East Airbus Reconfiguration

[Travelpro72]

Ok, let me get this straight. The company wants to save as much money as possible correct? Well how is it cost effective to change all the east a/c bells to match the west a/c when the east has more? I know that the east side of the operation is definately bigger and all can't go the east way but call bells is NOT a pressing issue. They are going to spend HOW much $$$$$$ to do this? I'm fine with incorporating ideas from both sides but this seems to be unnecessary spending. Changing service, galley packouts and policies is one thing but this is just stupid. Both sides bells are fine in my honest opinion but a good explanation for doing it this way would be nice. 🙄

 

[BoeingBoy]

According to the CBS message (and it didn't go into details), it is supposed to actually be cheaper to change the East aircraft for some reason.

Jim

ps - here's the CBS message:

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Today, all aircraft in the US Airways East fleet have a single bell chime system and the West fleet has a two bell chime system. Although the East fleet is larger, the cost of changing the West aircraft to a single bell system was more than a half million dollars not including the man hour cost to make the change. This is primarily due to the West Airbus aircraft having many aircraft configurations due to purchasing aircraft from different carriers over the years. Due to some other required configuration changes on East aircraft already underway, there is no cost to change East Airbus aircraft to a two bell system. Therefore, a decision has been made to change all East aircraft to a two bell system similar to the West aircraft. This change will take effect on September 8, 2006.

As each aircraft is converted, a placard will be placed on the overhead panel to indicate that a two bell system has been installed. A similar placard will be placed on the Flight Attendant's panel as well. It is very important to include the type of call bell system in your pre-flight briefing to the Flight Attendants. This requirement will be eliminated when all aircraft are converted.

You will receive more detailed Flight Operations Bulletin shortly that further outlines the use of the bells or chimes. Since one push of the button is two bells, all signals will be in pairs of either two, four, or six bells. The bulletin indicates a start date of September 1st but in order to properly get the information out to all Flight Attendants, this change will now be effective on September 8th instead. A Flight Operations Update will be added to each Flight Release to provide further guidance with this important change. Again, communication with the Flight Attendants is extremely important as we transition to the new bell signals.

 

[Travelpro72]

Yeah I read that when I checked in for my last trip. I just don't understand how it will be cheaper. The way we communicate from flight deck to cabin is changing on ALL aircraft effective the 1st as per the FOM my captain showed us on my last trip on the 5th. So it's now 4 bells on landing and two to call us. All the talk is about the airbus but it's all a/c changing. Granted the other a/c are manual pushes with the finger to get the two bells or four. Crazy, just crazy I tell ya.

 

[UWCactus]

The bell system is the just the beginning and yes, the call system will be the same for all a/c. It will take some getting used to, but it will really make it easier distinguish the difference between all of the bells. Crew to crew communication will always have a two tone (ding-dong), this is very easy to distinguish from a pax call, seat belt sign, ped sign which will remain a single tone chime. Remember all of these changes have been on the table and talked about and hashed out for almost a year.

 

[US1YFARE]

this is very easy to distinguish from a pax call, seat belt sign, ped sign which will remain a single tone chime.

Remember, the people on the West side are very junior and are not as "quick" as the Easties...Therefore, they need to make it as simple as possible.

Remember all of these changes have been on the table and talked about and hashed out for almost a year.

Yeah, how I wonder how many Easties were consulted?

 

[UWCactus]

Remember, the people on the West side are very junior and are not as "quick" as the Easties...Therefore, they need to make it as simple as possible.
Yeah, how I wonder how many Easties were consulted?

What else do you think "hashed out" meant! Of course Easties were consulted, if you're so interested in bashing change, get yourself off of this board and get involved in the process like some of your peers on the east. Catering/Inflight is offereing the FA's an opportunity to get together hash out the packouts and come up with a solution for both sides and implement the change. Bottom line is packouts must be one way for each a/c type, so get involved and give them your feedback on this..and feedback in person..not on this board.

 

[BoeingBoy]

if you're so interested in bashing change, get yourself off of this board and get involved in the process like some of your peers on the east <snip> so get involved and give them your feedback on this..and feedback in person..not on this board.

uh....I think you'll find that US1FARE is a customer who spends quite a bit of time and money on this airline. While dismissing "him" as a trouble-maker might do wonders for your ego, listening to these folk's concerns might be better for combating the perception that the SandCastle is just another gang that can't shoot straight.....

