Question on where AA F/As checkin for their trips

[ContUNITEus]

I always wondered where you guys check in. A friend of mine said that you guys just go directly to the gate, thus never interacting with managers and supervisory staff upstairs.

Is that true?

 

[kirkpatrick]

I always wondered where you guys check in. A friend of mine said that you guys just go directly to the gate, thus never interacting with managers and supervisory staff upstairs.

Is that true?

We sign in on computers at the airport, either in operations, at the ticket counter or at the gate, whichever is more convenient. Only certain computers will allow sign-ins; you can't do it from home or from your commuter pad.

Since I drive to work I leave a bit of time in case of traffic or whatever, so I sign in in ops about 95% of the time. Occasionally if I'm running a little late I'll do it at an unused computer at the ticket counter and proceed to the gate.

It's a good system since crew schedule can see from DFW if anyone is late anywhere on the system and call them or call out a standby if necessary.

MK

 

[ContUNITEus]

Did you know that at America West, management makes F/As check in at their ops office on purpose so that they can have the interaction with the workforce? The idea behind this is that this way it ensures that they can target and harass the workforce day in and out, for small and petty stuff. At AWA you check into Maestro at the offices above Gate B4 in PHX's US Airways terminal. There used to be another two computer terminals at the other concourse, being that those gates are so far from the office. But management decided to purposely disable those computers from check-ins, because many F/As had decided that they would rather try to avoid contact (or be seen) by management in Concourse B, and check in there.

It's an all-out passive aggressive tactic that they have that ensures that every F/A get's seen every once in a while. It's about control and intimidation.

It's quiet a contrast from what I know from US east and American, where a friend of mine told me that he hasn't been upstairs in the Ops office for months, just so that he doesn't have to run into anyone he doesn't want to.

 

[jimntx]

I have flown with flight attendants who will tell you that they don't even know their supervisor's name, much less what they look like. Like MK, I usually sign in in Ops because I go in to check my mail box (aka my Pendaflex hanging folder ).

 

[IORFA]

I call a friend to sign me in when late on the employee bus and then just head to the plane to relieve the standby who is doing my boarding duties. Never going to ops, checking the mailbox or seeing any form of management. Works great! Just need to beat the agents before they close the door.

 

[ContUNITEus]

That's a terminable offense at AWA.

In any event, I always wondered how it works over at AA considering AWA... The funny thing is that those 96 US east people transferring to the west will be in for a rude awakening. I know that most east F/As say that the Supervisors are afraid of them, but trust me, it's a whole different ball-game in PHX.

PHX is run like a hell-hole. I wonder why the hostility towards the workforce just doesn't ever stop over there, considering that it is no longer America West. It's like, it is sort of hardwired into that base for management to be on the constant search for conflict.

When I hear from both east US F/As and AA F/As about the stuff that they get away with, I just sit there in amazement telling them that something like that would never fly at US west.

The reason why I bring this up is that I just heard from a story of one of my friend F/As and a little event that he/she had with Barbara T. in PHX. BT is one of the F/A base managers, that pretends to be really friendly in your face, just to turn around and stab you really softly in the back, while telling you something really sweet with her squeaky fake voice.

If there was a way to avoid management altogether like you guys at AA do, it would be great, but in PHX, the system is purposely designed this way to have that friction with management. Lot's of people would surely love to NOT have to run into Barbara T. with her squeaky voice telling you how fantastic and great you are, when in reality she is just looking for something to get you in trouble with.

So my suggestion, when you see Barbara T., please say hi to her in a really squeaky high-pitch voice and tell her how sweet she is and what a great manager she is, then quickly move on.

For those who still have the luxury not to have to put up with people like her, please fight to prevent that system that they have at AWA from being implemented systemwide, and keep your independence and ability check in directly at the gate.

 

[IORFA]

It was a joke and something that happened once in my career. But if they were too hard on people being late, this place would shut down in weather and road construction situations. We do our best and make it work. I also heard NWA had to sign in 1.5 hours before flight on international sequences and if you were not there, too bad so sad. You were removed and replaced. That would never work at the current AA. Although, I do know many that avoid ops like the plague. Don't blame them either. Management ramps enough flights, that they will find you if they want to. Intimidation wont work here either.

 

[boston]

Did you know that at America West, management makes F/As check in at their ops office on purpose so that they can have the interaction with the workforce? The idea behind this is that this way it ensures that they can target and harass the workforce day in and out, for small and petty stuff. At AWA you check into Maestro at the offices above Gate B4 in PHX's US Airways terminal. There used to be another two computer terminals at the other concourse, being that those gates are so far from the office. But management decided to purposely disable those computers from check-ins, because many F/As had decided that they would rather try to avoid contact (or be seen) by management in Concourse B, and check in there.

It's an all-out passive aggressive tactic that they have that ensures that every F/A get's seen every once in a while. It's about control and intimidation.

It's quiet a contrast from what I know from US east and American, where a friend of mine told me that he hasn't been upstairs in the Ops office for months, just so that he doesn't have to run into anyone he doesn't want to.

You are not to be harassed before or during a trip is so call the FAA.