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Galley Gossip: A flight attendant responds to the first class orange juice debacle
If you haven't already heard, there was some sort of debacle involving a flight attendant and a glass of orange juice on an American Airlines flight recently. I read about the story first on the Consumerist web site. Wait, take that back, I tried to read the article but couldn't quite make it through due to the fact that the story was just way too over the top with emotion and drama. It was! But they usually are whenever there's a flight attendant or an airline involved. Haven't you noticed?
Anyway, here's my response to David and what he had to say about what went down on that crazy American Airlines flight from Sacramento to Dallas...
Dear David,
Slow your roll. By my arithmetic, you and your group of 130 people fly 27,300 trips collectively. Each of you having a unique traveling experience based upon where you're sitting and who your flight attendant is. I would love to have one bad experience for every 27,300 legs I've flown. I would say you and your group have had a good run. And now I must welcome you with open arms to the human race. I can't imagine that you have gone through an entire c
areer without once having a bad day.
Whoever Helen was, it's obvious she needs a day off. Maybe even a medical type intervention. She's obviously off her game. Instead of complaining, whispering, and giving her the feeling that a mutiny is about to take place, being the frequent flier that you are, you should have known that this was not normal behavior - from not just a flight attendant, but from anyone in the service industry. You and your group would have done Helen a favor by reporting her irrational behavior to someone in a position of authority at American Airlines instead of continuing on with your flight.
I, too, have noticed a decline in customer service on most every airline, not just American. I also know that flight attendants have longer duty days and shorter rest periods so that airlines can maximize their profits and provide you and your group with cheap three hundred-dollar tickets. This while our compensation remains the same and we're all just lucky to have a job. Flight attendants work ten hour days without a break, not even a meal, yet any type of complaining to the airline by an employee may guarantee a front row seat at the front of the unemployment line. That's the way it is these days.
If I were the passenger who had asked for orange juice and the flight attendant gave me what boils down to a federal warning with criminal and civil penalties, I would have insisted that police or gate personnel meet the flight. I would have also asked that my cabin mates confirm her irrational and abusive behavior. While I agree it was absurd that the flight attendant issued a written warning in this situation, don't kid yourself, David, those terrorists, the ones you mentioned, very well could be sitting right next to you in first class drinking orange juice.
Sincerely,
Heather
A Flight Attendant
Photos courtesy of Justin Timperio and Paalia
Slow your roll. By my arithmetic, you and your group of 130 people fly 27,300 trips collectively. Each of you having a unique traveling experience based upon where you're sitting and who your flight attendant is. I would love to have one bad experience for every 27,300 legs I've flown. I would say you and your group have had a good run. And now I must welcome you with open arms to the human race. I can't imagine that you have gone through an entire c
areer without once having a bad day. Whoever Helen was, it's obvious she needs a day off. Maybe even a medical type intervention. She's obviously off her game. Instead of complaining, whispering, and giving her the feeling that a mutiny is about to take place, being the frequent flier that you are, you should have known that this was not normal behavior - from not just a flight attendant, but from anyone in the service industry. You and your group would have done Helen a favor by reporting her irrational behavior to someone in a position of authority at American Airlines instead of continuing on with your flight.
I, too, have noticed a decline in customer service on most every airline, not just American. I also know that flight attendants have longer duty days and shorter rest periods so that airlines can maximize their profits and provide you and your group with cheap three hundred-dollar tickets. This while our compensation remains the same and we're all just lucky to have a job. Flight attendants work ten hour days without a break, not even a meal, yet any type of complaining to the airline by an employee may guarantee a front row seat at the front of the unemployment line. That's the way it is these days.
If I were the passenger who had asked for orange juice and the flight attendant gave me what boils down to a federal warning with criminal and civil penalties, I would have insisted that police or gate personnel meet the flight. I would have also asked that my cabin mates confirm her irrational and abusive behavior. While I agree it was absurd that the flight attendant issued a written warning in this situation, don't kid yourself, David, those terrorists, the ones you mentioned, very well could be sitting right next to you in first class drinking orange juice.
Sincerely,
Heather
A Flight Attendant
Photos courtesy of Justin Timperio and Paalia
Filed under: Airlines, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Annie Scott Dec 11th 2009 9:07AM
"And now I must welcome you with open arms to the human race." Oh heavens that's funny. I know I lot of people I want to say this to, STAT.
PAUL Dec 11th 2009 11:33AM
Yes, dear David. You and most of the other witnesses should have recognized that this air hostess (PLEASE bring that terminology back!) was in crisis. It's not the type of job you'd like to do is it?
