Attention All F/A's

[operaations]

Would it be justifiable if a Mechanic took tools from work because he did not have time or the money to purchase his own.

Would it be justifiable if someone took office supplies such as Paper pens printer ink because they did not have time to get it them selves from a store

Would it be justifiable for a baggage handler to steel luggage because he needed it to go on his next trip..

all of the above are the same as stealing food wine linens or anything else. it is stealing.

 

[jimntx]

While I agree with your overall point, I simply have to point out the bolded portion. When the subject turns to FA meals, there's never any ground time. Tight connections, no chance to buy food at any airport restaurant.

When the subject turns to the terribly inefficient FA scheduling by AA, you'd think that FAs had hours and hours on the ground between flights. How else would you get a mere 4.5-5 block hours from a 14 hour duty day? The goalposts, you see, tend to move depending on which complaint is being aired at the time.

Way to go with just a little twisted logic and convenient overlooking of facts, you've managed to create an apparent contradiction. Nowhere did I or any one else say that EVERY day was a 13-hour day with no ground time, nor did anyone ever say that EVERY sequence have wasted airport sit time. The point that either exists at all is an indictment of both the company and the APFA.

Oh, and poor you. No seconds and thirds because of lack of extra food. How will you keep that seatbelt extension tight?

 

[F9FLYGIRL]

At F9, I haven't seen a crew meal boarded for my actual flt since my rsv days. Occassionally I find scraps/leftover crew meals in galley compartments from inbound flts. Now, I personally do not eat anything from the airplane b/c it makes me fat. lol. And we only have coach class so the majority of what we serve is 1 bag of sun chips or doritos per pax.

However, ebags has a great lunch tote that runs about $40 and is a tax deduction. It is insulated. I bought 2 hot water bottles from Walgreens (the rubber kind as the cloth one's aren't as good). I fill these water bottles with ice at home and freeze them. Then I cook and package my food in oven proof dishes or simply wrap it in a homemade foil bowl. Simple. I can work a 10-15 leg 4 day and never have to buy food. I just make sure my water bottles have plenty of ice in them at all times. Some hotels have frig's in the rooms so that helps alot, but most do not. I have never gotten sick.....however, in my 13 yrs of being a FA I have gotten sick from crew meals and terminal food. I also have to add that the pilots at F9 are great about always asking the FA's whether or not we need food when on the ground.

I realize international is very different b/c all items have to be claimed when going through customs. This is a whole different ball game.

As for the person on here that called us a not-so-flattering name b/c we get hungry....I'd like to see you do the FA job on a 4-5 day domestic without proper nutrition. What good am I if I have to evacuate an a/c when I haven't had proper nutrition? You don't think as clearly, your insticts slow, you get tired faster, etc. And that doesn't even include the energy you burn running up and down the aisles and dealing with the pax. It all wears on a human. Yes, we chose the profession no dispute there. Just don't judge us til you've walked a few days in our shoes.

None of this, however, excuses theft, but there will always be the few that push the limits.

 

[FWAAA]

Way to go with just a little twisted logic and convenient overlooking of facts, you've managed to create an apparent contradiction. Nowhere did I or any one else say that EVERY day was a 13-hour day with no ground time, nor did anyone ever say that EVERY sequence have wasted airport sit time. The point that either exists at all is an indictment of both the company and the APFA.

Oh, and poor you. No seconds and thirds because of lack of extra food. How will you keep that seatbelt extension tight?

Seatbelt extension? Never. I work out; here's my photo: http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0317705/TI-002.jpg

 

[nbmcg01]

Would it be justifiable if a Mechanic took tools from work because he did not have time or the money to purchase his own.

Would it be justifiable if someone took office supplies such as Paper pens printer ink because they did not have time to get it them selves from a store

Would it be justifiable for a baggage handler to steel luggage because he needed it to go on his next trip..

all of the above are the same as stealing food wine linens or anything else. it is stealing.

