Arrogant and humiliating FA service in domestic First.
Dec 22, 2018, 3:52 pm
#91
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
So here is my summary:
1) So the mama papa thing... Just a little weird, but doesn't bother me.
2) When I asked for more croissant. I don't mind that they ran out, but a response such as: "Sorry sir, we ran out" or "Sorry sir, we ran out. Could I try to get something for you in the back? Maybe a cheese box?" instead of the "this is not a buffet" crap comment. Or even the stupid comment, followed by ... "can I see if I have something else???"
3) Don't come bother me with comments to make her feel good, like: "I did you a favor to get you sandwich from the back"
4) Don't devalue my status or my business because I don't fly as much. I still give you some good amount of money. Not only me, but my family of 4!
1) So the mama papa thing... Just a little weird, but doesn't bother me.
2) When I asked for more croissant. I don't mind that they ran out, but a response such as: "Sorry sir, we ran out" or "Sorry sir, we ran out. Could I try to get something for you in the back? Maybe a cheese box?" instead of the "this is not a buffet" crap comment. Or even the stupid comment, followed by ... "can I see if I have something else???"
3) Don't come bother me with comments to make her feel good, like: "I did you a favor to get you sandwich from the back"
4) Don't devalue my status or my business because I don't fly as much. I still give you some good amount of money. Not only me, but my family of 4!
.... That being said, I'm actually very tired of people trying to throw their status, wealth, or "Intelligence" around about travel. If you don't appreciate someone's attitude, you should address it with that person right away. (without being an arrogant, pompous ... about it.) Not stew about it and keep talking about it. If the response they give isn't good enough for you, take it up with the providere's customer service supervisor later.
.... What it boils down to, NOBODY REALLY CARES.
Sometimes these discussions are great, sometimes they are a whine fest.
Get over it!
.... What it boils down to, NOBODY REALLY CARES.
Sometimes these discussions are great, sometimes they are a whine fest.
Get over it!
(editing of johnrockers post is mine.)
edit to add: Welcome to FT posting to johnrocker and pfmodel.
Last edited by FLYMSY; Dec 22, 2018 at 4:13 pm
Dec 22, 2018, 3:54 pm
#92
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
Programs: UA-G MM, Priority Club Platinum, Avis First, Hertz 5*, Red Lion
Posts: 2,808
Ok, long-time lurker and first time poster here. I travel using planes 4-5 times a year. I have status on one airline. That being said, I'm actually very tired of people trying to throw their status, wealth, or "Intelligence" around about travel. If you don't appreciate someone's attitude, you should address it with that person right away. (without being an arrogant, pompous ... about it.) Not stew about it and keep talking about it. If the response they give isn't good enough for you, take it up with the providere's customer service supervisor later.
I was recently on a cruise with someone that constantly bragged about which suite they were in, how they always fly 1st class, and get treated like royalty. Then she constantly complained about everything on the ship. After listening for about a day, I suggested she leave at the first port. Of course, that REALLY only accomplished her staying far away from me for the rest of the time. Our waiter and dining staff were thrilled that I did it. What it boils down to, NOBODY REALLY CARES.
Sometimes these discussions are great, sometimes they are a whine fest.
Get over it!
I was recently on a cruise with someone that constantly bragged about which suite they were in, how they always fly 1st class, and get treated like royalty. Then she constantly complained about everything on the ship. After listening for about a day, I suggested she leave at the first port. Of course, that REALLY only accomplished her staying far away from me for the rest of the time. Our waiter and dining staff were thrilled that I did it. What it boils down to, NOBODY REALLY CARES.
Sometimes these discussions are great, sometimes they are a whine fest.
Get over it!
Probably should reread the OP, it was the FA that brought up the fact the OP was a lowly gold and traveling as a FC fare paying pax which did not entitle them to their choice of meals etc. which were reserved for 'status pax of GS and 1K'. The conversation went on from there.
In the context of this thread, the status is relevant albeit a bit nuanced/different than the points you bring up. The OP had a rude FA/was status related in the FA's mind. I don't think it helps jumping on in a classist argument. FWIW you bring up your own status.
This is FT, it is what happens here, discuss/address issues like this. I would say take perhaps your own advice if you don't like the discussion.
Dec 22, 2018, 5:19 pm
#93
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 11
I feel like the board would be more civil if we would forever stop using the loaded terms "paid first" and "free upgrade," as reality is extremely nuanced.
I've gotten good treatment without status, and I've gotten lousy treatment with status. In general, the differences have more to do with the employee than with the customer.
I've gotten good treatment without status, and I've gotten lousy treatment with status. In general, the differences have more to do with the employee than with the customer.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 22, 2018 at 5:42 pm Reason: Discuss the issues, not the poster(s)
Dec 22, 2018, 5:36 pm
#94
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
Dec 22, 2018, 5:40 pm
#95
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DSM, BKK or anywhere with an airport
Programs: UA 2P, HH Gold
Posts: 1,018
Dec 22, 2018, 6:33 pm
#96
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,042
Why is it that referring to someone as 'Papa' is not acceptable but referring to 'me and my wife' repeatedly is? I was taught that when speaking of yourself and someone else, you always put the other person first out of respect. So it is, 'my wife and I'.
