Grade-A b**tch FA's at AA

[say again]

The guy's ticket WAS BOUGHT FOR BY HIS COMPANY, and proceeded to whine like my 3 year old because of some surly F/As during his free ride.

I'd boot his ass off and send him to SWA, they love people like him.

Who care's who bought the ticket?? The fact is that he is a paying customer and deserves the service of ANY customer on board. Your mentality is the reason airline customer service is the sh!ts (among other reasons).

BTW- SWA would actually welcome him aboard without the crappy attitudes of many at the majors.

Note- there are many pleasant people at the majors, so the above doesnt pertain to all people.

 

[ProFracPilot]

The guy's ticket WAS BOUGHT FOR BY HIS COMPANY, and proceeded to whine like my 3 year old because of some surly F/As during his free ride.

I'd boot his ass off and send him to SWA, they love people like him.

Bitter much? Obviously, you're NOT one of the AA professionals I had the pleasure to interact with a couple of weeks ago...wow.

Pilots for NJ, FltOps, Flex, etc are indeed some of the BEST business passengers you folks have. We are usually on a Y fare (or better) purchased on short notice. And I'll say that most of the crews welcome us aboard, much as they do their 'other' business passengers. But you, sir, just don't get it.

I hope your retirement comes soon.

 

[aa73]

Nope, just pointing out that if you are going to make a scene on board the aircraft over what YOU perceive as surly treatment, you're not going to last long on ANY airline. I've seen them and dealt with them. Believe me when I say the other pax applaud our decision to boot them off, because they are a pain in the a$$ to everyone around them. They feel they are entitled to the world and a half, and let everyone around them know it. I'm not saying that it should be an excuse for poor treatment from the F/As - in fact, I've been on flights where we've kicked off F/As for unprofessional behavior - but if you really have that much of an issue with bad service, bite your *************************ing tongue and deal with it when you get home - NOT on my airplane. And I'm sure Satpak was professional and didn't do anything like that, but he makes a big deal out of surly service that exists at EVERY airline. Perhaps his F/As were having a bad day.. what a shocker, stop the presses! I've been on flights from EVERY AIRLINE that had F/As like that. And to sit here and have a hissy fit over a random flight just because HE wasn't happy - on a FREE RIDE - is just dumb.

p.s. I'd like to point out that I, sir, happen to be one of those AA pilots that hang out at the gate until departure time making sure that we get all of our non revs and OALs on board, in light of the fact that our agents have a certain, ahem, reputation for closing the door on you guys. I also make sure you will be sitting in First Class if there is a seat open. It just so happens that I have somewhat low tolerance of passengers that take out their frustrations on our overworked, underpaid F/As if they don't get what THEY feel they deserve.

 

[C-150ETOPS]

It just so happens that I have somewhat low tolerance of passengers that take out their frustrations on our overworked, underpaid F/As if they don't get what THEY feel they deserve.

Let me guess. You're married to an overworked, underpaid FA.

That would be the same group that typically does 1 drink pass through the cabin? Get real. With their demographics, the International FA's are pushing $50 an hour to make one or two passes through coach at most. The F/C crews do provide the old style service, more work, but even then it's much less than 20 years ago. Had any fresh scrambled eggs lately?

Their pay is purely the result of their labor leverage. At AA, it sure as hell isn't based on customer service. I can't think of any job/career in the country that has basically zero skills, and a training program measured in days, that hasn't been decimated in terms of pay, benefits and retirement. I truly have alot of respect for their skills in obtaining so much with basically so little in skills. My hats off to them. We'd make twice as much if we followed their lead.

The original poster was a customer with a valid observation. Surely we both know that alot of customer service at AA is out of the FA's control, they're the closest punching bag, but there is 20% that treat everybody like crap, including you, and that's well above the critical mass to kill the travel perception for any airline.

 

[aa73]

It seems to me this discussion has branched off into a comparison of corporate vs airline passengers. There simply is no comparison - corporate passengers will always pay top dollar to fly the best maintained equipment in absolute luxury. The airline passenger pays rock bottom prices to get basic transportation. The problem is, there are too many airline passengers that expect corporate-style service - or even friendly service 100% of the time - and that's just not the case with most airlines. Yes most airline crews are professional and there will always be that percentage with an attitude, I've seen it everywhere. But I've also seen surly F/As at EVERY airline that can have a nasty attitude.

