Now Boarding ... Chicken or Beef?

[minwildman]

Thanks milehighclub, I thought so!, as I usually fly D on AD100, and always get served last, now I know why!, cheers, M

 

[smit0847]

When rosters are published, crew generally start swapping trips to help them achieve what they were unable to get from bidding.

Is this a simple process? Surely this drives your employer crazy?

Is seniority measured by length of service only? Would it be unusual for a new-ish cabin crew to be made CSM over cabin crew that have been there for 10+ years? Is that why Qantas has so many mature cabin crew?

Also, I ask this because I asked in the Ask The Pilot thread - what is your favourite and least favourite places to overnight, and why?

 

[milehighclub]

Trip swapping is quite easy now. It used to be a form that you and the person you were swapping with had to fill out. Now it's done by e-mail.

Trip swaps are not guaranteed but are approved most of the time. They look at the hours the trips are worth, your hours, if you've been sick etc

It may drive an employer crazy, but cabin crew of all airlines have a good little trick at getting what they want - it's called going sick! Providing crew the ability to swap prevents crew going sick to get the days off they want.

Seniority is only measured by your start date. If you have been flying 30 years as a flight attendant and decided to become (and were successful) a manager you would be a new CSM but be above any CSM that was junior to you regardless how long they have been one.

Any crew member could be an onboard manager provided they meet the requirements. Someone who has been flying 10 years isn't necessarily suited for the role just because they have been flying that long. There are a lot of crew in longhaul who were once managers but have been happy to drop back to just being a flight attendant again.

I couldn't pick just one favourite place. But I enjoy overnighting in Tokyo, Los Angeles and London.

I can pick my least favourite - Johannesburg. Not because I don't like Johannesburg, I do have an enjoyable time there, but the jetlag is massive! I'm pretty good at managing my sleep but a JNB trip really stuffs it up.

 

[samiam]

Thanks for the great information so far...

... What's the deal with the three lights that sit in the ceiling, visible by the crew from their seats? One is definitely blue and there could also be a red or green or amber one (funny how you can't remember the detail!)

There seems to be a sequence prior to take-off when one of them comes on and then goes off.

Any insight into this would be appreciated.

 

[milehighclub]

You are correct! There are 3 lights and they are blue, pink and amber.

Blue: This means a passenger has pressed the flight attendant call button. It will only light up in the area that the passenger is in.

Pink: This means there is a phone call at a phone near the sign. If it is flashing this means it is an emergency call. The phone systems all work differently between the 737/747/767/A330/A380 but the pink light is the one consistent thing.

On airbus aircraft there is a caller id unit (or the AIP as we call it) near each phone so you can see who is calling. It will also display the row number for a passenger call light

Amber: This means a passenger has pressed the call button in a toilet

 

[Mattg]

The passenger list indicates those who are not travelling on a commercial ticket

So does this mean that pax travelling on points etc. usually don't get as much service as paying pax?

 

[Greggsy]

I can pick my least favourite - Johannesburg. Not because I don't like Johannesburg, I do have an enjoyable time there, but the jetlag is massive! I'm pretty good at managing my sleep but a JNB trip really stuffs it up.

What are your tips for avoiding or managing jet lag?

Greg.



Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[milehighclub]

So does this mean that pax travelling on points etc. usually don't get as much service as paying pax?

They would get treated the same

If you paid using points, points and cash or upgraded with points we wouldn't know - you are listed the same as those who pay a fare (Which is just your name and status if any).

I should of clarified better - Basically staff leisure, staff duty and industry travellers get identified as "non commercial"

 

[milehighclub]

What are your tips for avoiding or managing jet lag?

My personal routine:

On overnight flights that arrive in the morning I will sleep for a few hours, then get up and stay awake as late as I can

On overnight flights that arrive in the evening (like QF10 LHR-SIN) I stay awake until late then head to bed

As a passenger - don't sleep on daylight sectors

Because when I arrive overseas I don't have to work or do anything it is easy for me to sleep at anytime if I am tired, which ultimately if I can't stay awake I will sleep. If your travelling for business or seeing family you might not have that ability to just sleep when you want.