Such a pity that you and the OJ drinker lost (yet another?) opportunity to behave as true gentlemen. But this is America... a litigious society that demands service in the extreme. Too often we hear "Give me an orange juice" as opposed to "May I have an orange juice please?" Style, tone and inflection all have their effects... and take their toll, when shabbily employed.
Oh yes, there was a much better way to have handled this situation... one that could have covered you in glory. Maybe next time...?
BobJ Dec 11th 2009 11:49AM
Dear Heather,
I can't believe your self-serving, smarmy 'letter' to David Koss for daring to criticize one of your flying heroines for having what you call 'a bad day'. In your inimitable condescending way, you ask (one hopes rhetorically) whether Mr. Koss himself has ever had a bad day. No doubt he, like everyone else in the world, has indeed, but also no doubt has shown the (apparently not so common) sense and chose not to inflict himself on others during that time, or chose instead to control himself. Ah, but I forget that stews-- sorry, heroic flying waitresses-- are a different breed because she works SO hard, day after day, pushing that cart up and down the aisle.
I also loved your advice to Mr. Koss, suggesting that he as an experienced flier should have shown the good sense to report her aberrant behavior to someone in authority before continuing on with his flight. Pray tell, how could he not have continued on when they had all been airborne for 45 minutes when the heroic flying waitress lost her marbles?
I love your logic in defending the addled waitress for having issued a written warning because terrorists might have been sitting next to Mr. Koss drinking orange juice? What's that supposed to mean? If terrorists were sitting there, it'd be a tad late for warnings, no?
Please Heather, get down from your high hnorse and accept there is NO excuse whatsoever for the behavior demonstrated by this particular heroine. Yeah, you're underpaid, and so claims every other working stiff, but this one demonstrates that you get what you pay for, and it isn't much.
Ah, for the days of coffee, tea, or me-- or orange juice. . .
Heather Poole Dec 11th 2009 1:29PM
Bob,
1. "Smarmy"? Really?
2. The word hero, in reference to flight attendants, was never used.
3. I did not defend Helen. I said it was obvious, if the story was true, that she may have had a serious problem.
3. Pushing a cart is not hard. Serving passengers is not difficult. Working a long day is doable. Many of actually prefer high-time trips. However, constantly dealing with drama at 30,000 feet does wear one down. On the day of David's flight, the drama centered around Helen. I'm pretty sure her crew didn't exactly enjoy working with her either. Take it from me, the one who has actually had to work with someone like Helen, it's not easy and it's also embarrassing.
4. As for terrorists drinking orange juice, that was in reference to the last line in the post published by the Consumerist. On that note, I do believe there are terrorists out there who would love nothing more than to bring down another airplane. Whether or not terrorists enjoy a glass of OJ from time to time, I really don't care.
Heather
LLOYD MULLINS Dec 12th 2009 10:47AM
TYPICAL BEHAVIOR FOR AIRLINE HOSTESS, IN THE 40 PLUS YRS. THAT I HAVE BEEN FLYING I HAVE SEEN A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN ATTITUDE OF THE FLIGHT PERSONNEL, THEY ARE LIKE I AM ''GOD'' AND DONOT REALISE THAT THE PASSENGERS ARE PAYING THEIR SALARIES...I DON'T SEE ANYTHING GOOD COMING FROM THEIR ATTIDUES....EXCEPT LESS AND LESS PASSENGERS. I WILL NOT FLY IF I CAN DRIVE THE TRIP IN 10 TO 12 HRS.
MomC5 Dec 12th 2009 11:26AM
Amen Bob!! seriously, let's all cry a river for these poor overworked underpaid former princesses of the airways. Honestly, a written letter, good thing there wasn't a terrorist on board because she would have compromised the safety of the crew for opening the cabin door for this petty bullcrap!!
I suggest retraining yourself and finding alternative employment if the job sucks so much! Do you know how many unemployed people would love to have your job? Or try being a stay at home mom with no guaranteed lunch/meal time either. Or maybe a commercial airline pilot that flies/works a 12 hour day and gets no catering and flies freight so its also at night and there's no cafeteria open or a McDonald's at the airport to eat at either and you then have another four hours ahead of you, sans food, before you can get a meal so you fight with a stupid duty officer to get approved for food, that's truly substandard as well.
So in general, you and your attendant/stewardess group need to get an attitude adjustment in the worst way!!!!!!!!!!!
Chris Dec 12th 2009 12:26PM
With the exception of Southwest I find most of the employees to have self-inflated egos, this includes what we have to tolerate in the airports..TSA and ticket agents as well as the ones who think they are herd-animals in the security lines.
Uneducated, power-hungry individuals finally get a crack at the rest of the world who under other circumstances wouldn't even have the opportunity to interact with. Anger and jealousy come into play as we are frisked, harassed & detained. I would rather remove my blouse than have some creepy TSA person run her hands along side my sides..ahh
Our brief cases, purses and carry-ons are theirs to peer into and make comments about..it sickens me.
The very worst airport yet with rude employees is Medford, Oregon..Traveling has become so stressful trying to deal with the employyes and TSA..you worry less about safety and think more about keeping your mouth shut so not to piss these idiots off!
John P. Mc Fall Dec 12th 2009 1:09PM
I agree about the American Airlines employees who are supposed to assist us. I have had two very bad situations in the last 3 years. One who critized me for having a reaction to my medicine in flight. ( I got air sick) I did not report it thinking it was a one time situation. The last one who got mad because she spilled a coke in my lap. Maybe she was mad at her self. I don't know. But she was rude, and never apoligized. I was the one who had wet slacks, and had to get up and get something to dry off with. I will only fly southwest airlines from now on. At least they are nice.
norma power Dec 12th 2009 7:49PM
Coming back from my brother's funeral two years ago, I asked the female flight attendant if she had any magazines. Well, I dated myself. It had been a long time since I had flown!!! But her condescending and "repulsed response made me feel so stupid. There was no need to intimidate me. I have not and never will fly American again if I can help it.
Norma Power
lillibet Dec 12th 2009 4:03PM
I agree with BOBJ's response to the flight attendants letter, If it had just been a matter of poor service, I might say let it go. But in these days of heightened security, the flight attendants threatening criminal action could have had very dire consequences for the passenger. If a flight attendant cannot handle the duties of her job, then s/he should find another line of work s/he does not have the power to involve law enforcement because of his/her own stress. On a bright note, I recently flew Airtran for the first time, and was very pleasantly surprised to find flight attendants and gate peronnel who actually seemed to like their jobs and were very pleasant. Reminded me of what's missing now.
Anne Dec 12th 2009 3:32PM
Yes it is true that the days of travel have changed for the passengers and the flight crews. Everyone is commenting on the bad flight attendants that they have encountered, for the most part it is a very small minority of the flight attendants out there. Consider this, a fourteen hour day on an aircraft with no break, no food (yes it is true they really don't have anywhere to keep their food cold and on some aircraft airlines have pulled off the oven to save money on fuel which means no hot food to eat), having to be constantly on with a smile and trying to make hundreds of passengers happy no matter what. Then throw in that they are now days on a regular basis having 8 or 9 hours of so called rest. Yes so called, that is from the time the plane gets to the gate to when the plane leaves the gate, so that so called rest includes - all those passengers getting off the plane, getting to the hotel, sleep, shower shampoo and shine and of course if you believe they are human they also need food (and how often after a long day can you go straight to sleep). Fatigue does strange things to people and unlike Congress that is pushing the FAA on pilot fatigue no one seems to remember that they have much more stringent rules than flight attendants and get some down time during the flights unlike their counterparts on the cabin side of the cockpit door. Those that if something goes wrong with your flight or a medical situation have to be 100% so that they can do what ever it takes to make sure everyone gets out or perform medical assistance to save someone.
Well lets also not forget the passengers of years past also are few and far between. The glamour on the flight that I remember as a child are long gone. Passengers forget or should I say check their manners at the door way too often. Things that I am sure the flight attendants would love to say something about they can't for fear of their jobs. Just from my flights I have seen the parent actually I call them the adult traveling with a child, who lets them run loose, turns on the DVD player for the child with no head phones so the rows around them get to also hear what ever that noise is, the adult who thinks that changing that diaper on the tray table is ok, let alone I just recently saw that and then she tried to hand the dirty diaper to the flight attendant who was serving drinks. The traveler that has had a bad day that gets mad at the flight attendant for not jumping when they want. The passenger who thinks it is ok so take their smelly shoes and socks off and clip their toe nails during flight. The passenger who the rules don't apply to - one carry on and one personal item, (I learned a few weeks ago that those overhead bins where we stow our bags have a weight limit. So my question is if it can't be over 30 or 35 lbs depends on the airline why can't you lift your bag into it? If you can't lift it check it don't think someone will do it for you) seat belt on, and so on and so forth.
So before you rip on my for defending the flight attendants as a frequent flyer I am shocked with the behavior of the passengers on the flights. Think about this if you seem to always get the bad seat, the mean flight attendants you also probably always get bad service at restaurants and are probably needing to take a look at yourself - part of the problem just might be you.
OK I am now going to get off my soapbox as I have a flight to catch in a few hours and I will need extra time to get thru the TSA so I don't miss my flight.
On your next flight don't forget you are in a public place, no one cares about your phone conversation, what your listening to on that Ipod (which by the way you will be deaf soon if you don't turn it down) and remember that a smile and those foreign words PLEASE and THANK YOU go a very far way no matter where you are in the world.
george f Dec 15th 2009 7:16PM
Heather isn't too smart so take it easy on her. She works in NY but lives in CA presumably because she can't find a decent job where she lives. She is overpaid by any calculation as was Helen. If Helen had acted as she did in a "real" job without union representation, she would have been terminated. The Captain should also be held accountable. How could he back up such behavior? I would hope AA does the right thing and terminates this woman who isn't capable of handling passengers much less an emergency.
If this situation happened to me, I would sue to get a fair hearing in court and settle when this woman was terminated. I would petition the FAA to judge her competency and get Arpey in court to defend her. Drastic, yes, but equal to the action taken by this incompetent fool.
mallory Dec 16th 2009 6:55AM
I agree that the article came off as a little pitying towards the flight attendant in the oj debacle. Maybe that was not the intent, but it is how it seemed.
Ryan Dec 11th 2009 1:25PM
Going to have to go with BOBJ on this one. I think he hit it dead on.
Heather Poole Dec 11th 2009 1:36PM
That's fine. But, please, for the sake of all the crews who do a good job, don't stereotype flight attendants and judge airlines because of one bad experience. We're not all like that. It's work, I know, not taking it out on everyone. But if I, the flight attendant, were to treat every passenger as if they were that one bad passenger that winds up on every flight, you'd have another Helen on your hands. I'm just saying...
MomC5 Dec 12th 2009 11:43AM
Heather, Stop acting like this is an assault on ALL flight attendants, its not! It's about the ones that treat the passengers like they are the enemy. The ones who act like they can't stand the people still flying. Come on, no one is suggesting that you are all bad, but some truly are. Some will lie to your face to prevent themselves any aggravation.
In a nutshell though, when this woman went to this level of a flip-out, she brought the backlash on herself. She truly asked for everything she has gotten. She's probably gonna still have a job after issuing a very serious document to a customer over a very non-threatening situation. So maybe you need to think outside of your box and get a different perspective too!
We don't hate flight attendants here, we just don't feel like its our job as consumers to be the dumping grounds for her "bad day."
Rick Dec 14th 2009 3:13PM
Heather,
I can't speak for everyone but the reason I think less of AA because of this incident is not because it happened but because AA did NOTHING to make up for it at the very least they should apologize, maybe send the poor fellow a case of OJ. They should also state what they are doing to either help Helen or fire her. Ignoring the issue and pretending the event didn't happen only hurts the problem.
David Dec 11th 2009 2:40PM
I have good and bad flight attendants (or perhaps those that were just having a "bad day") on every airline. I do not think they predominate one airline (well, maybe Spirit). Nonetheless, I think the criticism is directed at the fact that your post seems to be supporting the flight attendant's behavior as understandable, given the fact that she was having a bad day, rather than criticizing the fact that she acted unprofessionally- and almost frighteningly, given her role to ensure safety of all the passengers. Bad day or not, the behavior is inexcusable.
Heather Poole Dec 11th 2009 3:01PM
In the consumerist post, David wrote ...
"This woman's behavior is completely unacceptable and is a perfect example of what I've been seeing in AA flight attendants for years now. They don't want to be there, make up their own rules that don't reflect the company, and have huge disdain for the people paying their salary... the customers"
These were the flight attendants I defended, the ones David describes above, the ones he's been seeing for years now. Not Helen. Not once did I defend Helen. What I wrote was she may be in need of a medical intervention. David had a very bad flight, but to then go on and make a generalization about all flight attendants - that's what bothers me. Because many of us love what we do and provide excellent customer service.
Nick Dec 11th 2009 2:42PM
BOBJ, you put it very well! Those in the customer service line of work need to realize that bad days and occasional passenger "drama" are all a part of their professional lives and that these cannot be used as excuses for poor service/performance. This is what you signed up for!
Heather -
"longer duty days"
"shorter rest periods"
"our compensation remains the same"
"we're all just lucky to have a job"
"work ten hour days without a break, not even a meal"
....... I sure hope you are not using these (even remotely) to justify irrational and downright rude FA behavior. It is tough for everyone these days, and believe it or not, one has to work well within one's professional parameters and realities no matter what line of work he/she's in. And what was this gripe about you guys' sacrifices subsidizing our "three-hundred dollars" tickets?? If you've got an issue with pays or hours, take it up with your company, not on the passengers!! I will be fine without an OJ, but No Thanks to the attitude.