Please don't press the call bell [our Princesses need a rest]

[kevrosmith]

Very strange announcement on my flight from SYD-CNS last week. Have never heard it before, and really, I hope never to hear it again:

SYD-CNS, E90 aircraft, with CSM + 2 FAs. 18:30 departure. Surprisingly for this route, there were actually 3 pax in J, so, compared to normal, the CSM actually had to do a little bit of work looking after the J pax, and it was pretty much 100% full down the back in Y (maybe one seat free?)

The other 2 FAs did a trolley run, which didn't finish until approx 20:00. Then the strangest announcement came over from the CSM. "Please don't push the call bell at the moment, as the FAs need to have a break"... or something like that. I've never heard this before, and found it mildly amusing and contradictory to the introductory announcement indicating "please don't hesitate to ask". After about 20 minutes, they did another trolley run. Have others ever experienced anything similar?

In my mind, I would've thought it more appropriate to have crew rotate rest periods while still being available to fulfill pax requests....? (Or am I asking/expecting too much?)

I do this flight nearly every week, and the way the crew run the service is different each time. Sometimes they bring out water again after the first run, sometimes they do a second trolley run, sometimes they disappear and you never see them again for the rest of the flight. For me, this again highlights the inconsistency of the VA service, and I really, really wish they'd get things a bit more consistent across the board. At least the lack of IFE on the E90 is made up by being entertained wondering how the crew will operate each week!

I must comment though, the crew were all very pleasant and attentive to requests otherwise, I just found this announcement particularly odd.

 

[Jousams]

Very strange announcement on my flight from SYD-CNS last week. Have never heard it before, and really, I hope never to hear it again:

SYD-CNS, E90 aircraft, with CSM + 2 FAs. 18:30 departure. Surprisingly for this route, there were actually 3 pax in J, so, compared to normal, the CSM actually had to do a little bit of work looking after the J pax, and it was pretty much 100% full down the back in Y (maybe one seat free?)

The other 2 FAs did a trolley run, which didn't finish until approx 20:00. Then the strangest announcement came over from the CSM. "Please don't push the call bell at the moment, as the FAs need to have a break"... or something like that. I've never heard this before, and found it mildly amusing and contradictory to the introductory announcement indicating "please don't hesitate to ask". After about 20 minutes, they did another trolley run. Have others ever experienced anything similar?

In my mind, I would've thought it more appropriate to have crew rotate rest periods while still being available to fulfill pax requests....? (Or am I asking/expecting too much?)

I do this flight nearly every week, and the way the crew run the service is different each time. Sometimes they bring out water again after the first run, sometimes they do a second trolley run, sometimes they disappear and you never see them again for the rest of the flight. For me, this again highlights the inconsistency of the VA service, and I really, really wish they'd get things a bit more consistent across the board. At least the lack of IFE on the E90 is made up by being entertained wondering how the crew will operate each week!

I must comment though, the crew were all very pleasant and attentive to requests otherwise, I just found this announcement particularly odd.

I wasn't aware VA were sourcing staff from local councils these days...

 

[lukenet]

I don't think that one is in the Customer Service Manual

 

[Anna]

Yes I heard a similar announcement on ADL - DPS on VA a couple of years ago. That was when I realised that it's not so much that food and drinks are available for purchase on VA, it is more that when the crew can be bothered they will offer to sell you food and drinks on VA. It just won't necessarily be when you want to buy them.

 

[777]

I had something similar on a DPS flight recently but there was an extra detail along the lines of "please don't press the call bell because we are preparing another trolley run at the moment" (not the actual wording). In that context it made sense.

 

[Boris spatsky]

In their defence, some individuals are so lazy that they press the call bell every 5 minutes - it must get pretty frustrating for the crew.

 

[mindthegap2154]

I had something similar on a DPS flight recently but there was an extra detail along the lines of "please don't press the call bell because we are preparing another trolley run at the moment" (not the actual wording). In that context it made sense.

I would suggest that its more along the lines of what the reason would be. The E90 galley is only loaded with one cart that is "passenger presentable" (although there are 4 loaded into the rear galley and 3 in the forward galley from memory) hence why they need to rebuild the cart for the second service from the service boxes and beverage cart. This doesn't happen on E90 carriers where they reload every flight as they loaded stocked carts e.g. AC but on VA and B6 that load once a day they only loaded one stocked cart and just replenish every service.

