An example for AA employees to follow:

[nbmcg01]

How come you didn't criticize management for producing those advertisements? AA spending money on aircraft, facilities, marketing, and other customer enhancements designed to attract revenue is one your pet peeves.



My compensation and airline choice is beside the point here. AA employees by and large do not subscribe to a service culture that BA, CX, SQ or even domestic carriers like B6, VX, and WN do. AA's in-flight product is uncompetitive as is but again that's an entirely different discussion.




I'm glad you feel you are having better service but on many AA flights the FAs dump the meal trays and run for the galleys and a passenger better not disturb them in the middle of the flight. I've rang the call button asking for water on a 14 hour JFK-Narita flight in First Class only to be greeted with "we provide each customer with a bottle of water after the meal service". What kind of nonsense is that? Sure I was provided one tiny 'Niagra' 500mL bottle of water three hours ago on a 14 hour flight but seriously what is it for the FA to bring me more water? Perhaps you have different expectations or if you happen to fly as a non-rev you likely receive better treatment on-board than paying passengers. I'm not saying AA doesn't have any good FAs but the vast majority that staff international trips, particularly to Narita are senior, disgruntled, and indifferent.

I have never had a problem with FAs on BA or any number of other foreign carriers. As I said before, since AA has been flying 757s to Heathrow and now that the JBA is in effect I have been giving my business to BA and only regret not doing it sooner.

Josh

Josh, I don't EVER fly as a non rev. Not worth the trouble. I have very high expectations and coming from both a Pan Am and TWA culture I can honestly say I have NEVER experienced what you claim to have encountered. My favorite are the ORI crews. They are exceptional... I'm certain BA will love your loyalty and my guess is AA will not miss you.

 

[MCI transplant]

<_< ------- Here's one of the few who had things figured out! ------ If it wasn't for his accent, I'd swear he was from Missouri. 🙄 -------- Will Rogers, who died in a 1935 plane crash, was one of the
greatest political sages this country has ever known.

Some of his sayings:
1.Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.

2.Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.

3.There are two theories to arguing with a woman.
Neither works.

4.Never miss a good chance to shut up.

5.Always drink upstream from the herd.

6.If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

7.The quickest way to double your money is to fold it
and put it back into your pocket.

8.There are three kinds of men:
The ones that learn by reading.
The few who learn by observation.
The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence
and find out for themselves.

9.Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

10.If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.

11.Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back.

12.After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him.
The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.


ABOUT GROWING OLDER...

First ~Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying
about your age and start bragging about it.

Second ~The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Third ~Some people try to turn back their odometers.
Not me; I want people to know 'why' I look this way.
I've traveled a long way, and some of the roads weren't paved.

Fourth ~ When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.

Fifth ~You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

Sixth ~ I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

Seventh ~One of the many things no one tells you about aging
is that it's such a nice change from being young.

Eighth ~ One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

Ninth ~ Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

Tenth ~ Long ago, when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today it's called golf.

And, finally ~ If you don't learn to laugh at trouble,
you won't have anything to laugh at when you're old.

 

[chris perry]

The points on AA service are well taken...The condition of interiors,engines ,airframes are all management functions.
Just like ordering new airplanes,cleaning,maint programs,part availability and locations....Most employee's are just as frustrated as customers. Bob's right after umteen years of hearing you suck and you make too much.... Who really listen's at this point...

 

[eolesen]

First of all, you can thank the art of service beginning with deregulation. Airlines had to cut costs to survive and the easiest target was the airline employee. Over 3 decades since, the airlines are STILL not done screwing employees and YOU expect the ART OF SERVICE?

The decline in the art of service goes way beyond airlines... Go watch the movie "A Day Without A Mexican" some time...

It's a cultural thing that in my opinion has been fed primarily by the nanny state/welfare culture built up over the past 40 years. Too many people see jobs like waiting tables, domestic service, working in construction, retail, etc. as being beneath them and/or a less than honorable way of earning a living than filing for unemployment or welfare.

Thank God there are millions of immigrants legal and illegal who aren't caught up in that and are willing to work in those types of jobs...

 

[Hopeful]

The decline in the art of service goes way beyond airlines... Go watch the movie "A Day Without A Mexican" some time...

