johnden

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this. I recently came across what a "scab" is in airline lingo. I connected it to an experience I had.

The short story. UA transcon red-eye. 1K on paid ticket, CPU cleared a few days in advance. Nothing strange until the snack/beverage service. FA made a point of paying a lot of attention to my seat mate, but ignored me and walked away when I asked for drink/snack on all 3 times she stopped by to serve my seat mate. I was tired, fell asleep, didn't care too much, assumed she was having a bad day.

Later in the flight I asked her in the galley for a glass of water. She said something I didn't understand, followed by "scabs like you", then walked away. I assumed she was a little unstable and went back to my seat.

Anyone ever experienced this? I have never had a union job or worked with anyone represented by a union. Didn't even cross my mind at the time. Lately I've wondered if someone with a similar name is on a "scab list"? Never had anything like this happen again, but some weird experiences, esp when I wait until the last minute to board, had made me wonder. Perhaps I'm just paranoid.

I'm not interested in a discussion about union issues, just curious on how I could be confused for an airline worker? Wouldn't the manifest list my status/fare class?

sannmann

I would write in a complaint to United about this issue. FA needs to either be retrained or to move into a position with minimal customer contact.

theddo

FA needs to be fired.

escapefromphl

Not that different from the "over-entitled" label. Once the execs start making comments it's not surprising that the sentiment trickles down.

johnden

Is it even plausible that I'm on a "scab list"? I would have thought the idea preposterous until I read on an industry forum just how much effort some folks put into checking these "lists".

I also like to work in the terminal until group 4/5 is done, so it is reasonable to think I may be a non-rev. The other occasional anomalies (such as not getting asked a meal choice in F and just handed a meal), I always attributed to my last minute boarding.

I feel very paranoid, so I'm tempted to say that the FA was just having a bad day. Don't want to get anyone in trouble. Everyone has a bad day, and there definitely was at least one ambien zombie on that flight to deal with too.

channa

So, if they thought you were an employee, theoretically you should get better treatment.

Personally, what I've observed is that employees usually get equal if not better treatment (e.g., extra drinks, full bottles of water, etc.), though meal protocol is defined so that non-revs get choices after revenue pax.

Do you have a name that could be mistakenly linked to someone notorious in the industry (e.g., Lorenzo or Smisek)? Did you possibly switch seats with someone who may have, or may be known elsewhere?

JeffS

A "scab" is someone who crosses a union picket line to work. It would have been interesting to see what the FA said had you pressed the point when asking for a glass of water. It sounds like she was operating on some bad info, or you mis-heard her. Based on your version I would assume the former.

JeffS

I disagree. The term "scab" has a very specific meaning for labor union members.

johnden

My name is neither very common, nor does a google search bring up anything airline or union related.

One side effect of boarding at the last minute on non-business flights is my F seat is sometimes taken by someone else and I take their original seat. Usually I don't even notice unless I end up at the bulkhead without a cutout. Being a weekend red-eye with a big F cabin and short upgrade list, it is very possible I switched with an employee.

aacharya

I would have gone straight to the purser and then the airport director. And handled it then and there. All this forum will do is blame Smisek when this is a Union and non Union issue that you got caught up in.

MSPeconomist

If the FA refused to serve you drinks/snacks three times when she served your seatmate in FC and then alter refused to even give you a glass of water when you went to the galley, REPORT IT! This is inexcusable no matter who the FA thought you were. Please don't accept this behavior.

JeffS

I Agree with the last two posters. You should report this as it is inexcusable.

johnden

I'm very sure she said "scabs", that part was emphasized in a way that it was very clear. I'd never heard that term before, and assumed it was random until I came across a thread on a pilots forum talking about scabs in jumpseats.

JeffS

Unless you've been a union member ( I've been in three), or worked With labor unions, you most likely would never have heard that word used that way.

johnden

I'm going with Chana's suggestion that I switched with an employee. It is the most likely possibility.

Also, I don't pay a lot of attention to meal choices in domestic F, but I have noticed inconsistent prioritization for 1K. I never considered that my seat switching would affect this too. I may give some thought to boarding early and working on board instead of in the terminal. Airport wifi is usually worse than tethering. Plus I'll avoid the glare of the gate agent when they are trying to wrap up boarding early.