New F meals

[Travelpro72]

The meal window needs to be dropped to two to two and a half hours for first class. It's a joke. As for the galley issues it's a combination of caterers that have no idea where things are to go and flight attendants that have no idea and couldn't care less. I see flight attendants that open every bag of pretzels, sleeves of cups from both ends, multiple bags of sugar, etc. Flight attendants I honestly believe are MORE the problem when it comes to carts and galleys being screwed up. If I know I am spending a few legs on an airplane or serving a meal I almost ALWAYS have to make it at least workable. I don't get all rain man about it and rearrange the flags on the sugar or stack creamers but make user friendly. Oh a little FYI when on the 320 it doesn't have to be as bad as some make the meal service to be if you get creative. I used a meal cart along the bulkhead wall to set trays and plate and had enough space. I just want a damn curtain.

 

[Jetsetter2Ord]

It all starts with the proper training and having the proper supplies to do a good job. Some FAs think that they can alter the procedures to shorten the work time, it only provides an inadequate service and a non consistent product.

I would love to offer my training expertise to anyone that is questionable as to how do the proper service while working on West metal.

I suggested that we have a peer to peer work experience, having East work or at least ride on West to see how we do things..and West to do the reverse over on East metal. Together, we can work together to offer suggestions and help provide a streamlined and efficient product.

Happy Holidays!

 

[Travelpro72]

You know what? That sounds like a great idea but I have one that is MUCH simpler. First off a beverage/meal service is a beverage meal service. On a damn cocktail napkin or scratch paper up in inflight write out how you want the service. Start at row 1 of coach and offer a beverage etc...... You would think they were trying to find a cure for cancer. My God people, we'll have Moon trips before we get this place together. The company could have alleviated a lot of headaches if they would have taken just a few GD minutes to see that our carts were different and our galleys were not the same. They don't care, they never have and they never will. As soon as you wash your hands of it and do what you need to do to get the job done you'll feel a lot better. 2 years and still two different sets of inflight service procedures? It's quite simple really.

 

[redrocknowcatusnowUSAir]

You are forgetting. This is the "New USAirways." Stock symbol LCC. (Low Cost Carrier.)
This airline East or West never really had any first class service. Just airplanes with bigger seats in the front. OK, when AWA had the 747's to Asia yes Mr. Conway did make sure the first class service on those flights was top notch. But that was then, this is now.
If you want outstanding first class service go fly on British Airways or Singapore.
Like some one at US has said in the past, "you get what you pay for."
Anything resembling First Class would probably have to start with some decent wine offerings, not the twist off cap "Thunderbird" offered now. And maybe some real wine glasses. The plastic cups might be classy sitting in a lawn chair at a tail gate party in a stadium parking lot, but don't really don't cut it in the so called "First Class" cabin.

 

[USFlyer]

And 2 hours is NOT enough time to do a meal service.

Huh, that's funny. I just got off a MSP-DCA flight that was 2 hours, 2 minutes. We had a pre-meal drink service then the meal service. F/As were done 45 mins before landing. Nothing was rushed.

And, I flew DCA-ORD on UA in First a few months ago. Full breakfast service.

 

[beachboy]

Well, I don't know about the 1st class service on AW to Japan. Did it serve like all 4 people onboard?
US Airways true Envoy won awards and was competitive to other Europe carriers. Domestic our 1st class under Wolf was on par with others. So, we did have a product. It was dismantled and then decimated by AW. Cheers! ( sorry the sound isn't the same clinking two plastic party cups together)

 

[JMM]

Well your competitors do it.

yes they do and so should we, at least a pre-plated sandwich and salad or something! I am sorry our first class is a little ghetto and I would gladly bust my butt for the elites if I actually HAD something to give them on these 2-3 hour segments.

 

[AlleghenyVista]

I was the "A" flight attendant today on a one day where we had the new meals. They were EXCELLENT!! Most of the passengers were very impressed with what was being offered. The chicken sandwich on the pumpernickle bread was so big msot passengers only ate half. The chedder cheese quiche looked great as well.

On the return flight to PHL two choices again were offered which both looked great. Choice one was an Asian Chicken Salad and choice two was a warmed chicken/cheese sandwich on an asiago roll. I tasted that one and it was delicious. Both came with the new chocolate pecan pie.

