WOW! Haven't heard this in a long time...FA announced gate #'s for connecting flights
Dec 22, 2018, 12:58 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
I'm in the camp of not wanting gate assignments on the plane - mostly because if cutting off IFE and for me it is just unnecessary. Even I remembered/wrote down the announcement, personally - I wouldn't trust it, I'd still seek out a monitor when I land.....
Dec 22, 2018, 1:53 pm
#17
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
Ok, first of all, the less talking the FAs do the better. Second, the Hemisphere magazines are yours for the taking. So don’t feel guilty. Finally, gates change all the time so that announcement is likely to be 75% correct.
Dec 22, 2018, 2:09 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Melbourne MEL Calgary YYC
Programs: UA1K, QF Plat, *A & Marriot Gold, OW Emerald, Hyatt Hertz PC CanPass Nexus APEC Global Entry
Posts: 468
As long as it doesn’t cut into the time allowed for the credit card application announcement.........
Dec 22, 2018, 3:04 pm
#19
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,351
I like the very rare gate announcements only because I am impressed and happy to have a FA on the plane that actually cares about its passengers and puts in an effort.
The actual information is just about useless to me, but it's the thought that counts! ^
The actual information is just about useless to me, but it's the thought that counts! ^
Dec 22, 2018, 4:08 pm
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Rapid Rewards, AAdvantage, SkyMiles
Posts: 2,931
Dec 22, 2018, 5:07 pm
#21
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
I was just thinking the same thing. Had a pretty tight connection at IAH due to a delay leaving me about 10min to get to my gate before boarding ends (luckily the gate was only 2 away). I think many people had tight connections as later I saw people running past me up the gate bridge (probably had to connect to another terminal. The FA read many connections out. Usually, you just hear them refer you to the GA.
Dec 22, 2018, 5:44 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 131
My preference is for flight attendants to personsally notify individual passengers with tight connections. I feel that gate announcements over the PA are reasonable when a large number of passengers have the same tight connection due to a delay. Using the PA for gate announcements is also reasonable when the flights attendants must remain seated due to turbulence.
Dec 22, 2018, 6:40 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
There were monitors like that just opposite the end of the jetway at Munich, if I remember right, causing an entirely predictable bottleneck. I commented to our handicap assistant that whoever decided to put that there wasn't thinking. She said there was always a slowdown as people stopped to look for their connecting gates.
Dec 22, 2018, 8:45 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
It (announcements of gate #s for connecting flights) may not happen often but for flights that were already delayed and with significant numbers of passengers connecting, the FAs will have their game faces on anyway because of the number of questions they would be getting en-route.
For myself, on my LAX-SFO flight on 12/18/18 where we were waiting for SFO runway paint to dry and ended up arriving over 3 hours late, the purser was providing feedback on gates to folks over the PA going to ACV, etc. It also happens a bit on late flights into either SFO or LAX when other passengers are connecting to TPAC flights (SYD, MEL, etc.) What matters is usually the distance to the next flight gate and particularly how many folks are connecting onward.
David
For myself, on my LAX-SFO flight on 12/18/18 where we were waiting for SFO runway paint to dry and ended up arriving over 3 hours late, the purser was providing feedback on gates to folks over the PA going to ACV, etc. It also happens a bit on late flights into either SFO or LAX when other passengers are connecting to TPAC flights (SYD, MEL, etc.) What matters is usually the distance to the next flight gate and particularly how many folks are connecting onward.
David
Dec 22, 2018, 10:32 pm
#25
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,853
Dec 23, 2018, 7:21 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19,506
However, it is NOT okay to rip pages out of the magazine and leave the mutilated copy in the seat back to frustrate the next passenger.
Dec 23, 2018, 11:00 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
Also, keep in mind that even in this day and age, not everyone has the United app, knows how to use their smartphone, or even owns a smartphone. Knowing the gate prior getting off the plane on a very tight connection can be helpful even if one should check the monitors too but those arent always close by.
Dec 23, 2018, 11:08 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
-James
Dec 30, 2018, 2:30 pm
#29
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Los Angeles (LAX)
Programs: United Premier 1K
Posts: 11
I had a great purser the other day on BUR-SFO (A319) in First thank every passenger by name for their loyalty, and if they had a connection he had looked up the gate on his phone and informed them of it and how far of a walk it would be from the gate that we were parking at.
I've had this guy twice (once on P.S.) and he is by far the best flight attendant I've seen in the system to date.
I've had this guy twice (once on P.S.) and he is by far the best flight attendant I've seen in the system to date.