AA of Yesteryear

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Aug 30, 2002
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I miss the old AA.The airline that had courteous employees and time to give personal service to the customers.The modern airline is structured so that customers cannot receive personal service.You are expected to do your own check-in at a computer terminal,then rushed through the security checkpoint.Your are herded on the aircraft,stuffed into the long metal tube,and then rushed of the aircraft at the next stop.Then you have to go across the airport to another terminal in a computer train to make your connection,and if you are fortunate you might have 45 minutes to do all of this.Hurry,Hurry,Hurry!Who in the hell thinks this the way to win over customers and keep them long term?The structure of the modern airline business will not allow personal service contact with the passengers.It won''t be long until all functions will be performed by computers and the passenger will not experience any human contact.I miss the days of 62% load factors and record profits.The F/A''s had time to provide food and beverage service and then took time to visit with the passengers.This was the real AA.
 
I too miss those days, but I'm afraid they are gone. Its like the old corner mom & pop store. You went in they knew you by name took your credit and helped fill your basket and maybe had a delivery service. It cost a little more but it was the personal relationship that made it worth it.
Now they are no more. We have Wal-Mart. Its a cheaper "slam-bam thankyou ma'am" philosophy. Do I like it, no. Do I shop there, yes. Why? Do I have a choice? Yes, but not really. With the possibility of lower wages and give backs is there a choice any more?
 
AA thinks it can replace it's agents with self check in machines. Cut the staff to a minumum, then throw in heavy holiday traffic and an OSO. Get those machines to handle that. I have no idea why the CSM's keep the jobs they have. I wish they would just quit their jobs right in the middle of an OSO one day. Whe have had Agents who hae done that, it won't be long till we see CSM's doing them same thing.
 
..case in point...was anyone out there over Christmas at JFK? WHAT A MESS..with weather delays of 3-6 hours pax were left stranded with no information and NOBODY to talk to. Agents were spread thin as to only cover 2 of 3 arriving/departing flights..kiosks were broken, and not programed to re book pax due to cxld flights..flight attendants were left to try to help out between flights with no way of actually rebooking ect..It was a dark day in pax service for AA for sure..and x-mas to boot...
 
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[BLOCKQUOTE][BR]----------------[BR]On 12/29/2002 1:46:33 AM AC AA LA FA wrote:
[P]..case in point...was anyone out there over Christmas at JFK? WHAT A MESS..with weather delays of 3-6 hours pax were left stranded with no information and NOBODY to talk to. Agents were spread thin as to only cover 2 of 3 arriving/departing flights..kiosks were broken, and not programed to re book pax due to cxld flights..flight attendants were left to try to help out between flights with no way of actually rebooking ect..It was a dark day in pax service for AA for sure..and x-mas to boot...[/P]----------------[/BLOCKQUOTE]
[P][/P]Doesn't sound any different from any airline over the past 5 - 10 years.[BR][BR]I remember the Christmas Eve Blizzard in 1998 when the Northeast got whacked with about 2 inches of ice. Nobody was flying and nobody was saying anything. What could you say?
 
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On 12/29/2002 6:27:26 AM ITRADE wrote:



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On 12/29/2002 1:46:33 AM AC AA LA FA wrote:


..case in point...was anyone out there over Christmas at JFK? WHAT A MESS..with weather delays of 3-6 hours pax were left stranded with no information and NOBODY to talk to. Agents were spread thin as to only cover 2 of 3 arriving/departing flights..kiosks were broken, and not programed to re book pax due to cxld flights..flight attendants were left to try to help out between flights with no way of actually rebooking ect..It was a dark day in pax service for AA for sure..and x-mas to boot...[/P]----------------[/BLOCKQUOTE]


[/P]Doesn't sound any different from any airline over the past 5 - 10 years.

I remember the Christmas Eve Blizzard in 1998 when the Northeast got whacked with about 2 inches of ice. Nobody was flying and nobody was saying anything. What could you say?
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I'm talking about the AA from 1985-90 that I experienced.
 
