Well apparently US doesn't have any cleaning and maintanence crews. Did it ever occur to this fa that the crew who flew the flight to Germany should have pointed these things out before their departure from the States? How about the German US Airways' employees, don't they do their job? Shouldn't inventory be taken before departures? I always thought that that is why crews board before anyone else!
The complainer couldn't have pointed these dangerous matters out to any German US Operation? In most jobs, if safety is a concern, you can refuse to do that job. How is it management's fault, because they are cutting costs? Planes that smell and are held together by duct tape shouldn't even be flying. But someone was on that flight before the complainer, so how did it work and why haven't the prior crew complained?
Somehow people tend to complain about managements managing, but still do the job which tells management that there is nothing to worry about. An example would be if the crew refused to fly because of SAFETY CONCERNS, and although they may have faced discipline action, it would have struck a nerve with management. Doesn't OSHA, or something like it, exist in the airline industry? Most say that management 'expects' you to do something, but by you doing it it sends the message that everything is AOK!
I remember back in the glory days when airlines(during US Air's Holiday In The Sky years!) would shrink leg room and add seats. It was like transporting cattle, and who gave two $#!7S if we ran out of water or juice! A tuna burrito sounded better than the fodder they served on most airlines! The worst thing about coming back from Europe is that it took almost twice the time as going...freaking Jet Stream!
Now let's look at another side of this insanity. Someone isn't doing their job, or passing the buck. You can't tell me that you have no way of calling somebody...SOMEBODY...and make something happen. Speaking from my experience, and it doesn't apply to U, sometimes there is an unwritten rule to never squeal on fellow union members or co-workers.
If you can't call anyone how about the pilot? Isn't the pilot suppose to do a pre-flight inspection of both the interior and exterior of the aircraft? If not then the ones I see are just showing-off?
Like the police, management can't be everywhere at once. You have to know which donut shop they hang at. Call me nuts but I think you have a chain of command somewhere. Go to it and if necessary go over their head...step by step.
Of course, I bet that the birds will flock and still whine and complain. So take your best shot at this dribble. Having dealt with situations of disgrunt...er, ah, I mean...unhappiness, the 'S'-word, wouldn't surprise me. I'm not exactly happy with my job, but it pays the bills. It's OK to HATE your job...that's why it is called a job as opposed to leisure life...but you don't bite the hand that feeds you. If I went public to a newsmedia and bad-mouthed my employer, I'd be on the street.
Exit...Stage Left!
Next time, I'll give you a taste of reality in corporate America where what once 'wasn't your job' now becomes 'either do it or someone else will'. Yep, productivity is now striking the airlines. It shows at NWA where the downtime is nothing like it was before. Done with NW, get over and service UA.
Welcome aboard!!!
