Stealing

[Whatnow?]

Instead of sticking it to the customer, and screwing the customer over and nickling and diming the customer to death on $25 same-day stand by fees and Northwest charging $15 for an exit row, perhaps the industry should find a way to be more pro-active at self-monitoring and get rid of some of the detritus working and getting paychecks.

Hmmm, sounds to me like somebody is having a bad experience with the Airline and has taken a personal vendetta out on the employees as a payback. I'm amazed that you could see all of that from your passenger seat. If someone were going to steal something they are not going to do it in plain view of another person and get caught....ya think? And again, how can you be sure IF you indeed saw what you think you saw, that the F/A wasn't exchanging liquor from one cabin to another or better yet setting it aside for another passenger....that used to be common practice in the old F/C days.....a to/go bag. Could another passenger have recieved something more than you and you feel slighted by that?

To those of you leaving personal insults here towards me, you're pushing me closer to giving far more details directly to the company. I'm going to hope that you folks are recently-hired Express folks and that those of you sending me a plethora of support in private chat are longer term REAL USair employees. At least that's how I'm putting order on this chaos in my mind.

What in the world does that comment mean? Recently hired express folks? Care to explain that one? Sounds like there is a lot of anger there too!

I've let your dirty little secret out of the bag and now someone might do something about it. tsk tsk....now go steal 4 $25 stand by fees out of the cash register when no one's looking because you might really need it when you lose your job for stealing.

Again, I'm sorry but can anyone else read between these lines? This person has had a bad experience and wants people to pay for it? How do you survive in America today with that better than thou attitude? This whole country is in the toilet with morals....is this really that big of an issue to turn some poor F/A's life upside down over a mini bottle that is worth practically nothing to the Airline.....because it's bought in such mass quantity. The real stealing is being done in Tempe right now with all the executive cashing in on stock options off the Airline. They really don't see how bad that looks when for almost 2 decades now the labor force at US has sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears to keep these doors open....and they come along and line their pockets with all the windfalls of the hard working employees who in my mind are the only one's that kept this Airline in business.

 

[Heinrich]

First - Heinrich

Why bring this up in a public forum? What did you hope to gain?

Would you want a customer or even co-worker "Rat You Out" and possibly cost you your job? If the answer is no then extend the F/A the same courtesy.

Can you really be sure she was stealing? and did you ever take a mug from the US Airways Club? Or pillow or blanket from a flight as a "Souvenir"?

Um, and what was exactly WRONG with posting in this thread? Is this a subject matter that should have been avoided for some reason? If I had identified the individual I could understand the comment about being "ratted out". However, I have not identified anyone to anyone on this board or to the company.

Instead of choosing to write a complaint to management, and not having a chance to go to the F/A, I decided to come here and mention that I saw something improper, and to remind folks that occasionally PAX view/see and observe things that could affect them directly. That was my way of dealing with it. It's one step removed from going directly to the individual. If I had a chance to do that, I would, but by the time I had a chance to reflect on what I saw, the chance was gone. So here I am.

About the only thing I regret is the comment that I made about "feeling awkward." I no longer feel awkward. I hereby retract that remark.

 

[PITbull]

Heinrich,

I would rather see a post on the boards to give everyone a chance at some discussion, rather than have the f/a reported to a management team that is by far only focuses on shareholder value for themselves, and bonus money. It is very obvious to me and many who know this management that their priority is NOT on servicing the customer or the employees who provide that service.

And as you can see posted, a edited by moderator that would rather slam me publically on this board and claim to be so happy not to be working with me, than PM you directly about this issue.

Truth,

For your fyi...I have probably more f/as that write to me today for advice from all over the system, than most LEC presidents.

I am still with ya...honey cakes! 😉

 

[SKY HIGH]

There just is not enough disposal income to provide yourself with the simplest of items, food, tips and to relax on a 4-day trip layover; 16-20 days a month on the road. I remember a f/a in CLT who called me. She just got on a plane and went home. She was having a serious break-down, broke, and just couldn't hold on any more as a reserve. She was losing her town-house, and was not getting her hours in last year 2005. 71 hour gurantee per month and having to only fly about 3 trips, paying for lay over expenses.

sky high states: BINGO!.....And you dont have to be on Reserve to experience the "enough income" syndrome. Flight attendants are becoming experts at "juggling" bills and due dates. It's no longer, just rollaboard and tote. Add Food container/cooler with that.

