Catering problems

[hula-flyguy]

I believe that HP flights are still under contract to be catered by "Gate Gourmet" in PHL and not US catering.

Isn't that the company that Seigel screwed up after he left here?

 

[ussnark]

When Ms. Dean was in charge of catering for HP, and the later the "west" side of operations with US, she made so many service cutbacks to please ($$) the higher ups that our product onboard became bare bones at best.

<snip>

You see, after a meal on a Hawaii flight, you have essentially nothing left to offer in First Class for the remaining 5 and a half hours of the flight except for refills and a smile. I prefer to provide more than that. I guess what I am trying to say is that isn't it sad that an employee has to cough up their own money to provide a level of service that our First Class passengers come on board to expect?

I believe there are some health hazards with serving certain drinks in styrofoam cups. If it becomes a problem, I would bet a flight deck crew would help you out by grounding the aircraft. Seems it happened on a 757/etops that smelled of blue-room. Only after two crews turned the plane down did the company finally replaced the carpeting, which seems to have resolved the odor problem.

You should _never_ feel like you need to "help out the company", especially by furnishing basic items for the passengers. That is so wrong.

A management that stupid needs no further enabling. We have seen enough enabling of the moronic USAir management. Let us stop this disease now. Force management to do their jobs, for once.

 

[hula-flyguy]

When Ms. Dean was in charge of catering for HP, and the later the "west" side of operations with US, she made so many service cutbacks to please ($$) the higher ups that our product onboard became bare bones at best.

She provides little if any oversight on the contracted catering (LSG, etc.) operations and we constantly get less than what we are supposed to for our flights. When you see us serving the items for a snack basket on a tray it is because catering did not provide a basket to begin with. The plane may fly for days, even weeks, before a basket is ever put onboard. We (FAs) complain, we write up catering irregularity reports and submit them and yet we never see any improvements. I think our reports go right into the trash, to be quite honest.

There was a period a couple of years ago when we ran out of plastic cups!! Now, as a Flight Attendant who prefers working "A" position, I would prefer to serve my drinks in First in real glassware - regardless of the stage length of the flight. We sank to an all time low when we ran out of plastic cups. Imagine, as I'm sure you can, being a Chairman's Preferred and having your Gin and Tonic being served to you in a cheap styrofoam coffee cup!! It was so bad that I went to Costco and bought my own plastic cups to use onboard during that fiasco that lasted almost two weeks!

All I can say is that if the product seems pathetic or you are not getting the minimum that you expect, please do not get angry with the Flight Attendants. We are only offering what we have been provided and trying to do the best that we can with what little we have or don't have.

I work Hawaii flights often, again as "A" position. I spend my own hard earned money to buy a few "extra" things to offer my First Class passengers a product that I think they deserve. I like to buy real limes, snacks (in addition to those from the snack basket) for a "Snack Station" that I set up in my forward galley after meal service, etc. I will usually spend anywhere from $75 to $100 of my own money to enhance the bare bones service that Ms.Dean created on our Hawaii flights. If I could afford more, I would even do more. The sad thing is that I have to explain to my First Class customers that they cannot expect this level of service on every flight because what they are being provided is essentially a gift from my crew to them.

You see, after a meal on a Hawaii flight, you have essentially nothing left to offer in First Class for the remaining 5 and a half hours of the flight except for refills and a smile. I prefer to provide more than that. I guess what I am trying to say is that isn't it sad that an employee has to cough up their own money to provide a level of service that our First Class passengers come on board to expect?

The truly sad part of this story is, if you were to be seen doing these things by management, you'd be in trouble for not following procedure.

Thanks for trying to make us look a little less ghetto.

 

[US1YFARE]

I would prefer to serve my drinks in First in real glassware - regardless of the stage length of the flight. We sank to an all time low when we ran out of plastic cups. Imagine, as I'm sure you can, being a Chairman's Preferred and having your Gin and Tonic being served to you in a cheap styrofoam coffee cup!! It was so bad that I went to Costco and bought my own plastic cups to use onboard during that fiasco that lasted almost two weeks!

