LATEST USAirways political correctness

[LCC_#1]

Post 1 of 2

Hello Everyone,

Morgan Durrant from US Airways Corporate Communications here. You guys are right. We owe our great employees an apology and clarification over the way this one came down. In this post, find an apology letter sent from Vice President, InFlight Servies Sherri Shamblin to Mike Flores and Gary Richardson.

In my next post, find a clarification letter sent from our Customer Relations Director Henri Dawes to the BAPS group.

Best regards,
Morgan
Dear Mike and Gary,

Thanks for providing feedback regarding the Must Read, dated July 03, 2007 regarding the Company’s communication of the BAPS (Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam) Convention in Jacksonville, FL. I want to clarify that memo as well as the Company’s position on this matter.

First, in hindsight, that Must Read could have and should have communicated this unique situation much better. I am sorry that it offended our team and can understand how it did. Please know that when this information came into our company, we simply felt that communicating to our flight attendants and educating them about this group was the right thing to do. In no way did we intend to communicate this as instruction to our flight attendants; nor as an endorsement of BAPS’ views. We only intended to educate our people so that if they encountered someone with this belief who acted in a way contrary to our culture, they might have a better understanding of their rationale. What we didn’t want to happen was have a misunderstanding during boarding or during a flight with a crew who deserved to have information that we had not given them.

I also fear that the wording of our Must Read may have unduly characterized these individuals and their views. There are a select few individuals who have taken a vow of celibacy that includes refraining from speaking to or making physical contact with women. These individuals travel with male escorts that help them to keep this vow and they humbly requested that we inform our airline personnel of those vows. Groups such as the TSA were considering staffing certain security lines with all male agents – we simply chose to inform our employees of their presence and their request, but made no commitment to abide by their request.

Earlier today we sent a note to BAPS informing them that we cannot guarantee that their attendees will be able to avoid contact with our female employees in the manner that they have requested. We offered to refund their tickets if that was not acceptable to them. A copy of that note is attached.

In summary, I am very sorry that we communicated this matter in a way that offended our flight attendants or made them feel less than respected. Flight attendants should continue to do their job as they are trained to do and as they see fit and we never meant to imply anything different than that. I hope this explains the situation better. We promise to do a better job of communicating on issues like these when they arise in the future.

Sincerely,

Sherri
Post 2 of 2.

Everyone,

This is post 2 of 2 containing the clarification letter sent by our Customer Relations Director to the BAPS group.

Best,
Morgan

Mr. Kanu Patel

Chief Executive Officer

BAPS Swaminarayan Santha, Inc.

81 Suttons Lane

Piscataway, NJ 00854-5723

Dear Mr. Patel:

A few days before the start of the BAPS National Convention in Jacksonville, Florida, US Airways received information about the convention and a series of special passenger handling procedures requested by your organization on behalf of some of the attendees.

We carefully reviewed the requests out of respect for the religious views of these attendees, and sought to find ways to accommodate them to the extent possible. I am sure you can appreciate, however, that your requests concerning how our female employees should interact with some attendees runs counter to American cultural norms.

Also, your requests would require US Airways to deviate from its policies concerning equal treatment for all of its employees. As such, we cannot guarantee that the these attendees will be able to avoid contact with our female employees in the manner in which you have requested. If any of the impacted attendees wish not to fly US Airways under these circumstances, we will refund their tickets.

Respectfully,

Henri Dawes

Hey Henri,
As a part of the Tempe crowd...Since it is now confirmed that management in one disquise or another actually READS these boards, when do they plan on actually following thru with the many FAILED promises?

 

[PITbull]

Post 1 of 2

Hello Everyone,

Morgan Durrant from US Airways Corporate Communications here. You guys are right. We owe our great employees an apology and clarification over the way this one came down. In this post, find an apology letter sent from Vice President, InFlight Servies Sherri Shamblin to Mike Flores and Gary Richardson.


Also, your requests would require US Airways to deviate from its policies concerning equal treatment for all of its employees. As such, we cannot guarantee that the these attendees will be able to avoid contact with our female employees in the manner in which you have requested. If any of the impacted attendees wish not to fly US Airways under these circumstances, we will refund their tickets.

Respectfully,

Henri Dawes

Good job, Morgan, and straight forward. I respect that.

You must have taken Chiames place...they should move you up to CEO and remove the knucklehead. I like an exec who recognizes an error in judgement and admits it post haste.

 

[SKY HIGH]

SO what do we do when the Phelps family from Kansas makes a large reservation to fly to protest a Gay Pride and demands no homosexual FA's?

What about when a group of white supremacists makes a large reservation for a convention and demands no black FA's?

sky high states: What about when a lady with a HUGE PIG makes a reservation to fly to.............?

Sheesh, you would of thought this company would of learned.