AA's problem, as I've said before, is that the employees were STOLEN from - employees that had families, kids, mortgages - and those very employees SACRIFICED millions of $$$ to SAVE their company - and that company has TAKEN those millions of $$$ and rewarded themselves handsomely, while blowing us off and blaming us for their losses. That may not be a reason to be surly to customers, but ask yourself honestly: Don't you think it would get to you from time to time?

Satpak.. all I can say is this: If you truly believe you were wronged on your flight, send an email to [email protected]. Coming on this board and complaining about bad service may feel good to you, but what does it accomplish?

I apologize if I came off too strongly. As you can see, it gets to me too every so often.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Nope, just pointing out that if you are going to make a scene on board the aircraft over what YOU perceive as surly treatment, you're not going to last long on ANY airline. I've seen them and dealt with them. Believe me when I say the other pax applaud our decision to boot them off, because they are a pain in the a$$ to everyone around them. They feel they are entitled to the world and a half, and let everyone around them know it. I'm not saying that it should be an excuse for poor treatment from the F/As - in fact, I've been on flights where we've kicked off F/As for unprofessional behavior - but if you really have that much of an issue with bad service, bite your *************************ing tongue and deal with it when you get home - NOT on my airplane. And I'm sure Satpak was professional and didn't do anything like that, but he makes a big deal out of surly service that exists at EVERY airline. Perhaps his F/As were having a bad day.. what a shocker, stop the presses! I've been on flights from EVERY AIRLINE that had F/As like that. And to sit here and have a hissy fit over a random flight just because HE wasn't happy - on a FREE RIDE - is just dumb.

p.s. I'd like to point out that I, sir, happen to be one of those AA pilots that hang out at the gate until departure time making sure that we get all of our non revs and OALs on board, in light of the fact that our agents have a certain, ahem, reputation for closing the door on you guys. I also make sure you will be sitting in First Class if there is a seat open. It just so happens that I have somewhat low tolerance of passengers that take out their frustrations on our overworked, underpaid F/As if they don't get what THEY feel they deserve.

I'd like to personally thank you for making our point for us. Please, continue...


Oh... and thank you for destroying our hub in St. Louis.

"The St. Louis hub will be a Crown Jewel in the AA system." ~Don Carty, 2/2001.

What? Is there something like 16 gates left and 1/2 of the Lambert St. Louis International (thank God for Air Canada) Airport boarded up. Some jewel.

 

[aa73]

Oh... and thank you for destroying our hub in St. Louis.

"The St. Louis hub will be a Crown Jewel in the AA system." ~Don Carty, 2/2001.

What? Is there something like 16 gates left and 1/2 of the Lambert St. Louis International (thank God for Air Canada) Airport boarded up. Some jewel.

Please send your displeasure to Mr Carty, along with my middle finger...

I do think it's funny you hold me responsible, though.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Please send your displeasure to Mr Carty, along with my middle finger...

I do think it's funny you hold me responsible, though.

I don't. I was just trying to get you going.

Dang.

 

[aa73]

Shack!

Peace...

 

[satpak77]

Paying pax, regardless of who effected the payment, are the reasons the airlines are in business. Just like cargo shippers keep UPS and FedEx in business.

Saying a "coach" passenger "can expect" less customer service is like saying when Grandpa ships a model train to his grandson, he can "somewhat expect" the box to be rough-handled, since he choose bargain basement cheap shipping, versus Intel, who ships 1000 chips a day and is a "corporate" customer.

I mean, come on people. Hot towels, hot meal, etc? No, we ain't getting that in coach. We all know that, thanks. But a general pleasant (uh, its your job by the way) demeanor towards paying coach customers is all we ask.

Note: all the flights are packed these days, this must be good for the industry....

Again, THE face of customer service is the FA, he/she is working the flight and, well, ahem, serves us. Literally.

Only in this case, she didn't. She dis-served us. And her (and for some of you, your...) company.

AA73, got the PM. Thanks

Sorry folks, i am right on this. The argument/discussion (?) was interesting, but I am in the right.