"Can I get your name"..."No, I don't give my name"

[ClueByFour]

Not true. All the flight deck crew needs to do is identify the flight number and location if they need assistance. If the pilot needs the police at, say, gate C17 in PHL, all that has to be done is to call ground control and ask. Voila, police respond. No names needed to get a response.

Yeah, but if anything actually happens, names will come out. If a pax had any action taken as a result of a pilot calling the police, the police report will include the Captain's name. Or, if it does not, nothing will happen (a good lawyer will shoot anything down without names pre-trial).

So perhaps I should have said "for incidents which require the PIC's intervention, the name will come out."

 

[FlightChic]

I find it pretty ironic that people constantly complain about rude flight attendants. What really bothers me is that I am not normally an upbeat, cheerful person. However, on the airplane, I try to be friendly, somewhat cheerful, and as accommodating as possible. You would think most passengers would appreciate a f/a who is nice but guess what? I also have passengers complaining to me that I am being too cheerful. What is wrong with these people? I am being nice to you and I am smiling and speaking with you and even cracking some jokes with some of the passengers and you are complaining that I am being too friendly and cheerful? I ask them if they would prefer that I be rude and yell at all the passengers and not be helpful in any way. You can't please everybody.

As for passengers writing you up, trust me, the company will find you if they want to! I had an incident where a lady spilled coffee all over herself while we were on the cart. I was a couple of rows away from her when it happened (I didn't serve her row but we pulled the cart up so she was in front of me) and when I came back from passing out pretzels and taking drink orders I noticed it and offered her some napkins and I pushed the cart back past the bathroom (we were on a larger airplane with lavs in the middle and they were right behind her) and grabbed some paper towels some wet and some dry then I offered her some seltzer water. I also ask if she wanted me to bring her anything later. She said no. I asked her if she was OK and she said yes. I didn't believe her so I asked her again. She still had a distraught look on her face but assured me she was fine. I told the f/as in the back and explained how she was acting very strange and was being very dramatic about the whole situation yet she said she was OK so they said not to worry about it. I still didn't believe her so before the flight ended I asked her if she needed medical attention because I wanted to make sure that she was OK. She said she did not need any medical attention. Well, a few weeks later, a supervisor calls me saying they received a complaint letter about me from that same pax because supposedly I spilled coffee on her or some crap like that. She said I was very helpful since I gave her paper towels and napkins to clean it up but that she was burned and blah, blah, blah...I was livid!!! I did not spill coffee on anyone. I wasn't even near the dam cart when it happened! Maybe I should have ignored her and she wouldn't have written me up. I don't know how they knew it was me because my ID was hidded under my sweater the entire flight, we didn't wear aprons with names on them back then, and I doubt the other f/as would have given out my name. But trust me, when the sup called they knew the f/a she was complaining about was me. There were 3 of us working in the back. I was told from now on to write up a report even on minor incidents such as that one just to cover myself. I explained that I didn't think it was necessary because she told me she was ok and denied medical attention. I knew something wasn't right about this lady though. I just never thought she would come after me like that.

It really bothers me that when some of us try to be nice and do the right thing we still receive complaints and get burned. :down:

 

[tadjr]

I was told from now on to write up a report even on minor incidents such as that one just to cover myself. I explained that I didn't think it was necessary because she told me she was ok and denied medical attention. I knew something wasn't right about this lady though. I just never thought she would come after me like that.

Document, document, document. This is one area that the agents really should do more too. If you get the customers name and they ask a question regarding their flights (changing them, etc) or have something out of the ordinary happen, document what you told them or what was observerd. No way they can later say "they told me" when its documented in the record.
Late for checkin- documented with arrival time at counter. Denied for whatever reason- documented in record. Ask about changing the flight and its 150 plus fare diff- documented in record so its not a free standby two days earlier.

It can help Customer Relations and local management when something is in the record before the customer even sends in a complaint/comment. Had this happen just this week.
A mother came to the counter asking for a gate pass. Web checkin. The agent asked the mother how old the child was. Advised 14. You need to fill out paperwork and pay the UM charge. I booked on Expedia and wasnt told about the fee. If I knew about the fee I would have told my kid to lie about her age and you would never have known. I am being penalized for being honest. Guess what happened. Kid didnt turn in paperwork when boarded, no one signed because mom never advised gate that she was traveling alone, kid walked off plane in next city, dad complains he paid for something he didnt get (because mom knew what she was doing in not advising gate of the kid traveling alone) dad wants money back. Remarks in record at dept time with time stamp showing mom had no intentions of paying and figured out a way to get out of it. Now if only management mans up and tells them this, but I'm not holding my breath. I personally would have said, fine, here's your UM fee back and we're refunding your return tkt so you can make other arrangements for the return. If they are not wanting to abide by the rules and came up with this to get out of paying for the service required, its not worth the possibility of something happening on the return with a 14 year old either or dealing with the same scenario again.