0nly stating opinions
////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Expect this memo next:

Southwest attendants can leave planes during stops, FAA says
Decision allows attendants to escort kids, people in wheelchairs
By BLOOMBERG NEWS
Southwest Airlines won U.S. permission to keep letting flight attendants leave planes to perform other duties as jets load and unload, helping the carrier avoid cost increases.

Attendants can do work such as escorting children and helping travelers in wheelchairs between connecting flights, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The decision reversed an FAA manager’s April 2006 directive that all three attendants on each flight had to stay on board.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, US AIRWAYS and AirTran backed Southwest’s request, saying they wanted to adopt the practice. Southwest said in September its attendants continued to leave their planes while it appealed the FAA’s initial decision.



ONLY STATING OPINIONS

 

[2clippedwings]

sky high states: What about when a lady with a HUGE PIG makes a reservation to fly to.............?

Sheesh, you would of thought this company would of learned.
0nly stating opinions
////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Expect this memo next:

Southwest attendants can leave planes during stops, FAA says
Decision allows attendants to escort kids, people in wheelchairs
By BLOOMBERG NEWS
Southwest Airlines won U.S. permission to keep letting flight attendants leave planes to perform other duties as jets load and unload, helping the carrier avoid cost increases.

Attendants can do work such as escorting children and helping travelers in wheelchairs between connecting flights, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The decision reversed an FAA manager’s April 2006 directive that all three attendants on each flight had to stay on board.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, US AIRWAYS and AirTran backed Southwest’s request, saying they wanted to adopt the practice. Southwest said in September its attendants continued to leave their planes while it appealed the FAA’s initial decision.



ONLY STATING OPINIONS

1. Atta boy for the succinct and prompt clarification.

2. For goodness sake, quit saying/doing things you have to apologize for!!!!!

3. I'm not interested in performing any further duties that are not flight attendant duties i.e. insuring the comfort and safety of our passengers while onboard our aircraft.
This does not include: pulling tickets, collecting trash, cleaning aircraft cabins, reorganizing galleys every flight, restocking lavatories, or pushing wheelchairs.
Enough is enough.

 

[stormchaser]

As they board, have the male flight attendants or pilots spray them down with Febreeze !!

How about alittle respect for the basic American culture. I think all the female f/a's should unbuttom so their ttties show and all the male f/a's should retreat to the galleys. Oh, don't forget a big HOWDY!!

I want to thank you for your posts. I've never laughed so hard in my life. With all the negativity on this board it sure is good to get a yuck! I'm still laughinggggggggggg!!!!!

 

[Chicken or Beef??]

Very respectful letters regarding this situation and I appreciate the company clarifying it's position.
Thanks.

 

[FlightChic]

It will be a cold day in hell before I change how I act for those Swamis. I am normally a tolerant person but this is ridiculous! The CBS message totally offended me and I refuse to act differently to satisfy those men. They are in my country! If they don't like how we do things, then why are they here? Haven't they ever heard the saying "When in Rome..." Why does everyone expect us to change what we believe in and change our customs just for them? That reminds me of when my friends and I graduated from college. We went to school down South in the Bible Belt where most (99.9%) people are protestant Christians. So, at the graduation ceremony there was a preacher who said a short prayer in the beginning. Well, my muslim friends from Turkey who came to the US to get their MBAs were soooooo offended by this preacher praying to God and Jesus. I just thought that was so stupid! It's not like someone pointed a gun to their heads and forced them to participate. When I travel to other countries, I don't get offended if I see other people pray or act different from me. It doesn't even bother me here as long as no one is imposing their beliefs on me.

When those Swamis come, I will be sure to put on my biggest sunshine face and smile and personally greet each and every one of them! LOL! I am sure to win them over with my southern accent and hospitality.

I like EMBFA's idea about asking another f/a if she has a tampon right in front of them!

We need to be forwarned before the trip so that way all of us female f/as can pack our shortest skirts, highest high heels, and we can be sure and unbutton the top few buttons of our shirts. I'll be sure and wear extra make up and perfume.

I just can't believe the company would expect us to conform to their beliefs in our own country in our own workplace where discrimination is not allowed under any cicumstances whatsoever. It goes against everything we believe.

On to another topic:

3. I'm not interested in performing any further duties that are not flight attendant duties i.e. insuring the comfort and safety of our passengers while onboard our aircraft.
This does not include: pulling tickets, collecting trash, cleaning aircraft cabins, reorganizing galleys every flight, restocking lavatories, or pushing wheelchairs.
Enough is enough.

I agree! It seems like we are already doing everyone else's jobs! Let's add one more! BTW, on today's flight we had to gate valet some bags and the rampers never brought the first class passenger's bags up and our first officer had to go down and get the bags himself. That was a new one to me!

 

[EMBFA]

I appreciate the letters, but why even the need. They always screw up and then have to apologize. It's old and it's embarrassing. It's like teenagers are running this major airline and have no idea what they are doing.

