US Airways' First Class Gets an Upgrade!

[SS255]

What are you talking about? There was a whole domestic focus group set up comprised of flight attendants from each base. There is also a Shuttle focus group, and an international focus group made up of flight attendants. They most certainly were involved in these changes. I believe there was a list published awhile back on Wings.

Perhaps what arose from the focus group is that US cannot eliminate the snack basket entirely. That may have been the original plan, and the "compromise" was to eliminate it on flights under 90 minutes, and to keep a very tight control over it on all other flights.

I have read a few reports on the new food service (and glassware) on Flyertalk, and it seems to be going over very well. On the other hand, one of the posters said that he was sitting in Row 3, and by the time the snack basket got to him, some of the choices were already gone. I think that US needs to do a better job of managing the inventory. I don't see why pre-packaged snack baskets are necessary, unless the goal is to just run out when they run out, and they don't really care. I foresee a lot of FA's hoarding the more popular snacks when there are leftovers, so they can refresh the snack basket on other flights.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Perhaps what arose from the focus group is that US cannot eliminate the snack basket entirely. That may have been the original plan, and the "compromise" was to eliminate it on flights under 90 minutes, and to keep a very tight control over it on all other flights.

Sounds basically right, and I quote the company:

"Another key objective for this new program was to reduce waste and reallocate
expenditures to fund other areas of the food product where we were falling short."

Jim

 

[Barrister]

I'm not sure the 737 flies any legs long enough to have a meal.

Jim

Of course they do idiot....get back over to the pilot thread where you belong!!

NICDOA
NPJB

 

[etops1]

Of course they do idiot....get back over to the pilot thread where you belong!!

NICDOA
NPJB

OK ,Really? Was that remark really necessary ?? Boeing boy is a well respected Poster on here and one of our respected retired pilots whom i wish i had the pleasure of working with when he was at airways . Maybe your the Idiot (sorry mods but this poster deserved that )..

 

[BoeingBoy]

Of course they do idiot....get back over to the pilot thread where you belong!!

OK, what routes smartazz. There were only a few when I retired and I assumed that the longer ones were being dropped as the 37's were retired.

Jim

 

[BoeingBoy]

Of course they do idiot....get back over to the pilot thread where you belong!!

OK, what routes smartazz. There were only a few when I retired and I assumed that the longer ones were switching to the Airbuses as the 37's were being retired.

Jim

 

[Travelpro72]

Today we have the "new" USAirways flying around with no idea who they want to be. You have an airline paying employees to do surveys counting first class snacks, calling food tidbits and upgrading/downgrading products. Seriously, this company as someone mentioned here all but gave the FF's the finger in favor of chasing after the nonrefundable, cheap ticket customers. I get that as a company you have to evolve and change with the times BUT this company is run by such small minded money people that have NO IDEA how to compete with the likes of the new Delta, United and Continental. They really don't know how to treat customers the same way. US offers a product that management believes is on par with the others and you WILL NOT change their mind. Ya see, it's that "invented the wheel" problem they have.

 

[Harry Callahan]

OK ,Really? Was that remark really necessary ?? Boeing boy is a well respected Poster on here and one of our respected retired pilots whom i wish i had the pleasure of working with when he was at airways . Maybe your the Idiot (sorry mods but this poster deserved that )..

+1000. And a very good friend of mine.

 

[Barrister]

OK ,Really? Was that remark really necessary ?? Boeing boy is a well respected Poster on here and one of our respected retired pilots whom i wish i had the pleasure of working with when he was at airways . Maybe your the Idiot (sorry mods but this poster deserved that )..

Point well taken except for the well respected part........He thinks it is OK to place a new hire with 3 months senior to
a 17 year employee so I am a little biased.!!

NICDOA
NPJB

 

[SS255]

+1000. And a very good friend of mine.

And mine, too!

 

[SS255]

Sounds basically right, and I quote the company:

"Another key objective for this new program was to reduce waste and reallocate
expenditures to fund other areas of the food product where we were falling short."

Jim

Cost neutral, indeed!!!

I do think that -- in a cost neutral environment -- US made the right decision by "reallocating expenditures" to be closer in line with their competitors. But the truth of the matter is that if you really want to improve the overall product, you have to do more than rob from Peter to pay Paul. You have to spend more money. If you don't increase the "food product" budget, something else will suffer. And I think that all of you who work the F cabins will see evidence of the slippage in short order. But ya gotta give 'em credit for being creative!

To the hard-working FA's on this board: Good luck managing customer expectations. And take heart in the knowledge that some of us do not fly to eat (or to snack, as the case may be).

 

[Art at ISP]

+1000. And a very good friend of mine.

And mine too..... and he IS very well respected both on here and in the real world...except by those who do not agree with his opinion...

Barrister I am sorry sir but you were way out of line here....the ongoing drama between the pilots' groups has NOTHING to do with the topic of this thread.

Stepping off the rant box now.

 

[WorldTraveler]

glad to see the troops rally around Jim. Even those who haven't met him in person wouldn't hesitate to vouch for his character after years on this board.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Point well taken except for the well respected part........He thinks it is OK to place a new hire with 3 months senior to
a 17 year employee so I am a little biased.!!

NICDOA
NPJB

Well he seems to be rather well respected by most everyone here who doesn't have a single issue agenda. Just a small point here if I may. This is NOT the pilot thread. In fact it's one of the few customer oriented threads active and I do recall a time when this board was filthy with loyal customers. NOT ANY MORE and you might do well to inquire as to why that is.

For me the contempt that Tempe has for customers coupled with the non stop bickering (Think Pilots) was enough for me to back way off. I went from speaking out in the media to behind the scenes customer advocate to not giving a fat rat's arse what happens at US and sadly a big part of it the attitude of some (this would be you) and the subsequent name calling and insults directed at some really classy people like Jim.

I now return you to your own private #### fest. If arrogance equaled seniority you be #1 on the list, 1488 pages on the pilot thread and you just couldn't leave this one alone?

 

[flyus2]

Perhaps what arose from the focus group is that US cannot eliminate the snack basket entirely. That may have been the original plan, and the "compromise" was to eliminate it on flights under 90 minutes, and to keep a very tight control over it on all other flights.

I have read a few reports on the new food service (and glassware) on Flyertalk, and it seems to be going over very well. On the other hand, one of the posters said that he was sitting in Row 3, and by the time the snack basket got to him, some of the choices were already gone. I think that US needs to do a better job of managing the inventory. I don't see why pre-packaged snack baskets are necessary, unless the goal is to just run out when they run out, and they don't really care. I foresee a lot of FA's hoarding the more popular snacks when there are leftovers, so they can refresh the snack basket on other flights.

Guess it just depends on where you are going. I have flown 3 FLA out and backs over the last couple of days and the pre-packaged snack basket was more than enough.....plenty not used. I have heard only good things about the new service from customers...............I think its all in the way we present it. Yes, I'm sure I'll run out of an item on the menu, but that's life. Remember the bottom line is we are providing transportation to the customers, not potato chiips....and if they don't want to fly with us because we ran out of chips....so be it!!! Why can't we just look at the positive side for a change? This whole launch involved a flight attendant involvement team who met regularly and presented their ideas...............I think it's a step in the right direction.