What do you want/expect on board?

[anat0l]

I don't mind...just part of the routine. I have to show them the BP, and unless they know that I know exactly where my seat is, then I think they're obliged to tell me. And I politely and concisely thank them.

I also don't mind, but I'd like them to say hello too. Thankfully most of them do.

 

[drewbles]

I also don't mind, but I'd like them to say hello too. Thankfully most of them do.

"Hello Again.... Today..."

 

[anat0l]

"Hello Again.... Today..."

I've had some comical moments like that; usually it is the second flight directly following another one.

And I've also had a few "good to see you again"; in one case the time between flights was at least a month.

 

[drewbles]

I've had some comical moments like that; usually it is the second flight directly following another one.

And I've also had a few "good to see you again"; in one case the time between flights was at least a month.

Oh I was more meaning "Hello Again... Today you are travelling on a Qantas Boeing 767..."

But I had one take my BP at the gate and said "Welcome back mr... drewbles didn't I have you on a flight last week? You were up the pointy end then. Slumming down the back today hey?" and smiled. Admittedly, I have a hard-to-forget last name, and the J cabin on a morning flight to PER the week before had been quiet, but still thought it was a nice remember. Have also had AS cabin crew remember me (and the housemate and I are remembered well at the SFO Admirals Club - Probably as we are "Aussies who tip" )

 

[Moody]

At the end of the day Gold/Plats want to feel singled out and highly valued. We don't care that you see 1000000 platinums a day, we only care about us. So make it about the individual rather than 'another wanker platinum'

This could be the most perfect example of self-deprecation I've seen in a while, or just a complete pyss-take.

Anyway - I have no need for the cabin crew to give me special treatment, regardless of my current status or class of travel. Obviously those passengers in the F, J, Y+ cabins will get the extras they have paid for, and there will be a higher FA/PAX ratio, but the attitude to passengers should be consistent across the aircraft ; there should be no need to be either obsequious or surly just because of the status of the passenger. Indeed it could be argued that the once-a-year traveller down the back will naturally take up more of your time than the seasoned veterans up the front.

And for gawd's sake don't approach my seat prior to take-off to to tell me how happy it makes you that I am aboard, and would I like some special treats to make sitting with the proles more palatable. I find it embarrasing to receive or witness these pantomimes and thankfully they seem to have stopped.

But the main problem is that you are dealing with diverse human beings, so something that makes me cringe will nicely stroke they ego of some other PAX. Some time back there was a suggestion of using bag tags or badges to enable AFF members to recognise each other. Perhaps Qantas could produce official WP and SG badges that the PAX could wear voluntarily if they liked being fawned over.

 

[drewbles]

<snip>
And for gawd's sake don't approach my seat prior to take-off to to tell me how happy it makes you that I am aboard, and would I like some special treats to make sitting with the proles more palatable. I find it embarrasing to receive or witness these pantomimes and thankfully they seem to have stopped.
<snip>

Sarcasm and valid points duly noted.

When done properly, the welcome is actually useful. My first longhaul after becoming WP the Customer Service Supervisor (according to his name badge) very discretely came and introduced himself to me and offered me anything to make the flight a little more comfortable (was already in Y+ seating thanks to the seat-map shuffle of '09). I thanked him and he offered me some express passes for arrivals into MEL. I was most appreciative of the fact, and my travelling companion also received one.

If it had been done with everyone being made very aware of what he was doing, then I would have been embarrassed but it was done very well.

On a short haul domestic flight though, I see no need for it. It's a nice touch on a long haul if done in the correct way (even if it's for a pair of noise cancelling headphones, or perhaps a request for a tipple from the J bar).

 

[Hvr]

My first longhaul after becoming WP the Customer Service Supervisor (according to his name badge) very discretely came and introduced himself to me and offered me anything to make the flight a little more comfortable (was already in Y+ seating thanks to the seat-map shuffle of '09).

If it is a discrete (separate) greeting then that can be embarrassing.
If it is a discreet ( 1. judicious in one's conduct or speech, esp. with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect.
2. showing prudence and circumspection; decorous: a discreet silence.
3. modestly unobtrusive; unostentatious: a discreet, finely wrought gold necklace.) greeting then I agree that they are welcome and bring a lot of good will.

 

[737]

Yeah! I do like not getting directions to the seat, or rather get turned off by directions.

Hi, Just from an F/A's point of view, I totally understand what you are saying. The reason that we do check your BP at the door (and most would probably know this) is as a last check that you are boarding the right plane. We also like to ensure that pax are heading in the right direction so they can be seated as soon as possible so we can acheive an On-Time-Departure. It's a given though that all of you on board probably know our aircraft as much as we do

However, we do say it as a courtesy, for those pax who may not be as familiar with our a/c as you all are

 

[drewbles]

If it is a discrete (separate) greeting then that can be embarrassing.
If it is a discreet ( 1. judicious in one's conduct or speech, esp. with regard to respecting privacy or maintaining silence about something of a delicate nature; prudent; circumspect.
2. showing prudence and circumspection; decorous: a discreet silence.
3. modestly unobtrusive; unostentatious: a discreet, finely wrought gold necklace.) greeting then I agree that they are welcome and bring a lot of good will.

gee. pedant muchly

a discrete discreet greeting. how's that

 

[dajop]

Hi, Just from an F/A's point of view, I totally understand what you are saying. The reason that we do check your BP at the door (and most would probably know this) is as a last check that you are boarding the right plane. We also like to ensure that pax are heading in the right direction so they can be seated as soon as possible so we can acheive an On-Time-Departure.