It's a cultural thing that in my opinion has been fed primarily by the nanny state/welfare culture built up over the past 40 years. Too many people see jobs like waiting tables, domestic service, working in construction, retail, etc. as being beneath them and/or a less than honorable way of earning a living than filing for unemployment or welfare.

Thank God there are millions of immigrants legal and illegal who aren't caught up in that and are willing to work in those types of jobs...

That's nice, E.

We are talking about the service decline in the airline industry. Cost cutting has gone beyond employee wages and benefits.
Passengers cannot expect any level of decent service when airline management continually assaults labor. The frontline people who deal with customers daily can make or break that passengers experience with the airline.
The "lucky to have a job" mantra has worn itself out as far as airline employees go.

You get what you pay for.

And please don't compare us to foreign airline customer service. Apples and oranges!

 

[chris perry]

It's a good thing when employers break the law and hire illegals E. The fact is that's why this country is out of control. People are fed up with business as usual....Its ok for companies to blow off the law??? What a fine example...

 

[eolesen]

California created their own problems with illegals, and it will bankrupt the state eventually. The movie just points to the arrogance of all those jobs that used to be done by citizens 50 years ago, and are now seen widely as worse than welfare.

I lived for 18 years in TX and AZ. If you think I'm for hiring illegals, you're sadly mistaken. I'd rather see AZ's approach to illegals expanded, as opposed to the approach of those from blue states who have no problems with illegals getting drivers licenses legally, because other than being here illegally, they really don't want to break the law just to be able to drive to work. Never mind they're breaking the law by working, or by being in the US......

I'm sure all the Polish immigrants working as janitors at ORD or pushing wheelchairs are legal, especially if they're holding an airport ID.

They have no qualms about scrubbing your crap off a toilet, unloading waste bins or having to push people around the airport. Yet you probably couldn't find ten kids out of the average graduating class at just about any high school in Illinois who would be willing to do the same job.

Hopeful, I've been flying other domestic airlines a lot in the past few months. Already earned 137k, well beyond whats required for EXP on AA, and now on my way to 50k with CO by the end of the year. CO, AC, UA, and US all manage to do just fine with less, and not carry a piss-poor attitude into how they deal with a customer. BAnd just about all of those employees earn well below AA's employees doing the same job.

Blaming the company for your attitude is a just an excuse.

 

[Hopeful]

Hopeful, I've been flying other domestic airlines a lot in the past few months. Already earned 137k, well beyond whats required for EXP on AA, and now on my way to 50k with CO by the end of the year. CO, AC, UA, and US all manage to do just fine with less, and not carry a piss-poor attitude into how they deal with a customer. BAnd just about all of those employees earn well below AA's employees doing the same job.

Blaming the company for your attitude is a just an excuse.

Good for you and good for them. And you know for a fact that they all "manage to do fine with less?"
Amazing how you can speak for other airline employees as an excuse to justify arrogant management before during and after bankruptcy.

 

[eolesen]

Good for you and good for them. And you know for a fact that they all "manage to do fine with less?"
Amazing how you can speak for other airline employees as an excuse to justify arrogant management before during and after bankruptcy.

I think you miss the point entirely. The fact is they could be just as miserable or worse off than you.

They managed to DELIVER THE SERVICE without pissing and moaning about what they didn't have.

That simple enough for you? Or do you need stick figures?

 

[jersey777]

You are sadly mistaken if you think there isn't pissing and moaning at UA, Delta or US. I personally know several who have taken it on the chin because of bankruptcy. The only difference is that time has taken some of the anger away and they all see positive changes occurring at their companies...ie..more service, new hires, profitability Just like Wall Street's mood focuses more on the future, the working people of these airlines feel that their sacrifices will benefit them in the long run and they look forward to their future which might just show up in their daily attitude. We have an almost opposite situation here at American, We saw our pay and benefits drastically decrease, while not as much as our competitors. Meanwhile, while other airlines have grown and their companies are making money and they have contacts up for renewal, they have a much better outlook for the future. Sadly here at AA, we have been on a downhill slide for years with no prospect for change and each year we see the status quo of management bonuses and no new contracts and no new hires and no hope for any change it definetaly affects a persons work moral. It is just human nature. I am looking at my own 5 year plan. My hope is that we go into bankruptcy, take a small pay cut, mostly in the form of work rules, return the airline to profitability and get rid of these bozos running the airline. At least in 5 years I will be in a better position with a new contract pending and hopefully a profitable airline who has put some dignity back into travel and the customer experience and treat me as a valuable asset in a growing profitable company.

