Be careful guys!
- Thread starter porterq400
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First week in October, 2008, two tempe touristas wrote up a cockpit crew for a PA asking the pax not take out their frustrations on the f/as or a/c, asking them to complain, instead, to DP, via phone number or address.
When the F/O found out the tempe touristas were upset, he wanted to id them to the rest of the pax. Given the mood of the pas, I understand that, perhaps, bones may have been left after the pax tore them apart. They survived only because the CSD did not allow that to happen.
They went ahead and wrote up the crew, anyway. My contact said that the crew all laughed.
From now on, any tempe touri can expect nothing. One peep, they can talk to the cops.
PB, I thought it obscene a company would pay passengers to rat out employees. This takes it to a new level.
Perhaps it is past time to shut this dysfunctional airline wannabe down.
beachboy
Veteran
- Jul 7, 2006
- 1,484
- 48
"Perhaps it is past time to shut this dysfunctional airline wannabe down"
The sad part is they are not even wannabe's! WANT TO BE implies they really want to run an airline. Tempe only wants to run through the operation on the cheap and hope no one calls them out. But I fear you may be right.
The sad part is they are not even wannabe's! WANT TO BE implies they really want to run an airline. Tempe only wants to run through the operation on the cheap and hope no one calls them out. But I fear you may be right.
The culture of fear and backstabbing is, unfortunately, alive and well at the NEW US Airways. I am constantly amazed that people go out of their way to throw other people under the bus. For crying out loud people, we're all in this crappy boat together, and unless a person is just plain incompetent, or is endangering the customers or other employees with their behavior, it is not mission critical to write them up. Plain, simple, fact.
Toothy Grin
Advanced
- Mar 31, 2008
- 231
- 168
Piney,
I'm not surprised. I think Phoenix has maybe 10 really nice gate agents and the rest are very typical Phoenix people. What is that? They are cleaned up desert rats with hot tempers, no manners and they loathe people. They are impatient, don't care and for the most part are not very intelligent. There is a wild west mentality in this town as well as some sort of strange acceptance to take abuse - i.e. the county police department, highways with photoenforcemnt among other things. In many ways it is a hard scrabble existence here. Here's something to think about...what does it say about the people in the city who have sunshine 365 days of the year and still have the least amount of solar energy usage?
So Piney, when you are wondering why??? take into account the environment in which the folks of corporate live in. It is a great place to detox, as noted by the many detox facilities around the town, but basically Phoenix is like a vampire that sucks the energy OUT of every living thing - pride, accomplishment & happiness.
My suggestion is along the lines of what I believe Anthony Mule was going to put back into place. I think he was going to put in a segment of service standards into FA recurrent classes. This segment, I think, was going to teach fa's how to be nice and put them through scenarios to see how they react and revise the usual meaness that is delivered day in and day out. Too bad this never happened.
Perhaps the solution is that if you receive a "bad letter" then you have to go to a US Airways Miss Manner class. It couldn't hurt.
I'm not surprised. I think Phoenix has maybe 10 really nice gate agents and the rest are very typical Phoenix people. What is that? They are cleaned up desert rats with hot tempers, no manners and they loathe people. They are impatient, don't care and for the most part are not very intelligent. There is a wild west mentality in this town as well as some sort of strange acceptance to take abuse - i.e. the county police department, highways with photoenforcemnt among other things. In many ways it is a hard scrabble existence here. Here's something to think about...what does it say about the people in the city who have sunshine 365 days of the year and still have the least amount of solar energy usage?
So Piney, when you are wondering why??? take into account the environment in which the folks of corporate live in. It is a great place to detox, as noted by the many detox facilities around the town, but basically Phoenix is like a vampire that sucks the energy OUT of every living thing - pride, accomplishment & happiness.
My suggestion is along the lines of what I believe Anthony Mule was going to put back into place. I think he was going to put in a segment of service standards into FA recurrent classes. This segment, I think, was going to teach fa's how to be nice and put them through scenarios to see how they react and revise the usual meaness that is delivered day in and day out. Too bad this never happened.
Perhaps the solution is that if you receive a "bad letter" then you have to go to a US Airways Miss Manner class. It couldn't hurt.
LCC_#1
Veteran
- Nov 16, 2005
- 1,771
- 0
Just my thoughts.
I hate generalizations. I have seen this kind of BS for years in this industry. It is unfair to fellow employees and only adds to the divide and conquer attempt that most airlines management revere. All employees should treat each other with respect.
To those that feel a need to write up, DON'T!! We have so many channels to prevent writing coworkers up...INCLUDING drinking on the job. Professional standards and the Union EAP's are the BEST source. They are specially trained employees that know how to deal with these situations.
Now, let me address the one infraction many feel a person SHOULD be written up or fired for...drinking on the job. Let me first say that drinking and drugging on the job is very dangerous and thoughtless on behalf of the person doing it. Although there have been a few incidents where a f/a was out of control drunk, many have just had one or two and are of no disturbance. Wrong, of course, however I would NEVER turn someone in. I would discuss this with them and let them know they will be replace at the first base. If they choose to not be replaced, I will have to answer as to why I am asking to be replaced and I will NOT lie for said person. I would then call the EAP and let them get the help to that person that they need. Alcoholism is a disease. Getting someone fired may seem like tough love, but could make matters worse. As a recovering alcoholic, I can honestly say this system works (no, I wasn't pulled off a trip) and can testify that the UNION (not company) EAP is VERY professional and PRIVATE! They will get you the help you need to turn your life.
