F/A Secondary Lines for May-AFA Labor thread title edited

[Travelpro72]

My issue with the staffing level is 1. the more positions the more for flight attendants to pick up. 2. The flight is really long and the service will most definitely take longer than slinging hash to a crowd on a MAN/LGW flight. 3. With rotation of rest and doing the service 9 just seems a bit short. I'm not sure what the staffing should be but rest assured that it will be as minimum as possible. The issue of praying again is odd as we are to have nobody congregating in the aisles and galleys. WHY would the FAA/TSA whoever governs that bend the rules for TLV? I don't think so. Pray in your seat.

 

[HottootrotNyc]

ItestWell, there are very big differences between what Us Airways is doing and what Continental does. Our galley on the 777 is large enough for them to pray but away from us and not cause any problems. I know the A330 aft galley is a "Galley" kitchen you would find a 1930's built railraod NYC apt. That will not work with them trying to pray and they pray all day everyday. It's quite annoying to say the least and I assure you, they will be in the way.

We run a plane that's slightly bigger and we have 9 Flight Attendants, 3 speakers, and 1 International Service Manager. We don't do special meals and if Us Airways does, it will be a DISASTER! If they don't go for an entire plane boarded with GLAT KOSHER meals, they will crash and burn hardcore. Not only will the juniors but the seniors will be walking off this plane crying from the torture these people will ensure. There are all different types of kosher and the best way around the special meals was to go GLAT, the silerwear, plates and everything else is boarded brand new on the aircraft. It costs the company nothing extra since our silerwear and china has a life cycle of only two weeks in the system.

I REALLY hope AFA and US if they are taking information from CO has noticed we are all GLAT, if not they will go down in flames life we did when we first started flying the route. LOTS AND LOTS OF LUCK!

 

[Itestwell]

1.Have you ever worked for a carrier that did true long haul? Why don't we just wait until you fly it and get your thoughts. The notion is insane. I have and this staffing level is absurd.
2. This is an airplane, not a place of worship and that galley is too small for 3-4 people much less 10 standing in prayer. I know CO crews don't allow that.
3. I agree with the Lodo issue. It will be interesting to see how our girls interact with this translator. PS, same situation for the Greek ATH position, did they hire for that? NO. very odd.
4. Don't know.

1. Never have worked for another carrier, that's why I was asking. Can you explain why we would need more than 9 FA's? 9 should still be enough to cover crew rest, etc?

2. Somehow, I don't think that our crews will allow people to pray extensively in the galley; we will politely ask them to leave, just as CO and DL do.

3. They didn't hire for ATH, LIS, ARN... I don't know enough about Israel to know why this would be different....

4. If people don't know, then why is everyone freaking out about the meals on here? The general assertion is that US is doing something that other carriers don't, in an effort to be "cheap". What is it? I'm sure I'll find out first hand, but would love to know in advance....

 

[beachboy]

very good info hottootrotNYC...they went to CO and try to mirror a 777? you don't offer kosher to TLV? wow. Great gosh put my galic necklace on and stay away from this route. No way jose!

 

[Itestwell]

My issue with the staffing level is 1. the more positions the more for flight attendants to pick up.

And you're saying that is a bad thing, right?

With rotation of rest and doing the service 9 just seems a bit short.

Does this contradict your above position? I am still confused.

 

[Itestwell]

ItestWell, there are very big differences between what Us Airways is doing and what Continental does. Our galley on the 777 is large enough for them to pray but away from us and not cause any problems. I know the A330 aft galley is a "Galley" kitchen you would find a 1930's built railraod NYC apt. That will not work with them trying to pray and they pray all day everyday. It's quite annoying to say the least and I assure you, they will be in the way.

We run a plane that's slightly bigger and we have 9 Flight Attendants, 3 speakers, and 1 International Service Manager. We don't do special meals and if Us Airways does, it will be a DISASTER! If they don't go for an entire plane boarded with GLAT KOSHER meals, they will crash and burn hardcore. Not only will the juniors but the seniors will be walking off this plane crying from the torture these people will ensure. There are all different types of kosher and the best way around the special meals was to go GLAT, the silerwear, plates and everything else is boarded brand new on the aircraft. It costs the company nothing extra since our silerwear and china has a life cycle of only two weeks in the system.

I REALLY hope AFA and US if they are taking information from CO has noticed we are all GLAT, if not they will go down in flames life we did when we first started flying the route. LOTS AND LOTS OF LUCK!

Great info, thanks. So we are not having 100% Kosher onboard? That is a definite?

Also, hottootrot, in your last paragraph, you state that you "went down in flames when we first started flying the route." What did CO change to make it better?

 

[Travelpro72]

And you're saying that is a bad thing, right?