When someone puts 'me' first, anything that follows after that doesn't make much difference to my opinion. Here is my hypothetical response by the FA.
'This fat slob came down the aisle ahead of his wife; shoved his bag into the overhead and then sat down with his nose in his smartphone checking his Facebook page while his diminutive wife struggled to get her bag into the overhead. I decided then and there, what treatment he would receive from me.'
Complaint posts always provide only one side of a story and funnily enough, they always indicate it was the other side that was at fault. I've yet to see a post where someone writes, 'I acted like a jerk and the FA acted accordingly.'
I am not saying that is in fact what happened with the OP, his story may be 100% factual. But the fact is that I don't know if that is the case or not.
When someone puts 'me' first, anything that follows after that doesn't make much difference to my opinion. Here is my hypothetical response by the FA.
'This fat slob came down the aisle ahead of his wife; shoved his bag into the overhead and then sat down with his nose in his smartphone checking his Facebook page while his diminutive wife struggled to get her bag into the overhead. I decided then and there, what treatment he would receive from me.'
Complaint posts always provide only one side of a story and funnily enough, they always indicate it was the other side that was at fault. I've yet to see a post where someone writes, 'I acted like a jerk and the FA acted accordingly.'
I am not saying that is in fact what happened with the OP, his story may be 100% factual. But the fact is that I don't know if that is the case or not.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 22, 2018 at 7:03 pm Reason: repaired quote
Dec 22, 2018, 7:05 pm
#97
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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Dec 22, 2018, 8:18 pm
#98
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Paris, Chicago, Rome, London, St John
Programs: DeltaPrivateJet, Ritz PP, Delta 4 million miler - Flying Colonel; AA Exec Plat (3 million + USAir)
Posts: 796
Thanks. She went on to even say something like. "I'm OCO papa, things are not the same. This is what you get now". After she said the buffet thing and need status to get other stuff, I mentioned that AA has the ability for us to choose before flight or get from the back if we liked. She went on again... "Why are you flying United then???" and gave me the look... I got a little akward because I'm not very confrontational. After a brief pause of about 5 seconds... she responded for me... "because you like us better papa, I know". I guess she was trying to be funny but at the same time arrogant and annoying LOL
Dec 22, 2018, 8:49 pm
#99
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,989
Just last night, I was checking-in to an airport Hampton Inn at around midnight, and a large group of young women, who evidently were having a birthday party in a block of rooms, were creating mayhem in the lobby and were screaming at the hotel staff for asking them to quiet down. The girls were screaming the most vile, violent threats at the poor staff (two scared women) at the top of their lungs and getting in their faces, etc. I ignored the rowdies for a short while but the staff were looking scared and so I intervened and yelled-out that I was calling the police, and that they needed to exit the hotel lobby now. Shortly after dialing 911, one of the larger girls came up and tried to sucker-punch me and two of the other girls slapped me, shouted racist epithets at me, and threatened to have their boyfriends kill me.
All of this just because they were asked to quiet down because other guests needed to sleep.
I felt really sorry for the hotel staff, just trying to do their jobs, having to endure such abuse. Later on, some of the other hotel guests told me that the girls were running hog-wild on the floors and intimidating hotel guests prior to chasing the staff into the lobby.
Dec 22, 2018, 9:35 pm
#100
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 1
I still don't get why UA haven't implemented meal preordering yet -- it causes a lot of angst/drama particularly since the meal cutbacks a couple of years back when they went from two hot meal choices to one.
I remember that Oscar Q&A site they had when he first came on board had it listed as "coming soon"
I remember that Oscar Q&A site they had when he first came on board had it listed as "coming soon"
Dec 22, 2018, 11:54 pm
#101
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,250
Over 30 years ago I ran away from this bus company when they made it abundantly clear they did not want my business. Posts like this show me that nothing has changed, except for the worse..
Dec 23, 2018, 12:17 am
#102
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,214
Yes, when it happened to me (once), my seat mate and I agreed the best approach is to just have as little interraction as possible with the difficult FA. The FA prepares the food, serves the drinks, can get you kicked off a plane...
Dec 23, 2018, 1:07 am
#103
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
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Posts: 20,340
I have had a similar interaction that went from the sublime to the ridiculous with a power tripping FA who didn't like the way I was listening to her (I was turning my ear to her to listen to the exit row spiel and she decided I was turning away and not listening). But the point she kept making was "I can kick you out of this seat and off the plane" and in fact that is what she tried to do. If it wasn't for my seat mates (whom I had never met) supporting me, plus a GA that I "knew" over the years speaking direct to the captain, I would have been off that plane. Fortunately, touch wood, it is rare but it definitely does exist and can get ugly very quickly so when I hear any story like this I can imagine that if you get that rogue FA that it happens. Especially as they are there primarily for our "safety and security" they have that curtain to hide behind and good luck proving different.
