"Please thank your FA's for letting you stay on the plane..."
Feb 26, 2009, 5:40 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 681
I already stated it was an unusual thing to say and that it probably didn't come out as intended.
Feb 26, 2009, 5:58 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
Programs: UA Premier Gold (1MM), AS MVP
Posts: 989
Amen. I just got back from Oz/NZ flying a mix of NW, QF and JQ (JetStar), and while JQ is also in the business of nickeling and diming everyone for food, blankets and beverages like the US carriers are doing, they somehow do it with professionalism. I couldn't even imagine something like this comment coming out of the mouth of an Oz or Kiwi GA. Sometimes it's not about the service per se, it's the atmosphere that it sets for the flying public.
Feb 26, 2009, 6:37 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: HNL
Programs: DL Charter DM 2.5MMer, former NW Gold/Platinum ('91-'04), HH Diamond
Posts: 232
So, what's the big deal? The crew was willing to let passengers stay on board and was willing (?) to service them in a non-pay status. So the gate agent made a fuss about it... The crew deserved the credit.
A few months ago I boarded a flight in Denver that then had maintenance problems that resulted in a departure delay. They offered us the option of remaining on board or deplaning. Some stayed, some deplaned. For those that stayed it was nice if the crew offered some service during the wait.
A few months ago I boarded a flight in Denver that then had maintenance problems that resulted in a departure delay. They offered us the option of remaining on board or deplaning. Some stayed, some deplaned. For those that stayed it was nice if the crew offered some service during the wait.
Feb 26, 2009, 7:11 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Programs: United/Star Alliance - 1K
Posts: 2,176
Plenty of gripes over at Miles & More. In fact, apparently the LH FA union is voting on March 9 whether to have a general strike. Yay, I'm flying to MUC via LHR (i.e., LH) on 3/13-14. 
Bear in mind that while you're griping against the FAs' attitudes and such, you might as well gripe about Americans in general, a rather slovenly and ill-mannered lot on the whole these days.
Bear in mind that while you're griping against the FAs' attitudes and such, you might as well gripe about Americans in general, a rather slovenly and ill-mannered lot on the whole these days.
Feb 26, 2009, 7:29 pm
#20
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Asia
Programs: RVT 1K
Posts: 883
Completely agree, and this is why our airlines suck.....for the most part (service anyways)
Feb 26, 2009, 8:17 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,845
indeed. I'd better keep an eye on the LH news then (FRA-AMM coming up, not a whole lot of alternatives on that route). Thanks for throwing this in here.But yes, I agree.
Feb 26, 2009, 9:48 pm
#22
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K, DL Plat
Posts: 576
.
Feb 26, 2009, 10:19 pm
#24
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,686
From UA.com (stemming from customer complaints about long ATC/wx delays over the past 5 years.) http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,1513,00.html
"United’s commitment:
United is committed to operating a reliable schedule for every customer. Weather and Air Traffic Control (ATC) issues, along with other internal control challenges, can cause delays and cancellations. We aspire to make our customers who experience long on-aircraft or in-airport delays as comfortable as possible during the inconvenience.
United Airlines and its regional United Express partners have implemented a comprehensive policy to minimize lengthy on-ground airport delays. For the best accommodation of our customers, the policy is to:
1. Taxi-out delays (the time the aircraft pushes back from the gate until airborne) – Proactively manage to
minimize ground holds of more than three hours and prevent those of more than four hours."
While this may not have been in excess of 3 hours, it appears they took to heart the intent of the promise. Maybe in Europe or in Asia, consumer advocates didn't make a huge deal about things when aircraft were diverted during thunder to airports that couldn't handle the increased volume.
ATC/WX happens, airlines must react, consumers cry "foul", airlines implement new policies, a CSR makes an announcement, and people complain that this wouldn't happen in Asia. Maybe the customer base in Asia doesn't scream for regulation when things go wrong?
"United’s commitment:
United is committed to operating a reliable schedule for every customer. Weather and Air Traffic Control (ATC) issues, along with other internal control challenges, can cause delays and cancellations. We aspire to make our customers who experience long on-aircraft or in-airport delays as comfortable as possible during the inconvenience.
United Airlines and its regional United Express partners have implemented a comprehensive policy to minimize lengthy on-ground airport delays. For the best accommodation of our customers, the policy is to:
1. Taxi-out delays (the time the aircraft pushes back from the gate until airborne) – Proactively manage to
minimize ground holds of more than three hours and prevent those of more than four hours."
While this may not have been in excess of 3 hours, it appears they took to heart the intent of the promise. Maybe in Europe or in Asia, consumer advocates didn't make a huge deal about things when aircraft were diverted during thunder to airports that couldn't handle the increased volume.
ATC/WX happens, airlines must react, consumers cry "foul", airlines implement new policies, a CSR makes an announcement, and people complain that this wouldn't happen in Asia. Maybe the customer base in Asia doesn't scream for regulation when things go wrong?
