757I Configuration-8 Premium/180 Coach

[FCYTravis]

Sounds like it's time to bombard Tempe with some more customergrams.

Heck people, we stopped them from pulling out the power ports, we stopped them from killing the snack basket, we can make them figure out that 2.5 hour flights in F ought to have meals!

 

[airportman]

I had it happen to me on three legs in one day in and out of florida. I was working the 757 and had nothing at all to serve. To make matters worse there were no cashew mix or chips for the snack basket. I had them in the cart and they were removed during our catering in PHL. So the announcement goes over the PA that we will be serving the $5.00 snack box. I went right to the back and told the "B" what the deal was. I took 5 to the front and gave them to my f/c passengers. No, I didn't charge them either as one of the US1's up front told me had happened to him the day before. Wrote right on the form that catering screwed up and f/c gets served first. A caterer told me once back in the day not to leave notes. They know how to do their jobs. Yeah, tell it to me when I'm at 35,000 feet and you dont have cups, trash bags, orange juice or how about wine or beer. Ya have to monitor the catering when being done. Sometimes I know it's not intentional but they are just in a hurry. I'm just pointing out that it happens.

Well thats the problem.......f/a's that take it on themselves to give bob to the first class cabin. first service is snack basket beverage. When the f/a vilates policy based upon there opinion it creates misunderstanding with the customer and the other f/a's. TRAVELPRO please follow policy if you dont like it write it up...and please let your supervisor know about giving them away in first.....YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THAT....And if you dont set up a meeting and have a review of policy. Start reading the hub and catcrew mail and please quit making up service....IT MAKES THOSE THAT DO THERE JOB CORRECTLY LOOK BAD.

Not that i dont agree with the meals i just dont take it on myself to Change policy to suit myself.

 

[Boeing Boeing GONE]

Yes but they do the job BETTER!, maybe they understand how to keep customers on our F seats

 

[FCYTravis]

Well thats the problem.......f/a's that take it on themselves to give bob to the first class cabin. first service is snack basket beverage.

Here's a little tale...

On a dark winter's night last year, I was flying the HP night flight BWI-LAS. I'd just spent the last 24 straight hours mileage-running from OAK-LAS-DCA-BTV-PHL-BWI and was headed home, with one segment to go. I was pretty sick and tired of airplanes by then - even ones with F cabins. We left 20 minutes after the meal window, natch. To top it off, I scored one of the ancient A320s with grungy, uncomfortable, Ryanair-pitch F seats. I was prepared for a really, really, really long five hours.

Then as we leveled off, the lead FA closed up the curtain, addressed us each by name and apologized for the fact that she didn't have a meal to serve. She then went around the cabin every 10-15 minutes taking drink orders and serving up an endless supply of snack mix and peanuts on the silver service tray. She even took the time to freakin' neatly arrange the baggies in little spirals

Just that little extra effort turned what could have been a flight from hell into a tolerable, even enjoyable experience. You better believe I fell over thanking her and handing her a couple A&Bs as I deplaned at Vegas.

Moral of the story?

FAs that "take it upon themselves" to do the best they possibly can with the tools they're given - including swiping BOB up for hungry F pax - are true angels. We deeply appreciate your efforts.

 

[US1YFARE]

IT MAKES THOSE THAT DO THERE JOB CORRECTLY LOOK BAD.

Actually, I think it makes those who are complacent look bad. I think Travelpro, if he/she did actually work for the company, understands what is being screwed up. And, as usual, it is people like TP72 who are in the "hot seat" because of a stupid decision by management. And, if this isn't a decision made by management, and ther really aren't in the know, maybe the people in the know should have better control over situations like these. Not only does it make it bad for your customers, it puts FAs in a touch situation to defend what the company is doing. And, when an FA says, what do you want from me, write a letter, that is not good enough. The FA should be writing things like this up--whether or not people in catering ask them not to.

 

[etops1]

actually doug parker has stated that if you have to deviate from policy to make a passenger happy .. do it. he has said that the culture really needs to change at usairways from the ways of being afraid to deviate a little cause you thought your gonna get your head chopped off. so to travelpro i say good job. if it means that these folks will comeback to usairways i am all for it. keep up the good work . you are what makes the new usairways stand aside from the rest

 

[Art at ISP]

ETOPS,

I had heard that before about Doug saying that, and I applaud it. I was actually impressed when I met Doug last week, and he did invite me to call him, which I will sometime next week.

