Are we doing enough to keep our aircraft clean?

[Barfbag]

That Squish Behind the Jet Seat May Be an Open Ketchup Pack
October 22, 2006, Sunday New York Times
By JEFF BAILEY (NYT); National Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Seatback pockets hiding sticky surprises, carpets with patterns that can no longer conceal the curious stains, overripe lavatories and crevices oozing snack grit and plain old grime. Increasingly, that describes the modern airliner, an untidy tube hurtling through the sky full of passengers who cannot wait to land and ...on and on.

This artiticle in the NYT, numerates many problems that our passengers see, feel and smell. It's easy to point to some 'pigs ', markquerading as passengers as the main culprid here.

But, are we ( AA ) doing enough? Are F/A's doing their part ( asking passengers for their trash) often enough. Do cleaners have enough time to do their jobs?

I'm a cleaner, I have about 30 seconds that I can dedicate at each seat, that includes folding the blankets, stuffing pillows, straightening out seat belts, removing all debris from pockets, and ensuring each pocket has all AA sales material as well as headphones, barfbag and most importantly a ditch card. If a security check is required, then I have to deduct this time from my allotted 30 seconds, leaving no time for cleaning.

On too many occasions, F/A's will board the aircraft early, with bags in tow, they lounge in the seats and have their lunch or stand in the narrow aisles and talk about their lovers, Captains will hold a briefing in the first class seat area, making cleaning even more futile.

What do you think?

 

[FA Mikey]

That Squish Behind the Jet Seat May Be an Open Ketchup Pack
October 22, 2006, Sunday New York Times
By JEFF BAILEY (NYT); National Desk

DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Seatback pockets hiding sticky surprises, carpets with patterns that can no longer conceal the curious stains, overripe lavatories and crevices oozing snack grit and plain old grime. Increasingly, that describes the modern airliner, an untidy tube hurtling through the sky full of passengers who cannot wait to land and ...on and on.

This artiticle in the NYT, numerates many problems that our passengers see, feel and smell. It's easy to point to some 'pigs ', markquerading as passengers as the main culprid here.

But, are we ( AA ) doing enough? Are F/A's doing their part ( asking passengers for their trash) often enough. Do cleaners have enough time to do their jobs?

I'm a cleaner, I have about 30 seconds that I can dedicate at each seat, that includes folding the blankets, stuffing pillows, straightening out seat belts, removing all debris from pockets, and ensuring each pocket has all AA sales material as well as headphones, barfbag and most importantly a ditch card. If a security check is required, then I have to deduct this time from my allotted 30 seconds, leaving no time for cleaning.

First off I have never seen a FSC put out headsets, on any flight. I have NEVER seen a FSC bring on extra emergency cards or magazines to replace missing. I have never seen a FSC remove anything from a seat back pocket that wasnt sticking out. You guys do not straighten out seat belts or pull down arm rests. So then what are you doing for those 30 seconds you spend on each seat?

We are all trying to turn planes quickly and the FA's do have to get on and be able to get ready as soon as FSC finishes. Should we wait in the terminal until you all are done, how will we know when you are through? Should we wait on the 90 degree jet bridge while you guys are through scrounging through the galleys for food and drink. Perhaps if you all would put down the Ipods and cell phones long enough to do the task at hand, you would be gone before we had the chance to arrive.

Lets be accurate here, you guys will not pick up anything other than a newspaper from the floor, you don't stock lavs, you leave a stack of towels on the counter. Galleys are packed and anything left over they put in any open compartment or my personal favorite leave on the counter. And God help you if you dare ask for a new service kit.

On too many occasions, F/A's will board the aircraft early, with bags in tow, they lounge in the seats and have their lunch or stand in the narrow aisles and talk about their lovers, Captains will hold a briefing in the first class seat area, making cleaning even more futile.

What do you think?

I think that FA's have to travel over night and require luggage and a change of clothes. I think that the fact you believe they should not carry luggage, sit, stand talk or hold a security briefing is ridiculous. That's what I think.

