phllax

Experts, what is your opinion of the CARES Harness?

Also, any word on when the pmUS side will be getting catered with Pepsi and Dr. Pepper products as well to mirror the pmAA side?

onic

The harness is much easier to deal with than a large car seat. In fact, last month a couple installed the car seat incorrectly couldn't remove the seatbelt. Maintenance had to come on and cut the seatbelt to get the seat free.

As for beverages we will have a mixed offering starting Nov 1 - Coke, Diet Coke, Sierra Mist, Diet Sierra Mist, Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper and Canada Dry- Ginger Ale, Club Soda and Tonic Water.

phllax

Thanks for the quick reply Onic. We are flying with both kids, and we will have the car seat for the 9 month old (bought him a seat, we're doing LAX-PHL), but for the 3.5 year old we are not using it for a second time and are checking it instead. The r/t we first did without it on SW he did ok and we were able to get the seat belt nice and tight around his hips. His travel car seat is the Graco Blvd which at 7 pounds is nice and light, but is still a pain dealing with when everything is multiplied by 2!

Glad to hear the DDP arrives 11/1, as that is when we're flying!

BMWMOT

Hi, can someone confirm the order of taking meal orders? Is it the same for domestic and international? I seem to recall it was front to back going east bound and back to front going west. I'm interested in PHL-VCE and return.
Thank you

JDiver

I'm just in from a long (distance-wise) trip and on one flight my seat mate was an FA flying in for her annual testing. Another FA friend of mine has annual testing this week (Weds and Thurs at the Academy). A newly minted FA I spoke with yesterday also spoke of her testing and how she'd been unsure she could pass.

We as passengers don't see that aspect of our flight attendants; we see them greeting, seating, making safety checks and giving safety demos and messages, and a lot serving food and beverages. We even use the term "Flight Attendant" (I doubt the airlines want to call them "Cabin Safety and Evacuation Specialists" for PR reasons ).

Can you tell us about this annual testing?

TIA.

This is also my response to AZ Travels the World's test. This snippet can be deleted by editing...

apeortdz

It used to be that coach passengers were strongly discouraged from using the FC lavatory. Now it seems like it is totally fine - only that they ask passengers that are waiting to wait behind the curtain rather than up front. Is this a change due to the American way of doing things?

iztok

What is the correct food order taking on US right now? FEBO or?

I am on US 1803 right now CLT-PHX and order was taken from front.

AZ Travels the World

Per the alignment with AA:

Flights with a change of time zone:
Eastbound = Front to Back
Westbound = Back to Front

Flights with no change of time zone:
Southbound = Front to Back
Northbound = Back to Front

And unless it's a new-ish west FA, I rarely see it followed. I don't think I've had an east FA follow it once.

McSam18

I have to say, my last half dozen or so meal flights have followed this pattern. Color me shocked.

JDiver

FEBO was the usual rule on AA, but it's now as AZ Travels the World says. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ne-change.html

AAFA member sluggoaafa said:

Effective 1 September 2014 a new system for taking meal preferences will be put into place[/hl] depending on flight cardinal direction combined with whether any time zones are crossed.

When an aircraft flight involves a change of time zones, take meal preferences:

. . . • Eastbound: from forward / front to aft /back
. . . • Westbound: from aft to forward

If the flight does not involve a change of any time zones, take meal preferences:

. . . • Southbound: from forward to aft
. . . • Northbound: from aft to forward

A bit more complicated... er, EFWASFNA?

MCOGUY

I'm flying on a short CLT to MCO night flight - 9pm, The young male flight attendant, who did not serve PDB on this A321, did the airbourne drink and snack service and then went to the galley and closed the curtain for most of the remainder of the flight. Is this protocol or just him being lazy? I can see this on a long or international flight, but have never seen it on an hour and 15 minute flight. Was I wrong to open the curtain and request a second drink? I should have rang the call button I guess, but was up anyway to use the lavatory, and just peaked in to make the request. Bizarre, I fly this weekly and have never seen the FAs closing the galley curtains on such a short flight.I think it was a West crew, based on the plane type. Correct me if I'm wrong, but are the small front pull out drink trays on the 321 that are in the middle armrest in First Class, West planes (vs the pullouts from the side of the middle compartment.). Or are all the planes and crews consolidated now. Thanks.

GNRMatt

It was pure laziness and should be reported to US Airways as this behavior is not appropriate.

walkdmx

I can still get 8a on FLL-DCA-BOS in June so am hoping it offers a good view of FLL beach, DC landmarks and Manhattan. All Seat sites say it doesn't recline but one SeatExpert says it has misaligned window. I notice their A319 chart is short a row so thought it might be older.

Would sure appreciate anyone who knows for sure! Thanks!

JayDFW

Hi JDiver,

They are probably talking about annual recurrent training. When I was a f/a, every year we had to do a "refresher" on evacuation drills on all aircraft types, and on any other new safety updates in order to remain "current". Hope this helps!

Jay

the phoenix

First time seeing this thread.

Its been years since I had non-rev privileges, flying D-3 status.
When FAs on a flight look at Pax manifests, of course, you can tell who the standbys are. But does it delineate if the standby was a D-3, or an upgraded paying pax? And do FAs *treat* those pax any differently?

I recall then when I did fly D-3 and got in any seat, whether in coach or F, I would keep a real low profile and felt like a bit of a gnat, not wanting to be a pest.