I hear ya. I tell them with a completely straight face that I shivved an old lady in the parking lot. How the F do you think I got it? Scheduling called me. "What time did they call you for this?" Um, I don't know, I don't remember. Why? This is all discussed in the usually overdramatic and disorganized briefing... girls, it's a 767 to Spain, is this really this big of a deal to you?
I have no problem telling someone I won't switch with them or work their flight home. If it works for me, fine, but otherwise, why should I? If I marched up to ones of those crones and demanded they swop VCE and take my SNN trip because my friend is on it, they'd laugh at me. And they act all agitated with you as if you are being terribly rude and selfish by keeping your Athens trip instead of giving it to their friend. You can sneer at me all you want over your multicolored glasses on a chain all the way across the pond, it doesn't bother me one bit.
"Have you flown this plane before? Are you familiar with this aircraft?" No, a-hole, never seen it in my life. Is it the one with the swoosh and the flag on the tail? "Oh, looks like we have someone new!" Really? Who? Last time I checked we don't have anyone new, but we're talking about someone who is wearing a 20 year old striped shirt and is pulling what appears to be the first ever Travelpro, so their idea of new may be different than ours. I don't know about anyone else, but I mastered trash collection and pouring Diet Coke the first day- it's not very difficult, and I can even do it while smiling and engaging the customers. Stop making a meal service a bigger happening than it needs to be.
People get really nasty when you won't work for them. I was three sheets to the wind after a long post-recurrent Chili's session one time, and this chick was enraged that I wouldn't work for he
r. "Lady, I'm drunk! Move on!" It puts people in an uncomfortable position, and it's just rude. It's one thing to ask politely if anyone might be interested in working it, it's another to stand there and question why you won't. And, hello, offer money, I'm working for the company for free, why should I work for free for you?
And yes, if you put me in the CSD or Purser position you will follow my lead, not try to be the boss from the C-me-do-nothing position. If I'm in the galley, I will organize it the way I like and all required service, including juice and water, will be performed. I'm sorry that you are lazy/arthritic/claim no one does that/9 hours isn't enough time/can't fit down the aisle/think the customers are 'spoiled' etc.
If we do merge with someone hopefully these small town gals will realize that "doing international" isn't that big a deal at any seniority, and that they can't all try to be the boss or be lazy on a large crew.