 

[jimntx]

For the most part the guys at STL are wonderful! When they clean an a/c, they clean. We rarely have to go behind them and collect trash or fold blankets.

 

[Barfbag]

FSC do place headsets on AA international flights, so you must be a " domesticated " F/A. Extra anything i.e., Magazines are provisioned upon request.

At JFK, we also observe OAL attendants namely, Finnair. They're very professional in their approach. The won't board the aircraft, until they're given the OK by their inflight manager, and only after they've discussed with the Cleaning Crew Chief. If they do board,( while cleaning is in progress ) they quickly stow away their bags and proceed to do their security and cabin checks. No idle chit chat, with over laden bags in the aisles. They're also better groomed and educated, but that's another topic. No briefing either, the Flight Deck makes all announcements over the PA. Finnair Pilots are too busy with flight safety issues and rarely leave the cockpit to swagger and bull.

30 seconds per seat are to a full 777, on domestic namely your type of A/C, it's more like 10 seconds.

Regarding the tissues in the lavs. The size provided by AA, do not fit the dispenser on the 767 lavs.

Yes, there are those amongst us, who do talk on cell phones and such, you should report such activity not condone it by not filing a report.

Regarding meals and such, sad to think that anyone still eats that inflight 'food 'being served.

Note: Two service kits on international, one on domestic always provided out of JFK.

 

[FA Mikey]

For the most part the guys at STL are wonderful! When they clean an a/c, they clean. We rarely have to go behind them and collect trash or fold blankets.

They are amazing, On the jet bridge ready to go, as the last passenger left, they were on and off. It looked perfect in ready to go in record time.

 

[FA Mikey]

FSC do place headsets on AA international flights, so you must be a " domesticated " F/A. Extra anything i.e., Magazines are provisioned upon request.

Since you dont want us around, who would be asking for those items? Oh I see, if you keep the FA's off, no one can ask for anything. Hmm good thinking.You guys do not place a headset. Its in the bags with the pillow and blanket, that you toss out in to each seat

At JFK, we also observe OAL attendants namely, Finnair. They're very professional in their approach. The won't board the aircraft, until they're given the OK by their inflight manager, and only after they've discussed with the Cleaning Crew Chief.

My guess they are not running from flight to flight. Coming from the hotel and there one leg home.

If they do board,( while cleaning is in progress ) they quickly stow away their bags and proceed to do their security and cabin checks. No idle chit chat, with over laden bags in the aisles.

Over laden? What should the AA fA;s be required to remove from there bags then as you see it?

They're also better groomed and educated, but that's another topic.

Better groomed? Better educated? Amazing what you know from people you claim dont speak, in your presance.

No briefing either, the Flight Deck makes all announcements over the PA. Finnair Pilots are too busy with flight safety issues and rarely leave the cockpit to swagger and bull.

Here is a little FYI, I like to know all 11 crew members I am flying with, I want to make sure they all match a face and name. Yes I can just imagine the time it takes the pilots from finnair to check the cockpit and all the instruments.

30 seconds per seat are to a full 777, on domestic namely your type of A/C, it's more like 10 seconds.

A full 777 are you cleaning seats or people. Because every 777 I have ever been on has had the same number of seats. So you clean a international seat more than a domestic? How is one different than the other?

Regarding the tissues in the lavs. The size provided by AA, do not fit the dispenser on the 767 lavs.

So thats your reason for leaving 1/2 the towels on the counter. Have you ever stopped to wonder what happens to something sitting out when the nose raises up higher than the tail. Yea we pick them up off the floor.

Yes, there are those amongst us, who do talk on cell phones and such, you should report such activity not condone it by not filing a report.

No I am not the FSC police. You guys have crew chiefs and managers who should be more accountable to that than I.

Regarding meals and such, sad to think that anyone still eats that inflight 'food 'being served.

Really, our passengers rather like, enjoy and expect it.

