The Very Best Flight Attendants In Our Industry

[Fly4ALiving]

There's growing evidence that this latest wave of passenger discontent will not go away anytime soon. Americans in general have grown impatient with the lack of service while at the same time wanting to pay even less for it. JBLU has a new niche, less service and less money for fares, that's what the customer wants, that what he/she gets. It's a simple business plan. Infact JBLU runs an ad where the F/A says something along the lines, the passenger wanted a blanket, and I gave him one. AA on the other hand wants to give the passengers the WORLD, then hands the passenger a bag a peanuts.

TWA or at least the logo, is still a valuable commodity that AA owns. It's time to separate the company into different services, because even in good times ahead, the passenger will continue to use the internet to search for the cheapest fare. The Genie is out of the bottle. AA is becoming it's own worse enemy. The time has come for AA to move to create a lighter version of herself, a mini me, sort of.

Give the passenger their peanuts on American and their caviar on Trans World.

Ted, Song, Jetblue and Southwest Air are here to stay, we just can't wish them away.

The "Trans World" name equaled "Caviar"????

Certainly not from the Icahn days forward.

Face it, any value from the "Trans World" or "TWA" name was lost long ago, long before the acquisition.

 

[twasilverbullet]

The "Trans World" name equaled "Caviar"????

Certainly not from the Icahn days forward.

Face it, any value from the "Trans World" or "TWA" name was lost long ago, long before the acquisition.

Don't even go there!!! :angry:

 

[Fly4ALiving]

Don't even go there!!! :angry:

I already did. Too late. 🙄

 

[AAStew]

It is a good thing to be proud of your airline but fly4living is right. When I was a young girl TWA conjured up thoughts of glamour, beautiful airplanes, exoctic places. Towards the end we all just wondered how they kept flying, shabby airplanes, etc. Notice I say perception.
Not to say AA does not have it's own perception attached to it. It seems we will now be known for MEAN flight attendants!
And as for Jetblue and that commercial, they are very smart and this is where AA has totally screwd themselves (IMHO). They expect nothing but you go on board and you are offered drinks and a choice of snack plus blankets at s LOW price. We at AA are lucky if we can offer them a blanket! Most of the time we can't. A choice of snack? Yeah right....
In my earlier posts I say I have a positive attitude at work but it is one of the hardest things to do. Thankfully I work mostly IFS where we still have food, but on those Carribean and domestic legs, it is downright embarrassing! And what some of those poor people get charged! Especially the Dominicans!
The entire company needs a complete overhaul, it is just plain sad.

 

[AAquila]

With regards to the Caribbean here again it's a question of perception, or ethinicity training that has fallen short on AA. There are still too many types of aircraft, too many services or not enough of them.

On the blanket issue:
Too many F/A's really don't care or just to want to ask for new blankets on these flights, ( meanwhile at JFK's hanger there are literally thousands in bins, just collecting dust ) One F/A tells me why do ( they ), need blankets they're going to a warm climate anyway".yet another on the CDG flight, says " we must have a blanket on each seat, this is a Paris flight". WHY?

Then there's the aircraft, the Airbus, AKA the SCAREBUS. The engineers must of had there heads up their rears, when they designed the laboratores. The actuator ( flush ) button is consealed when the commode seat lid is up, so passenger can't find it. The garbage bins are not clearly marked, the wall are the color brown, and the lighting in the cramped area is too low. After just the first passenger's use the place becomes unbearable. So what you have is the formula for anger and confrontation, poor training and poor service.

Seat pocket material; too many company magazines that get in the way of cleaning the aircarft quickly. Each seat has about 1.5 lbs of reading material ( that's a lot of jet fuel BTW ). Clean aircraft, a snack, a cold drink and a warm smile, 😀 that's what they need.

There's no question about it if AA is to survive as a leader, then they must lead. JBLU hasn't reinvented flying, they've only reduce it to it's simplest form. The passenger asked for a blanket, so I gave her one. Simple as that.

Less is more, if done correctly

On a sad note, most of us TWAers now at AA agree that we're seeing AA in TWA's flight path, the bonus gimmicks. They don't last, give the people training and everyone benefits.

 

[TransWorldONE]

Whatever anyones perception of TWA was in the last few years is their own...We may have gone from chic to shabby in some peoples eyes, but we never lost our reputation for gracious service. I was there when the Rosenthal china left, when the Mumms Cordon Rouge left, when the caviar cart went, when the chilled salad forks left, but we did more with pretzels than anyone in the sky.... and we used a silver tray to pick up the trash in first class... until the bitter end.

 

[twasilverbullet]

I already did. Too late. 🙄

so I can't trash you (AA) but it's ok for you to trash TWA? Don't get me started!!
Next time there will be no apologies from me!
:censored: :angry:

 

[AACREWMEMBER]

so I can't trash you (AA) but it's ok for you to trash TWA? Don't get me started!!
Next time there will be no apologies from me!
:censored: :angry:

Silverbullet, do not pay attention. There are many like him, people like him do not deserve the time of day.

