East Airbus Reconfiguration

[Twicebaked]

Probably didn't help that I was in First on a redeye and two F/As sat in the forward jumpseat and talked loudly the entire flight with all the galley overhead lights on. We all got to sit there with light in our faces. Then a guy across the aisle from me asks them if they could keep it down, and the two 20-something F/As gave him a smart ass answer about how it is their duty station so they must sit there to talk.

You try staying awake on a red-eye while sitting in the dark and not speaking!!! What do you expect them to do???
It is true that they must stay in the forward galley for security reasons.

 

[JAXPax]

You try staying awake on a red-eye while sitting in the dark and not speaking!!! What do you expect them to do???
It is true that they must stay in the forward galley for security reasons.

The flimsy mock bulkheads at the front of HP Airbus aircraft don't help. Perhaps the closets/galley units separating the galley from Row 1 on US East aircraft help... that and they seem to be less tied to certain parts of the plane (and tend to congregate in the back galley on redeyes) on native US Airways.

But, who am I? Just a paying passenger on that flight. Are the crew members on board to facilitate moving paying passengers across the country? Or was I simply there in service to their having an all-night complaint session about the merger with a captive audience of 12?

 

[Twicebaked]

But, who am I? Just a paying passenger on that flight. Are the crew members on board to facilitate moving paying passengers across the country? Or was I simply there in service to their having an all-night complaint session about the merger with a captive audience of 12?

Again, you can sleep.....the flight attendants cannot. Most of these flight attendants have nothing else in common but their jobs. Therefore, they are going to discuss work whether it be positive or negative.

You are correct, flight attendants are there to get you where you are going as safe as possible. Keeping the flight attendants awake on a red eye would fall into a safety category.

We obviously will not see eye to eye on this issue as you think you are entitled to have a dark quite cabin and I feel we are entitled to have lights on to read and have a conversation if we so choose to stay awake.

Next time you are on a red eye...ask the flight attendant if you can sit in the jumpseat..in the dark...by yourself...and stay awake after not really sleeping...... Let me know how it goes. :down:

 

[JAXPax]

Again, you can sleep.....the flight attendants cannot. Most of these flight attendants have nothing else in common but their jobs. Therefore, they are going to discuss work whether it be positive or negative.

You are correct, flight attendants are there to get you where you are going as safe as possible. Keeping the flight attendants awake on a red eye would fall into a safety category.

We obviously will not see eye to eye on this issue as you think you are entitled to have a dark quite cabin and I feel we are entitled to have lights on to read and have a conversation if we so choose to stay awake.

Next time you are on a red eye...ask the flight attendant if you can sit in the jumpseat..in the dark...by yourself...and stay awake after not really sleeping...... Let me know how it goes. :down:

I agree with you that the flight attendants must stay awake and have every right to occupy themselves.

What I am saying is that the HP cabin configuration does not help in this situation. These issues have not been as prevalent on US East redeyes, and the existence of more of a buffer between the front galley area and the First Class cabin helps.

I've flown redeyes in cockpit jumpseats and stayed away... sitting in the dark all night. It's not easy, and it's not pleasant, but sometimes it's just your job.

Though you surely agree that badmouthing the company in front of customers does nobody any good. Most airlines have a policy against "talking shop" in front of customers, and I'm sure US has something similar in place.

One thing I will give US: at least there aren't movie presentations on redeyes. Having done numerous AA B757s transcon overnight.... those big CRT monitors that are on for the entire flight allow anybody in any row to sit and read a book without use of the overhead reading light.

 

[PHX-F/A]

Ok, am I missing something here? If the seat rows are three and three how do we come up with 10? It's 6 for a row or 12 for two. Where is the missing seat in coach? Do they have a missing seat in their overwing exit rows?

Th seat counts don't sound right to me either. The West 319's are 12/112(124) and the 320's are 12/138 (150).

 

[AstroLounge]

Th seat counts don't sound right to me either. The West 319's are 12/112(124) and the 320's are 12/138 (150).

It has alraedy been stated that the East will reconfigure to what the West operates on the A319/320.....current East is A319 (12F/108Y= 120) A320 (16F/132Y=142)....stop the drama/rumour/speculation, West configurations are posted above.

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> What I am saying is that the HP cabin configuration does not help in this situation. These issues have not been as prevalent on US East redeyes, and the existence of more of a buffer between the front galley area and the First Class cabin helps.

Two people sitting on the jumpseat should’ve been able to keep their conversation to themselves by not talking so loud.

They were rude.

The safety argument is a cop out.

 

[hp_fa]

I hated to work red-eyes, but I did a number of them because I got longer layovers then I often would working day flights and I always cherished my rest and a schedule that would not have me doing 4+ flights a day. Since I always worked 1st and West had the policy that the 1st could not go past midwing I would busy myself as best I could (including reading non-compant material---yikes) and tried to let my passengers sleep hoping that the thing that would awaken them was the coffee brewing about 50 minutes before landing. I would usually turn off the galley lights and only use the spot light above the jumpseat, but would sometimes have the galley light on it's dimmest setting.

My other crewmembers would come check on me every once in awhile to see if I needed a lav break or if the flight deck crew needed a lav break. My goal was to not awaken the passengers yet provide quiet service to those awake.

As I said, I hated red-eyes.

 

[SegmentKing]

I have noticed this on all airlines -- this just isn't related to HP. Although the US-East fleet may have a little bit more of a buffer, I believe JAX Pax is complaining about the LACK Of a buffer between the galley/jumpseats and the F cabin.

