Inflight Tempest coming from Tempe? (MERGED TOPIC)

[galley princess]

Mergers are messy, and US mergers particularly so. The consensus on this board is that Tempe is incompetent at the best of times, however I think that as far as inflight has been concerned, it might have been a bit of neglect as well. This may be changing. 2008 brings another Envoy charm school, a new uniform, coach and then check rides. Could it be that they might attend to the inflight product?

East is trying to accept the fact that we are no longer a "legacy" carrier, but a bus with wings. That's our problem at its core. Up to this point bankruptcy wages and bad working conditions have been returned with many crewmembers doing the minimum and nothing more. What happens with the check rides?

As far as I know, unless a supervisor notifies you of the checkride, you cannot be written up by a ghost rider, per the East contract. Is this true? I believe that the West can be written up by ghost riders. Important to know. The US product is poor, and will stay so by virtue of the bus status, but at least it should be consistent. There should be no more apologies for the lack of tools. A matter of fact "US does not have closets for your coat Sir" will have to be sufficient. Shake it off, Tempe has. At the same time, when the parameter is Beverage, meal beverage, it should be that. Not push pull.

Frankly, I am tired of seeing and being an unwilling party to what is essentially bad service, however, I also don't want to see Tempe get away with anything either.

As for the uniform, a plea to Tempe: don't send your supervisors out to be the victims of confrontation. It's uncomfortable for everyone. Give them a ticket booklet. The supervisor sees noncompliance, asks for the employee's badge if not visible, writes the ticket, hands the employee a copy and sends a copy to the supervisor. Then he/ she WALKS AWAY. Three tickets and now you get to see your supervisor. By the way, this should include badly fitting uniforms! Mary Jane is wearing a dress that is three sizes too small. Bad for everyone's eyes and I don't like walking through a European airport with her.

It really bothers me to work for the worst carrier in the world. For better or worse, despite my refusal to disclose who I work for, I end up answering for the abysmal reputation that US has. I have to wonder, doesn't Mr. Parker have a family? Friends? Have he and his cronies no shame at all? Maybe PHX is different, but surely they must know of our wretched status?

Here's to a better US in the new year.

 

[Twicebaked]

Check rides are NOT service oriented. They are for FARs/safety and such. And they DON'T get written up by the rider. It is merely collecting data to see trends. This inturn is used for recurrent focuses.

As far as uniforms.....I agree with you BUT...... A supervisor should come up to Mary Jane right off the bat and say " Your dress is way too tight and that is not the approved coat. You are being replaced from your trip. When you come in for you next trip, you need to have a uniform check before you check in!!"

We are all adults We know what is part of the new uniform or not. It is just a matter of being defiant.

Service.....what a joke. Good luck with that one. I have tried many times to get my crew to do "express service" on the nine-hole try like IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE, yet everyone insists on doing it on the cart. It is so tacky doing it on a 300 with a blanket drapped over the side............

It will be a LONG LONG time for the attitude to change. Unforunately, the only way to produce the change is to start firing people for not following policies. Then and ONLY then will people say, "Oh sh$t, I think they are serious about turning us around. I better start doing what THEY want NOT what I want".

They need to start making examples of people.

Simply stating that....Starting March 3 (or whenever) we are going to be at a 100% compliance on uniforms and service. If you do not comply, you will be pulled from your trip and subject to disipline up to but not excluding termination. And the UNION needs to back this. This is the only way...we are WAY TOO FAR GONE.......

 

[Travelpro72]

The union will never "back" the firing of anyone as they are there to protect your job or at least make sure your disciplined fairly. As for doing service on a 9hole tray.....try and find one. I DO agree about the 737-300 and the blanket on the cart. Tacky, tacky, tacky. I WILL NOT do it. I have had a few "B's" in the back that got p!ssed at me and had to take it apart. We were full and the flight was short. I used the meal cart under the coffee with sleeves of coke,diet and sprite inside with ice buckets on top and off we went. Sometimes you CAN'T follow procedure here due to it not being written (E-190) or no tools to follow the "written" policy. They will have a long way to go in reprimanding flight attendants when it's THIS management team that needs reprimanded. Start at the top and LEAD as a management team in a positive, appreciative manner and your employees below that "sling the hash" will surely follow. As for the uniform, the union can do NOTHING to protect you if you are not wearing it as written. That part folks is a no brainer. Nobody WANTS to wear the McDonald's uniform either but hey....ya work there.

 

[Whatnow?]

Check rides are NOT service oriented. They are for FARs/safety and such. And they DON'T get written up by the rider. It is merely collecting data to see trends. This inturn is used for recurrent focuses.