By the way, thanks for giving us a glimpse inside the sand castle, and please check your PM's.

Thanks and regards

 

[Travelpro72]

I didn't feel like I was doing anything but trying to make our FF's experience a better one. Because the catering was messed up I was to have the "oh well" attitude? Not on your life. The bs happening with our FF's leaving is a BIG deal whether it's believed to be true by some or not. Our FF's bring quite a bit of revenue to the company. The way I see it and ALL employees should IMO is "No Passengers, No Paycheck". These customers deserve to be treated better. I will say that I appreciate all of you who have stuck with us through the thick and thicker. I did what I did and WILL do it again. A happy customer is a repeat customer. The competition out there is tough and I'm not about to help send customers away to another carrier. We're not talking about the $98.00 passenger either. It is our duty to go above and beyond sometimes. The whole attitude by some has to change. Telling customers to leave if their not happy? NEWS FLASH....THEY ARE!

 

[legacy-to-LCC]

I didn't feel like I was doing anything but trying to make our FF's experience a better one. Because the catering was messed up I was to have the "oh well" attitude? Not on your life. The bs happening with our FF's leaving is a BIG deal whether it's believed to be true by some or not. Our FF's bring quite a bit of revenue to the company. The way I see it and ALL employees should IMO is "No Passengers, No Paycheck". These customers deserve to be treated better. I will say that I appreciate all of you who have stuck with us through the thick and thicker. I did what I did and WILL do it again. A happy customer is a repeat customer. The competition out there is tough and I'm not about to help send customers away to another carrier. We're not talking about the $98.00 passenger either. It is our duty to go above and beyond sometimes. The whole attitude by some has to change. Telling customers to leave if their not happy? NEWS FLASH....THEY ARE!

WOW! EXCELLENT POST!!!
clearly, you get it!!!

 

[Art at ISP]

Travelpro,

Thank you for all you do--folks like you are the reason we stayed.

We sincerely hope they see the errors of their ways at some point, before all the VFF's look elsewhere.

My best to you all....

 

[US1YFARE]

Travelpro,

Thank you for all you do--folks like you are the reason we stayed.

If only DJ would sit down so that we could finish that hot beverage survey..........

 

[Bear96]

If the PRICE IS THE SAME OR LESS on a competitor that offers MORE goodies, what incentive to I have to stick with US Airways?

None whatsoever.

So why do you?

 

[Travelpro72]

Why do any of our FF's stay and get abused. I'm starting to ask myself the same thing. I can treat my passengers well for only so long. We need the tools and they deserve the service. The attitude of some is incredible. We know that many are leaving due to the changes to the DM program and throw all the service cuts on top of that with the same high f/c fares and there ya have it. Why do ANY stay? I love having this conversation with grumpy employees. I ask, when you go to board your flight, do you ask what you would do if there were NO passengers to board? Good grief.

 

[SpinDoc]

Why do any of our FF's stay and get abused. I'm starting to ask myself the same thing. I can treat my passengers well for only so long. We need the tools and they deserve the service. The attitude of some is incredible. We know that many are leaving due to the changes to the DM program and throw all the service cuts on top of that with the same high f/c fares and there ya have it. Why do ANY stay? I love having this conversation with grumpy employees. I ask, when you go to board your flight, do you ask what you would do if there were NO passengers to board? Good grief.

TP72:

Here's the rub. The "new" US may not be targeting the same audience that the old US targeted. Maybe someone in Tempe has determined that the costs of enticing and keeping the CP type customer around does not pay off in the long run. While the old US was in BK, primarily due to lack of cash, they dumped or significantly cut many of the amenities that defined US as a legacy and business traveler airline, and it would appear that they are continuing to "ratchet down" the expectations of DM Preferred members. None of us really know what Tempe has in mind for the new US, but it occurred to me the other day that the plan may be to follow Air Tran's lead and cater to the leisure traveler, while giving just enough amenities to capture a small and profitable segment of the business market.

We all need to remember who is in control now, and that is HP. The HP business model has always been somewhere between Southwest and the legacy carriers, and they have been profitable for the most part with their scheme. As such, I don't think anyone should expect them to keep unprofitable programs that US has been using for many years. It's all about cost control now, and setting expectations that are geared toward the market they are seeking.

Many people on this forum have compared HP to retailer Target. They don't offer WalMart prices on everything, but they have a slightly higher quality product that they can sell for much less than Macy's. I honestly think that is the niche that the new US is going to fill.

 

[US1YFARE]

tp72 to answer your question the