Does this contradict your above position? I am still confused.

The more flight attendants staffing the TLV flight means more positions for flight attendants to bid on and most likely more lines. That is what I meant. I don't believe I contradicted myself at all. The work on that plane though a bit smaller will be a bit more than on other flights.

 

[HottootrotNyc]

Ok guys, glat kosher is kosher but I would guess the puriest kind. The silverwear is BRAND NEW, and have never been used by another human and has to be that way. The food has special preps and I think our food in coach is catered in by a hebrew company to properly do these, even though we have our own kitchens. Since there are different kosher types, we tried to supply all the types in the beginning and it was to much to handle. From what I heard it was a mess and people would have to go without eating if they didn't get the food they asked for. So that was the reason we switched to GLAT, they can all eat GLAT.

If you tell them they can't pray, be prepared to have police waiting on both ends of your trip and for an uproar. TLV is a very difficult and specific needs market. We at CO and I know at DL allowed praying in the galley AREA, NOT DIRECTLY IN THE GALLEY. It is actually when they are at their quietest and to deny them this will only add extra work on your back.

So in all we added Glat for the entire plane, allow praying, and staff extra f/a's and it goes as smooth as it possibly can. Oh! One more problem, they loveeee making beds on the floor by the door's, watch for this and don't think you won't find the kid after you tell them to remove them from the dorr by the lav door. It's ALL ABOUT THEM! Well in their minds maybe..... I always just ignored everyone and they left me alone.

 

[Travelpro72]

Thanks for all the info Hot. If I may call you that. Like you said, the galley on the 777 is bigger so I don't see how this is going to work on the A330 galley. Police or not we have some of the meanest, cranky and downright nasty flight attendants. Oh my it will certainly be a sight to be seen. I sure do hope US irons out the issue with meals in the back and does just what you say CO does. I'm sure they'll make it as wacky as possible. So you have all of those flight attendants yet we are getting 9? Hmmm I know the A330-200 is smaller but not that small. It's safe to say the 9 f/a's will be worked to death instead of adding a 10th or even 11th if there were lodo's that actually worked instead of a translator sitting in a coach seat.

 

[Quickcall]

Some other information about the food service was shared by the catering people on the flight I mentioned in a previous post. However, when I checked on the USAirways site I could not verify that to be true at this point. They did say that Envoy meals would be Kosher friendly. To answer Itestwell, there will not be 100% Kosher meals in coach.

I can't wait to go to training for this.

 

[Travelpro72]

I don't care how anyone wants to twist it, US not serving only glat kosher in coach is going to be a problem. Management is going out of their way to allow praying and everything else but won't offer passengers going to TLV a guaranteed kosher meal? See, THIS is the sort of ridiculous decision that just continually makes management look like CLOWNS. IF they were over at CO checking out how they rolled they would have known the drill. Unreal.

 

[HottootrotNyc]

I think Ms. Senior Baja Mama is a brave sole for doing the first flight. If she has a voice, that would be the time to voice concerns, while all the big wigs are around. I am more then happy to provide any information possible, I love US Airways and everytime I have a layover with you guys, I have a "FAB" time. I think they will iron out the problems after the first few flights. It took CAL a while to do it, we are far from perfect. I am just glad they corrected it and made it easier.

How many people will the A330-200 seat? Our 777-200 has 50/235 and it has upper deck crew bunksI really hope they follow how we do it and will just avoid the mess we made at first. I will say I am happy to see US expand. I wanted to work for you guys when I was younger. I'd love to see a navy blue 330 in TLV lol.... Well if I ever get a trip there again, a junior boy like myself rarely does, I look forward to dodging bombs with you all! Any other questions please feel free to ask or PM me.... Later guys!

 

[Iheartflying]

First of all I need to clear up a misconception about Glatt Kosher meals. Glatt Kosher means that the lungs of the animal is smooth. When the animal is slaughtered they check the lungs to ensure that there are no tears in tissue. It takes kashering a step further. This notion that they use utensils that have never been used by another human is ridiculous. Imagine the amount of silverware Glatt Kosher restaurants would go through!!!

Why are they hiring interpreters when there are Hebrew speakers at the company? Is it something that regular FA's can apply for? Some of us were looking forward to that speaker position.

 

[beachboy]

Oh my God....you have no idea about Ms Baja. She will have that bat phone to PHX on fire! I would die to even nonrev. Good luck on that Miss Mexican Hot Stuff. Better you than me! Then again it may be me!

 

[ussnark]

Why are they hiring interpreters when there are Hebrew speakers at the company? Is it something that regular FA's can apply for? Some of us were looking forward to that speaker position.

I would speculate that that is the price for the route, to use an Israeli "interpreter". It is cheap overhead, believe me.