[nevereconomy]

There has been a general decrease in civility in the US and it started pre Trump but has got worse. Flight attendants were treated very badly during all the bankruptcy
reorganizations and mergers so they have their own reasons for their behavior, though I cannot condone it. Add the trauma of 2001 and it was a perfect storm. They behave the way they do for those reasons and because the system allows them to – there is no other carrier where it is different for customers to switch to. That being said, I find that if I make all the effort at the outset, some can be won over to normal behavior.

[christopheL]

« I do not intend this as anti-USAmerican although I am sure some will choose to see it as such, but you only have to compare the appearance of the average east/central European woman and the average USAmerican woman to understand the difference between the US carriers and Aeroflot, LOT, Tarom, etc. »

I wanted to use the « report » fonction but I remembered this is anonymous and therefore I prefer sending a post.

I am very impressed by the fact that such a post has not been deleted either by its author or by BT’team and that in addition it received a thank you post message from a BT reader.

The fact that US CC’s are considered impolite because there are women (what about male US CC’s) whose physical appearance does not suit « us » is certainly a breach to (at least) both US and EU (and therefore British) laws.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Bath_VIP, Paul

[LuganoPirate]

Having flown with many airlines around the world, including the USA, I’ve hardly ever come across a rude FA. Indifferent, unsmiling, even inefficient, yes, but not rude.

One exception, and she wasn’t really rude, was a city hopper flight from Rotterdam to London many many moons ago. 8am departure and being Dutch they were offering tea or coffee, and despite my forbidding my children now from having Coca Cola for breakfast, I asked for a Coke and she seemed put out as it meant going back to the galley. Nothing arrived and I saw them now back in the galley so I pinged the bell and reminded her of my request. She went back to the galley, and was so engrossed in talking to her colleagues and vigorously shaking the can with a big grin, that she did not notice I had seen her. She put the can and glass down on the tray and was about to go back when I asked her, very nicely, if maybe she didn’t have some peanuts to go with it, while at the same time opening the tin and pointing it towards her. The Coke literally exploded out all over her uniform, legs and arms. She was furious and I said with a smile, “well perhaps you shouldn’t have shaken the can so hard”. Oh, and I never got the peanuts!!

3 users thanked author for this post.

TupeloKid, Ahmad, K1ngston

[LuganoPirate]

[quote quote=964708]The fact that US CC’s are considered impolite because there are women (what about male US CC’s) whose physical appearance does not suit « us » is certainly a breach to (at least) both US and EU (and therefore British) laws.[/quote]

Ah Christophe, how I love your posts (I mean it and I’m not being sarcastic) as you always get all our tongues wagging (or rather fingers typing) over what you say.

Something which is true cannot be illegal, and my friend Capetonian was simply telling the truth 😉 That, I guess, is why it’s still there!

[rferguson]

Sami we can only comment on our own experiences and also to what we individually consider ‘good’ customer service. What I consider good customer service may vary completely to the majority. And I agree where the US (and to a large degree western airlines generally) fall and where the asian airlines and Qatar is consistency. As I mentioned upthread i’ve had my best ever and worst ever flights on US carriers. I’ve had consistently good flights on most asian carriers and Qatar yet have never been blown away by the FA’s. I noticed you mention ‘arab airlines’ in your opening comments and I have to agree with you on that one. I have had the most incredibly variable flight attendants on Emirates and Etihad. From very very good to extremely poor.

But again a big part of what is ‘good’ customer service is personal. For me, it is walking into the galley and while waiting to use the loo a F/A striking up a conversation. Or crew that aren’t scared to be a little bit cheeky with their humour. I never experience that with asian or ME carriers. At Cathay or Qatar you walk into the galley and all the F/A’s instantly look busy doing nothing to avoid conversation. Engage in a bit of banter or humour and you are usually met with a blank face with a look of fear and ‘how do i respond’. And that is the thing….in order to obtain that incredible consistency with the asian carriers much of their personality is driven out of them on the job. They are most certainly not encouraged to use it (I know I used to be LHR based cabin crew for a north asian airline). Some even learn scripted replies to certain questions or comments.

[christopheL]

We should ask a lawyer if such an assessment (re. female -not male- US CC’s being rude because of there unappealing apparence compared to east-ce teal European women) is « true » and/or « legal ».

I feel like I’m going back 70 years (a time I never knew).

Is there any lawyer around ?

[esselle]

Never had rude, have had a lot of curt, and some real charm.

But have had plenty of odd.

“Have you been beveraged?” is one that sticks in my mind.

