Survey for Cultural Training at Airlines/LODO

[flightattend21]

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3bK_...FpUPKPvdQ_3d_3d
there is a survey for culture training on afa website. it takes 2 minutes but it is well worth it. One of the things I asked for is mandatory speakers of destination on flights. Cannot tell you how hard it is to be the only one to help on a 330 or 67. My last flight we got in at 3:30 pm and I was still there (immigration) 6:00 pm . I have been told by a few pilots how they almost diverted because of not having a LODO on board.

 

[rsv4ever]

i completed the survey. the first part doesn't apply since we have ZERO cultural awareness in this company. everytime i fly to europe, if a non-english speaking passenger approaches one of the f/as... they look like a deer in headlights and shout "LODO" until the lodo arrives. classy.

 

[flightattend21]

i completed the survey. the first part doesn't apply since we have ZERO cultural awareness in this company. everytime i fly to europe, if a non-english speaking passenger approaches one of the f/as... they look like a deer in headlights and shout "LODO" until the lodo arrives. classy.

there was a huge meeting with AFA and FAA and a bunch of airlines and FAA claimed that the United States regulations for airlines is as "good" as other internatinal carriers. What they found out at the meeting was "united states does not have stringent rules" on their carriers. Whether it comes to culture differences or just someone who can ACTUALLY speak the language. According to FAA it is not a mandate to speak another language because airspace is the "english Language" if that is the case why do they show that movie in Recurrent when our flight tried to land in Mexico City and the pilots and f/a did not speak Spanish and tower did not speak English it was an emergency landing and pilots could not tell if they could open doors or where the fire was coming from?? Or the pilot on one of my trips talking to Italian police in English and the guy did not understand so the pilot proceeds to speak louder? He told me he did not need my help so I stood there for 10 min then I finally told the cop what was going on. The cop wanted to know why I had not spoken up before. Should I have said the ego of the captain prevented me? Could go on and on but you are a lodo you know the drill.

 

[N965VJ]

I’m not sure I understand all this. Is AFA and/or the FAA seeking to mandate only foreign language skills, or cultural awareness?

 

[hula-flyguy]

I’m not sure I understand all this. Is AFA and/or the FAA seeking to mandate only foreign language skills, or cultural awareness?

Back in the day, LOD/O positions were ALWAYS filled, and could not be removed for a resked.. Then all of a sudden, that rule changed when a sr. f/a cried because she couldnt come off an equipment sub. Shortly after, the ruling came that all positions are equal (lod/o non lod/o) and the most sr. could be removed regardless of position. Soon after, that criteria was applied to rescheduling. The most jr is removed regardless of lodo/nonlodo.

My personal opinion is...it sucks. No flight built with a lod/o position should EVER leave the gate without a lod/o.

 

[flightattend21]

I’m not sure I understand all this. Is AFA and/or the FAA seeking to mandate only foreign language skills, or cultural awareness?

No this is America FAA is not requiring a thing. What FAA stated is that we have stringent rules as airline carriers of course they were proved wrong. International carriers outside of the USA have rules we do not. Be it cultural awareness and or foreign language skills. What the AFA is doing is taking a survey on whether we should have "cultural awareness" But again this is America the melting pot so just like the airlines we do not care that we are going overseas, as far as customer service goes we only speak American.

 

[etops1]

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3bK_...FpUPKPvdQ_3d_3d
there is a survey for culture training on afa website. it takes 2 minutes but it is well worth it. One of the things I asked for is mandatory speakers of destination on flights. Cannot tell you how hard it is to be the only one to help on a 330 or 67. My last flight we got in at 3:30 pm and I was still there (immigration) 6:00 pm . I have been told by a few pilots how they almost diverted because of not having a LODO on board.

you don't even know how much i agree with you on this. there should be at least 2 lodo's onboard the wide bodies.

 

[FlightChic]

you don't even know how much i agree with you on this. there should be at least 2 lodo's onboard the wide bodies.