I can only speak for f/a's, but we are in an interesting field. We fly with different people all the time. Even if we fly together on occasion, most people don't really know the person they fly with. You never know or should pretend to know what is going on in a person's head. A cocktail on the job these days is a cry for help. I choose to be a good person and help a fellow coworker...not destroy them.
As far as west writing up more, I use to see this happen with more junior employees and junior bases 100 yrs ago. After so many years, I think we realize all we really have are each other. It serves no useful purpose to tattle or write up. It only shows a weakness that management will indeed exploit.
I hate generalizations. I have seen this kind of BS for years in this industry. It is unfair to fellow employees and only adds to the divide and conquer attempt that most airlines management revere. All employees should treat each other with respect.
To those that feel a need to write up, DON'T!! We have so many channels to prevent writing coworkers up...INCLUDING drinking on the job. Professional standards and the Union EAP's are the BEST source. They are specially trained employees that know how to deal with these situations.
Now, let me address the one infraction many feel a person SHOULD be written up or fired for...drinking on the job. Let me first say that drinking and drugging on the job is very dangerous and thoughtless on behalf of the person doing it. Although there have been a few incidents where a f/a was out of control drunk, many have just had one or two and are of no disturbance. Wrong, of course, however I would NEVER turn someone in. I would discuss this with them and let them know they will be replace at the first base. If they choose to not be replaced, I will have to answer as to why I am asking to be replaced and I will NOT lie for said person. I would then call the EAP and let them get the help to that person that they need. Alcoholism is a disease. Getting someone fired may seem like tough love, but could make matters worse. As a recovering alcoholic, I can honestly say this system works (no, I wasn't pulled off a trip) and can testify that the UNION (not company) EAP is VERY professional and PRIVATE! They will get you the help you need to turn your life.
I can only speak for f/a's, but we are in an interesting field. We fly with different people all the time. Even if we fly together on occasion, most people don't really know the person they fly with. You never know or should pretend to know what is going on in a person's head. A cocktail on the job these days is a cry for help. I choose to be a good person and help a fellow coworker...not destroy them.
As far as west writing up more, I use to see this happen with more junior employees and junior bases 100 yrs ago. After so many years, I think we realize all we really have are each other. It serves no useful purpose to tattle or write up. It only shows a weakness that management will indeed exploit.
flygirl74
Senior
- Nov 13, 2004
- 324
- 21
There should be a "How to travel on an airplane and not irritate the crew or other people around you" class for travelers. Seriously, with low fares, we are drawing a crowd from a totally new demographic and they have no idea of travel etiquette. Thier only inspiration is the show that Southwest had on tv.....I think it was called "Hurry up and have a meltdown cuz the TV cameras are rolling."
Also, half of the arguments we have with pax are over saftey items. If people were better informed as to why they couldn't have their bags on the floor at the bulkhead, tray tables down during taxi, etc. maybe there wouldn't be as many battles.
Then doing our part would be to say more than a curt "that bag can't be on the floor" as the FA stomps down the aisle during boarding.
Not accusing you of doing that. Just saying that based on observations from innumerable flights over the years.
Skyrish1993
Newbie
- May 13, 2009
- 1
- 0
While I wish you luck in the future PorterQ, I have to wonder if we are getting the full story...
My understanding from the stories I heard was that you quit before giving professional standardds a chance to help you. The story I heard was that your April 1st prank not only scared our airline, but every airline in the meeting. Be sure you have the whole story. Doesn't sound like an East/West thing at all, but a matter of professional behavior. I also heard from a highly reliable source at your airline that no one wrote you up. No one had to. Not even sure why you make it an East/West thing. It's an airline thing. The bottom line is you don't make jokes like that. I am sure everyone present was very frightened for you, and you should have let them off the hook right away, not half an hour later.
Good luck at your next airline.
My understanding from the stories I heard was that you quit before giving professional standardds a chance to help you. The story I heard was that your April 1st prank not only scared our airline, but every airline in the meeting. Be sure you have the whole story. Doesn't sound like an East/West thing at all, but a matter of professional behavior. I also heard from a highly reliable source at your airline that no one wrote you up. No one had to. Not even sure why you make it an East/West thing. It's an airline thing. The bottom line is you don't make jokes like that. I am sure everyone present was very frightened for you, and you should have let them off the hook right away, not half an hour later.
Good luck at your next airline.
Well, now the pieces of this puzzle finally come together...and Skyrish is correct, the OP was not fired but resigned before he/she was able to be questioned by anyone.
A text on April Fools Day was sent out by the OP to numerous FAs (including some within AFA who were in a meeting) stating that the OP was on an aircraft that was in dire straits with an engine fire and was making an emergency landing in PHX with possibility of evacuation or worse.
Of course, this was immediately forwarded to the AFA MEC, Air Safety Health and Security Committee and EAP as it was taken as a serious emergency. There was nothing in the text to clarify that the message sent was an April Fools joke.
Calls were made to Corporate and all sorts of bells, whistles and alarms were sounded to find out about this fictional aircraft, crew and passengers that were supposedly in distress.
Very, very stupid on the part of the OP and this person has no one to blame but themself for the outcome and departure from the company (which was on their own volition).
By the way, the OP was a West FA and this really did happen as I and Skyrish just described. :down:
iheartairbus
Advanced
- Aug 31, 2006
- 202
- 5
If this is indeed the same situation 903AW is correct this person is trying to stir the pot w/ this post and he is and deserved EVERYTHING he got! Immautre moran who worked and was fired from now 3 airlines.
28L_or_10R?
Veteran
- Apr 11, 2008
- 619
- 216
Like Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say, "Well, Jane, it just goes to show you, it's always something." :wacko:
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