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On 12/29/2002 6:27:26 AM ITRADE wrote:

[/P]Doesn't sound any different from any airline over the past 5 - 10 years.

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Actually, doesn't sound any different from ANY service industry. Understaffing has sadly become the norm everywhere. Heaven forbid that at some point during the work week some employee should actually be standing around with nothing to do for a few minutes! We just can't HAVE that massive waste of resources...
 
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On 12/29/2002 12:11:57 PM mga707 wrote:

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On 12/29/2002 6:27:26 AM ITRADE wrote:


[/P]Doesn't sound any different from any airline over the past 5 - 10 years.


[/blockquote]


Actually, doesn't sound any different from ANY service industry. Understaffing has sadly become the norm everywhere. Heaven forbid that at some point during the work week some employee should actually be standing around with nothing to do for a few minutes! We just can't HAVE that massive waste of resources...


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Has anyone ever been to Korea, Japan or Taiwan recently? There is a culture where everyone works. I was amazed to see a guy directing traffic in a parking lot!! I'm sure he got paid very little but he at least had a job and probably felt glad that he did. We don't have that mentality here in America. It's do more with less. And get it done no matter how long it takes you. I've read that Wal-Mart employees have been asked to punch out on their scheduled quitting time but then to come back and finish working for free. This amazes me.

I watch the lines of people in the airports more and more. I can foresee a day when there is only 1 or 2 agents behind the counter with 100 passengers in line waiting to check in or use the kiosks. Then BLAM !! Weather cancellaions or flight deplays start. It's going to be HELL.
 
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[BLOCKQUOTE][BR]----------------[BR]On 12/29/2002 1:24:33 PM trvlr64 wrote:
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[BLOCKQUOTE][BR][BR]Has anyone ever been to Korea, Japan or Taiwan recently? There is a culture where everyone works. I was amazed to see [BR][/BLOCKQUOTE]
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[P]Noting also that [EM]stewardesses[/EM] for many of the Asian carriers get shown the door by age 35 or thereabouts....[/P]
 
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On 12/29/2002 1:24:33 PM trvlr64 wrote:

I've read that Wal-Mart employees have been asked to punch out on their scheduled quitting time but then to come back and finish working for free. This amazes me.

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Doesn't amaze me, as I know that it occurs. Not just at WallyMart, either. Even at some retail establishments that are allegedly UFCW shops the pressure to work "off the clock" can be intense.
 
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Has anyone ever been to Korea, Japan or Taiwan recently? There is a culture where everyone works. I was amazed to see a guy directing traffic in a parking lot!! I'm sure he got paid very little but he at least had a job and probably felt glad that he did. We don't have that mentality here in America. It's do more with less. And get it done no matter how long it takes you. I've read that Wal-Mart employees have been asked to punch out on their scheduled quitting time but then to come back and finish working for free. This amazes me.

I watch the lines of people in the airports more and more. I can foresee a day when there is only 1 or 2 agents behind the counter with 100 passengers in line waiting to check in or use the kiosks. Then BLAM !! Weather cancellaions or flight deplays start. It's going to be HELL.



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It's not just the businesses that want more for less. It all started with the public at large. They demanded more for less and the only way to get it is by giving you less as well. You don't really believe that businesses could continue giving away the store and continually lower the costs to consumers, do you?
 
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On 12/29/2002 1:24:33 PM trvlr64 wrote:
I watch the lines of people in the airports more and more. I can foresee a day when there is only 1 or 2 agents behind the counter with 100 passengers in line waiting to check in or use the kiosks. Then BLAM !! Weather cancellaions or flight deplays start. It's going to be HELL.
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Actually as the technoloy continues to improves, the kiosks can be made smarter. When bad weather hits or delays occur, the kiosks can respond by rebooking pax. and eventually issuing hotel vouchers, food vouchers, etc. The techonology for this is coming.

Kiosk check-in is already much faster than manual check-in. I've never understood why an agent had to type so much just to check somebody in and issue a boarding pass. I check in a at a kiosk with as little as four touches of the screen (and one swipe of a credit card or ff card).