Tempe Going CHEAP on the A330-200's

[US Oringinal]

Air Asia just got their first A330's and the seat pitch will be 31 and they are calling it "comfortable"

Seems to be a standard these days.

AIR ASIA= Asia's new "budget" airline...

WHO'S "THEY"????

Who's calling 31" seat pitch comfortable on a 12 hours flight? Certainly no one over 5'9".

Also, I promise you that rows 34-39 on our A330's DO NOT HAVE 31" OF SEAT PITCH--NO WAY, NO HOW!!!

Our flight crews deal with ANGRY, UNCOMFORTABLE, AND FRUSTRATED passengers everyday in coach on our A330's to and from Europe. It's a HUGE issue when passengers actually cannot fit into seats--given the seat-pitch. It happens on almost every flight!

It wasn't this way until Tempe crammed more rows of coach seating in these aircraft 2 years ago!

Tempe knows that seat pitch is a problem on the current A330's...so why are they going to bring new aircraft online with the exact same seat pitch????

 

[Black Magic]

Let me ask you something....IS the average customer willing to PAY for more amenities such as a "full fare" PREMIUM ECONOMY PRODUCT? I think we all know what the answer is.

The average airline customer almost always wants a fare "ON THE CHEAP" but of course expects full amenities to go along with that.

Customer PERCEPTION is not always REALITY. Why should US Airways invest in a product that the average consumer is unwilling to pay for? Why would any company for that matter?

The problem is US doesnt price it's product accordingly to the other carriers. US prices are the same if not more than the competition yet you get better service with another airline. It's like you getting jacked twice!

 

[US Oringinal]

Let me ask you something....IS the average customer willing to PAY for more amenities such as a "full fare" PREMIUM ECONOMY PRODUCT? I think we all know what the answer is.

The average airline customer almost always wants a fare "ON THE CHEAP" but of course expects full amenities to go along with that.

Customer PERCEPTION is not always REALITY. Why should US Airways invest in a product that the average consumer is unwilling to pay for? Why would any company for that matter?

USAIRWAYS IS NOT LESS EXPENSIVE---IN SOME INSTANCES WE ARE MORE EXPENSIVE

And if customers think we offer lousy service, then perceptions DO MATTER.

WE OFFER LOUSY SERVICE...and if we don't start being competitive, then we all lose.

Seriously, your kind of reasoning (the "average customer") I've heard before directly from Tempe. And you know what folks, that kind of reasoning isn't working.

And by the way...if United's Premium Economy wasn't working...it would have been gone a long time ago..it drives TONS of business for them..that's why premium economy is being offered more and more.......

 

[PHLfa88]

I read the email from AFA on the issue. What a joke. I see Cindy Simone offered us an ottoman for our feet? That woman needs to be shipped back to moon township. Where will she get them, Pier One? Will they have a shoop design? Did anyone tell her the FAA will require them to be secured? Not to mention sitting upright trying to rest is horrible as it is! These people are whackadoos. AFA needs to fight harder. It's BS and not industry standard.

Yeah this is the same Cindy Simone that did my F/A training YEARS ago and told us in class...And I quote! " I am a White Knuckle Flyer" Unquote! and this women was our Instructor!! Real PRETTY!! Let's give her a Hard Stool to sit on for 8hrs in her office!! See how her Arse Feels!!! FIGHT AFA...FIGHT!!

 

[PHLfa88]

I Heard ffrom the grape vine to look for 2 South Amercian flts from CLT in the fall of next year with 330-200 A/C..

 

[HPearlyretiree]

AIR ASIA= Asia's new "budget" airline...

WHO'S "THEY"????

Who's calling 31" seat pitch comfortable on a 12 hours flight? Certainly no one over 5'9".

Also, I promise you that rows 34-39 on our A330's DO NOT HAVE 31" OF SEAT PITCH--NO WAY, NO HOW!!!

Our flight crews deal with ANGRY, UNCOMFORTABLE, AND FRUSTRATED passengers everyday in coach on our A330's to and from Europe. It's a HUGE issue when passengers actually cannot fit into seats--given the seat-pitch. It happens on almost every flight!

It wasn't this way until Tempe crammed more rows of coach seating in these aircraft 2 years ago!

Tempe knows that seat pitch is a problem on the current A330's...so why are they going to bring new aircraft online with the exact same seat pitch????

Air Asia is THEY, chill out.

Guess what? The USAirways of 10 years ago is gone, and it wouldn't be able to compete today, times change, life sucks, deal with it

 

[CLTUSCaptive]

Longtime lurker here, I had to register to respond to this post. I have been US Gold or Silver since 1990. I take 3 to 4 transatlantic trips a year on non-discounted fares. After flying CLT - FRA last year I will NEVER fly US transatlantic again. The seat pitch and recline are absolutely unacceptable for a flight of this length, and I am an average size man. I can't imagine how a large person could tolerate it. I bought E+ membership for a year and believe me, those extra 4" make a huge difference. United and BA get my TA business from now on. I could care less about IFE, as I read or sleep, but I will miss the US FA's. They do an amazing job with so little to work with.

 

[US Oringinal]

Air Asia is THEY, chill out.

Guess what? The USAirways of 10 years ago is gone, and it wouldn't be able to compete today, times change, life sucks, deal with it

GREAT ATTITUDE!!!!!

..especially the "life sucks" part

Probably best you retired......

...And sorry...as long as Tempe refuses to listen to it's customers or front-line employees we will continue to be LAST in customer satisfaction.....and won't be "competing" much longer...

 

[HPearlyretiree]

No, I'm a realist, I move on when I am not happy. You don't like the airlines? Go somewhere that will make you happy, its not anyone else's job, but yours.

 

[US Oringinal]

Longtime lurker here, I had to register to respond to this post. I have been US Gold or Silver since 1990. I take 3 to 4 transatlantic trips a year on non-discounted fares. After flying CLT - FRA last year I will NEVER fly US transatlantic again. The seat pitch and recline are absolutely unacceptable for a flight of this length, and I am an average size man. I can't imagine how a large person could tolerate it. I bought E+ membership for a year and believe me, those extra 4" make a huge difference. United and BA get my TA business from now on. I could care less about IFE, as I read or sleep, but I will miss the US FA's. They do an amazing job with so little to work with.

THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR POST, SIR!!!

I work the A330's to/from Europe all the time and the seat pitch IS horrendous--they say it's 31"--but I doubt it seriously.

We will miss your business. Hopefully the message will get through someday to Tempe, that if we continue to treat our customers like "revenue", eventually they WILL book away from us.

On every single TransAtlantic flight I work on the A330's, I am constantly told by coach passengers "never again" due to the seat pitch situation. It's a problem, Tempe knows it, yet refuses to fix it--and in fact are ordering our new airecraft with the same seat-pitch.

Again. I'm sorry we're losing your business....USAirways once recognized that you and people like you were our bread and butter and worked hard to earn your continued business,... but this new group doesn't get it at all......

 

[US Oringinal]

No, I'm a realist, I move on when I am not happy. You don't like the airlines? Go somewhere that will make you happy, its not anyone else's job, but yours.

SEE, That's the difference!!! I love my job and I am happy. I just think that TEMPE is doing a terrible job running the airline...and the DOT complaint numbers bear that out. Having seen 5 different mgt groups in 25 years, this group takes the cake....and not in a good way!

I was here when they came in, I'll be here when they go!

(again..just my opinions)

 

[US Oringinal]

Unless I get fired for being "mouthy"
( I got a feeling I might get "called in" again this week)

 

[SS255]

Let me ask you something....IS the average customer willing to PAY for more amenities such as a "full fare" PREMIUM ECONOMY PRODUCT? I think we all know what the answer is.

The average airline customer almost always wants a fare "ON THE CHEAP" but of course expects full amenities to go along with that.

Customer PERCEPTION is not always REALITY. Why should US Airways invest in a product that the average consumer is unwilling to pay for? Why would any company for that matter?

I am willing to pay extra to get extra. And I don't think that I'm alone. Oh, and if I were flying to TLV it would come out of my pocket, not out of my company's coffers.

Many companies are not willing to spring for J class, but they will pony up some extra Benjamins so their employees can be more comfortable on an 8 or 10 hour flight. I think that US missed a tremendous opportunity by not installing a Y+ section. It could really have helped them turn around the perception of their brand.

The problem with most airlines is that business class is unaffordable, and coach is unbearable, unless you have bulkhead or exit row. I personally believe that there is an untapped market for people who will pay more to get more.....but they won't pay 5X or 10X more. And there's not a whole lot of "Y+ competition" on the N. America to TLV routes, so any airline that offers it should really do well with it. I personally think that Y+ is one of the best "inventions" in the history of aviation.

 

[SS255]

Longtime lurker here, I had to register to respond to this post. I have been US Gold or Silver since 1990. I take 3 to 4 transatlantic trips a year on non-discounted fares. After flying CLT - FRA last year I will NEVER fly US transatlantic again. The seat pitch and recline are absolutely unacceptable for a flight of this length, and I am an average size man. I can't imagine how a large person could tolerate it. I bought E+ membership for a year and believe me, those extra 4" make a huge difference. United and BA get my TA business from now on. I could care less about IFE, as I read or sleep, but I will miss the US FA's. They do an amazing job with so little to work with.

Welcome to USAviation, CLTUSCaptive. I'm sure that you are not alone in your sentiment. In fact, I know you're not alone, because I feel the exact same way. Inflight comfort (primarily legroom, as I am an average-built woman) is my most important consideration, and I will pay a modest premium to ensure it. I don't need Envoy per se, and I don't even need additional inflight amenities. I just need something less torturous than 31". And I would sacrifice IFE in a New York minute for the extra legroom.

 

[etops1]

ed bular says that the A330-200's were not designed to have crew bunks installed in them. i say he is full of s#it. they just do not want to put them in. and they can shove those ottomans up their ass!! this is a safety issue plain and simple. and its an insult to the the f/a group . its a very hot topic between afa and the company and it shouldn't be. i e-mailed andrew nocella about this and he told me that the A330-200's were not considered long haul a/c . they are a replacement a/c for the 767's therefore no crew quarters will be installed. TLV is blocked to 12:50 on the way back. it can easily go to 13 hrs. it is a long ass redeye. departing TLV at 12am lcl time and arriving PHL at 510 am lcl time .i personally think this trip will go junior as it does at continental .