Note: Two service kits on international, one on domestic always provided out of JFK. biggrin.gif

Thats a good think because many other place act like you are asking for a first born

 

[FWAAA]

My issues with AAircraft cleanliness don't have to do with mid-day short-haul turns - I couldn't care less whether someone's straightened the seatback contents or folded the seatbelts neatly; my problem is that the tray tables are often sticky on 777s that fly one long flight each day and that crap is left in those seatback pockets for me to find despite a couple hours on the ground since its arrival from across the ocean.

The other day the Japanese businessman next to me used his hot towel to clean the tray table and armrests and it was absolutely filthy. That kind of filth takes days and days to accumulate - and nobody at AA with any power to do anything about it seems to give a damn. FAs are understandably embarrassed - but they don't oversee the cleaners. Send an email to customer service and get back a "pretend to care" form message. F that.

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

Lets face it in order to have spotless aircraft it would require more time and more people and more money.

These three do not fit into the equation of AMR

So suck it up and dont touch anything when you get on board

remember its all about the cheapest ticket regardless of what the interior looks like.

 

[MiAAmi]

Maybe if the cleaners weren't on their cell phones or on the outside of the jetbridge smoking a cigarette then they could get the a/c cleaned and stocked. If the airplanes didnt go to out stations (mainly international destinations) they would never be cleaned. Miami does a horrible job and the reason they don't want us on the planes is because we see them on the phone and watching movies instead of stocking the a/c with supplies and actually cleaning the plane. We asked for coffee the other day and cabin service told us it was too far to walk to get it, so we had to steal it off another a/c next door.

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

That is the one consistent thing about this company.
Every workgroup B$tching about how the other workgroup doesnt do his or her job.

Keep up the good work
:down:

 

[Barfbag]

Maybe if the cleaners weren't on their cell phones or on the outside of the jetbridge smoking a cigarette then they could get the a/c cleaned and stocked.

Yada. Yada, if the cleaners are smoking on the jetbridge, that's totally farce, at least in NY. Smoking is not tolerated anywhere on the Ramp. If someone's on the cell phone and not doing their work, just report the individual.In the end it's all about what the passenger remembers, sitting in a dirty seat for hours is something that takes weeks to forget. Regarding MIA, are we talking Airbus here? This aircraft,is more Bus than Air, The person who designed the Lavs on this aircraft must have really been on drugs. You can't see the flush button,when
the commode seat is up. The Lavs are not properly illuminated, and the wall are painted brown, matching you know what. Bad design, poor signage too, no one enjoys working these. :down:

 

[MiAAmi]

I think you are forgetting that AA management has all but given up on customer service. I cant tell you how many times they have sent out planes with no running water or even cleaned because they had to get the plane out.

 

[QA4Jet-A]

Just my 2 cents. I flew AA last week MIA/SJO and returned yesterday. Equipment was an Airbus 300 if I am not mistaken. While that bird is not the newest flying creation on the planet, and did show a bit of aging, I will say that my seat was clean, seat-back pocket presentable and the Lavs were sufficient. All in all, not a bad trip till I tried to get from MIA to ATL and we had a mechanical, changed planes, than wait over an hour for my bags in ATL. I'll live., just another day in Paradise. What slays me is, why cross the seat belts? The Carrier I work for does the same thing. You have to move them out of your way to sit down so why not just lay them forward?

 

[jimntx]

What slays me is, why cross the seat belts? The Carrier I work for does the same thing. You have to move them out of your way to sit down so why not just lay them forward?

Because that would make way too much sense.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

The SAD thing here is virtually EVERYONE is right !

The bottom line($$$), AA management HAS made a concerted effort to make A/C cleaning a "distant priority"
They will NEVER admit it, They hope that the job "somehow" gets done anyway. As the domestic A/C's move thru certain Hubs they DO get cleaned(better than other hubs)

I'd wager that DFW is doing better cleaning than say MIA.
(I have my own theory as to why this happens, but that's a story for another post)

I would find it hard to believe that AA's (originating)International 777's are not properly cleaned in F + C.


NH/BB's