 

[russ]

Did you press the bell?

 

[Simo]

Not great customer service from VA,

Definitely not in the Customer service menu or any scripts for announcements.

 

[JohnK]

Could it have been their dinner break?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Could it have been their dinner break?

Does it matter? Shouldn't their breaks be staggered to ensure consistent safety and customer service?

 

[hummel]

A weird situation for sure...

However I think I've maybe pressed the call button twice in all the flights I've taken over the years.

1) Where my seat mate was unloading the previous nights dinner over the seat in front

2) When I asked the FA If I could have a cold can of Coke, not a heated up one! (China Southern.. who woulda gussed it!)

*shrug* I just don't find the need to press it and normally wait till a FA is walking past if required...

 

[Sprucegoose]

Pedestrian at best....

 

[Deleted member 29185]

At least the lack of IFE on the E90 is made up by being entertained wondering how the crew will operate each week!

VA trialing a new form of ife . How quaint! I heard a rumour recently (so recent one might assume I just made it up), that JB is soon to announce that VA will be replacing the outdated call bell system with ejector seat buttons as their economists have determined crew efficiencies would be streamlined and they could run the airline almost prefectly without paxs!

I wasn't aware VA were sourcing staff from local councils these days...

Let's hope they don't start supplying them with long handled shovels to lean on and beat wayward pax who dare to press call bells!

 

[bigbadbyrnes]

Hows the J service on the E90s usually? Do they have their own crew member serving them?

 

[JohnK]

Does it matter? Shouldn't their breaks be staggered to ensure consistent safety and customer service?

Probably not. I have seen the Qantas FA's have dinner together down the back on more than one occassion and if someone uses the call bell then one of them goes up to attend.

 

[kevrosmith]

Hows the J service on the E90s usually? Do they have their own crew member serving them?

The CSM seems solely dedicated to the J cabin. They tend to do a rubbish clearance for Y once the trolley run is done, but that is about the only time they come into the Y cabin. Even if they have zero J, they tend to hide out in the front and let the other 2 crew do the service.

Probably not. I have seen the Qantas FA's have dinner together down the back on more than one occassion and if someone uses the call bell then one of them goes up to attend.

Yeah, and I guess this is the comparison for me: even when they are having their meal or break (and I'm just talking domestic here, on <3 hour flights), someone still responds to calls. They don't announce that they are having a break and not going to respond to passenger service requests.

 

[Moody]

If I ever need to get assistance then I will use the call button. Might need some help from the DYKWIA and bogans to find it as I have never done so in 1000 odd flights.

But I do get slightly peeved when my dinner is delayed by precious pax who thinks their ticket price includes a personal butler, who they insist should stop serving other people just so they can have a third drink. If I was a FA I'd be saying "I'll get that for you when I finish serving dinner" and make sure it gets 5 minutes in the oven before bringing it to them!

 

[under the radar]

im thinking maybe some VA cabin crew havent quite grasped/accepted the NEW PREMIUM VA ... could you imagine the backlash/complaints to senior management if QF crew made any such announcement...its time for pax to stop making excuses for VAs 'indescretions'... ie...oh they may need time to set up their service carts...oh.their galleys arent set up to do the service correctly... oh we need a break!! lol WTF!!! so has the OP actually contacted VA with their 'concern'??? would be interesting to hear the VA response if they did

 

[under the radar]

If I ever need to get assistance then I will use the call button. Might need some help from the DYKWIA and bogans to find it as I have never done so in 1000 odd flights.

But I do get slightly peeved when my dinner is delayed by precious pax who thinks their ticket price includes a personal butler, who they insist should stop serving other people just so they can have a third drink. If I was a FA I'd be saying "I'll get that for you when I finish serving dinner" and make sure it gets 5 minutes in the oven before bringing it to them!

welcome to the world of EVERY F/A!!!! :shock: ....the trick is as an F/A ....NEVER SAY 'NO'!! ....'NO' immediately provokes a negative reply/reaction....use any other words/phrase/BS convincingly that pax need to hear to make them 'feel' heard..took me years to perfect the illusion of 'caring'.....that was my little secret.. and dont be shocked by my post...it happens in ALL areas/businesses of customer service....maybe even in yours!!! ???