I've been stuck in the back of an HP 757 on a red eye and the FA's hung out there the entire time -- yes, it was annoying, but it was something I had to live with.

I've also flown UA in 767-300s alot, and noticed they have a partition that they can pull out and it makes a 'wall' between the left side of the galley and the lav -- which is nice for the poor souls stuck in the last row as it hides the light & their conversations.

I think that HP / US needs to really rethink some of these reconfigurations. the US-East config is very nice for an Airbus and passengers have commented on it. The fact they are turning them into slave ships is the wrong idea -- the US fleet doesn't always do shorthops that HP does out of PHX (in the same frequency). US has a sizeable international presence out of CLT, PHL, and LGA that puts passengers in that plane for 4 - 6 hours at a time. Once they loose the comfort, our US1/2/3's will bolt over to United where they are promised 4 to 5 inches of more legroom, sometimes as much as 6 inches, over the present US product.

We need to make a more SUPERIOR product, not inferior product, to the others. i'm starting to think that we're becoming more like AirTran than Southwest... cause at least on Southwest I can cross my legs in the last row of Y!

 

[Breath_of_Fresh_USAirways]

Unfortunately, 9/11 changed the way we do business and forced some "solutions" that may not be in the best interest for passenger comfort. I believe the 2 F/A's in the forward jumpseat and no curtain is one of these instances.

However, being the creative passenger that I am, I offer these 2 easy, simple, inexpensive solutions to improve conditions conducive to sleeping:

1. Eye-shades. I've kept several pairs from int'l flights and recently invested in a wonderfully luxurious silk pair. They come in handy in hotel rooms that have curtains that don't close "just right" or glare off the ceiling or whatever. I find they also give a serious impression that I want to sleep and keep F/A's from bothering me until just before landing. The cheap ones can be had for $7 or less, and even the really nice silk ones are under $25. I realized the need to have these on every flight when seated near a "mid" lav -- the light above the door, on the outside, could not be dimmed.

2. Ear plugs. The yellow, EAR plugs are my favorites. You can get like 6 prs for $1 at the drugstore. I even wear them UNDER my bose headset. Talk about fantastic sound! And again, very handy in hotel rooms that have noises or hums or whatever keeping you awake...

7 things I always travel with, whenever possible: reading glasses, eye-shades, ear plugs, bose headset, iPod, eye drops & allergy meds.

And I can confirm that the 319s will all have 12/112 and 320s will all have 12/138 seats. Also, IIRC, the rows ahead of the exit row in coach have more leg room than the rows after???

 

[donttouchthebeauty]

UM Hi! This is tac - I would like you to meet key - omg what are these people thinking - I must say i have been on hp aircraft and it is alot left to be desired - the nappy bulkhead is pure jank in my opinion - Well I guess the wonders of sandcastle will figure out the hardway. The current US East configs are very nice and well we all know about the hp configs... Would you like a half a mini of vodka with that construction paper bulkhead mr chairmans preferred.... lol --- can you say joke!!! OMG what next peeps? give me another newsbreak im dying here aaaahhhhh hhhaaaaa hhhhaaaaaaa hhhhaaaaaaaaa!!!!

 

[usabfa]

It has alraedy been stated that the East will reconfigure to what the West operates on the A319/320.....current East is A319 (12F/108Y= 120) A320 (16F/132Y=142)....stop the drama/rumour/speculation, West configurations are posted above.

No Rumor. My counts are right

 

[UWCactus]

I have noticed this on all airlines -- this just isn't related to HP. Although the US-East fleet may have a little bit more of a buffer, I believe JAX Pax is complaining about the LACK Of a buffer between the galley/jumpseats and the F cabin.

I've been stuck in the back of an HP 757 on a red eye and the FA's hung out there the entire time -- yes, it was annoying, but it was something I had to live with.

I've also flown UA in 767-300s alot, and noticed they have a partition that they can pull out and it makes a 'wall' between the left side of the galley and the lav -- which is nice for the poor souls stuck in the last row as it hides the light & their conversations.

I think that HP / US needs to really rethink some of these reconfigurations. the US-East config is very nice for an Airbus and passengers have commented on it. The fact they are turning them into slave ships is the wrong idea -- the US fleet doesn't always do shorthops that HP does out of PHX (in the same frequency). US has a sizeable international presence out of CLT, PHL, and LGA that puts passengers in that plane for 4 - 6 hours at a time. Once they loose the comfort, our US1/2/3's will bolt over to United where they are promised 4 to 5 inches of more legroom, sometimes as much as 6 inches, over the present US product.

We need to make a more SUPERIOR product, not inferior product, to the others. i'm starting to think that we're becoming more like AirTran than Southwest... cause at least on Southwest I can cross my legs in the last row of Y!

HP West certainly flies what an airbus 320 was meant to fly, flights up to 6hours and as little as 45 minutes...this is no different than US East. Flight Attendants must always use good judgement when it comes to conversations and perception, regardless of the configuration in the forward area. The jumpseat on HP a/c are probably not the best place to "carry on"...at least take it to the galley and pull the curtain to the galley.

 

[IMisstheAladdinTrays]

Two people sitting on the jumpseat should’ve been able to keep their conversation to themselves by not talking so loud.

They were rude.

The safety argument is a cop out.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[US1YFARE]

What do you expect them to do???

DELETED...read a book on the plane...that is good enough during the daytime flights...try it at night instead of talking...either that, or keep stuffing your fat trap with shortbreads.

The bottom line is it was RUDE of FA's to have a conversation that disturbed the pax--either during the day or night. You don't like that aspect of your job...bye bye cry baby