HHD

[aptboeses]

I helped to make the F/C galley pack out diagrams for all 757 configurations available to f/a's operating flights to Europe. I spoke with a product specialist about how these diagrams really can make our job easier and how that would translate to better customer service. They are now available to f/a's and I have received numerous positive remarks on how they make it easier to find items for service.

I realize it's a little thing but sometimes little things can make a difference. I also want to note that I don't suffer from any delusions that I was the only one to make that suggestion.

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> I know three flight attendants that are being called in to “discussâ€￾ their sales on the HHD.
A SUP friend of mine said they can see who uses the machine correctly, and who is not.

While the article does not mention HHDs specifically, I wonder if this technology could be implemented with it somehow.

US Airways Selects 41st Parameter's FraudNet

Thursday March 26, 2009, 3:43 pm EDT

Advanced Anti-Fraud Solution to Detect Card Not Present Fraud across Multiple Channels and Provide Greater Protection to Customers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- 41st Parameter&reg; Inc., the leading provider of internet fraud intervention and detection services and technology, today announced US Airways selected FraudNet to detect and prevent Card Not Present (CNP) fraud across multiple reservation channels including online, kiosk and phone. The airline conducted an arduous selection process and chose FraudNet, the leading dedicated fraud solution for the travel industry, to help identify legitimate versus suspect transactions on a global scale.

In addition, US Airways will utilize FraudNet to protect Dividend Miles® members against account compromise and fraudulent account access; safeguarding their frequent flyers sensitive data and assets. "After researching a number of anti-fraud solutions, we found FraudNet to be the most advanced, and best suited to our needs," said Chris Abbey, Managing Director, Revenue Accounting, US Airways. "With FraudNet, we expect significant revenue retention as a result of fraud reductions plus improved customer satisfaction through the enhanced security to access of our most loyal customer's accounts."

Linkage

 

[galley princess]

The HHDs are the future, and really, they're not hard to use. The problem is that once again, US wants another thing from the F/As for free.

You can't just enter "cocktail". It wants us to do inventory control too. This means scrolling and time. Very annoying. Same with beer and wine, it's Heinekin, or Bud, chardonnay or cabernet. Hence, we are doing their inventory control for them too. This makes sense in a store, but we're talking about an airplane. Time sensitive, and really, unnecessary. If you're using a ton of Heinekin it will show up in your catering order. Why can't they just look at the numbers they're using and figure it out that way, but no, we have to do it for them.

Then there's the beginning and ending inventory nonsense. At what point does US ever provide us with a user friendly system? Why do we always have to pick up the slack for every other division? We are the only airline that requires that Duty Free be inventoried every flight and now the HHD inventory. Every other airline I know of, the inventory has already been done and all the F/As do is open and sell. As usual, we have to do everyone else's job.

This is the stuff that ticks us off. Yet another situation where they never take into consideration that making it easy for us translates to happier staff and hence happier customers.

SNAFU.

By the way, I vent here because it suits me to do so. It is NOT MY JOB to tell some clueless US executive information he should already have figured out. This is not rocket science.

 

[jimntx]

While the article does not mention HHDs specifically, I wonder if this technology could be implemented with it somehow.
Linkage

If your HHDs are anything like ours, they already have that technology. We get Card Declined messages sometimes when we swipe the card in the aisle. Not often, but it does happen. The storage capability of mini and micro computers today astounds me. Our devices carry an up-to-date listing of every AA flight every day. All I have to do is put in the flight number and it will then ask me to confirm that this STL-DFW. If it is a through flight with multiple legs, I can select which leg I am working.

Last Sunday I went with a friend to Fry's to buy me a new printer. She was looking for a new Bluetooth device. Now I was around when the first cell phones hit the market. They were the size of a walkie-talkie and you had about a good hour (if lucky) before the battery had to be recharged. My friend bought a Bluetooth that weighs .35 ounce with a battery that lasted up to 8 hours!!!!

 

[SS255]

The best way to get their attention is to write an actual letter and an email to the appropriate person. In the correspondence you should state the nature of the issue with all the facts without emotion. While it may not change right away (or at all) at least you did your part.

Been there. Done that. Have the vouchers and form letters riddled with typos and factual errors to prove it!

 

[US1YFARE]

Yes, the letters talking about an issue that didn't even occur were particularly entertaining/annoying--that was when they replied. With CO, I've received a reply the same day or the following day and that was for mileage credit issues that occurred because of cxld flights.

 

[flygirl74]

The HHDs are the future, and really, they're not hard to use. The problem is that once again, US wants another thing from the F/As for free.

You can't just enter "cocktail". It wants us to do inventory control too. This means scrolling and time. Very annoying. Same with beer and wine, it's Heinekin, or Bud, chardonnay or cabernet. Hence, we are doing their inventory control for them too. This makes sense in a store, but we're talking about an airplane. Time sensitive, and really, unnecessary. If you're using a ton of Heinekin it will show up in your catering order. Why can't they just look at the numbers they're using and figure it out that way, but no, we have to do it for them.

Then there's the beginning and ending inventory nonsense. At what point does US ever provide us with a user friendly system? Why do we always have to pick up the slack for every other division? We are the only airline that requires that Duty Free be inventoried every flight and now the HHD inventory. Every other airline I know of, the inventory has already been done and all the F/As do is open and sell. As usual, we have to do everyone else's job.