Never would I justify stealing off an airplane. There are several means available to "fix" this problem. Food, negotiate the 4 hr rule. Other items or cabin amenities, get the list signed. Very simple. There will always some who feel a sense of property entitlement. Most jobs provide "office supplies". Flight service doesn't for all of the paperwork. Most jobs provide the "tools" to do ones job to the best of ones ability. Flight service is sometimes lacking and that is where many f/as look for ways to insure customer expectations are met. Most jobs allow compensated time for "report". The flight attendant job does not. There is a lot of uncompensated time that has become "expected" in the flight attendant position. In light of forced contractual changes (the illegal RPA) I think people are less willing to give and give and give. BUT, that doesn't ever excuse theft.

 

[nbmcg01]

Would it be justifiable if a Mechanic took tools from work because he did not have time or the money to purchase his own.

Would it be justifiable if someone took office supplies such as Paper pens printer ink because they did not have time to get it them selves from a store

Would it be justifiable for a baggage handler to steel luggage because he needed it to go on his next trip..

all of the above are the same as stealing food wine linens or anything else. it is stealing.

Never would I justify stealing off an airplane. There are several means available to "fix" this problem. Food, negotiate the 4 hr rule. Other items or cabin amenities, get the list signed. Very simple. There will always some who feel a sense of property entitlement. Most jobs provide "office supplies". Flight service doesn't for all of the paperwork. Most jobs provide the "tools" to do ones job to the best of ones ability. Flight service is sometimes lacking and that is where many f/as look for ways to insure customer expectations are met. Most jobs allow compensated time for "report". The flight attendant job does not. There is a lot of uncompensated time that has become "expected" in the flight attendant position. In light of forced contractual changes (the illegal RPA) I think people are less willing to give and give and give. BUT, that doesn't ever excuse theft.

 

[whino]

Never would I justify stealing off an airplane. There are several means available to "fix" this problem. Food, negotiate the 4 hr rule. Other items or cabin amenities, get the list signed. Very simple. There will always some who feel a sense of property entitlement. Most jobs provide "office supplies". Flight service doesn't for all of the paperwork. Most jobs provide the "tools" to do ones job to the best of ones ability. Flight service is sometimes lacking and that is where many f/as look for ways to insure customer expectations are met. Most jobs allow compensated time for "report". The flight attendant job does not. There is a lot of uncompensated time that has become "expected" in the flight attendant position. In light of forced contractual changes (the illegal RPA) I think people are less willing to give and give and give. BUT, that doesn't ever excuse theft.

From day 1 in training: Even the airline's garbage is the airline's property. Period.

 

[AAStew]

When I was hired, we did receive meals. They weren't great (snack packs) but they were meals.
Folks it is impossible to always pack for your meal, especially when you are going in and out of the country. We have 8-10 hour layovers in may of the Caribbean Islands and in LHR. You cannot bring stuff in and out! It is just common sense if you are scheduling longer days with less time in between flights to cater a meal for the f/a's. Less chance of a delay because if hungry and only 45 minutes between flights, we will stop and buy a meal if able to, but have you ever seen the lines at the food courts? Especially ORD and MIA!
As for a cewmember turning them in , uh no!
The main reason the company found out about what happened is that the flight attendants left a market bag outside of the inspection area when they went in. One of the inspectors found it and asked whose it was. At first no one claimed it, but the f/a's did not want the entire crew in trouble, so they fessed up. If they had kept the items in their posession, only the one with the wine would have gotten in trouble as she did not declare it. If she had declared it she would have been fine. The fact that they left the items outside the door is what caused Her Majesty's Custom Service to report it to AA. The one with the wine was fined by UK customs and that was reported to AA, that along with the fact they were trying to conceal yogurt and water. In the end I think they may all get their jobs back. I personally knew three of them.
I have been searched going thorugh LHR and it was never motivated by someone snitching. It is the UK with their customs laws and their fear that we are importing cigarettes into their country.
The only backlash I see now among the f/a's is that we are opening every single bottle of wine in F/C and B/C to "have them available for the customers convenience". Prior to this we were opening only what was requested and at times even sharing a bottle between aisles in order to save the company some money. All unconsumed wine at the end of the flight is now being poured down the drain. :mellow:

 

[FWAAA]

The only backlash I see now among the f/a's is that we are opening every single bottle of wine in F/C and B/C to "have them available for the customers convenience". Prior to this we were opening only what was requested and at times even sharing a bottle between aisles in order to save the company some money. All unconsumed wine at the end of the flight is now being poured down the drain. :mellow:

So the "backlash" is to waste every bottle of wine onboard, even if the bottle could have remained sealed, in order to retaliate against the British Customs search, arrest and fine?

