US Air idiosyncrasies

[Midnight Flyer]

I've been traveling on US Air as a passenger alot over the last couple months from the east to the west coast, connecting through Phoenix. Seems like it's difficult to find any young cute US Air flight attendants anymore. There was a particular flight attendant on my most recent flight that looked like Barbara Bush, and she was the best looking out of them all . Definitely no eye candy. Is that due to the junior young hot flight attendants being laid off and only the senior galley hags remain?
Also, for you US Air guys, any idea why it usually takes close to 5 minutes for them to get the forward door open? This is not just a PHX thing, it seems to be that way at every city I've flown to on US Air. On SouthWest it seems like the door is opened and people walk off the aircraft around 30 seconds after the seatbelt sign turned off.

 

[Wiskey Driver]

I've been traveling on US Air as a passenger alot over the last couple months from the east to the west coast, connecting through Phoenix. Seems like it's difficult to find any young cute US Air flight attendants anymore. There was a particular flight attendant on my most recent flight that looked like Barbara Bush, and she was the best looking out of them all . Definitely no eye candy. Is that due to the junior young hot flight attendants being laid off and only the senior galley hags remain?
Also, for you US Air guys, any idea why it usually takes close to 5 minutes for them to get the forward door open? This is not just a PHX thing, it seems to be that way at every city I've flown to on US Air. On SouthWest it seems like the door is opened and people walk off the aircraft around 30 seconds after the seatbelt sign turned off.

We do have our fair share of older gals as is the case with most carriers including SWA. We do have a good amount of cuties as well however they are JR and usually sitting hot res in LAS.

Now as for the jetways it seems to me that this company is going to have to pony up some dollars to get the service our pax deserve. The carpet baggers in this industry have stolen from the rank and file for far too long and many in this and other industries have had enough.

WD.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

I've always gotten good service riding in the back on US Air. Just no eye candy .

I noticed (again, only in PHX) the mechanics riding around the ramp on three-wheeler tricycle bikes with baskets on the back of them. The concept is very gay, but operationally it makes total sense.
Those bicycles remind me of a mentally challenged individual who used to live in our neighborhood. He would spend the day riding up and down our street on his three-wheeled tricycle bike with one of those tall flexible orange triangle flags on the back.

 

[learflyer]

On SouthWest it seems like the door is opened and people walk off the aircraft around 30 seconds after the seatbelt sign turned off.

This is true. Always wondered how SWA loads em' up, and kicks em' out so fast.

 

[DX Jake]

This is true. Always wondered how SWA loads em' up, and kicks em' out so fast.

I guess since all we fly are 73's, it's a little easier to move the jetway. It's a forward and backward motion with the jetway.... so it's quick. I remember back at us air, if the last plane on the gate was like a 319 or something, it took a little bit longer to move the jetway not only back and forth, but up and down, and left and right if a different type of aircraft like a 75 pulled in. I don't know if that made any sense.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

I guess since all we fly are 73's, it's a little easier to move the jetway. It's a forward and backward motion with the jetway.... so it's quick. I remember back at us air, if the last plane on the gate was like a 319 or something, it took a little bit longer to move the jetway not only back and forth, but up and down, and left and right if a different type of aircraft like a 75 pulled in. I don't know if that made any sense.

you would think the agents would at least know what type of plane it is they're standing around waiting on. Maybe they can position the jetbridge before the a/c arrives, to be in a better spot .

 

[Green]

I've always gotten good service riding in the back on US Air. Just no eye candy .

.

you are spot on, we have some of the most unfortunate looking FA´s in the world. Human resources seems to target young gay guys and 50-70 year old ladies who look like they have been chain smokers their whole life. Oh well. Atleast we make the big bucks....lol

 

[35khighpjc]

I've always gotten good service riding in the back on US Air. Just no eye candy .