I'm perfectly comfortable with the QF approach. It's nice to have someone check your BP, offer directions (even if you know exactly where to go, and to be honest, most FA's are savvy enough to know that WP's know where they're going on a wide body plane, and of course on a narrow body it doesn't really matter), and at the same time greet you and welcome you on board. I reAAly don't like it when noone checks the boAArding pass (maybe it's in Australia and Asia that this is standard practice, not other pAArts of the world), and really don't like it when noone bothers to welcome you on boAArd, and you're left to your own devices to board a bus.

Kudos to 737 nd QF for doing this.

 

[thewinchester]

I wonder, which airline is dajop taking issue with... maybe you can spell it out a little clearer for us

I'm perfectly comfortable with the QF approach. It's nice to have someone check your BP, offer directions (even if you know exactly where to go, and to be honest, most FA's are savvy enough to know that WP's know where they're going on a wide body plane, and of course on a narrow body it doesn't really matter), and at the same time greet you and welcome you on board. I reAAly don't like it when noone checks the boAArding pass (maybe it's in Australia and Asia that this is standard practice, not other pAArts of the world), and really don't like it when noone bothers to welcome you on boAArd, and you're left to your own devices to board a bus.

Kudos to 737 nd QF for doing this.

 

[drron]

AAs soon AAs I AAm seAAted on AAnother AAirline I usuAAly hAAve AAn FAA come AAnd welcome me on boAArd.Must be loveAAble.

 

[medhead]

Hi, Just from an F/A's point of view, I totally understand what you are saying. The reason that we do check your BP at the door (and most would probably know this) is as a last check that you are boarding the right plane. We also like to ensure that pax are heading in the right direction so they can be seated as soon as possible so we can acheive an On-Time-Departure. It's a given though that all of you on board probably know our aircraft as much as we do

However, we do say it as a courtesy, for those pax who may not be as familiar with our a/c as you all are

I totally agree that it is great that BPs are checked. I mainly fly on narow body aircraft, so sometimes it's nice to have the directions bit skipped.

 

[Hvr]

gee. pedant muchly

a discrete discreet greeting. how's that

Love it

 

[Shane76]

4. REFRAIN from letting Y pax trudge up through J to use the rest-rooms. No excuses. If the facilities in Y are busy, or one of them is u/s, they have to queue.

I thoroughly agree with NYCguy on this point. The majority of my yearly travel is domestic 737 flying. I am a SFSC for the most part who chooses to fly J rather than Y. In almost all of these flights, the curtain is never closed, and Y passengers tend to trudge through to the forward WC. Very annoying. I could fly Y, but I like the extra space, privacy etc, so I pay the extra for J. Other than that, for me, the domestic flight crews have it pretty spot on, no compaints...

 

[anat0l]

In almost all of these flights, the curtain is never closed, and Y passengers tend to trudge through to the forward WC. Very annoying.

It is a security requirement that on Australian domestic flights, the curtain isn't closed.

No idea why this doesn't apply for international flights.

We've had plentiful debate before about Y pax using the J bathrooms, particularly those in row 4, for example.

 

[drewbles]

It is a security requirement that on Australian domestic flights, the curtain isn't closed.

No idea why this doesn't apply for international flights.

We've had plentiful debate before about Y pax using the J bathrooms, particularly those in row 4, for example.

I'm sure this was recently changed (eoinnz i'm sure can comment here, or indeed, 737!). Someone had mentioned that curtain closing was ok again.

 

[oz_mark]

On my recent flights (other than the curtain free 737-400's ) the curtains have been closed.

 

[anat0l]

I'm sure this was recently changed (eoinnz i'm sure can comment here, or indeed, 737!). Someone had mentioned that curtain closing was ok again.

On my recent flights (other than the curtain free 737-400's ) the curtains have been closed.

That's a relief, but I've yet to see it. (Probably need to go back to more domestic flying!)

 

[Shane76]

Yeh - I've read several threads on the subject, but brought it up here as this thread is about what I would like to see/have that I am not getting, and in this case it is more privacy and seclusion as a paying J pax...A gentle draw of the curtain, turn around and keep smiling would be my icing on the cake for what are generally perfect all-round-flights for me...

I can confirm for you though that in my trip late Nov adl-syd morning flight = curtain closed, return that afternoon= curtain open. My adl-mel flight early Dec = curtain open both ways. My adl-syd lat Dec morning flight again = curtain closed..... My international to Shangai and London last few months = curtain closed obviously....