Or is it to retaliate against discipline handed down by the employer to the employees caught stealing company property?

Good news is that AA doesn't buy really expensive wine - dumping every bottle won't really cost AA very much money. It won't affect executive PSP payouts next spring and won't materially affect profit sharing (if there is any this year). And if it does begin to cost real money, the passengers will be the losers when AA decides to cater fewer bottles of wine or less costly wine to try to save money.

 

[AAStew]

Well, policy is to have each bottle of wine available to the passengers, and in this climate, we must follow company policy. Besides the flight attendants former frugal way incovenienced the customer by having to run back to the galley, open the bottle and delaying service. I sincerely like my passengers and do not wish to further inconvenience them.
I have no problem with disciplining for violating company policy up to and including termination, but the punishment did not warrant the crime here, especially since this is company policy solely for the inflight members of the crew. If it became policy for the entire crew then they would have a more valid argument. I would also like to point out that many on here post on this site and others during company time using company equipment, restriction of output is the term used by the company for this.
BTW FWAAA, it seems to me that you probably do not fly us much if at all. Most of my passengers up front are much too busy to be following a board as trivial as this and actually posting on it. Most of my passengers are very sympathetic to flight attendant causes yet they are much too involved with their own lives and careers to look up something like this.

 

[FWAAA]

Well, policy is to have each bottle of wine available to the passengers, and in this climate, we must follow company policy. Besides the flight attendants former frugal way incovenienced the customer by having to run back to the galley, open the bottle and delaying service. I sincerely like my passengers and do not wish to further inconvenience them.

I have no problem with disciplining for violating company policy up to and including termination, but the punishment did not warrant the crime here, especially since this is company policy solely for the inflight members of the crew. If it became policy for the entire crew then they would have a more valid argument. I would also like to point out that many on here post on this site and others during company time using company equipment, restriction of output is the term used by the company for this.

BTW FWAAA, it seems to me that you probably do not fly us much if at all. Most of my passengers up front are much too busy to be following a board as trivial as this and actually posting on it. Most of my passengers are very sympathetic to flight attendant causes yet they are much too involved with their own lives and careers to look up something like this.

By such faulty logic, one might also question whether you're a real flight attendant, since only a handful of the nearly 20,000 APFA members post here. Most are too busy to bother with this site.

What else am I supposed to do whilst sitting in the Flagship Lounge, sipping champagne and eating salmon? Make numerous loud phone calls to leave messages to my underlings like many of the Type A-holes around me? The best part is that the counter agents constantly remind the passengers that the entire lounge is a cell-free zone except for the former smoking room. Doesn't matter to many of my fellow premium cabin passengers, many of whom couldn't care less about FA causes and issues. Trust me on that one.

With today's flight, I'll cross 190k qualifying points for the year and my annual spend will once again ensure that the nice folks at CK will meet and greet me sometime before departure, as always. My holiday travel next week (including more paid F transcons) will put me just ahead of 200k q-points for 2007. But thanks for the concern and Happy Holidays to you and your family.

 

[AAStew]

By such faulty logic, one might also question whether you're a real flight attendant, since only a handful of the nearly 20,000 APFA members post here. Most are too busy to bother with this site.

What else am I supposed to do whilst sitting in the Flagship Lounge, sipping champagne and eating salmon? Make numerous loud phone calls to leave messages to my underlings like many of the Type A-holes around me? The best part is that the counter agents constantly remind the passengers that the entire lounge is a cell-free zone except for the former smoking room. Doesn't matter to many of my fellow premium cabin passengers, many of whom couldn't care less about FA causes and issues. Trust me on that one.

With today's flight, I'll cross 190k qualifying points for the year and my annual spend will once again ensure that the nice folks at CK will meet and greet me sometime before departure, as always. My holiday travel next week (including more paid F transcons) will put me just ahead of 200k q-points for 2007. But thanks for the concern and Happy Holidays to you and your family.

It would seem you would have some business to catch up on, but you are right it is faulty logic. BTW I said they were symapthetic not that they cared hence why bother looking it up! That was my point exactly, thank you for catching it.
Merry Christmas Scrooge!