username

It is definitely not an easy job to be standing in front of 100+ people doing your new job. That just adds to the need of training them more before putting them out there.

I was on an intra-Asia NW flight in the early 90s. The FA worked for SQ but said he moved to NW because it was a lot easier (i.e. lower service standards)

When I was younger, I thought that would be a cool job to have until I sat next to a 744 galley once - that was a lot of work! One really has to LOVE this industry to be in it (whether FA, pilot or even other jobs like IT, finance, etc.) as the pay and stability are just not as good - nonrev flying is also getting harder.

username

Well, I had another one of these flights. This time in F. 2h20 minutes lunch flight. 737-900 so 20 people in F.

What was funny was that the regular F FA seemed to have gotten impatient with the meal service speed at one point and started grabbing things and helping the new FA in the galley. Just from the movement, I can tell he was frustrated. Things were a little slow but I didn't think it warranted his intervention. I feel bad for the poor new FA in the galley. (The plan announced was that the regular FAs will just relax and let the new ones do it.)

The other new FA delivering the food stayed calm but at one point another regular FA whispered to him "there is a first day for everyone" after observing what was happening in the galley.

Overall, not bad but I still think UA could have given these new employees a little more training before putting them out there. (Of course, a lot of companies don't do as good training now as OJT seems to be the answer - I work for one of them too )

lincolnjkc

Funny coincidence this thread resurfaced today!

If it weren't for your mention of a 739 I would have asked if you were on my 763 ORD-IAH today -- I think our lunch service went down nearly the same way. All of the trainees I saw were wonderful, there was someone in the galley loudly whining about their phone being dead, but I'm pretty sure they were a "real" FA based on uniform.

During boarding they announced that each of the announcements would be repeated -- first the trainer doing it "his" way followed by one of the IOE FAs doing it "their" way. Though that seemed to fall by the wayside pretty quickly I was amused by how it highlighted the difference between someone who's been doing it for years and someone new -- from very smooth an confident to <blow><blow><tap><tap> and a enthusiastic but very nervous delivery .

JOSECONLSCREW28

Company plans on hiring 1,750 new FAs near summer of next year for a total of over 4,600 FAs hired since last year.

1KChinito

Does that mean all furloughed flight attendants have been called back already?

DFWFairy

This was a new one for me. Yesterday half dozen crew boarded with a plastic clear name badge with their names and "Trainee" printed underneath. Two were serving F. One was taking orders and the other came around with snack basket. A regular crew was working as well performing PA announcement, opening and closing doors.

wavid

I had two flights last year (IAH-MCO and TPA-IAH) with trainee crews as well. Remember there being a very large difference in service between the two crews. One (the ex-TPA I think) was very proactive and attentive, while the other flight had very intermittent service with some... less than positive words being exchanged in the galley between the trainees and their supervisor. Made for an awkward flight in 2B.

Aussienarelle

Yes, I have seen some horrible training situations sitting in 1A. The most recent was on a flight late last year. The rude and condescending way the training FA spoke to the trainee was quite shocking to me. I have been in training situations many times and know it can be frustrating but for the most part the person being trained does want to learn. I was about to say something but then the FA training the new crew member must have had an ah-ha moment as she suddenly switched tactics and became very encouraging - so much nicer to witness (to say nothing of the experience for the FA being trained).

(I was thinking that perhaps the training was a baptism of fire such that if you think the way I am talking to you is bad wait until you get one of those DYKWIA passengers!)