I think you miss the point entirely. The fact is they could be just as miserable or worse off than you.

They managed to DELIVER THE SERVICE without pissing and moaning about what they didn't have.

That simple enough for you? Or do you need stick figures?

 

[Bob Owens]

I'm sure all the Polish immigrants working as janitors at ORD or pushing wheelchairs are legal, especially if they're holding an airport ID.

I wouldnt be so sure of that. I've known plenty of Irish who were here illegally. Sure they enterred legally, well most of the time,got a SSN, not theirs, paid taxes and held some pretty good on the books jobs. One I knew was an office manager for a Manhattan legal firm. After she had her fun and her "American experience" she decided to go back home, they offered her obscene money and perks to stay but she had her mind made up. She now runs her own business in Ireland. Just because they are white doesnt mean they are legal.

As far as the Airport ID just think back about that Eagle FA who had all that under a phony ID. And thats AMR, a major company, do you think that all these fly by night, high turnover companys that do building claening do any more than the minimal amount to be legal as far as background checks?

 

[nbmcg01]

I wouldnt be so sure of that. I've known plenty of Irish who were here illegally. Sure they enterred legally, well most of the time,got a SSN, not theirs, paid taxes and held some pretty good on the books jobs. One I knew was an office manager for a Manhattan legal firm. After she had her fun and her "American experience" she decided to go back home, they offered her obscene money and perks to stay but she had her mind made up. She now runs her own business in Ireland. Just because they are white doesnt mean they are legal.

As far as the Airport ID just think back about that Eagle FA who had all that under a phony ID. And thats AMR, a major company, do you think that all these fly by night, high turnover companys that do building claening do any more than the minimal amount to be legal as far as background checks?

I think many forget that many of those people mentioned are American citizens. Most born citizens could not pass the test required for citizenship. E-Verify is in effect and if a company is found not properly documenting workers then the onus should be on the company. There is a funny thing about job and being employed. At AA those who have not faced furlough "can't live on what they are paying me", "I have given and given and given", and so on.. Customer sevice reports are now starting to reflect better inflight service (in direct proportion to the recall numbers). Before anyone gets their panties in a bunch I am not implying that those recalled are better only the number are there.. Call it honeymoon phase, I'll show them, I'm old school, or I am just d*** happy to have my job back. The "real" world is just that, the real world. Just because one can support themselves outside the airline (f/a) industry that doesn't mean that one likes what they are doing. For someone to leave a job they have had for 8 or 9 years speaks to the appeal of what is being offered in the way of work and pay. Many left nursing, teaching, successful sales, mangt. jobs to return to commuting, reserve and the craziness of the industry. Makes you wonder. As for Josh, he will never be happy with AA. That too is fact.

 

[Hopeful]

I think you miss the point entirely. The fact is they could be just as miserable or worse off than you.

They managed to DELIVER THE SERVICE without pissing and moaning about what they didn't have.

That simple enough for you? Or do you need stick figures?

I didn't miss the point at all. SHOULD AA FILE BANKRUPTCY FURHTER SCREWING US, I WILL DO MY BEST TO MAKE SURE BOTH AA'S STOCK AND PERFORMANCE STAY IN THE TOILET?

"THAT SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR YOU? OR DO YOU NEED STICK FIGURES?"

 

[chris perry]

I own a cleaning service with my wife,nine of of ten applicants are Illlegal.... We simply don't hire. People say American's don't want to work hogwash. They just don't want to work for substandard wages...The Boss sure wouldn't do it !

 

[eolesen]

Found this clip... Goes to the issue of skilled jobs vs. degree-based jobs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h_pp8CHEQ0

If you have ADHD, jump to the 4 minute mark.