All in all passengers were very happy.

 

[JMM]

Well, I don't know about the 1st class service on AW to Japan. Did it serve like all 4 people onboard?
US Airways true Envoy won awards and was competitive to other Europe carriers. Domestic our 1st class under Wolf was on par with others. So, we did have a product. It was dismantled and then decimated by AW. Cheers! ( sorry the sound isn't the same clinking two plastic party cups together)

It was dismantled and decimated long before HP came into the picture .... HP just continued down the same path leading to nothingness.

If the fools in Tempe would get on the damn plane and work with some flight attendants on both sides of the Mississippi, I am sure together (management, east FA's and west FA's) they could quickly hash out a decent (not overly expensive but a decent) product offering that was doable on all flights over 2.5 hours using the current space available and maybe even finding room for the glassware on the east fleet.

Two problems: first, this would never happen because no one who decides any of this would ever lower themselves to actually get on a plane and work with the flight attendants on a four day trip. Second, half the people would b1tch/moan and then not do it because it was not the way it had always been done and they would come up with lame half-assed excuses why it was "stupid" or "too hard" or "not possible" or "not nice enough" or "my ice is not where it used to be so I could not do service" or "there was not enough time" or "management is dumb so I am not having anything to do with what they come up with".

There are two forces working against us ever having a consistent, unified service on both sides of the Mississippi .... one is management and the other is the flight attendant and catering workforce that is completely and totally unwilling to do anything different. Please note, on the work force issue, I am not pointing any fingers because I know in the west we too have those that would act EXACTLY the ways I listed above!

 

[Art at ISP]

On a 1 hr 30 minute flight from ORD-LGA, we had a full meal service on AA (shorter flight time due to wind, but they still served and managed a full service). The crew worked smart-took orders for drinks and meals before takeoff, had everything ready to go as soon as practical, served the drinks with dinner. It really was quite impressive.

Also on a 1 hr 42 min flight from MIA to SDQ we had a full lunch service-with full international flare. I firmly believe if properly equipped and trained a meal service on a short(er) flight can be done. They choose not to serve on flights under 3.5 hours, to save money.

However since they charge the same if not more than the majors in similar markets, I still think they need to remain competitive. Let's see they offer less for the same or more.....where's the value in that?

Admittedly as I stated before any improvement is welcome, but again they choose to only go half way. Maybe when they figure out how to put different ads on the glasses and change them without breaking the glasses, will we see glass back on board...

I will say again, any improvement is welcome--just keep it up and don't lose sight of the CORE goal-to operate safely efficiently and provide good customer service.

Happy Holidays everybody!!

 

[phlus2]

And what is with that Cranberry Nut mix in couch??????

It is made from all the leftover cranberries from thanksgiving - they got it really cheap! And we all know how Tempe loves cheap.

 

[phlus2]

And 2 hours is NOT enough time to do a meal service.

Let's see - it is plenty of time for a meal service on United, American, Delta, Continental, and most European airlines I've flown on. Guess you just need work a little faster.

 

[Singleflyer]

Until they got rid of the F-100 we had meal service on the MHT-DCA flight which I think is 1:45 time. SO it can be done on US if management wanted a competitive product for the business traveller.

 

[AstroLounge]

It's nice to see that there have been some much needed improvements on the F/C menus. Something REALLY needs to be done about the glassware situation. If every OTHER airline offers it, then US has literally NO CHOICE but do the same. On another note, I did work a flight with the premium beverage TEST and the plastic glass offered in the "Wine-by-the-glass" was a quality plastic glass that would be suitable in shorthaul F/C flights (under 2hours). I fully understand the COST issue involved with provisioning GLASSWARE but How they can continue allow the West to offer glass and the East to never see it certainly reflects on a Management Team that is SO OUT of Touch and not paying any attention to details and customer perception. (And you sure as heck don't need a Roundtable of F/A's to point this out!) As far as the new menus.........IT'S A START!

 

[US1YFARE]

.IT'S A START!

Oh baloney. US only offers meals on long flights. What they're giving out in FC is what their competitors serve on shorthauls and then some. So, no, it isn't a start...they are still in the SUCKS column.