Remember, on the East, we still drink out of plastic on ALL flights. But don't worry, we'll be patient, the glassware is coming...right????? 🙄

 

[Travelpro72]

Hey Maureen, If your on here girlfriend I gotta ask ya, "Why is it taking so long for this glassware". I mean really it's not that elaborate. It's a flag on a glass. Did you folks order it custom from the Lillian Vernon catalog or Fingerhut for crying out loud. It's a bunch of BS is what it is along with a long list of other stuff. I will definately be giving out the email since I don't say sorry to cover up for our lack of experienced management.

 

[Itestwell]

Hey Maureen, If your on here girlfriend I gotta ask ya, "Why is it taking so long for this glassware". I mean really it's not that elaborate. It's a flag on a glass. Did you folks order it custom from the Lillian Vernon catalog or Fingerhut for crying out loud. It's a bunch of BS is what it is along with a long list of other stuff. I will definately be giving out the email since I don't say sorry to cover up for our lack of experienced management.

Go get her girl..... 😉

 

[US1YFARE]

OKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LCC_#1]

Hey Maureen, If your on here girlfriend I gotta ask ya, "Why is it taking so long for this glassware". I mean really it's not that elaborate. It's a flag on a glass. Did you folks order it custom from the Lillian Vernon catalog or Fingerhut for crying out loud. It's a bunch of BS is what it is along with a long list of other stuff. I will definately be giving out the email since I don't say sorry to cover up for our lack of experienced management.

And why do we not have real silverware? I don't know about you guys, but my forks and knifes go in with the dishes. The arguement seems to be around washing cost. :unsure: Throw those suckers in with the china.

As far as the glassware? They probably dont know where to put it. May I suggest on the 320 the one overhead bin left? 😱

 

[N903AW]

You should _never_ feel like you need to "help out the company", especially by furnishing basic items for the passengers. That is so wrong.

A management that stupid needs no further enabling. We have seen enough enabling of the moronic USAir management. Let us stop this disease now. Force management to do their jobs, for once.

Trust me, I am not making the "extra" effort to make the company look good. I do these things because I take pride in my profession and I want our passengers to step off that aircraft in Hawaii with a memory of a wonderful travel experience that will last them a lifetime. Even little things like handing out Godiva chocolates before landing make a HUGE impression on our customers. I don't do it for recognition or kudos. I just like to do these things for love of the job.

When I was a kid, I still have fond memories of flying from DFW to Honolulu on Braniff 747s and the wonderful service they provided in First Class. Now I can't even provide HALF the things that BN served our family back in the day, but it's just my style to make the extra effort because that's just who I am. Anyone who has flown with me on these forums can attest to that.

Like I said, I have to remind them that these additional items are a gift from my crew (I don't even like to take the credit for it) to them as a token of appreciation for their patronage.

I hope if any of our FFocus members want to burn miles to Hawaii in First Class that I am working your flight. It will ALMOST seem like flying was back in the old days! 🙂

 

[US1YFARE]

I want our passengers to step off that aircraft in Hawaii with a memory of a wonderful travel experience that will last them a lifetime.

I love a happy ending. 😛h34r:

Seriously, I think it is great that you take so much pride in your service. And, I can guarantee that your VFF's really do appreciate your efforts.

 

[HP_JACK]

Our catering is Ghetto with a capital G! Ever since Sue B left it has gone downhill. This Maureen lady must leave! Oh wait she did leave and went to PHL!!! Have Fun with her out east! Girlfriend if you are reading this we are tired of your cheap bottomline!!

 

[isthisok]

I hear PIT has the best catering.

 

[Zarah]

I hear PIT has the best catering.

$75 to $100 per flight you are spending, per month, or per year?

Dang.

While it is super sweet that you do this, it can look like the other crews are not doing their job when they are not providing the same level of service.

 

[USCREW]

$75 to $100 per flight you are spending, per month, or per year?

Dang.

While it is super sweet that you do this, it can look like the other crews are not doing their job when they are not providing the same level of service.

When US first bought the Trump Shuttle, there was an F/A who bought her own china in her roll-aboard. Thankfully she only does one-days. I love this lady but she made it impossible for the rest of us. It's not like have twelve guests in your own home. We have to present the same service every time, whether it's full service, or nothing!!!

 

[rsv4ever]

Let me ask a question here. When a west crew worked PHX to PHL or LAS to PHL are you catered when you arrive in PHL?

hey travelpro... within the past few days out of LAS to PHL we had very little ice, trash was not dumped in aft galley side trash bins and NO snack mix/ pretzels. ugh! but we had about 250 blankets in bags.