[canucklad]

I suppose it comes down to choice…..Do you prefer to be looked after by an emotional robotic or an emotional erratic?.
My numerous yet limited experience of CX suggests that the Hong Kong born crew are more comfortable interacting naturally with me than their SE Asian colleagues.
Of all the airlines, I’ve found AF’s crew to be the most sociable and genuinely interested in your chat.

[capetonianm]

Christophe :

On the one hand, thank you for being open, rather than anonymous as is often the case, about your dislike of my posting (of most of my postings really).

On the other hand, you’ve taken my comment out of context, as you often do, or when you twist what others have said.

My comment to which you took exception was triggered by this :

Aeroflot’s F/A are perfectly groomed,very polite and act with humility.Passengers come first.Their appearance is their dignity.Walking around with your hair undone,no minimal makeup ,untidy uniforms,it all boils down to feeling that it’s a ‘free for all’ conduct.

Perhaps if you would read comments in context instead of your default which is to automatically take exception to anything I write, this forum might be a happier place.

[christopheL]

I may have misunderstood the true substance of your comment and if so I apologise.
Appearance may be a “faux ami” but when used in French, it can relate to both the look and the physical aspect of a person.
The fact is that your comment was focusing on female CC only (which I don’t think was the purpose of OP) … and was making a comparison between US and Eastern Europe Female only CC.
Is there such a difference between Female US CC and Male US CC with regard to “appearance” ?

[cwoodward]

I agree that they are abrupt,unabliging and often aggressive as a default.
Overall largely disinterested in delivering any service that enhances the passengers comfort beyond the very minimum that shows that they function at all.

However

In my view the fault lies with their employers the American airlines not the crew themselves.
Their basic job description and delivery expectation differs from those of most European and Asian carriers as does the quality their training and particularly their supervision and ongoing training.
Also of course until the the very recent past they had very little of any quality to deliver to passengers – probably it is rather difficult to summon up much enthusiasm for delivering a ‘brownie’ to ‘F class’ for lunch after the first 10 years.

This coupled with the very strong unisisation serves to deliver this vaguely aggressive, basic and stilleted service delivered by most American airlines most of the time.

[Chutzpahflyer]

Bring back Virgin America! FAs always attentive, polite and with a sense of humour.

[cwoodward]

‘Caledonian girls’ all of the above plus plus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA5E1fPvWQY

2 users thanked author for this post.

Montysaurus, paulkaz

[alainboy56]

@otte – whilst I do agree with you that Aeroflot cabin crew are or try to be glamorous I do not agree that they are friendly and act with humility.
They are rather arrogant I found which is a reflection on how I find Russians in general. as for being smart and glamorous, this is also how they Tend to dress everyday I have found, so its normal for them. These are only my opinions so i do not wish to cause a tsunami of comments in opposition to mine.

@canucklad – I can full agree on the average ‘merkans’ gullibility, or shall we call it naivity. Once when arriving in Detroit in the 80’s and visiting an old friend, he went out of his way to show me how rather naive they are in some ways. After all I did read that 94% of the population do not hold a passport, so by simple reasoning do NOT travel.
I was asked whilst in discussions (chatting up) with a pretty blond barmaid, maybe a Laurie, Michelle, Candy or Jeannie, and on her discovering I was from (old) England, if I knew a long distant family member in Sheffield. I am not sure if his name was John Brown or Dave Smith but one gets the drift….. With a straight face, I did tease her a little and with a frown said “Ummm The Brown (or Smith) family from Sheffield, ummm I think I have heard about them, but your particular family member I can’t say I know – sorry” — and yes she did go accept my ruse and was even slightly disappointed.

[alainboy56]

@rferguson — I note your comments referring to EY and EK.

I would suppose that the incredibly bad service you received was at the hands of East European cabin staff or perhaps Moroccan (for them, this is their 2nd job) and not Asian?
I have also seen this with EY especially, some of their staff are completely disinterested, but I suppose I have some sympathy for them joining a glamorous boutique 5* airline and thinking the ‘sky’s the limit for my career’ and within 3 years seeing it disintegrate into a 4* airline at best.

EK has, because of its size and fleet numbers, always been a bit hit and miss, so many cabin crew and a huge turn-over in numbers. Difficult to get the consistency

However I would disagree with you about QR. their cabin crew are always smiling, helpful and very, very approachable, especially as you say, down the galley when you pass them on the way to the loo. I find them always friendly and even smiling at you ‘and looking for some conversation’ to break their boredom on a long flight. And that applies to all nationalities even the Asians, whom are normally a little timid.

So to disagree with you, I am often ‘blown away’ by QR cabin crew

[Author]

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