trip report 8/12

[swflyer]

I remember discussions with Management about this flight, Jim Wimberly saying that the block time was the same as DAL-AUS Uh, yeah, unless you take off on the right runway and land on the right runway, and you're only in the air, across the sound, for 20 minutes!!

First time, in a long time we were allowed to do an "abbreviated" service, juice and coffee in the morning. Sprite, Coke and Diet Coke after 8:30.

I got surprised by the shortness, more than once.

I flew WN a couple of times ISP-PVD back when they flew that route. Total flight time was 20 minutes and I was shocked that they did a beverage service on that flight. The plane wasn't full, but I was amazed that they not only attempted a beverage service but actually managed to serve everyone.

 

[mga707]

I got surprised by the shortness, more than once.

Well, guess if you don't have time to get to everyone you could always offer them one 'to go' as they deplane!

Your (meaning yourself and all of your colleagues) efforts are always appreciated here.
I've never been on a leg quite as short as DAL or HOU to AUS, but I've done MDW-IND more than once and the full drink/peanut service has always been successfully completed (with a smile), even with a full load of 137!

 

[KCFlyer]

Well, guess if you don't have time to get to everyone you could always offer them one 'to go' as they deplane!

Your (meaning yourself and all of your colleagues) efforts are always appreciated here.
I've never been on a leg quite as short as DAL or HOU to AUS, but I've done MDW-IND more than once and the full drink/peanut service has always been successfully completed (with a smile), even with a full load of 137!

The MCI-TUL flight I was on was also full. They did a full drink service...In the days before MCI was added to the list of "Wright cities", the OKC-MCI flight was VERY popular, and every flight I was on was full. It was not uncommon to be offered a SECOND drink (350 mile trip).

 

[orangeman]

I hate to generalize, so don't flame me, but possibly it's an East Coast thing with the rude passengers? I've only been on one WN flight in the Northeast, and I didn't notice any rudeness on that one, so I really can't say (that flight was ISP-BWI on the morning of 9/11/01, but that's a whole other story...)

There are rude passengers all across the country and there are nice/polite as well. It has been my experience that the Los Angeles area has the highest percentage of rudeness and or people who are mean to flight crews and each other. There are plenty of nice people as well, but they tend to be overshadowed. The middle U.S. seems to have the larger percentage of nice/polite folks. Mind that exceptions abound. Don't get me started on any flight from anywhere to Las Vegas!

 

[orangeman]

I remember discussions with Management about this flight, Jim Wimberly saying that the block time was the same as DAL-AUS Uh, yeah, unless you take off on the right runway and land on the right runway, and you're only in the air, across the sound, for 20 minutes!!

First time, in a long time we were allowed to do an "abbreviated" service, juice and coffee in the morning. Sprite, Coke and Diet Coke after 8:30.

I got surprised by the shortness, more than once.

Very true. Sadly, we have a shorter flight now that is considered a "full service" flight. We have zero "abbreviated service" flights now. After 18 plus years as a F/A, I am not lazy or slow. The flight I am speaking of is MCO-RSW. I have flown it 8 times total (mostly in stated diretion. All were full and I couldn't get all passengers served. The last two rows got nada. Not fair to them, yet somehow Mgmt. thinks a full plane (137 w/3 F/A's) warrants a full menu service. I made a note of the last three MCO-RSW flights and actual in-air flight times were 21 min./19 mi./17min. I smiled and gave free drinks to all (didn't collect during orders as I knew alot got nothing) Is this safe? NO! Do we do it because of passenger expectations? YES. If the flight is more than 30 minutes n the air and smooyh, no problem. 17 minutes airborne? Stupid! I still try because "That's my Job". I do smile during demo and the rest of other flights. It doesn't cost me anything to smile and I can't fathom how a smile deracts from the seriousness of a safety demo.

