Yooo hooo Mr. Pilot Man

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> MOST of the F/As really seemed to appreciate it. The ones that didn't were those who introduced themselves by saying "Where's my tripsheet?" instead of "Hi, my name is..."

I know her! She always flies with “Get me a smoking roomâ€￾.

For a while I was doing a whole bunch of extra trips for some reason. I made up these little sheets that said:

“Hello, N965VJ, payroll #XXXX will be your D FA for the following flights: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

I will/will not be having the same RON as you.â€￾

Then I would fill in the flight #’s by hand. If the front end crew was not on board when we started boarding, I would just put it on the FO’s yoke instead of handing to them. That saved the guys from having to scribble down notes.

 

[BoeingBoy]

I'll say one thing - if we (ya'll since I'll be gone by then) go with the West practice of scheduling the pilots and F/A's separately, those East F/A's that haven't operated that way are in for a rude awakening.

Forget about having trip sheets made for you - flying with 2/3/4 different F/A crews a day means the pilots probably won't have an idea what your trip is, or even where you're based, until they walk on the plane.

Signing you in at the hotel - the only time we'll be getting off to go to the hotel at the same time is likely to be only on the evening terminators. Back in the PI days, we often stayed at different hotels - the F/A's would have a long layover while the pilot's had a short or vice versa. That'll probably be less of a problem with today's trips, but will happen.

In short, every F/A will be like extra's are now as far as interaction with the pilots.

Just another reason why I like the F/A's and pilot's staying together for the entire trip.

Jim

 

[PHLfa88]

Anybody remember lifting the bags of the f/a's up the stairs at the Airways in BUF? And then doing the door thing. And then meeting down stairs for a great time. As a crew, doesn't happen that much any more. But it was a blast, and watched out for one and all.

WOW! Now Thats a Blast From the Past!! Oh What Fun That Place Was! And Filling in That One More Piece of The Puzzle on The Table! And The WINGS!!!

 

[Hawkhunter]

How about FO's who no longer make trip sheets? Or sign in crews at the hotel? Since they lost their pensions, this is their "I'll show them" tactic. If you ask about it they say they don't have to anymore. I tell them I'm not required to feed and water them either. Common courtesy can go a long way.

I would say only a few dont make trip sheets or sign in crews. Just like a few FAs dont offer me a beverage.

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> I earned three sweatshirts, the ones with the wingless chickens.

I had a coffee mug.

What’s-her-name broke it while doing the dishes.

 

[desertgal]

I totally understand what the OP is talking about as far as being upset with the pilots for their lack of professionalism.
Its the same all over, tho.
Some pilots are concerned for the safety of their pax and crew, and some- not so much.
Its like they are flying freight (or should be).
It all comes back to the preflight briefing.
Some pilots are good at them, others suck at it.
FAs need to be proactive and drag the info out of the less professional guys/gals.
Ask about the wetaher.
Ask if they know/follow procedures for moderate turbulence.
Ask them to use standard terminology and give durations.
It could be they have gotten used to flying w/FA who are less than professional, and if you clue them in that you are serious, they often will step up to your level.
And I think they appreciate it.

As far as trip sheets and signing in?
I don't know what a trip sheet is. West dosen't do that.
We have a cabin crew list that the A FA is responsible for providing to the pilots.
They give it back when we go our seperate ways.
And, usually, we all sign ourselves in.
So neither of those is a big deal to anyone.
Sometimes someone will sign everyone in if the clipboard is available in the van, but as a female I prefer to use only my first initial, so someone trying to be helpful who signs my whole name actually is doing a disservice.
I get over it pretty quick, tho.
We prop our hotel doors open w/our bags, and check our own rooms.
We like to have rooms on the same floor, and they are supposed to assign them that way, but, if there is an odd room, usually it will go to a male FA, so the females can have their safety in numbers.

 

[BoeingBoy]

I don't know what a trip sheet is. West dosen't do that.
<snip>
And, usually, we all sign ourselves in.
<snip>We prop our hotel doors open w/our bags, and check our own rooms.

A trip sheet is the schedule of flights for the trip. Shows A/C type (i.e. 737-300 or 400), departure time, arrival time, block time, time on the ground between flights, scheduled airplane changes, etc. Since we fly together as a crew (excluding extra F/A's), the trip is the same for the entire crew.

Since we fly together as a crew for the entire trip, one of the pilot's (usually the F/O) will sign the entire crew in at the hotel. It's common practice to use 1st initials for the reason you stated.

The F/A's on this side normally prop their doors open while they check the room also. One of the pilot's usually waits in the hall until everything is OK as a courtesy.

I honestly think that you'd like the crew staying together. The only downside is that the F/A's are effectively limited to the same FAR limits as the pilots. The benefits (especially when there are multiple bases as East has) numerous.

Jim

 

[a320av8r]

I agree, having done it both ways staying together is much better. Security is enhanced, communication is much better, you actually learn names, crew delays due to awaiting the other end are eliminated, etc. The advantages greatly outweigh any benefits of splitting (whatever they may be).

 

[desertgal]

A trip sheet is the schedule of flights for the trip. Shows A/C type (i.e. 737-300 or 400), departure time, arrival time, block time, time on the ground between flights, scheduled airplane changes, etc. Since we fly together as a crew (excluding extra F/A's), the trip is the same for the entire crew.

OK.
We have these, but we call it our "pairing".
And, each crew member prints out their own when they c/i.
Then we check pertinent info (pax loads, pilot names, ac swaps, etc) if we so desire and mark it on our own print out.