I have never taken sleeping pills nor do I plan to

 

[Oneworldplus2]

We also have three types of calls to the flight deck

Normal
This is done the same way as we would call another phone on the plane. Could be to offer a drink or just check up (we have to call the flight deck every 20 minutes)

Is that on Domestic/International sectors or both?


Great thread and much appreciated for the answers provided MHC

 

[milehighclub]

Is that on Domestic/International sectors or both?


Great thread and much appreciated for the answers provided MHC

It's done on both international and domestic.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Thanks for the swift reply.

You learn something new everyday.

 

[cmon0005]

Got this question, Last year I flew PE on the A380 (I was upgraded from Y) I was greeted by name at my seat by the CSM? or at least someone senior, and she confirmed my connecting flight details with me and welcomed me on board.etc.

Is this standard for PE, or was it because I was a QC Silver at the time for eg.If I was a Bronze only but in PE would I have been greeted the same?

My J flight on the connecting flight (A330-300) I was not welcomed or greeted by name and they seemed short staffed in the J cabin (the service was better in PE on the A380). Is this standard practise?

 

[Ewing]

Got this question, Last year I flew PE on the A380 (I was upgraded from Y) I was greeted by name at my seat by the CSM? or at least someone senior, and she confirmed my connecting flight details with me and welcomed me on board.etc.

Is this standard for PE, or was it because I was a QC Silver at the time for eg.If I was a Bronze only but in PE would I have been greeted the same?

I've received a personal greeting each time flying on the A380 from when I was QC Silver onwards (I've never flown international when a Bronze, and it has been a number of years since I was that). There were people in the cabin who didn't receive a greeting, so I assumed that they at least had a lower status than I.

My J flight on the connecting flight (A330-300) I was not welcomed or greeted by name and they seemed short staffed in the J cabin (the service was better in PE on the A380). Is this standard practise?

Service I've received on the A380 in PE has always been fantastic.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Milehighclub, a question if I may.

Does LTG appear on the flight manifest? Or CL?

I read them when they are used for names prompting in galley, from memory it is just emerald and then if something special. Ie VIP

Have I recalled manifests correctly?

 

[Sprucegoose]

I can pick my least favourite - Johannesburg. Not because I don't like Johannesburg, I do have an enjoyable time there, but the jetlag is massive! I'm pretty good at managing my sleep but a JNB trip really stuffs it up.

you guys in JHB could sways sus out the cheapest safari and golf tours!

Jet lag is a shocker. Worse on the trip home I always thought.

No one is ever enthusiastic about joburg!

 

[harvyk]

I've asked the same question at the ask the pilot thread, but it's something which goes across both areas.
Outside of announcements to pax, do you guys call each other by name, or by position (eg captain \ CSM \ Door 2R etc...)? (I'm assuming that you may or may not have flown with the various cabin crew members before)

 

[reductionist]

How many flight/cabin crew in total does QF have for A380 & 747 flights?

I'm thinking for longish flights. Say to Hong Kong or Tokyo.

 

[ash.1111]

It'd be position. With DJ, it's your position. But obviously you'd also add your name.

"*name*, L1 here" (or something like that) and then you'd say your name and position and they'd continue on. It's pretty laid back though.

 

[anat0l]

This might be a dubious and perhaps controversial question, but are there particular sectors or flights (international are the more interesting ones) which tend to have certain kinds of passengers (or groups, or ethnicities) which characterise that sector?

You might say, "if you flew this sector, you know the pax are going to be ________", where this would be merely a stereotype.

It might have an impact on whether people want to take that sector as crew or not, or the way they need to adjust themselves mentally in order to prepare to serve the typical passenger on that sector. (Some sectors may have passengers with a lot of attitude!)

I know this might be a grinding question because every passenger should be respected and all, blah blah blah, but just interested if there are such perceptions, trends or stereotypes.



Another question: pouring drinks (especially hot coffee or tea) and serving them on an airplane seems like an art, even more so if the plane is not perfectly still.

How do they train for this particular part of the service in FA training? Or is it assumed and therefore not part of the training at all?