The other day we did a small turn to So Cal out of PHX 1 hr each way. Caterers came to the back door to provision. The same guys I see all the time. I'm so excited cause I have heard of their arrival... NEW CARTS! Finally we get to retire those monster trollies we've been pushing. My friend from catering starts shaking his head and told me "Friend you aren't going to be happy." He opened one of the full beverage carts. My smile turned to frown. NO NO NO... this can't be true. The drawers were too small. They didn't fit on the glided rails. All the drawers sat there, stacked one on the other. Say I wanted to retrieve a ginger ale. I would have to lift the 2 drawers out to get to it. A Beer or white wine which are located on the bottom... FORGET IT! How could this happen? The caterer proceeded to tell me all the new carts were like this for B737 and all the crews were very upset. My crew and I made an announcement that we were not provisioned properly so all we were able to serve was water by hand. No one complained nor questioned it. I refuse to take carts out like this. Enough is enough. So a million dollar cart order gone wrong. Catering is costing us more money by their stupidity and poor decisions. SOMEONE IN CATERING AND INFLIGHT NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE! Are you having this problem on the east?
New B737 Beverage Carts (west fleet)
- Thread starter HP_JACK
- Start date
Good for you. Keep it up and tell your co-workers to do the same thing. We have not encountered this on the east yet as far as I know (I avoid that filth wagon like the plague). When we do it's all over. Please take a picture and post it on here.
Twicebaked
Veteran
- May 22, 2003
- 1,788
- 18
What should have been done, is that the cart should have been removed from the aircraft and taken to Sherri Shamblin's office and one should be taken to your union office.
I would not even entertain the fact of using one of those carts.
- Thread Starter
- Thread starter
- #5
NEW FOM COUNCIL 66:
B-737 2/3 NEW LIGHTWEIGHT CARTS
AFA Air Safety Health and Security Committee (ASHS) requested a
review of the 2/3 B-737 light weight carts prior to the order
and manufacture of these carts. In the rush to put the order
into the manufacturer, AFA was not afforded the opportunity to
review a prototype on the 2/3 B-737 cart as we did with the full
size carts despite numerous requests. The concerns regarding the
drawer size and the rails that hold the drawers were sent by AFA
ASHS representative, Ken Perron, in detail during the design
phase. This was sent along with a schematic advising of any
engineering specifications that would be needed to keep the
drawers from falling thru the rails. The attention to this issue
was based on years of past problems specific to the drawers
falling thru. US Airways advised ASHS that their engineers would
review this issue prior to the cart order and manufacture.
AFA will address this issue in the strongest sense with US
Airways. The oversight on the deficiencies of these new carts
along with the concern for gross inconvenience and possible
Flight Attendant injury falls clearly on US Airways.
B-737 2/3 NEW LIGHTWEIGHT CARTS
AFA Air Safety Health and Security Committee (ASHS) requested a
review of the 2/3 B-737 light weight carts prior to the order
and manufacture of these carts. In the rush to put the order
into the manufacturer, AFA was not afforded the opportunity to
review a prototype on the 2/3 B-737 cart as we did with the full
size carts despite numerous requests. The concerns regarding the
drawer size and the rails that hold the drawers were sent by AFA
ASHS representative, Ken Perron, in detail during the design
phase. This was sent along with a schematic advising of any
engineering specifications that would be needed to keep the
drawers from falling thru the rails. The attention to this issue
was based on years of past problems specific to the drawers
falling thru. US Airways advised ASHS that their engineers would
review this issue prior to the cart order and manufacture.
AFA will address this issue in the strongest sense with US
Airways. The oversight on the deficiencies of these new carts
along with the concern for gross inconvenience and possible
Flight Attendant injury falls clearly on US Airways.
flybynite
Veteran
What was wrong with your old beverage carts on the 737? Were they just totally beat up? I've been on the 757 for the last couple of days and we've had some of the west trash carts on our a/c and they were pretty beat up and they don't have the same design. I didn't like them because they were really heavy and they didn't have hand grips/handles which made pulling them up the aisle very unwieldy.
Are these new carts similar to the airbus carts? I for one hate them. I prefer the side load carts with the detachable baskets that hold the cups and ice.
Are these new carts similar to the airbus carts? I for one hate them. I prefer the side load carts with the detachable baskets that hold the cups and ice.
Prince of PAWOBs
Veteran
Word on the street is that more and more F/A injuries due to problems with carts and doors are cropping up systemwide.
If the company is deliberately trying to get rid of F/A's by injuring them, they're doing a good job. Too bad they're on the hook for the cost of said injuries.
Being cheap with the things that count shows how greed is driving this airline right out of business.
If the company is deliberately trying to get rid of F/A's by injuring them, they're doing a good job. Too bad they're on the hook for the cost of said injuries.
Being cheap with the things that count shows how greed is driving this airline right out of business.
jimntx
Veteran
I may be wrong, but I think it is an FAR violation to stack things in carts that are not secured. In extreme turbulence, I could see loose inserts of sodas knocking the cart door open.
In addition to posting the picture here (so we can see), a copy needs to be sent to the FAA.
In addition to posting the picture here (so we can see), a copy needs to be sent to the FAA.
USCREW
Veteran
I feel badly for the caterers, they're the only ones who will touch this monster!
View attachment 6228
View attachment 6228
- Thread Starter
- Thread starter
- #11
I have yet to be on a 737 since. I try and stay away from those dirty thangs. However word is that our safety chair (west) and her peeps are more than livid with catering on this issue. All this time and effort put in a project and the catering mucked it up.
jimntx
Veteran
Unless LCC is very different from AA, the caterer is not to blame here. The caterer uses the carts provided by the airline. Either the manufacturer of the carts or the airline screwed this one up. In any case, they should never have been delivered to the caterer until they had been checked to see that specifications were met. AND, certainly they should not have been stocked and delivered to an a/c!!!!
I take it common sense is in as short supply at LCC as it is at AA.
flybynite
Veteran
Ask Inflight.