Jim

 

[US1YFARE]

Talk about troublemakers, just look at his signature BoeingBoy.

And, I have shared my 2 cents directly with the Almighty Ones and they don't care to hear what I or the other US1's think. So, as long as they think they "got me" because I fly out of PHL, I will be a huge pain in their daily work lives.

 

[UWCactus]

What else do you think "hashed out" meant! Of course Easties were consulted, if you're so interested in bashing change, get yourself off of this board and get involved in the process like some of your peers on the east. Catering/Inflight is offereing the FA's an opportunity to get together hash out the packouts and come up with a solution for both sides and implement the change. Bottom line is packouts must be one way for each a/c type, so get involved and give them your feedback on this..and feedback in person..not on this board.

Sorry for the misunderstanding..just can't figure out why a customer would be concerned with a call system or consulting east side employees.

 

[JAXPax]

Sorry for the misunderstanding..just can't figure out why a customer would be concerned with a call system or consulting east side employees.

Because you're gonna have us all confused! I know now that 2 dings before landing is "pour the rest of the mini into the cup" and 3 dings is "chug the rest of the screwdriver."

 

[ringmaruf]

Because you're gonna have us all confused! I know now that 2 dings before landing is "pour the rest of the mini into the cup" and 3 dings is "chug the rest of the screwdriver."

Don't worry, they've got that taken care of at HP too--you're only going to get half of a mini, leaving no more to pour into the (plastic) cup. 😱

 

[USCREW]

Catering/Inflight is offereing the FA's an opportunity to get together hash out the packouts and come up with a solution for both sides and implement the change.

"offering"? HA!
This is only after many MANY e-mails and phone calls from Easties concerning the cart. Did Westies have anything to do with this new "opportunity"? I think not.

 

[Art at ISP]

You know folks,

I think we all want the same thing here--a successful, secure and profitable US Airways. It's high time we stop sniping at each other, and try to UNDERSTAND each other's point of view. The true enemy for you guys is the other airlines, not your best customers.

Regardless of what some of you think, we're all in this together, like it or not, and we should find a way to make it work.

Some of you said that Tempe does not care what their elites have to say, and I can say that I know for a fact that is not true. Suffice to say that they DO want to know what we think, and they DO want to know what is important to us, and in time you will see that.

So in the general scheme of things, who cares which chime system is better, which procedure is better, etc. You should all have input, but it does need to eventually be one system throughout.

Thank you for letting me vent......

My best to you ALL....

 

[markkus757]

I someone has a minute to stray away from the number of chimes or how much an employee can/should weigh arguments, I'd like to be able to confirm the seating reconfigurations!!!

319's will all be 12F, 112Y??? (not 130)

320's = 150

321 = 183

????

what's the estimated time frame for completion of each fleet type???

 

[US1YFARE]

Some of you said that Tempe does not care what their elites have to say, and I can say that I know for a fact that is not true. Suffice to say that they DO want to know what we think, and they DO want to know what is important to us, and in time you will see that.

Well, share with us Art because I just get empty promises. I also find the service level on the US1 desk to be at an unacceptable level sometimes. I shouldn't need to call them 5 times for mileage credit issues. I shouldn't have to hear snide comment about a cheap flight I may have snagged when most of my fares are Y, B and A fares--and even if they weren't, I shouldn't need to hear that. I shouldn't be promised return phone calls and then never receive a call back. I shouldn't have to explain to someone why my traveling companion is able to sit in a preferred seat next to me. I shouldn't need to be told that I need to be pay $800 extra for a ticket by the US1 desk and then get to the airport and the agent say, what the heck did they do to your reservation, you shouldn't have been charged anything extra even though that is exactly what I tried to explain to the US1 desk liason. I shouldn't need to spend over 90 minutes on the phone with them because their website SUCKS and because the US1 desk is showing different availability of fares than the website. I shouldn't need to sit in PHL for 4 hours waiting for my bags to arrive and be told that the bags are somewhere in the airport, but they won't deliver them to my house. Diminished FC product. Taking water bottles out of FC. Promises of Glassware. Promises, promises, promises. You are starting to sound like Tempe, Art.

Share with us what time will show. Tell me why my US1 status next year will be any better than it is this year. Tell me why as a US1 next year I will feel like they do care. How much time are we talking and what can we expect?