 

[N965VJ]

Ok, just got back to my hotel room from dinner and drinks at Grizzlebee’s (not to worry about me driving, this fine establishment was just a few blocks away, I walked).

My server was not very attentive, and seemed to be spending a lot of time chatting by the cash register with other employees. I’m not so sure the server gave me their real name when they rattled off the evening’s specials. As for name tags, they all had a bunch of badges and pins on their uniforms. One badge stated “If it’s Tourist Season, why can’t we shoot them?â€

I noticed the server swiped their ID card into the cash register when the bill was paid. My request to see what was on that card was rebuffed. Obviously, there is a conspiracy among Grizzlebee’s employees to hide their identity under some convoluted guise of “securityâ€.

Does anyone know the web address of the Grizzlebee’s chatboard so I can voice my concerns to management and gauge the compensation I’m entitled to?

 

[FlightChic]

Document, document, document. This is one area that the agents really should do more too.

That is so true! We should all do it more! It's called CYA!!! I do document more now that I used to. It's a pain but I don't need any other problems like that again.

Speaking of UMs, I had one on a flight. When we got to CLT, the boy came up and I reminded him once again to stay with me and I would take him up later and that he could have a seat in FC while everyone deplanes. As I was telling him this, a gate agent in uniform calls him by his name and he goes running out to him (it was his dad) and I told them not to leave that jetway because I had to get the paperwork signed by the agent working the flight. The dad/gate agent said it's OK I'm an agent and I said no it's not! Then I went to grab the paperwork to go on up to the top and the next thing I knew, they were gone!!! I told the agent working the flight about it and he knew the guy and we called a supervisor immediately and told him what happened. That really freaked me out. I've never had anything like that happen before.

 

[InternationalShannon]

That is so true! We should all do it more! It's called CYA!!! I do document more now that I used to. It's a pain but I don't need any other problems like that again.

OMG!!! OMGOMGOMG OH EM GEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Not to bust up the thread or anything ..*well, ok, maybe a little, I mean, that's kind of my schtick..*

I missssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
sssssssssssssed you!!!

I missed you all the way to the moon and back, in envoy, full fare, with nice flight crews who didnt display their names unless you asked them, in which case, they were happy to. (did you see that there, how I went back on topic? HOW DOES SHE DO THAT!?)

Anyway. I missed you. Come see me pocket fairy, what was your name again? Hehehe

 

[InternationalShannon]

Years ago, when I began my f/a career w/Eastern, our wings were engraved with our names. Thankfully we are not "exposed" so openly these days. I've always been a private person and, especially in this day and age of terrorism, identity theft, passenger ignorance, etc., the last thing I want available to the traveling public is my FULL name.

I don't really think it would be a good idea to go to Cheer's then, because, I heard , that there, everybody knows your name!!

I found this for you because I think I love you....what was your name again? Do you have something to write with? You know what, we'll talk at the top of the jetway, hot cakes...

hehehehe

 

[Travels2mch]

2. Much (if not most) of the drive behind the "not needing to show ID" is so that flight crew, notably flight attendants, can make foolish decisions and act in a crappy manner and then cite "security" as a reason not to reveal their identity. That's it. Nothing further. The flight deck crew, notably the Captain, is going to have to release his/her identity to take any action (call police, etc). FAs do not.

I might note that this behavior is literally unique to airlines. In no other service industry (and that's what it really is, in the back, anyway) can an employee get away with treating a customer like garbage and then refuse to provide their identity, ostensibly to make it difficult/impossible for the customer and the company to identify the individual.

AMEN..........you hit the nail on the head....I wonder if now they're going to start wearing their aprons backwards when they're having a bad day!!

I don't think anyone is asking for first and last names, SS#, employee # and dog's name........Simply first name so you can be identified. What about the other airlines that announce everyone's names up front and in the back. And folks, people ask for names for commendation (in my case this is more the norm) as well as complaints.

If it's to commend good service, I would think you would want your name given so you get credit, and on the other side of the coin, if someone (not you) is being a Bit$%, you certainly don't want to be accused because you were one of the females in coach on flight XXX.

Get over it folks, you're in a service industry. Everywhere you go, employees give their first names. In many service business, you are greeted with Hello, my name is XXXXX. Now at Macy's, they write their name at the bottom of the receipt in hopes that the customer will use the website address to evaluate their service.

But again, we're talking usairways here......where customer service is no longer in their vocabulary.

