There doesn't seem to be any other explanation for how often I see a different service level. The new UA needs to decide what it thinks appropriate service levels are and train to that because the consistent inconsistency is just bad company service and not the crews fault. Of course I just booked another first class ticket with a competitor so UA just lost another $2k of my business so I am solving the problem for myself.
May 18, 2013, 7:34 am
#54
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AA does a meal service on a flight 1.5 hours, however, this topic is about PDB, which SHOULD have been done. I hope the OP did report this to UA, since most people will not and this behavior continues.
May 18, 2013, 8:47 am
#56
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, HH Diamond, MR Gold, Hertz Prez Circle
Posts: 572
I've been treated rudely by plenty of ORD ground crew as well as EWR. I've had flippant attitudes from CO and rough treatment by UA... they're all over worked, just like the rest of us.
Fetch the smelling salts.
Fetch the smelling salts.
May 23, 2013, 12:37 pm
#57
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,324
> "We will be landing at Concourse C - C as in Continental". *eyeroll*
> A very surly, but somewhat justified, "if you don't sit down, this airplane is going back to the gate"
> "I was going to say you may now use your cellphones but I see all of you already are"
F service was spotty - but unlike the OP, we did get a PDB.
May 23, 2013, 12:46 pm
#58
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There really are two separate issues at work here poor FAs and company training/expectations. Any crew sCO or sUA can be bad and should be reported if not providing the promised service. However it has seemed to me that there was a training and expectation difference between CO and UA that has the sCO crews not being expected to provide certain service levels. This isn't because they are poor crews. It just seems to me having ridden with both now that the training for CO crews must not have emphasized continuous service past the meal.
May 23, 2013, 1:26 pm
#59
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K 2006-2013
Posts: 334
In fact -- and I know it's blasphemy in this forum -- if you pushed me further its my perception that the pmCO crews have been more pleasant overall than the pmUA crews. Though I do agree with the previous post that the pmCO attendants do tend to disappear after the main service more than pmUA. Not that it matters for me cause I usually just try to sleep.
All this shows me is that there's no cut and dry rule about one crew being better than the other.
May 29, 2013, 7:25 am
#60
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 31
This has happend to me a few times over the years on AA flights between MIA and LGA, and every time it made my blood boil. It was the very same situation (FA's gabbing to each other) Of course the wife kept telling me that "I" was being a PIA. Whether your using miles or paying for the upgrade, you deserve to get the benefits. Glad to see I'm not the only one who gets annoyed....