jdcece

Took the 3:10 pm departure today from PHX to ORD in F. Overbooked flight. First Class boarding call at 2:45. Pre-departure cocktails for all 16 PAX in F on the A321. Seat pitch seemed as good or better than the legacies. On-time take-off. Drink and snack mix followed by hot towel. Meal choice was beef or pasta. Had the beef with salad and salami cheese appetizer. Warm rolls. Cheese cake desert. Meal was very good. Excellent FA. Drinks were served with a glass of ice, 2 minis, and mixer which I think is great. Arrived 20 minutes early into Chicago.

Overall - very pleasant flight. As good or better than any domestic flight in F on DL, UA, or AA. I paid $100 more than the last minute Y fare and felt it was well worth it. US has come a long way IMHO. If they could pull this off consistently it would be great. Very impressed!

TPJ

I am quite often on this flight and I always thought it was operated by West (former AWA) F/A's, so no minis given out separately but the cocktail made in the galley and delivered already mixed. Maybe there is (finally) some attempt to make the service more consistent?

bkafrick

The consistency is to pour the drinks for everyone. Its part of the new service standard. It doesnt matter if its West F/As or East F/As.

So, this F/A wasnt following the protocol / service standard.

scottsam66

I travel 2 time a week, and never see drinks brought mixed. I always see the mini-bottles.
Frick, is this a new policy?

onic

Pouring is part of the service standard on all US flights in First Class. In coach the seal is broken and and mini is provided to the customer. I am sure when developing this standard they felt that serving the mini is less personable - When ordering a cocktail at a bar or restaurant would they deliver a bottle and ask the customer to mix their own drink?

Unfortunately not all FAs follow prescribed service standards so variations do occur.

I would suggest if you prefer to mix your own drink (as I do) simply ask. We are always willing to accommodate your request.

GotCalcio4

This is because this was the old standard for the East side. The new standard is the west approach to mix the drink for you first in the galley and then serve it.

I prefer to mix my own with minis. I tend to like them stronger than just one mini bottle!

MEABFlyer

I've found PDB service to be completely hit or miss for the last few months. It doesn't seem to matter which aircraft I'm on. Some FAs offer PDB and others don't. If I'm on UDU (75% of the time) I don't complain, if I'm on paid F then I do. When offered it's always been mini bottles. What is the reason that a FA might not offer PDB?

Granitebox

I'm about 50% on PDB - actually was a flight running behind due to weather last week and did not get the PDB but the FA made a point to talk to us and say she made a decision to expedite boarding so we could make up time and that interfered with the PDB - I was good with the logic and appreciative she took the time to acknowledge she was supposed to supply the PDB but made a decision to expedite boarding. She took responsibility for the lack of PDB.^

TPJ

Just an observation: it is 2 minis and a can of mixer on most of my flights - even in Envoy... And I like it this way

seratonin7

As a PHX based CP, I see a good mix of east and west crews. I'd say when I'm with a west crew there is a 90% chance I will get PDB unless the flight is running late or they haven't been catered until just before pushback. With the east crew, under normal onsite circumstances, the percentage is closer to 60%. As a customer it seem like the west crews consider it a requirement and the east an option. Just my personal observations and experiences. I do prefer to mix my own, 2 minis and a can, that way I'm good for a longer period of time.

onic

On the 319/320 aircraft, usually you will have two FA's at the boarding door. This allows one FA to serve PDB and another to stay at the boarding door (an FAA requirement).

On the 321 it's staffed with 4 FA's, under normal operations, one at each door. This makes it impossible for one FA to remain at the door and serve PDB. Some FAs will still do a PDB, some will remain at the door.

You also have factors like late catering, or at an outstation - no catering that can impact a FAs ability to do a PDB.

dtremit

Aren't cabin crews scheduled separately from pilots (and as a single group) since their new contract went into effect? Or has that not yet started?

onic

Cabin and pilot crews are still 'married' and work together on their trips. Starting in January they can (and will) be separated due to new pilot rest requirements.

bkafrick

Nope. Search the forum for this - plenty of threads on it.