Feb 26, 2009, 11:16 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 1,195
I agree that other countries are much more professional in all service industries at this point. That said, in my experience in Europe and Asia, there would not have been a choice of whether to stay or go, and in fact probably not even an explanation. Several times I've boarded a LH flight and then sat at the gate for 30-60 minutes without moving and without a single announcement or explanation or any indication of what may or may not be going on. I hate the way many Americans as individuals behave, but don't take for granted some of the cultural advantages, which in my experience include more transparency and more choices in situations like these.
Feb 27, 2009, 5:19 am
#26
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 350
I'd be curious to know, though, whether LH FAs are paid based on the same rules as UA FAs. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me that their pay starts when the aircraft pushes back, yet their work starts much earlier. In other industries, companies have been sued for expecting workers to do work off the clock, but I guess in this case it's what the unions and UA negotiated. Still, it doesn't seem like an approach that leads to good service (or fair pay).
Feb 27, 2009, 8:21 am
#27
Join Date: May 2007
Location: variously: PVG, SFO, LHR
Programs: AA ExPlat, UA 1MM Gold, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 1,678
What an idiotic and uncouth thing to say, on the part of the GA. And, seemingly, just plain out of touch! Do passengers really want to sit on a half-boarded airplane? I would've hoped, at least, I was one of the pax still in the terminal. I least I could've plugged in my laptop or found something to eat.
Sure, the announcement was a bit over the top, but in the end a transparent and full explanation of the situation was conveyed and a choice was offered.
Feb 27, 2009, 8:42 am
#28
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: Yorkshire Coastliner
Posts: 1,278
It's not just the lower level of service, it's the utter asininity of a culture in which we're told to voice our gratitude for being shunted around like cattle, in which diminishment is marketed as "enhancement." It's insulting and it's infantilizing, and we just sit back and enjoy the pain.
Feb 27, 2009, 9:12 am
#29
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Programs: United/Star Alliance - 1K
Posts: 2,176
It's not just the lower level of service, it's the utter asininity of a culture in which we're told to voice our gratitude for being shunted around like cattle, in which diminishment is marketed as "enhancement." It's insulting and it's infantilizing, and we just sit back and enjoy the pain.
We have become a nation of uncouth, ill-mannered, shabbily-dressed whiners and complainers. Given that there is no social opprobrium to such behavior anymore (you get ostracized or worse, sued) why should anyone expect FAs to provide 1950's-style service to the louts who fill the planes -- even in C and even in F. I'm not referring to everyone, and on the whole FT'ers are better behaved, but how often do you see pax who deserve to be treated better than the tracksuit-wearing, gum-chomping, boorish-behaving selves that they are. People actually used to care how they appeared - physically and behaviorally - in public. Now, no one gives a crop, but oh, they demand to be treated like sharp dressed men and women. Seeing t-shirts and sweats in int'l F, well, do you think for a moment anyone is going to work for a U.S. airline and provide SQ service? We have met the enemy and it is us. Frankly, I applaud the announcement. Maybe if things like that happened more often, there'd be less gripes about FAs playing it by the book (being beeyotches, so to speak) because they'd be willing to provide more lagniappe, esp. when not getting paid.
Feb 27, 2009, 9:22 am
#30
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,102
Kind of like being expected to tip the 19 y.o. EMO for filling a cup of coffee and handing it to you? We have become a nation of uncouth, ill-mannered, shabbily-dressed whiners and complainers. Given that there is no social opprobrium to such behavior anymore (you get ostracized or worse, sued) why should anyone expect FAs to provide 1950's-style service to the louts who fill the planes -- even in C and even in F. I'm not referring to everyone, and on the whole FT'ers are better behaved, but how often do you see pax who deserve to be treated better than the tracksuit-wearing, gum-chomping, boorish-behaving selves that they are. People actually used to care how they appeared - physically and behaviorally - in public. Now, no one gives a crop, but oh, they demand to be treated like sharp dressed men and women. Seeing t-shirts and sweats in int'l F, well, do you think for a moment anyone is going to work for a U.S. airline and provide SQ service? We have met the enemy and it is us. Frankly, I applaud the announcement. Maybe if things like that happened more often, there'd be less gripes about FAs playing it by the book (being beeyotches, so to speak) because they'd be willing to provide more lagniappe, esp. when not getting paid.
We have become a nation of uncouth, ill-mannered, shabbily-dressed whiners and complainers. Given that there is no social opprobrium to such behavior anymore (you get ostracized or worse, sued) why should anyone expect FAs to provide 1950's-style service to the louts who fill the planes -- even in C and even in F. I'm not referring to everyone, and on the whole FT'ers are better behaved, but how often do you see pax who deserve to be treated better than the tracksuit-wearing, gum-chomping, boorish-behaving selves that they are. People actually used to care how they appeared - physically and behaviorally - in public. Now, no one gives a crop, but oh, they demand to be treated like sharp dressed men and women. Seeing t-shirts and sweats in int'l F, well, do you think for a moment anyone is going to work for a U.S. airline and provide SQ service? We have met the enemy and it is us. Frankly, I applaud the announcement. Maybe if things like that happened more often, there'd be less gripes about FAs playing it by the book (being beeyotches, so to speak) because they'd be willing to provide more lagniappe, esp. when not getting paid.