 

[tadjr]

Regarding agents at least- if they have done some type of transaction in the computer- the record is documented with their agent sine so they can be traced that way. Also in our station, and from what I've heard of auditing purposes, everyone on duty that day is logged on the daily sheet along with their hours and position. Not that everyone stays at their assigned position, but the time, date, and a description of the person in question and where they were working at the time will usually be sufficient in a station (smaller ones especially maybe not hubs in some instances) to at least narrow down the agent in question even without a name. Also, with only 2 front end crew and 3-4 in the back (on a narrowbody flight), a flight, date and description should probably also be sufficient to narrow down the crew member in question on most flights (unless the Barbie triplets are working it) :blink: .

 

[sharktooth]

That tells me you have never seen or thought about a serious security clearance, or even a really in-depth private background check.

You are pretty much pontificating about something with which you know very little.

I am quite capable of assessing a crew with which I work, without expensive and essentially worthless "background checks". In fact, I have an opportunity to observe their behavior in ways no "security check" can. Even more, I select for those with enthusiasm, the ability to think outside the box and "street smarts", qualities considered "marginal", or even disqualifying in many such "security" checks.

Perhaps you are naive, something you can alleviate by reading about security. I suggest starting with Bruce Schneier but there are many other ways to educate yourself.

Bruce's latest article (talk about not thinking outside the box, but I bet the guards passed extensive "security checks")

 

[sharktooth]

Get over it folks, you're in a service industry.

True statement whose extension does not apply to FAs.

FAs are there only because a minimum number of warm bodies per certified passenger seating is mandated by Federal Law. If management could, I imagine you would see vending machines and not FAs, in passenger cabins. Management only considers FAs revenue management devices, not revenue enhancement devices, "service" being considered a verb for management purposes only, "what can you revenue management devices do to help "service" our bottom line" (cut costs)?

Side note: I love it when they board, say, four too many passengers for the number of seats, and the passenger count before and after the pax are deplaned never changes, because the passenger count is determined by the number of tickets on a computer somewhere and not by the number of heads.

That is the fantasy made actual, now, within the air-tight walls of US.

 

[ClueByFour]

You are pretty much pontificating about something with which you know very little.

Unless you flew the President in a prior career, the odds are extremely heavy that I have more experience with "real" security than you do.

I am quite capable of assessing a crew with which I work, without expensive and essentially worthless "background checks". In fact, I have an opportunity to observe their behavior in ways no "security check" can. Even more, I select for those with enthusiasm, the ability to think outside the box and "street smarts", qualities considered "marginal", or even disqualifying in many such "security" checks.

That's rich. You "peer into their soul," right? I know a bunch of people in Vegas who can snow the best. I sincerely doubt (unless you profiled for a three-letter agency that's not the TSA) you have any better realistic chance of spotting someone with bad motives than you do of spotting the tooth fairy.

Now, you might argue that the lifestyle portion of the federal festivities does disqualify candidates who would be rock-stars in the private sector. Had you said that (without shooting both brain cells off at once), you may have convinced someone. Oops.

But if you really believe that you can tell merely by observation what someone's motives are, please send your non-aviation places of work, if any. I'd like to send some candidates over as my day job never brings in enough change......

Perhaps you are naive, something you can alleviate by reading about security. I suggest starting with Bruce Schneier but there are many other ways to educate yourself.

I've met Bruce, both personally and professionally. Have you? And were you reading him just now, or 10 or 15 years ago? A bunch of us who saw his theoretical work hoped for years that he'd branch out as he has.

Bruce's latest article (talk about not thinking outside the box, but I bet the guards passed extensive "security checks")

If you knew his body of work, you will know that he essentially laughs at things like a "10 year background check." (which I essentially did before you pulled my quote out of context). Further, you would also know that Bruce would probably laugh hysterically about the idea that refusing to provide one's name in the furthering of "security" is a joke in and of itself.

But you don't really have a point. You wanted to take a cheap shot. Some advice: don't bring a sharktooth to a gunfight, sport.

 

[sharktooth]

Unless you flew the President in a prior career, the odds are extremely heavy that I have more experience with "real" security than you do.

Actually, I did.

POST EDITED BY MODERATOR

 

[sharktooth]

That's rich. You "peer into their soul," right? I know a bunch of people in Vegas who can snow the best. I sincerely doubt (unless you profiled for a three-letter agency that's not the TSA) you have any better realistic chance of spotting someone with bad motives than you do of spotting the tooth fairy.

No, only GWB claims that ability. "Peering into the soul of Putin".

Bunch of people in LAS? I have hauled the "best" out of there and can claim that you have no idea what you are talking about.

EDITED BY MODERATOR

 

[sharktooth]

I've met Bruce, both personally and professionally. Have you? And were you reading him just now, or 10 or 15 years ago?

Bruce knows me, as you never will.