 

[mrman]

Very true. Sadly, we have a shorter flight now that is considered a "full service" flight. We have zero "abbreviated service" flights now. After 18 plus years as a F/A, I am not lazy or slow. The flight I am speaking of is MCO-RSW. I have flown it 8 times total (mostly in stated diretion. All were full and I couldn't get all passengers served. The last two rows got nada. Not fair to them, yet somehow Mgmt. thinks a full plane (137 w/3 F/A's) warrants a full menu service. I made a note of the last three MCO-RSW flights and actual in-air flight times were 21 min./19 mi./17min. I smiled and gave free drinks to all (didn't collect during orders as I knew alot got nothing) Is this safe? NO! Do we do it because of passenger expectations? YES. If the flight is more than 30 minutes n the air and smooyh, no problem. 17 minutes airborne? Stupid! I still try because "That's my Job". I do smile during demo and the rest of other flights. It doesn't cost me anything to smile and I can't fathom how a smile deracts from the seriousness of a safety demo.

You should try HOU-CRP. Always packed and very short

 

[jimntx]

I'll settle this argument vis-a-vis "are the SW f/as special or not."

First off, my bona fides:

1. I am a flight attendant with American Airlines.
2. I have been on every continent except Antarctica.
3. I traveled for business for many years prior to my current career as a f/a.
4. I have been a passenger on every major airline in the U.S. and most of the major foreign airlines (including BA, LHR, AF, KLM, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Thai, and Singapore) in every cabin--but most of this was F/C or B/C.

The answer: YES! The WN f/as are special. Given the job they have to do in the time allotted, they never cease to amaze me. I commute on WN a lot. I have NEVER run across a crabby, attitude-ridden f/a on WN--a event that happens a lot more than it should on AA, UA, and LCC. (Maybe their initial selection process is just a whole lot better than any of the rest of us.)

I'm guessing that it may have something to do with the fact that the management at WN values the f/as highly. The WN management recognizes that if their philosophy--"take care of your employees. They will take care of your passengers, and that will take care of your stockholders"--is to work, then the group of employees that spend the most time with your customers had best be taken care of.

When anyone tries to put down WN f/as, it's usually a case of sour grapes.

 

[swflyer]

Thanks, Jim!! I'll continue slipping you extra peanuts!!

I'll settle this argument vis-a-vis "are the SW f/as special or not."

The answer: YES! The WN f/as are special.

When anyone tries to put down WN f/as, it's usually a case of sour grapes.

 

[Black Magic]

Hopefully Piney Bob will be next. The real celebrations will begin, though, when Art gets his first RR ticket voucher and drink coupons in the mail .

I too can vouch for full beverage service on short, full flights......LAS-ONT, BHM-BNA, FLL-MCO....but most impressively AUS-HOU. Granted, the last round of drinks got served when the plane was roughly over Cypress-Fairbanks (a HOU suburb) but 137 was a lot of folks to serve in 28 mins enroute time.

I've preached it for years but there are some things more important (MUCH more important) than an assigned seat, to wit:

Cordial staff
Pleasant service
Clean aircraft
No nickel-and-diming
The feeling of never, ever, being molested (or worse) by the fare being charged
A comfortable Coach cabin
Bags either waiting for you in baggage claim or arriving there within a few moments of when you get there
No punitive change fees.
It gets down to this. WN knows what running an airline is supposed to be about and always has. The other guys are out there flapping. The management of US and other so called legacies are flagellating in a vacuum, for lack of a better way to put it.

And it all starts with each flight. Southwest looks at each flight...not each station, not each route....as a profit center. Employees seem to instinctively know that if they get a flight out on time, with a good load.....that the passengers will be happy and come back and spend more money. It's never "heck, it's just Harlingen, the passengers have no choice but us, we really don't need to worry about it." The employees make a concerted effort to ensure that each flight goes well, and they build their system one flight at a time.

Bravo I couldn't agree more!

 

[SharoninSAT]

The theme to this years Message to the Field is
"Every One Matters".