US Airways Names New Vice President of InFlight Services

[Iheartflying]

What are your thoughts about a dedicated "A" or purser?

I think it's a great idea. I would rather have someone up there who is qualified and knows how to do the job right.

 

[etops1]

I think a "CSD" or "A" program is a great idea. It's long overdue.

 

[beachboy]

Unless it's an ADD position with independant testing, forget it in this contract. Without that it takes a bid position away and is just the typical pets that get picked.

 

[Travelpro72]

A purser program would be great but I agree with beachboy. Unless it is an "ADD" position it will take a position off of the flight attendants. The usual people who (well I won't say) will be the ones signing up and being picked like they do to hand out ice cream on appreciation day. NO WAY. You test for it and it's an "ADD" position or it won't see the light of day.

 

[Dog Wonder]

make a phone call to John Romantic

John Romantic. Architect of the SHARES cutover.

Meet him personally with Security and give him a long overdue boot.

This halfwit has cost the company millions in real money. Much more in ill will.

 

[Zarah]

A purser program would be great but I agree with beachboy. Unless it is an "ADD" position it will take a position off of the flight attendants. The usual people who (well I won't say) will be the ones signing up and being picked like they do to hand out ice cream on appreciation day. NO WAY. You test for it and it's an "ADD" position or it won't see the light of day.

I think the union commented on this within the last yearish. Something about they were against it because it violated seniority.

 

[SolidCactus]

One step at a time would be best.

First maybe we could get the F/A's off their laptops in the Galley, Stop reading & doing their bid sheets, playing sudoko etc etc etc.

Once that gets done I think the next step would be a consistent level of service across the system.

IMO, US is a long way from a purser program although I think it an excellent idea.

I know if I was a F/A, and all I had to offer my passengers was a snack basket and drinks - I too would hide behind bid sheets, sudoko and my laptop. You can only offer someone Sun Chips, Fiesta Mix and Granola Bars two or three times before they give you a death stare.

I just flew a PBI/EWR leg on CO today and I watched the service from start to finish. It took two F/A's to serve our FC cabin, virtually the entire flight. It was a 738 and had 16 FC seats. One F/A did drinks the entire flight and the other served the food and bussed the cabin. We had a choice of a Chicken Salad or a Hot Roast Beef sandwich, Spicy Chicken Soup, bowl of fruit and Milano Cookies. This is only a 2 hr, 20 min flight.

What I'm trying to say is, give the F/A's a product they can be proud of, and something consistent, and I think they would "work it". There is only so much you can do with lousy snacks, cheap wine, and plastic cups.

I've been flying CO since October 08, and I can tell you for a fact that people pay for the FC cabin, myself included. It doesnt matter what your status is. Any fare less than a B, and there is a slim chance that you'll ever see FC on CO.

If US improved the product, they should do what CO does - upgrades are by FARE CLASS and Status - and the product is worth paying for.

 

[Travelpro72]

Absolutely Zarah. Look, watching someone fly "A" or "CSD" simply because they can due to seniority drives me crazy when you know they stink. But that's just it. It's your seniority. If they tried to implement it without being an "ADD" position that would be one less position for you and I who were NOT in the purser program. So hell no. If the company wanted to implement an "ADD" position that you could sort of bid into or train for GREAT! ! How about a purser on the A321 to the left coast? You'd then only have B and C to bid and the extra. The company ain't payin' and we ain't givin' up no seniority.

 

[etops1]

I think the union commented on this within the last yearish. Something about they were against it because it violated seniority.

That is pure bulls#it. The union sometimes hinders us from moving foward with some of their nonsense. Like this issue and hiring speakers off the street for the new and returning intl flights. I do not find it a violation of senioritiy at all. They can treat the "CSD" program like they do the LOD/O program. As far as hiring speakers off the street. They are hired for their talent. They can only fly the trips they are hired for and if its seasonal ,then they are hired as a seasonal f/a . If they are told this from the beginning and they agree to it ,i see no issue with it. The union needs to get with the program as wel as the company does. It goes both ways here.

 

[Travelpro72]

If a flight has a lodo it has one right off the bat. It's not biddable to anyone but a lodo. Now if the position can't be filled sometimes it goes empty or they will throw a regular f/a in the lodo position. I know first hand. If they all of the sudden made a purser program for lets say t/a flights it would now leave f/a's not in the "purser" program eight positions to fly. You don't think that would cause a problem? You think the company is going to add another f/a to the aircraft in addition to the current number? No way. If you do the purser program without it being an "ADD" position it TAKES away a position from all of the other flight attendants. NO! !

Also I'll add again that if they had a purser program some way, some how we'd see the SAME group of people that do little things here and there slid in as pursers. We stay with pilots cause we always have. We never had a purser program so we most likely never will. Seems to be the way of the US world. ADD the position or it won't fly.

 

[etops1]

If a flight has a lodo it has one right off the bat. It's not biddable to anyone but a lodo. Now if the position can't be filled sometimes it goes empty or they will throw a regular f/a in the lodo position. I know first hand. If they all of the sudden made a purser program for lets say t/a flights it would now leave f/a's not in the "purser" program eight positions to fly. You don't think that would cause a problem? You think the company is going to add another f/a to the aircraft in addition to the current number? No way. If you do the purser program without it being an "ADD" position it TAKES away a position from all of the other flight attendants. NO! !

i see where your coming from . when you put it that way . i see where it can be an issue. but bot the company and the union need to come up with something to move foward here.

 

[Travelpro72]

I agree 1000%. There is nothing worse than watching someone fly "CSD" simply because of their seniority when they are absolutely horrible. I have worked with some that are so sloppy, rushed and embarrassing that I don't want to come out of the galley. I'm sure you've worked with them as well. I WISH for a purser program but don't think we'll see it. Nobody can see the big picture in the union and company.

 

[Art at ISP]

I think it is high time they reinstate the Consumer Advisory Board. Obviously they are not doing something right, because customers are fleeing in droves. They have shown a commitment to Inflight by making a change. The New Guy has not been at US long enough to have developed any "bad habits" yet, so I presume that he at least is going into this position with somewhat of an open mind.

I think his first order of business after settling into his new office and ordering his stationery and business cards should be to make a phone call to John Romantic, get a CAB going, and then meet with the CAB and an employee focus group to find out what the strengths and pain points are. Who better to ask than the experts? Then, and only then, will he have an outline for an action plan.

One of the top priorities in all my meetings with Tempe was to get the CAB going again. It turned out to be one of my ultimate frustrations as they appear to have been less than honest with me every time it came up. During the first meeting they said it would happen in about 6 months--during my subsequent meetings (before and after that 6 month time frame), they said it was still in the works.

At one point I was asked to help them organize it--and I gave them guidelines for members, and suggested about 10 people they should invite. I reviewed the suggested scope and function of the board, and was told I would take part in the selection of the board and would be a founding member. Well, to my knowledge, they never started the board, and in a subsequent conversation with a person in Customer Relations (no longer there by the way), I was told they had never heard of that idea, and doubted they would do it due to "resources".

Now I can't say for sure some kind of customer council was never started but I can tell you that no board came into existence with my input or help, and I was never asked after the last meeting to be part of anything....which for me was one of the last straws which made me leave US--a management who lies to its customers just to get them to shut up should not be given that customer's business.

I truly hope that Mr. Adler is given the tools he needs to do the job the right way. Based on past history, however, I sincerely doubt it. This appointment, unfortunately, just appears to be more lipstick..............

Further proof that they just say what's expedient for them with the audience they are facing can be found in recent remarks by Doug, Scott and Kerry---if I were US media relations, I would prohibit top executives from speaking in public!

Nothing will change without a change in leadership....sorry to say.........

My BEST to you all......

 

[N905TW]

I agree 1000%. There is nothing worse than watching someone fly "CSD" simply because of their seniority when they are absolutely horrible. I have worked with some that are so sloppy, rushed and embarrassing that I don't want to come out of the galley. I'm sure you've worked with them as well. I WISH for a purser program but don't think we'll see it. Nobody can see the big picture in the union and company.

Quick question here - the CSD on East Int'l - are you guys saying that this position is bid on by everyone like any other position, and requires no special training course or selection process??? Does this person bid off a separate "CSD" Bidsheet? Are they paid any extra for extra work? If you are a "CSD", is that the only position - L1 - that you ever fly?

 

[Travelpro72]

When you enter the briefing room the one with the most seniority to hold the position will automatically be at the head of the table like the president at his desk in the oval office. It's really quite funny when you think about it. Glasses on the tip of nose, papers organized accordingly and just well....many times over the top. Sometimes you enter the briefing room and the CSD seat at the head of the table is open and you find your the most junior on the trip and "juniored" into the CSD position. You do get paid extra to fly the position. Most will take the CSD position simply because their seniority can hold it. Same goes for purser in the back of coach. All of which you get no specialized training for. Some choose that position without enough organizational or comprehensive skills to organize a stack of paper. Both are actually easy positions but some make it as if your NASA prepping for a shuttle launch. I really can't get past some very senior people's wacky ways. I don't dance around crazy people all that well simply because "that's just how he/she is".