It's my understanding from the "Crew Room Blitzes and Briefings" last week that January thru June we will see Observation Riders and Inflight Coaches onboard many of our flights, but they are going to be there purely for informational purposes on service, safety,FAR's, and work and conduct rules. Then, beginning next summer, actual F/A Supervisors will be out check riding flights like they used to do in the old days. Those check rides will result in punitive actions if you are not up to snuff with F/A Duties on board the A/C from boarding all the way through to deplaning. I guess the whole principal behind the Observation Riders and Inflight Coaches is to get everybody on the same page before next summer comes. Which IMO IS LONG OVERDUE! We gotta start somewhere!

 

[Travelpro72]

I certainly agree. While I never seem to agree with what Tempe does I WILL agree that we need these coaches/check rides for those (and they are many in numbers) that do the push/pull across country with NO other service at all. It happens ALL the time. Sorry to those f/a's but it's not your call.

 

[cactusflyer]

Not sure about your inflight supervisors on the east, but out west very few if any of our supervisors have even been flight attendants. If they have it was for a very, very short time. The three that run the PHX department came from reservations. That is the problem most of us have out here in the west, you call the bubble to ask a question they should know (i.e. safety or service related) and they DON'T know the answer. Now they are going to have these people doing check rides and "coaching"? Please. It hasn't worked in the past and it won't work now. Remember, you heard it here first and if I'm wrong, I will gladly eat my words.

I have to agree with Travelpro, lead us in a positive, knowledgeable manner and the rest will fall into place. That starts with Ms. Shambles, unfortunately the only way she knows how to lead is through fear and intimidation. My guess is she still hasn't figured out that my counterparts on the east aren't ones to be easily bullied by management.

 

[Whatnow?]

Not sure about your inflight supervisors on the east, but out west very few if any of our supervisors have even been flight attendants. If they have it was for a very, very short time. The three that run the PHX department came from reservations. That is the problem most of us have out here in the west, you call the bubble to ask a question they should know (i.e. safety or service related) and they DON'T know the answer. Now they are going to have these people doing check rides and "coaching"? Please. It hasn't worked in the past and it won't work now. Remember, you heard it here first and if I'm wrong, I will gladly eat my words.

From my guess, the majority of F/A Supv's here in the East were and still are F/A's, they have to fly once a quarter to maintain their seniority as a F/A. The Observation Riders and Inflight Coaches are actual Line F/A's that went through a pretty rigorous interview process to be part of that program. The actual F/A Supervisors will being doing the punitive check rides later next year, I'm sure even the one's that were never F/A's will have checklist and procedures to follow, but they should know what they are doing. :huh:

 

[elcantante]