 

[SKY HIGH]

It will be a cold day in hell before I change how I act for those Swamis. I am normally a tolerant person but this is ridiculous!

sky high states: Lets staff that flight with ALL FEMALES (going through MENOPAUSE). The Captain can announce the crew: "Ladies and Gentlemen, serving you today, we have "Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful and Psycho.

Enjoy your flight---> Swamis' BOYS!



only stating opinions

 

[HP_JACK]

We made the 10:00 news in PHX

USAIRWAYS Mistakes

 

[FlightChic]

sky high states: Lets staff that flight with ALL FEMALES (going through MENOPAUSE). The Captain can announce the crew: "Ladies and Gentlemen, serving you today, we have "Itchy, Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated, Forgetful and Psycho.

Make sure it's on the 737 because a female going through menopause stuck on a hot plane is twice as bitchy, itchy and psycho!

 

[EastUS]

Very respectful letters regarding this situation and I appreciate the company clarifying it's position.
Thanks.

"it's position" is that they don't want to be sued...and they're now scrambling to cover their six.

 

[AstroLounge]

I'm assuming the flight attendants are going to ignore the company's idiotic demands.

Wait, this is a joke, right?

Sad to say, it is NOT a joke. Maybe the Swammi's are the Consultants that Chug-a-lug Doug hired......afterall they are "saintly".......maybe a few prayer chants, tapping of the heels and smoking a few bongs with the Tempe gang will make EVERYONE See more clearly. Throw in a headset and a SkyFun box and those Swammi's will think Parker will take them to the Promised Land. (Problem lies in They are going to JAX and Management thinks PHX is the Center of the Universe).

 

[freedom]

It will be a cold day in hell before I change how I act for those Swamis. I am normally a tolerant person but this is ridiculous! The CBS message totally offended me and I refuse to act differently to satisfy those men. They are in my country! If they don't like how we do things, then why are they here? Haven't they ever heard the saying "When in Rome..." Why does everyone expect us to change what we believe in and change our customs just for them? That reminds me of when my friends and I graduated from college. We went to school down South in the Bible Belt where most (99.9%) people are protestant Christians. So, at the graduation ceremony there was a preacher who said a short prayer in the beginning. Well, my muslim friends from Turkey who came to the US to get their MBAs were soooooo offended by this preacher praying to God and Jesus. I just thought that was so stupid! It's not like someone pointed a gun to their heads and forced them to participate. When I travel to other countries, I don't get offended if I see other people pray or act different from me. It doesn't even bother me here as long as no one is imposing their beliefs on me.

When those Swamis come, I will be sure to put on my biggest sunshine face and smile and personally greet each and every one of them! LOL! I am sure to win them over with my southern accent and hospitality.

I like EMBFA's idea about asking another f/a if she has a tampon right in front of them!

We need to be forwarned before the trip so that way all of us female f/as can pack our shortest skirts, highest high heels, and we can be sure and unbutton the top few buttons of our shirts. I'll be sure and wear extra make up and perfume.

I just can't believe the company would expect us to conform to their beliefs in our own country in our own workplace where discrimination is not allowed under any cicumstances whatsoever. It goes against everything we believe.

On to another topic:
I agree! It seems like we are already doing everyone else's jobs! Let's add one more! BTW, on today's flight we had to gate valet some bags and the rampers never brought the first class passenger's bags up and our first officer had to go down and get the bags himself. That was a new one to me!

You know , perhaps you should redirect your anger towards the company and not these religious leaders who's beliefs don't mirror your own ... After all they DID contact us airways and explain their cultural differences , and i'm assuming that us airways gave them some sort of heads up that this would be no problem , at least that's what i got from the memo (which was another us air screw up ). It's obvious to me that you have NO respect what so ever for the hindiu religion , and that's your right to disagree with their views , but in this case it looks to me like they went above and beyond to minimize any cultural misunderstandings .The reason i posted the wikki link on the sawians was so that perhaps you might stop and take the time to understand these people before ragging on them .Don't get me wrong , i don't care much one way or another over their relgious views ,but there are alot of views in this world that i personally disagree with , but that doesn't mean i'm going to go out of my way to force my views on others ,if that memo had been written right , it would simply appear that they wanted to be left alone , and there's nothing wrong with that ... In fact that's part of what america is about , your FREE to have your own views and religious beliefs , even if they don't mesh with others and that IS what our culture is about ...


p.s about the rampers , i think i can speak for most of us when i say " oh well " you get the kind of service you pay for us airways...........

 

[USstew23]

I appreciate the letters, but why even the need. They always screw up and then have to apologize. It's old and it's embarrassing. It's like teenagers are running this major airline and have no idea what they are doing.

I think that it's quite obvious that they have no clue. They continually make the headlines with their constant blunders. Shining examples of Low Class and completely unprofessional and they are showing it to the world. All of this coming from the same mouths that made it a point to tell employees with up to 50 years of service that it's "not a career it's only a job". Sounds to me like it's the other way around. Quite frankly it's getting old.