This is america Charlie Brown. We (sadly) have laws here where we cannot fire F/As when they get old, ugly, and/or washed up...like all the euro and asia carriers can (unless their labor laws say otherwise, but judging on the quality and looks of those from Europe, I don't think such laws exist :smash

 

[Itsallsogood]

so sad.... we arrived Sat.6/23 with a Doctor taking care of a stroke victim on board A22. Still took over 10 minutes for the jetway.(and we were told there would be no one there)

 

[DustyBottoms]

you are spot on, we have some of the most unfortunate looking FA´s in the world. Human resources seems to target young gay guys and 50-70 year old ladies who look like they have been chain smokers their whole life. Oh well. Atleast we make the big bucks....lol

That's the picture here. WTF? Do we have some gay guy doing the hiring here? I had a FA, who was in her 50's, who need somebody else to get her bags in and out of the overhead... How is she supposed to pick up an overwing exit? I guarantee the pax don't like to see a bunch of dudes or old grumpy ladies serving them. Oh well.

 

[front9]

Originally Posted by learflyer
This is true. Always wondered how SWA loads em' up, and kicks em' out so fast.

Some people like the "fall of Saigon" boarding and deplaning process.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Some people like the "fall of Saigon" boarding and deplaning process.

For those of you who don't know, the SWA boarding process goes something like this....

First, all the Customers are divided up into 3 boarding groups...the "A" boarding group, the "B" boarding group and the "C" boarding group.

The first groups that gets to board are the pre-boarders....those in wheelchairs, those with small children, etc.

then the call is made for the "A" boarding group....once they are on board, the call is made for the "B" group and so on...

I have seen some video of the actual fall of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City?) and the mele that took place just outside of the American Embassy. People crying, clashing with each other to get in first, families tearfully allowing their kids to get on aricraft while they stayed behind to an unknown future....I've not seen anything remotely close to that here.

When SWA announced they were going to test assigned seating, many of the regular, and corporate Customers let the company know they were happy with the current boarding process. SWA also found out the assigned seating did not improve the acft turn times.

Where do you get your information?

 

[Golden Falcon]

Cabin crew are not there to be "eye candy" they are there for your safety...that "old bag" experience might well save your life someday...think about it!!

 

[AV80R]

Cabin crew are not there to be "eye candy" they are there for your safety...that "old bag" experience might well save your life someday...think about it!!

I agree with you, but since you’re talking safety let me mention something else that does not make sense to me. I find it very strange that at most airlines you’ll see all those non-rev’ing pilots and flight attendants riding in the back of the airplane but NOT in the emergency exits.

Some airlines charge the passengers extra for the “privilege” of sitting in the emergency exit row so the extra large passengers end up purchasing those seats.

Other airlines just randomly assign those seats to the passengers they think will need the extra space, usually the gate agents give those away to extra tall and/or heavy passengers.

Some (SWA) will not allow anyone who pre-boards (including pilots) to take those seats. If you are boarding in group A for example by the time you introduce yourself to the crew, get captain’s permission, etc, the emergency exits are long gone. I have commuted on SWA for years and they have always been great to me but I know this is a change from the past and I think it has to do with the ADA act? In the past, if you pre-boarded as a pilot you were still welcomed to take the emergency seat.

I know I am a little selfish here, but wouldn’t it make more sense to have crew members who actually practice opening emergency exit doors on different aircraft at least once a year during their recurrent and who have the knowledge of emergency exit procedures to be the “preferred occupants” of those seats?

Fire away!

 

[PHXFLYR]

you are spot on, we have some of the most unfortunate looking FA´s in the world. Human resources seems to target young gay guys and 50-70 year old ladies who look like they have been chain smokers their whole life. Oh well. Atleast we make the big bucks....lol

WE DO????
Sheeesh...No one told me!!

PHXFLYR

 

[The Victors]

Cabin crew are not there to be "eye candy" they are there for your safety...that "old bag" experience might well save your life someday...think about it!!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: breath, breath:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[Green]

WE DO????
Sheeesh...No one told me!!

PHXFLYR

i was being SARCASTIC..........Our pay sucks and our negotiators are afraid to even ASK for SWA pay or match AAs proposal, because that would cost the company money...lol....