In Solidarity with TWA,
AACM

 

[TransWorldONE]

Silverbullet, do not pay attention. There are many like him, people like him do not deserve the time of day.

In Solidarity with TWA,
AACM

It's called "rising" above.

I for one am tired of the nastiness that perpetuates the reason the origional letter was sent out.

Thanks for your "class" crewmember

 

[flydcoop]

This may be all over the place, I've had a 12+hr day...

If I've had enough rest, I'm incredibly pleasant. If I am sleep-deprived, My temper is much shorter. I don't like this trend at all but it is the truth.

If I am hungry and have no time to grab food "to go", magnify this. I am human. I understand many of Upper Management's decisions in the big scheme but this one does not fly under "Pull Together, Win Together".

An example today was a pax left a Dillard's garment bag in the gate area. He advised us after the door was closed. We sat at the gate in DFW for an eternity before being informed of this. I advised the cockpit and the pax was totally cool with the garment bag being sent on the next flight.

Suddenly, Pax Service is coming back on the A/C, we were shocked. "Wow, they are bringing it onboard!" Umm, no...they were told by the ramp that maintenance was needed onboard (Remember the game in grade school where one person whispered something to the person next to them and by the time it got to the end of the line it was completely different?). The agent or OC proceeds to lambast US for bringing the bridge back to the plane under false pretenses. Voices carry in the galley and ALL of F/C heard her.

I advised the agent that the door was already opened, why not bring the garment bag onboard. She basically told us that she would not do that and would probably not put it on the next BWI flight.

We had the pax name, address, phone, and seat number written down before the door was ever opened. I understand the dreaded "DELAY" drama but my point was the damn door was already opened. LOOK FOR THE BAG, PASS IT THROUGH THE COCKPIT WINDOW IF NECESSARY (it would have fit) and you have won a pax for life. They failed miserably. I said, "Sweetheart, the door is already opened, the delay will be argued, you might as well bring the bag onboard". If it had not been minimum crew, I would have walked off and gotten it myself. I'm so sick of the PR talk .

Interestingly, as I was taking preferences, a Platinum says, "you were right". I say, "I don't care about being right, I care about doing the right thing. "

I suggest that instead of sending letters to F/As whipping us for our supposed transgressions (and many are legitimate), chastising the DFW Tower instead. They are a major customer service failure...does it matter that they are classified as Operations? I once was sent out pre-9/11 DFW-BOS with Guadalajara's catering...that would be NO MEALS for a 4 hour flight. That's A-OK by the DFW Tower...as long as that gate is freed up and there are no delays.

I hate to be so cynical but at some point, you are weary of issuing apologies. No excuses but this crap (garment bag) would have never happened to Executive Management. Hell, They would have delayed the flight and coded it to something else to hide it. This, in my opinion, is our ultimate downfall. I understand the need to free up the gate and on-time departures but by the time this OC/agent finished berating us and contacting the Tower, she could have walked her *SS out to the gate, found the bag, and placed it onboard.

I am sick of upper management's immediate family members travelling Positive Space and bumping Revenue Upgrades or WORSE, Full-Fare First Class. This is without the PS A2/A4/A6 cardholder travelling.

As far as I'm concerned, it is "Revenue-abuse" or "Restricting Output" as us Peons call it. You do not deserve a bonus for that.

That would be a great lawsuit, "Restricting Output", for those PS cardholders that deny F/C to Full-Fare F/C or Upgrades...hmmm....

Coop

now SLT

 

[AAStew]

Coop,
I am being serious here, why don't you send a maybe modified letter to Laurie Curtis, Arpey,Tiliacos and maybe the press. Can they fire us for this? You are absolutely right in feeling the way you do, this is crap! Apparently AA only responds to negative publicity.
Sorry you had to go through such ####!

 

[AAquila]

I am sick of upper management's immediate family members travelling Positive Space and bumping Revenue Upgrades or WORSE, Full-Fare First Class. This is without the PS A2/A4/A6 cardholder travelling.

Again, this is just one the areas where AA could make quick, painless revenue enhancing changes. All-leather seating in Main, a slightly wider than main in Business and No F/C. Call it Ambassador Class or Silver Eagle, simply a warm meal and blanket, a crisply linened pillow, drinks and a smile.

Less bumping, less services, less cleaning up = more money, happy passengers and happy F/As/.

Simple 😀

 

[flydcoop]

Coop,
I am being serious here, why don't you send a maybe modified letter to Laurie Curtis, Arpey,Tiliacos and maybe the press. Can they fire us for this? You are absolutely right in feeling the way you do, this is crap! Apparently AA only responds to negative publicity.
Sorry you had to go through such ####!

Honestly, AAStew, I was not the one going through the S***, the poor pax did.

I know what drama and bureaucratic crap he is going to go through with a "lost article" report (this was not checked baggage). It was something that could have been easily resolved in 2-3 minutes.

I know we were supposed to "powerback" and we sat at the gate approx. 10 mins after departure time. I have a feeling that the "maintenance" issue was an airstart.

I could have fried the agent/OC in oil for her response but I have to say I was very disappointed in the TWA pilots response. I geniunely like these guys and what I've noticed in my time on the TWA certificate is that they are a bit scared to exercise their authority. What I've heard about how TWA operated is that they all worked together to please the pax but make it work for the company...as far as I'm concerned, "they got it". AA could really learn from this . There is a delicate balance between "bottom line" and "pax satisfaction" that should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. There is no one probable situation set in stone.

As arrogant as the AA pilots can sometimes be, I felt that they would have walked off the plane and gotten the garment bag themselves and said, "MY delay".

We were at the gate, either awaiting an airstart or traffic to clear. They didn't have to open the door.

I have thought of writing a letter regarding this, I just need to calm down a bit!

My personal opinion is that TWA pilots have difficulty assimilating into AA's corporate culture. This was not how TWA operated. I know what AA employees are capable of and, unfortunately, AA management always gets in our way. I work for this company because of my co-workers and choice of bases. Management is this annoying little mosquito buzzing in my ear as I attempt to sleep.

I just hope that Management doesn't convene a Focus group to "study" what is important to passengers. This is a no-brainer and I'm tired of people justifying their jobs.

Having been forced to STL in July, it has been an experience that I will never forget. The TWA pilots did not want to like us but many have admitted they grudgingly liked us once they realized how much we hated AA Mgmt. They thought we were these "rah-rah" cheerleader/poster children. I truly believe we helped them understand many things about AA.

About the TWA F/As, I don't know what I believe anymore. I believe the APFA shut them out unfairly when they have so much to offer. I'm a compAAny transfer and I thought I had it neat and laid out...I don't. On one hand, I say, "they should have reviewed our record with acquistions" (Reno...who I am junior to, despite company seniority) and on the other hand, "they DID NOT deserve this".

I find it ironic that STL/SLT is far more sympathetic to their plight than the other bases (ESPECIALLY DFW/IDF). We are junior and have had many TWA furloughs on our flights. You are lovely people and I'm frankly glad it is in the courts now. I accept whatever decision is made.

It may mean I am on the streets but I don't agree with the 5 year recall. Agents have a 10 year recall. One of your biggest supporters is an AA furloughee who has taken more heat on the 4M than I care to disclose. One of your biggest opponents is an IDF F/A who sounds suspiciously like "Chicken Little". He also became one of JW's biggest supporters and fell for the biggest lie of all. This is why JW won by all of 5 votes.

Just my opinion,

Coop

 

[L1011Ret]

Coop, your posting is a pleasant reply based upon your personal experience of others rather than labeling TWAers or AAers some nasty name. All we really have to truthfully base our opinions on is our experience of them. The rest is somebody's use of labels for political purposes. The TWAers know about JN based in DFW/IDF and consider him a hateful person. He is also a rabid JW follower.

The TWAers suit has merit and I think they will win eventually. However, I do not believe any settlement would entail loss of AAers jobs. The courts will not penalize the AAers for the harm of their union or AA. In my view, individual union members cannot be held responsible for the actions of their union or employer. Something will be worked out in other ways. It may be quite moot in some ways. A number of TWAers are retireing, some may be recalled before any court settlement and some may not want to come back.

 

[flydcoop]

AAquila,

We could add all those bells and whistles but we can barely afford to add extended overhead bin space and powerports to the cross-over TWA A/C.

This is what is important to our Frequent Flyers. Many are avoiding the 757 at all costs (the A300 really affects very few). Don't blame them at all.

Many "stews" have flipped on ExP's being offered Comp UPGs. I only "flip" because I find more PLTs spend far more "butt time" in the seats than EXPs. Usually the EXPs have been "awarded" that status. They may be in charge of the travel decisions but the PLTs spend the time in the seats. When I see a Million-Miler, I literally bow down b/c they have flown more than I ever will.

This is why I prefer F/C, I know who my bread and butter is.

My job is to ensure they return, it's very simple.

If a PLT gets a comp UPG you have to understand that they have flown on us enough to deserve that. Unfortunately, AA does not make that message known to F/As.

I truly believe AA changed the final paperwork because so many former AAgents could read it. If you get the pre-departure paperwork, you know who has been upgraded. Who really cares?

You reward loyalty, plain and simple.

It's an ugly industry right now. I will not bash Jetblue because I met someone who works for them. They fly a lot but they "get it".

They may be doing East Coast-West Coast turns (UGLY!) but they are onboard with their CEO...I really can't say the same.

My problem with AA is "Pull together, Win together". AA Mgmt has NO CLUE as to what this means.

I really want to like G. Arpey because he has 20 + years with AA but I just don't trust him.

Bethune cracks me up, I think he gets it but I would need to hear from his employees.

When Bethune does his "sound-bites" I believe he's "got it" but I am Southern so don't piss on my head and tell me it's rainin'.

Coop