 

[US1YFARE]

To you FF's: Has anyone ever given you a "to go" bag? Or, maybe not even a "to go" bag, perhaps here are a few mini's because you've had such a rough day...And if so, did you refuse it?

 

[US1YFARE]

There for a while I thought those white "Air Sickness" bags really were "Goodie Bags".

Oh, you got the "small" one. The plastic trash bags are great.

 

[Twicebaked]

Saw a FA stuff 3 vodkas into her personal carry-on before doing liquor count.

I wish I had not observed this. As a PAX I am put into an awkward position. Part of me thinks I should fill out a complaint but the other part of me really liked her and enjoyed her service.

She was not a young attendant and the "sneaky" nature of her behaviour to me implied that she was well practiced.

I'm just depressed that I saw this.

First let me respond by saying mind your own business. You have no idea what she was doing.
Many times we have to swap liqour from the coach cart to the first class cart and vice versa.
I myself will many times put them in my pocket (AND I DON'T DRINK LIQUOR) rather than carry them through the aircraft. So, before you go spouting off about something you have no idea about.......

 

[gso2pit]

First let me respond by saying mind your own business. You have no idea what she was doing.
Many times we have to swap liqour from the coach cart to the first class cart and vice versa.
I myself will many times put them in my pocket (AND I DON'T DRINK LIQUOR) rather than carry them through the aircraft. So, before you go spouting off about something you have no idea about.......

Heinrich-As a US1, I see lots of things onboard a/c involving crewmembers...some of which is familiar behavior and some which is not. F/A's put up with alot and have given so much for so little. If someone were to stuff a rollerbag full of bottled h20 and chips, that's their own business as you have to do what you have to do. If a crewmember is doing things w/ liquor, i'd be hesistant to call it theft unless I saw someone empty out an entire kit of minis into their bag. Even then, you still don't know what they are doing.

I certainly don't condone theft, but if f/a's are jacking minis for their overnight, that's something they have to live with. I would be hesistant to report them to the company. Why cost someone their job if it doesn't affect you personally?

 

[UWCactus]

Taking a pen is still stealing it from the company, don't sugarcoat it.

Don't worry 700..there is no sugar coating here. The company sells those minis..all of it is in inventory. They don't sell pens. Take one mini per flight per day and add it up at $5.00 a bottle.

 

[US1YFARE]

Take one mini per flight per day and add it up at $5.00 a bottle.

That's assuming a FC pax doesn't consume it. That's assuming a Y pax purchases it. I would say the more fair analysis would be either the cost of the mini to the company.....$.25? or some balance between the ratio of minis consumed in the FC to those sold in Y.

 

[US1YFARE]

PB, I really do think the costs are more like a quarter if that. And that is assuming that a Y pax would buy it.

 

[xoxo]

In order for Heinrich to see this happen, they would have been in the galley being nosey. If a f/a were to have done this, they would not have been in plain sight, so you must have been stretching those eyeballs being nosey. Mind your own business in your seat. Maybe you were up and about to use the lav, but if this were the case, we dont allow passengers to be just hanging around in the galley.

 

[hp_fa]

The more you folks focus your ire at Heinrich the worse you make the incident seem.

 

[xoxo]

If the company were to fire everyone for stealing..they would need to go out of business. There is not one single f/a or pilot that has not at least once taken a bottle of water, soda, juice or snack from the basket, peanuts pretzels, some milk, some fruit from f/c and put it in their bag or lunch cooler and went to their overnight. Name one and they will be lying. ALL OF US HAVE DONE IT AT LEAST ONCE IN OUR WHOLE CARREER. Are they gonna fire 15,000 employees? NO.

 

[Singleflyer]

As a person who has put in internal control systems in Bars, you just try to keep the stealing to "acceptable" levels. You cant' t stop it, so lets find the most economic way to controll it. You don't spend $10.00 to keep the bartender from giving a "free" beer to get a better tip. Yes that is stealing, but you can't stop it all, so just contol the stealing, and I am sure US knows many of the litre bottles of water go "home" with the crew, and some minis as well. It is just accepted, and accountated for in their cost structure.