actually it's 2008. sorry


InFlight Standards Coach/Observation Rider Programs to Expand in 2008
Do you ever have a question onboard that makes you wish you had an InFlight Trainer available? At times, do you find
yourself not quite sure how a new procedure is supposed to work? Help is on the way in 2008.
We will be expanding two programs early next year that will provide crewmembers with resources to help answer policy
and procedure questions. The InFlight Standards Coach and Observation Rider programs are made up of line F/As who
have been specially trained to observe and provide feedback to their peers, while gathering important data.
During October and November, 32 InFlight Standards Coaches and 16 Observation Riders were put through a stringent
selection process and trained from the east coast bases. The process began with 225 F/A applicants who went through
a two-day interview process that included both written and practical performance tests related to working cooperatively
with others, coaching, InFlight policies and procedures and emergency procedures.
These F/As will be gathering data using a form that is anonymous and non-punitive. The InFlight Standards Coaches
and Observation Riders will show crewmembers the form. The form does not include a date, flight number, crewmember
names, or ID numbers. It is designed to gather general trend information without focusing on any particular individual
or crew. The InFlight Standards Coaches and Observation Riders will provide a debriefing and answer questions based
on the information they gather on the form. The data that is gathered will be analyzed to determine training needs.
There are differences between the two programs which are outlined below.
InFlight Standards Coaches (formerly known as SR ATS in the PHX and LAS bases)
♦ Are F/As in uniform
♦ Will sit in a passenger seat, but will make themselves available to help the crew during boarding, service and cleaning
of the aircraft. (Since they are passengers, they will adhere to the “Fasten Seat Belt Signâ€￾.)
♦ Will introduce themselves when they board the aircraft and will be available to answer questions throughout the
flight.
♦ Will complete an anonymous, non-punitive data gathering form.
♦ May not replace minimum crew.
Observation Riders
♦ Are F/As in business casual attire.
♦ Will sit in a passenger seat.
♦ Will complete an anonymous, non-punitive data gathering form.
♦ Depending on the length of flight, they will introduce themselves either later in the flight or after landing.
♦ After introducing themselves, they will be available to answer questions.
♦ Will make themselves available to help the crew during cleaning of the aircraft.
The Observation Rider program has existed on the east coast for several years and will be implemented out of PHX and
LAS in February. The InFlight Standards Coach program has been in place in PHX and LAS for several years under the
name SR ATS, and will be implemented out of the east coast bases in January.
The F/As who will be serving as InFlight Standards Coaches and Observation Riders look forward to working with you.
They are a resource for you and are dedicated to helping their fellow F/As.
So who are these InFlight Standards Coaches? A complete list is on the following page.
…..continued on page 11
Help is on the Way!
D E C E M B E R PAGE: 11
…..continued from page 10
InFlight Standards Coaches
Be on the lookout for additional information regarding this highly anticipated program.
In closing, I’d like to extend a sincere “Thank Youâ€￾ to the F/As who endured the two-day interview process. Your willingness
to ensure standards are maintained onboard the aircraft is greatly appreciated.
Help is on the Way! (continued)
Maxine Brown PHX
Susi Brown CLT
Danny Bryant PHL
Omar Bryant PHL
Michelle Cahanes PHX
Katherine Weyman-Chapman PIT
Michael Cheeping PHL
Jeff Dapser PHX
Debbie Daugherty LGA
Patti DiVito PIT
Damien Downer PHL
Kristine Everhart CLT
Greg Fernandez PHX
Mia Garza PHX
Rachel Georges PHL
Rose Hamid CLT
Latisha Heffernan PHL
Eduardo Henriques PHL
Steve Hilderbrand PHX
Roger Holmin PHL
Jennifer Hutt PHX
Rich Kerner CLT
Markus Korpi PHX
Rich Krueger PHX
Tiffany LaTour PHX
Bill Lehman PHX
Terri Mango PHX
Sandra Manning CLT
Tammy McGlaughlin PHL
Angie Munoz CLT
Paula Murphy CLT
David Myers CLT
Dominick Noviello PHL
Suzanne O’Donnell CLT
Detra Pivirotto LGA
Joan Quilico CLT
Kevin Rivera PHL
Jim Rhoades CLT
Melanie Searle PHX
Cheryl Schreiber PHL
Robert Shoop PIT
Carol Smith PIT
Vicki Span PHL
Janet Steinhauer PHL
Shelly Walter PHX
Charlene Weber PHX
Chamoun (Simon) Yachouk PHL

there are alot of good people on this list . people we know and like . i can speak for the east f/a's only . but there are a few west people i see on here that are good f/a's as well. either way , lets show them respect when they get onboard one of our a/c. remember they are there to help those f/a who need a little push. we have needed something like this for a while already. have a good new year.

 

[spanglish]

Can they help with seat dupes? That's where we need the help right now. We don't need someone telling us how to clip on the cream and sugar cup onto the ice drawer. The list may have good names on it, but the only reason anyone is on the list is to get a "make-your-own" schedule for the 3 months while on the program. Oh, and that will be the day Etops coaches me on what is procedure while he is wearing that god forsaken 2 sizes too tight non-company issued vest.

 

[rsv4ever]

Can they help with seat dupes? That's where we need the help right now. We don't need someone telling us how to clip on the cream and sugar cup onto the ice drawer. The list may have good names on it, but the only reason anyone is on the list is to get a "make-your-own" schedule for the 3 months while on the program. Oh, and that will be the day Etops coaches me on what is procedure while he is wearing that god forsaken 2 sizes too tight non-company issued vest.

ha

 

[AlleghenyVista]

Can they help with seat dupes? That's where we need the help right now. We don't need someone telling us how to clip on the cream and sugar cup onto the ice drawer. The list may have good names on it, but the only reason anyone is on the list is to get a "make-your-own" schedule for the 3 months while on the program. Oh, and that will be the day Etops coaches me on what is procedure while he is wearing that god forsaken 2 sizes too tight non-company issued vest.

OMG...now that is too funny, but true! This is gonna be interesting to see.

 

[beachboy]

NO, your friendly AFA Union Representative Omar will be telling you how to clip the sugar on and if I were you, I would not dare ask for help with a seat dup. With all her responsibilities she will be BUSY. Oh Etops......leave him alone. But Etops, coach carefully. I have been on scandalous layovers with you. Ummmk?

 

[etops1]

you guys are hilarious

 

[spanglish]

you guys are hilarious

We know you can take it, that's why we dish it out.

 

[etops1]

We know you can take it, that's why we dish it out.

luv you guys. i must say i have gained about a couple of pounds but i hate that damn tsa shirt. gotta start running again. ay dios, mio que se va hacer? and just to let you guys know i got approval from inflight to wear the vest since it was mistakenly sent to me from cintas not brookhurst as many think . how about i stop wearing the vest until the new uniforms are out.