I agree and flights that are supposed to have lodos should not ever go out without a lodo. I had to work a flt from CLT-MEX and MEX-CLT. We were on a 757 and we were supposed to have a lodo. Guess what? We didn't! Is anyone surprised? The flight was full and 99% of the people did not or would not speak English. I made the grave mistake of opening my big mouth and speaking Spanish. Let me tell you, I didn't sit down the entire flight. It was that bad. I made all announcements in Spanish and we played the safety video in English and in Spanish. I went to do the cabin walkthrough and I had to stop at just about every row and tell people to bring their seat backs and tray tables up and turn off PEDs and stuff. No speaky english they would say so told them in Spanish and made an additional announcement half way through the cabin. Then, when the did our beverage service, again, all in Spanish so I did my orders and interpreted for the other f/a on the cart at times but they made it through ok. Then, the real fun began - forms! I spent at least 2 solid hours on forms. I made the announcements with thorough instructions in English and in Spanish. We handed them all out. Then people kept calling me for another form or for help. I had people who couldn't read and write, they didn't understand what to do, they messed up and needed another form, had a million questions, etc. Since many didn't speak English the other f/as couldn't really help since they couldn't understand. Then, it was time for duty free and the other f/a set up the cart and we went through and people were still stopping me for forms. They wouldn't leave me alone for the rest of the flight. Lesson learned: next time I will get on the PA and tell everyone we will pass out forms and for them to get a black or blue ink pen and passports out and wait for me because we will do them together and I will go through each section as they fill it out. That's the teacher in me! It was the most stressful flight I have ever worked. We were all stressed and frustrated after that flight. The people were nice, they were just needy and didn't speak English. Luckily an agent was on board to help with bags. Our flight from MEX-CLT wasn't quite as bad but it wasn't all fun and games either. When I got back I claimed understaffing and lodo pay since I had to do the job of 2+ f/as but they wouldn't give it to me. I was furious. Even when I used to fly to MAD I never had a problem like that. It was pure craziness. All narrowbodies should have at least on lodo or it doesn't go and wide bodies at least 2, but 3 would be ideal, especially on the 330.

 

[hula-flyguy]

I agree 100%. It is shameful to send those flights with no lod/o

 

[etops1]

I agree and flights that are supposed to have lodos should not ever go out without a lodo. I had to work a flt from CLT-MEX and MEX-CLT. We were on a 757 and we were supposed to have a lodo. Guess what? We didn't! Is anyone surprised? The flight was full and 99% of the people did not or would not speak English. I made the grave mistake of opening my big mouth and speaking Spanish. Let me tell you, I didn't sit down the entire flight. It was that bad. I made all announcements in Spanish and we played the safety video in English and in Spanish. I went to do the cabin walkthrough and I had to stop at just about every row and tell people to bring their seat backs and tray tables up and turn off PEDs and stuff. No speaky english they would say so told them in Spanish and made an additional announcement half way through the cabin. Then, when the did our beverage service, again, all in Spanish so I did my orders and interpreted for the other f/a on the cart at times but they made it through ok. Then, the real fun began - forms! I spent at least 2 solid hours on forms. I made the announcements with thorough instructions in English and in Spanish. We handed them all out. Then people kept calling me for another form or for help. I had people who couldn't read and write, they didn't understand what to do, they messed up and needed another form, had a million questions, etc. Since many didn't speak English the other f/as couldn't really help since they couldn't understand. Then, it was time for duty free and the other f/a set up the cart and we went through and people were still stopping me for forms. They wouldn't leave me alone for the rest of the flight. Lesson learned: next time I will get on the PA and tell everyone we will pass out forms and for them to get a black or blue ink pen and passports out and wait for me because we will do them together and I will go through each section as they fill it out. That's the teacher in me! It was the most stressful flight I have ever worked. We were all stressed and frustrated after that flight. The people were nice, they were just needy and didn't speak English. Luckily an agent was on board to help with bags. Our flight from MEX-CLT wasn't quite as bad but it wasn't all fun and games either. When I got back I claimed understaffing and lodo pay since I had to do the job of 2+ f/as but they wouldn't give it to me. I was furious. Even when I used to fly to MAD I never had a problem like that. It was pure craziness. All narrowbodies should have at least on lodo or it doesn't go and wide bodies at least 2, but 3 would be ideal, especially on the 330.

where you a spanish lodo flightchic?

 

[FlightChic]

where you a spanish lodo flightchic?

I'm no longer a Spanish lodo. My juniority won't hold it. I used to be a lodo in PHL in 2001.

 

[etops1]

I'm no longer a Spanish lodo. My juniority won't hold it. I used to be a lodo in PHL in 2001.

do you have dark black hair ? just curios. pm me if you want.

 

[FlightChic]

do you have dark black hair ? just curios. pm me if you want.

acabo de mandarte un mensaje personal

 

[NAPAUS]

First of all US being a LCC ( or a hybrid - whatever the HELL that means ) picks and chooses a MISHMOSH of service and procedures. The company doesn't really know who they are - or who they WANT to be. This is the crux of the problem. So, people like this wonderful f/a who took it upon herself to use her language skills to help out the passengers enroute to MEX did exactly who US has always wanted it employees to do... Improvise and use whatever they have at their disposal. Why do you think so many "speakers" ( myself included ) either dropped out of the program or left for greener pastures. The co never appreciated or ever WILL the employee group they have. LODOs ( i've always hated that term, btw ) are a necessary part of airline that flies internationally - pure and simple. LODOs dont need cultural awareness, however EVERYBODY else at the airline could benefit from it...but TEMPE doesn't get it, and never will!

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> What the AFA is doing is taking a survey on whether we should have "cultural awareness"

Don’t give Tempe any ideas about cultural awareness training.

To them, that will mean a lunch break at the Fat Panda Buffet during Recurrent Training in preparation for the China service.