I have no problem using the HHD, but also agree that some things can be streamlined. If you enter the quantities then sell 6 beer, 4 wine, and 3 liquors the sales should automatically dock those items from the inventory. Having to reenter the final counts is redundant. I spoke to a person handling the HHD department and he said that the company is aware of this complaint and are "looking into it."

 

[PHX-F/A]

Just curious.

A new message just arrived in crew mail about a new patch that's been installed in the hhd's to help with the transmission of sales. Of course they said there was a glitch but everything is working now. Really????

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how much money has been invested in this project?

I know there were people working a special project last week who were going from airplane to airplane checking to see that these things were up to date. From what I heard most had sales that hadn't been sent since this started. So now we have double man/woman power to do a job someone is already getting paid to do. Just wondering if there is actually any profit left after all of these problems.

Anyone???

I'm sure the problems you are referring to are covered under some sort of warranty.

Any warranty however will not cover the wilful destructon of the HHD. Throwing it in the trash; shorting the battery out in water; pulling out the SIM chips so it can't trasmit. These are all things that people did so that they could declare a flight cash only then keep their cut

 

[ussnark]

I'm sure the problems you are referring to are covered under some sort of warranty.

Any warranty however will not cover the wilful destructon of the HHD. Throwing it in the trash; shorting the battery out in water; pulling out the SIM chips so it can't trasmit. These are all things that people did so that they could declare a flight cash only then keep their cut

Then I presume those individuals have been terminated, as any well-run management group would have done? Or, are you just making this up?

How does one remove the battery in order to "short" it?

You can remove the SIM card? How?

It is way too immature, and common, to always blame the end-user, though it does seem a constant theme of Dilbert. Which came first, tempe or Dilbert?

 

[jimntx]

How does one remove the battery in order to "short" it?

You can remove the SIM card? How?

Assuming the LCC devices are similar/same as the ones at AA, it's a piece of cake. Every single one of them is designed with a snap-out/snap-in battery--just like your cell phone. Has to be. The batteries are not eternal. They have to be taken out and recharged. Spare batteries are included in the storage unit; so that they can be changed out in case the battery goes dead during flight.

SIM card is a little harder, but since the cases are held together with screws, a semi-intelligent person should have no problem figuring out how to open the case. And, the SIM card pops out just like the micro-SD chip in your cell phone.

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> SIM card is a little harder, but since the cases are held together with screws, a semi-intelligent person should have no problem figuring out how to open the case.

Are FAs allowed to carry hand tools through the security checkpoint? A while back, the TSA relieved me of my knock-off Leatherman tool even though I had broken off the knife portion.

 

[ussnark]

Assuming the LCC devices are similar/same as the ones at AA, it's a piece of cake. Every single one of them is designed with a snap-out/snap-in battery--just like your cell phone. Has to be. The batteries are not eternal. They have to be taken out and recharged. Spare batteries are included in the storage unit; so that they can be changed out in case the battery goes dead during flight.

SIM card is a little harder, but since the cases are held together with screws, a semi-intelligent person should have no problem figuring out how to open the case. And, the SIM card pops out just like the micro-SD chip in your cell phone.

Actually, not all batteries are easily removed, the iPhone comes to mind. I just cannot imagine someone intentionally tossing a battery into water, even those with single digit IQs should know better. When SIM cards first made their appearance, "resetting" a card sometimes solved a host of issues. Nowadays, I cannot see any reason to do so and even when done, would (should) not the unit record that as an "event"?

All I see from tempe is "blame the user" first. The employees need to stop everything when that happens and push back unless clear, unimpeachable evidence is presented showing otherwise, tempe's word has not credibility amongst nearly all. Hold tempe to a high standard, the same that you would like to be held to, mutual respect will then follow.

 

[Travelpro72]

The company needs to streamline the HHD's period. They are easy to use but easy means what for some people? You have a lot of f/a's out there that can't even get their old VCR's to stop blinking 12:00. You expect them to whiz through the HHD's? I agree that once you have your inventory and you sell your items the HHD should automatically deduct it from your beginning inventory numbers. IF the HHD's are soooooo sophisticated then why can't THAT be done? Looking into it and implementing the change in USairways IT time means next year. If you want everyone "onboard" then stop making things so redundant and complicated. I agree with what LCC#1 said before about having the kits boarded locked and all contents verified. Just overhaul the HHD/catering process please.

 

[happy01]

Yes, the letters talking about an issue that didn't even occur were particularly entertaining/annoying--that was when they replied. With CO, I've received a reply the same day or the following day and that was for mileage credit issues that occurred because of cxld flights.

That's funny, because I emailed CO a week ago and finally got a "canned" response today that didn't even answer my question!

 

[happy01]

I'm always reluctant to even respond to those who make unfounded and undocumented allegations against co-workers.

Tampering with these types of devices is usually detectable upon retrieval by IT. Then it should be relatively easy to document the situations and discipline accordingly.

With the above being said do you have any direct knowledge of any F/A being discipliined or terminated based on the type of allegation you mentioned?

I've yet to see a HHD in use on any of my flights so another question is are these devices only in use on the West side of US?

The problem is, they did not implement any way to track the devices. There's not even a bar code on them to track if they are missing from the plane! They know that there are quite a few missing, but they don't know from what flight. Quite a few are damaged,but they don't know when they were last working or who used them last because they have no way of tracking them. There is approximately 1.5 million dollars missing due to the "misuse" of the HHD's. But there is a department that is tracking down the revenue, and from what I understand they know they made a mistake but you can surely bet they aren't going to allow the mistake to continue.