I did really like it when we stayed w/pilots for the whole trip, but we will never go back to that because FA can swap to different a/c types w/the same crew compliment and it allows for MUCH better pairings and better utilization/yield.
Also saves money for the company and we know thats what its all about. Low cost.
However, crew bonding and fun layovers are sacrificed.
It totally shows on the newer FAs who were hired after we changed systems.
They often don't "get" it as far as crew dynamics.

 

[Fly]

It's NEVER been that way at United (but I wish it had). Usually our purser signs in everyone (at least internationally) and the hotel gives the first rooms to the pilots. They leave and we wait for whatever is left. Normally in Brussels, the pilots rooms are ready but the f/a's sometimes wait about an hour before we get ours. (LHR is bad too) I've never once had a pilot help us check our rooms. Even though we had one of our girls brutally raped in LAX a few years ago. WTG US, very classy for your pilots to care.

Our guys are good about buying the first round though....hmmmm, maybe that's when they want to 'check' our rooms.

 

[PedroPat]

:down: Hey, make your own dam trip sheet. I'm not your secretary or your babysitter. Are you folks so lazy you can't go to option #4 and type the word (YES) next to print. Almost every F/O has been a Captain at USAirways and no one here except the furloughed guys has taken a bigger pay cut than us. So I fly the airplane to the best of my ability and go home. That's it, you want a secretary go hire one, and I'll be glad to get my own coffee.

This trip sheet and sign in crap is leftover USair rusthead nonsense.



PedroPat
PHL

 

[JAFA]

Northwest flight attendant murdered in hotelroom(unsolved) in Detroit (I'm pretty sure it was Detroit could have been MSP

You had it right. It was in DTW, but if I recall she was from MSP. Actually I think it was solved in the last few years. I seem to recall reading about a suspect while I was living out there.

As to the point of checking. I don't think anyone implied that we shouldn't always check our rooms when we check into a hotel. I think it was the idea that someone else needs to do it for you. I'm of the same thought, this isn't the 40's and women are no longer this little weak thing that needs us big strong men to take care of them. I check my room whenever I'm in a hotel and don't need someone else to do it for me so why would I expect a woman to need me to do it? Wouldn't that be treating her disrepectfully as implying she is weaker than me?

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Pedro,
Thank god for "rusthead" gentlemen. You got a 'puter show some class and give your crew a trip sheet. Jeeze...

Eye

:down: Hey, make your own dam trip sheet. I'm not your secretary or your babysitter. Are you folks so lazy you can't go to option #4 and type the word (YES) next to print. Almost every F/O has been a Captain at USAirways and no one here except the furloughed guys has taken a bigger pay cut than us. So I fly the airplane to the best of my ability and go home. That's it, you want a secretary go hire one, and I'll be glad to get my own coffee.

This trip sheet and sign in crap is leftover USair rusthead nonsense.
PedroPat
PHL

I'm of the same thought, this isn't the 40's and women are no longer this little weak thing that needs us big strong men to take care of them. I check my room whenever I'm in a hotel and don't need someone else to do it for me so why would I expect a woman to need me to do it? Wouldn't that be treating her disrepectfully as implying she is weaker than me?

You're single, aren't you?

Eye

 

[jimntx]

Interesting discussion. I admit, since cockpit and cabin crews rarely stay together for the entire trip at AA, it took me awhile to understand. That is a nice touch, though.

Boeing Boy, I don't understand the "downside" of f/as having the same FAR restrictions as the cockpit. Lord knows when I see the cockpit leaving for one hotel and a 14-15 hour layover and I am going to the airport hotel with a 9.5 hour layover after a 12.32 duty day today and a 12.50 hour duty day tomorrow, I see a definite "upside" to having the same restrictions.

As a courtesy, I offer to wait with other f/as while they check their rooms. Some prefer it. Others say, don't bother. When I was still on new-hire probation, I was flying one trip with a 30+ year f/a. I offered to wait while she checked her room. She thanked me and went in with the door blocked open with her bags. All of sudden she shouted, "Oh my god, there's a man in the closet. Pick me up in a couple of days."

I print my own HI5 (what you call a trip sheet) when I sign in for the trip. Because cockpits and f/as don't stay together for the entire trip it would be impossible for anyone other than another f/a to pull up my trip schedule. Besides, a lot of our cockpits don't know how to pull up the loads in Sabre. If I'm #1, I do take responsibility for printing the hotel vouchers for the f/a crew. We only need one copy and most hotels don't even ask for them anymore.

 

[LCC_#1]

:down: Hey, make your own dam trip sheet. I'm not your secretary or your babysitter. Are you folks so lazy you can't go to option #4 and type the word (YES) next to print. Almost every F/O has been a Captain at USAirways and no one here except the furloughed guys has taken a bigger pay cut than us. So I fly the airplane to the best of my ability and go home. That's it, you want a secretary go hire one, and I'll be glad to get my own coffee.

This trip sheet and sign in crap is leftover USair rusthead nonsense.
PedroPat
PHL

Great attitude! Boy, am glad you're based in PHL and not CLT. I pity the poor f/a's that have to fly with an ass like you. Your sorry butt can sit in your right seat and rot before I ever give you a crumb and you better watch your attitude...you never know whats in your f/c meal..if you DO get one. There are some mean f/a's in PHL who will NOT put up with your crap and will provide you with a little extra something something on, under, or in your food. :down: :down: :down: