Flight Attendants.org chat forum Closing

For over 10yrs, I have enjoyed being, not only a member of a Flight Attendant chat forum, but also a moderator and Administrator. The site helped me make many great friends from many different airlines around the world.

Recently, the sites administrator has chosen to put the site up for sale, and because the site hasn't been extremely active in the past year, and/or bought, he has chosen to close it's doors earlier than when the sites domain name is due for renewal. (it will be closed sometime in the coming weeks)

It has been amazing to be a part of a site where I was able to watch it grow into something spectacular, helping many individuals (both young and old) come together, not only here in the United States, but world-wide, answering questions about what it's like to be a Flight Attendant, or even helping those who strive to be a Steward/Stewardess/Flight Attendant.

We have laughed, cried, fought, and bonded over many aspects of our careers. We saw some sad days on the site from losing members, or know of Flight Attendants who have lost lives either from accidents and/or incidents involving crashes or from other events.

FlightAttendants.org was a site where we could all go and share stories with one another about the crazy antics we saw during our flights, or walking through the terminals. We could all come together and complain about how the TSA treated us, or what we saw on our layovers. Of course, this could be anything from bed-bugs, dirty beds/sheets/towels/bathrooms/remotes/glasses, to having wild parties.

This was a place we could ask questions amongst each other about Federal Aviation Regulations, Airline Policies, or just complain about what our respective airlines were doing to our Unionized contracts. With these complaints, often brought with them arguments between members.

The one thing about being a flight attendant is the aspect of not being bogged down in a cubicle and not having a supervisor breathing down your neck require work to be done. Being a flight attendant requires one to be driven to work well with others, and to step up to the plate during emergency situations without thinking twice.

I will miss the great chats we had with each other, and hope sometime soon there will be another great chat forum we can once again call 'home'

Until then, keep flying the friendly skies!
Sluggo

Food from First Class

After reading a blog over on Gadling.com: Cockpit Chronicles, "Food in the Cockpit, How it's Prepared", it got me thinking of my travels and some of the great food selections I have enjoyed when traveling in First Class as a passenger.

I believe I got the idea of taking a few pics of my food from AirlineMeals.net. It's a sight where people like you and me can send photos to be added, by class of service, airline, and route. Either way, I started taking pics of some of my travels over the years, and have posted them, but don't think I ever really talked about them.

When I saw the post on Gadling.com, it reminded me the how much food is actually provided on flights. I think on my last flight, I had to decline one of the services because there was so much food. Hopefully I can list a few of  my favorite entree's here...of course, I wouldn't be able to describe them as they were on the menu, but hopefully you can get the gist from the pics.

London-New York: July 2005

Appetizer
Smoked Salmon
Sour cream
Red Onion
Capers
Champagne
Water
Artisan Bread
(due to the events of 9/11, the airline was still utilizing plastic-ware)




Salad
Lettuce
Chicken
Asparagus
Cherry Tomato
Champagne
Water

Main Entree
Crusted Salmon
Potatoes
Champagne
Water
Wine

Dessert
Vanilla Ice Cream
Whip Cream
Nuts
Hot Butterscotch
Coffee w/Kahlua & Whip Cream

Follow-On Service
Chicken Panini
Light Salad








My next trip was JFK-ZRH (Zurich) 2005

Appetizer
Smoked Salmon
Shrimp
Lobster Claw
Focacia Bread

Main Entree
Beef Filet
Green Beans
Potatos
Water






On the return leg, I forgot to take a picture of the Appetizer, but believe me when I said that it was Smoked Salmon (again...YUMMY) and the Salad.

Main Entree

Grilled Chicken
Rice pilaf
Grilled Vegetables

Dessert was once again the Ice Cream Sundae, including a coffee with Bailey's



Follow-On Service
Fruit & Cheese plate
Coffee w/Bailey's
Port Wine






A few years went by and I didn't really travel anywhere exciting except for 2007 I went to Rome. I was in Coach on the way over to Rome, and First Class on the way back. I forgot to take pictures of the meals then, but I'm sure I ate my basic selections! LOL

Jump forward to 2009. It seemed to have been a busy travel year for me. I not only went to London in First Class on my airline, I even traveled to Puerto Vallarta in First Class on a rival airline! Going to London, I took the same basic food pics, but one that was interesting was a pic of the Appetizer cart with the Salmon, toast points, capers, red onion, sour cream, and Lobster Tail.

Heading to Puerto Vallarta on a rival airline was rather interesting. I did in fact purchase a ticket, so being up front was a real treat, plus it was very interesting to finally see something different rather than the normal breakfast we serve on my airline. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. From the sausage to the omelet, and the potato's. 

I often wonder though, I actually had to cut my bagel whereas at my airline, it's already pre-cut. I wonder how much money is saved with that...





Ok, so it wasn't that exciting for travel, but it was fun being in First Class on a different carrier. Although, traveling as a non-rev, I was able to fly in First Class on numerous occasions, but being in my uniform, I never took out my camera to take pictures of the food (too bad huh?)

Now it's back to London in May of 2011. I was lucky enough to fly in First Class  going from Chicago to London. Believe it or not, I also still have the menu's of both the trips, so now you can get the full menu descriptions of my entree's.

For pre-departure beverage, I had the Pommery Brut Champagne.

"It was in 1858 that Madame Louise Pommery took over the reins of the newly formed Champagne house and began the arduous task of building the historic estate that one sees today. This lively and fresh Champagne is remarkably smooth with a soft delightful "mousse" that never wanes on the palate. Very versatile that pairs well with many light dishes"

For my wine selection, I chose the Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Merlot.

"Freemark Abbey is one of Napa's historic wineries dating back to the 1880s. Much has changed since then, except for the passionate commitment to making wines of great value. Its wines give a true expression of the varieties grown and are designed for a culinary adventure. The Merlot is rich with blackberry and cherry aromas. This wine leaps to life when served with red meats, grilled meaty fish, medium-strength cheeses and pasta."

To Start
Warm mixed nuts & Crudites and dip

Appetizer

Smoked Salmon and Tarragon shrimp accompanied by capers, red onion and sour cream

Bread Basket
Assorted gourmet breads

The Salad Cart
Fresh seasonal greens with pickled carrots, plum tomatoes, broccoli and scallions offered with roasted pepper dressing or premium extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sliced herbes de Provence chicken breast (which I didn't have)

Main Course
Chicken with Ratatouille
Sauteed breast of chicken featured with a ratatouille sauce, smashed potatoes with bacon and a medley of baby vegetables.

Dessert
Ben&Jerry's
Ice Cream Sundae
Vanilla ice cream with a choice of hot fudge, butterscotch, or seasonal berry toppings, whipped cream and pecans. (I had mine with Bailey's Irish Cream)

I did not have a Breakfast prior to landing since I wanted to save myself for lunch and/or dinner while in London. (which I'm glad I did as my best friend and I went to this great restaurant for a quick bite to eat before going to the theater)

For the return flight, I had the same Pommery Brut Champagne, however this time, instead of having the Merlot, I had a delicious Sauvignon Blanc.

Groom Lenswood Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills, Australia

"The cool temperatures of Australia's Adelaide Hills produce Sauvignon Blancs that are versatile with food, primarily because of the appealing citrus tones and crisp acidity. In particular, the Groom family creates excellent Sauvignon Blancs that pair delightfully with fish, crustaceans, and poultry."

To Start
Warm Nuts and/or Crudites and dip

Appetizer
Smoked Salmon and Tarragon Shrimp accompanied by capers, red onion and sour cream

The Salad Cart
Fresh seasonal greens with pickled carrots, plum tomatoes, broccoli and scallions offered with roasted red pepper dressing or premium extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sliced herbes de Provence chicken breast. (I didn't have any salad on the return)

Main Course
Beef Fillet with Mushroom Bordelaise
Grilled fillet of beef served with porcini mushroom butter and bordelaise sauce, diced yellow peppers, haricots verts, baby carrots and olive oil potatoes.

I know what you may be thinking...why on earth did I have the Sauvignon Blanc with the Beef instead of the Merlot and vice-versa the previous flight. Honestly I don't know, but I wasn't disappointed either direction with my selections!

Dessert
Ben&Jerry's
Ice Cream Sundae
Vanilla ice cream with a choice of hot fudge, butterscotch or seasonal berry toppings, whipped cream and pecans. (this time I chose Kahlua)

Light Meal
Grilled Chicken Breast
Offered with a tabbouleh kebab salad, tzatziki with pita bread, kalamata olives and feta cheese. (I didn't care for the chicken or the pita bread, but the olives and feta were awesome!)





As you can see, I LOVE me some Smoked Salmon and Shrimp. I feel extremely lucky if I can get both (usually you get one or the other). I really haven't thought about posting the food we serve in First Class, maybe I'll start posting some of the offerings and show what is available. Some food is really good, some isn't. Some is boring while others are more exciting.

We know what happens to passengers during bad weather, what about flight crews?

We all know what happens to regular passengers when bad weather happens at busy airports and flights can't come or go....they get stranded. But what about the crew members....what happens to them? Do they get paid if their trip doesn't fly as scheduled? Do they get hotel rooms?

Each airline and their respective unions have their own rules regarding what happens when a flight cancels due to bad weather such as snow cancellations, hurricanes, or severe weather. Just this past week, we had Hurricane Irene make it's way through the east coast of the United States, wreaking havoc in majority of states from North Carolina all the way to Canada.

With these severe situations, we have to think about what goes on with not only the people on the ground, but the people in the air. I often laugh at people who complain about snow delays. Mostly because I ask them how did they get to the airport, did they go fast or slow....majority of the times, they say that they left earlier than they would have and drove slow, watching people slide into the median or elsewhere, so I ask them how do they expect aviation to go faster when it's snowing...same thing applies, the airport has to clear the snow, the airlines have to de-ice the planes and because of the antiquated Air Traffic Control, planes have to be separated a bit more so they don't run on top of each other in case there is a mishap.

So what about when a Hurricane happens? This past week we had Irene come through. Sure, it's upsetting when your travel plans are disrupted due to delays and/or cancellations. You can't fly to your destination to board your cruise ship, or even get the chance to get there due to everything closing.

This year, we saw something that hasn't happened ever. New York city closed down in preparation of Hurricane Irene. Sure, we were coming up to the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, but we never saw the 'City that never Sleeps', sleep. Mayor Bloomberg chose to shut-down all ground transportation by noon on Saturday. This was the Metro Transit Authority, the PATH trains, and all air traffic into the 3 major NYC airports...LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark.

Thousands of flights were canceled and Amtrak adjusted its service to avoid the area. Airports all along the East Coast closed as the hurricane passed into each area, with thousands of national and international flights affected.

Most carriers canceled flights in advance of Irene so equipment would not be stranded, and planned post-hurricane schedules to recover as quickly as possible. Carriers like United, which uses Chicago as a hub, announced a travel waiver to let customers make changes to ticketed itineraries without incurring fees.

Airlines declined to say how many passengers were affected by the hurricane, but the numbers likely reached into the millions because so many flights, both domestic and international, make connections through major East Coast hub airports. Even passengers not flying anywhere near the East coast could be delayed for days as airlines work to get planes and crews back into position.

So what about the crew-members? As I said earlier, many have rules regarding Irregular Operations. Some crews get paid, while others do not. Some have to put themselves on a 'Make-Up' status in order to make up the lost time, while others just pay their crews even though they don't have to make-up the flying.

Here is a time-line of one Union who did an awesome job of keeping it's members informed of the path of Irene, and possible delays, cancellations, and what their members need to do in order to be paid.

Well folks, for those of us living in the NorthEast, it looks like we might have our first Hurricane since the early 1900's.
HURRICANE UPDATE

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday:

• Strength: Category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds of 120 mph.

• Path: Irene is moving northwest at 12 mph.

• N.J. Impact: The center of the hurricane is expected to move slightly east of New Jersey around 2 p.m. Sunday.

WX Call 1447hrs EST

***THESE PLANS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE***

This call was strictly about the operations in PHL/JFK/BDL/LGA/EWR

***NYC will be shutting down all public transportation effective 1200 ET/27AUG.***

***A mandatory evacuations has been ordered for low levels of Manhattan.***

BDL/PHL-Will have no terminating aircraft tomorrow night, no operations on Sunday, planning on resuming with arrival flights on Monday.

EWR/LGA/JFK-Will cancel all flights arriving/departing after 1200ET 27AUG, as well as all flights on Sunday, and planning to start operating with arrivals flights on Monday. JFK’s last flight will cancel after 1000ET/27AUG.

There are concerns with crews, airport employees and TSA arriving to work via public transportation as well as our commuters.

Crew schedule is monitoring this very closely.

1416hrs EST

“The city's transit system will be coming to a halt Saturday as the city prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Irene.

Governor Andrew Cuomo says the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will institute a system-wide shut down when trains and buses begin their final runs around 12 p.m. Saturday.

It includes all subway lines, buses, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and Access-A-Ride services” 

HURRICANE IRENE RECAP

WX Call 1954hrs

Information is subject to change depending on Hurricane Irene's path

LGA – last departure will be at 09:50 on the 27^th.  First departure will be at 09:50 on the 28^th

JFK – last departure will be at 09:55 on the 27^th.  First departure will be at 09:00 on the 29th.

EWR Information

Courtesy of NY & NY Port Authority Website

concessions; Termianl A Tony Roma's and Terminal B Subway Sandwiches will be open 24hrs with 3 days food supply.

NJ Transit; will suspend train at 12 noon tomorrow. Bus service will be suspended at 6 pm.

PATH; service will be suspended at 12 noon Saturday.

Amtrak; last train schedule into rail link into NY at 1822hrs.

Airtrain to Rail link will be suspended after 1900hrs. All airtrain service will be suspended at 2300hrs.

Sometimes the airlines schedulers will try to violate the contract they have in order to maintain some sort of service...or make sure they have enough flight attendants on hand.

Last 5 Days of the Month Pay Protection

It has been brought to my attention that Scheduling is calling F/A's who are in lat 5 days of the month with cxl's and telling them they must call them back. This is not true. ARTICLE 9.P is different than ARTICLE 9.P. 6 last 5 days of the month.
Article 9.p.6 states you must put yourself on the makeup list and accept any flying that is offered. DO NOT FALL INTO CREW SCHEDS TRAP. You only need to call crew sched during a missconnect, cancellation, or illegality during the first 25 days of the month.

9am SoC Operations call regarding tri-state operations

All,

Here is a recap of this mornings SOC conference call:

HURRICANE IRENE:

CLT/RDU/RIC/BWI/IAD/DCA are all open and operating arrivals and departures.      

ORF airport only has partial electricity, some minor flooding, plans are currently to operate F682 DFW-RIC.

JFK/LGA/EWR/BOS/BDL/PHL are all closed. SOC is awaiting information to see what will be decided with public ground transportation to determine when they can successfully start operations.   

PHL airport has reported good conditions.

JFK has reported no structural damage and LGA has reported just a few manageable leaks as of 0900CT. 

JFK has several long haul arrival flights that will be decided later to determine if they will operate or possibly land in Chicago.

NY Area Airports Up and Running.....limited public transportation

Irene has finally left the area, and the NYC airports have announced plans to open in the morning:  LGA at 0700, JFK and EWR at 0600.  The LGA MOD office will open at 0600.
The M60 and Q33 buses to LGA began operations late this afternoon.  While many other modes of transportation are still suspended, please allow extra time for travel to the airport.  

 So you can see that even though passengers are stranded, so are the crew-members. It takes a lot to maintain the other side of the coin as well.
 

You have regular line flight attendants, then those flight attendants on Reserve (FAs who are sitting waiting for other FAs who call in sick or irregular operations such as bad weather) There are crews who are stuck at hotels, airports, and cities they weren't scheduled to land in. 

Now that the Hurricane has passed, the airline has to make sure they get their employee's back to where they need to be, as well as get their passengers where they've been wanting to go since the disruptions.

 

What is proper Etiquette while on an airplane and bare feet

One of the things that continually amazes me is how people don't think of their fellow traveler while on an airplane. A joke among many flight attendants is "Passengers often check their brains, not their luggage". One pet peeves is to see a passenger get on an airplane immediately take off their shoes, and put them up onto something that isn't theirs.

It doesn't matter whether the customer is in Coach, Business, or First, it continually amazes me how this seems to be a common practice because people do it all the time. A fellow flight attendant, and avid blogger regarding proper Jetiquette, Sky Steward, has posted several question from his readers and has answered them to the best of his ability.

We all know that boarding can be hectic. I know that many of our passengers probably kick off their shoes when they are at home because they want to just air their feet and relax a little bit. I can also  understand that passengers too have had long days, often with boring meetings and would like to sit back and relax, but what would happen if during boarding, while the aircraft is being refueled for the flight something happened and you have to evacuate. That person now has to take critical minutes to put those shoes back on.

Just keep those shoes on because even after the door closes while the plane is taxiing out to the runway, or even during an attempt to take-off, there have been instances where there is an aborted take-off. Thankfully, not many are in need of an evacuation, but they do occur. How are you going to quickly evacuate if you are fumbling for your shoes to put them back on? Lots of valuable time is wasted for your personal well-being putting those shoes back on when you could be in imminent danger of a smoke filling up the cabin, making it difficult to see and you have to evacuate the aircraft.

Ok, so none of the above scenarios happened, so we're inflight and you really do need to just relax. OK, that's fine, but don't put your feet up on the armrest or tray table. We all like to think that the tray tables get cleaned after every single flight, however, they are not. Someone's stinky feet aren't the only things that get on tray tables, parents will often change their babies diapers on them instead of using the baby tables in the lavatories.

Another aspect is how people think because they are in the bulkhead seat, they can climb their feet all over the bulkhead wall. This is the biggest peeve of mine, especially from those passengers who are in First and/or Business Class. People don't go into restaurants or their Doctor's/Lawyer's offices and put their feet up on the tables or furniture, so why do this on an airplane?

If you don't put your feet on the table at a restaurant, then why put feet on the tray-table or bulkhead (wall). I can see how some people who are tall are trying to get comfortable, however not everyone in the cabin would like to see (or smell) your feet. Would you expect your client to walk into your office or conference room and kick off their shoes and put them up on the table? How about clipping their toenails? WHY oh WHY would you want to clip them at your seat? At least go into the lavatory and clip them in the privacy....(hint: there's a trash container for the clippings when your done too!) Every airline has their share of inconsiderate passenger.

Airlines will put their planes through certain over-hauls (C-Checks) (scroll down to aircraft maintenance procedures) after certain amount of hours flown. Some checks only allow steam-cleaning of aisle carpets, replacing burned out reading lights, fixing seats that don't recline properly. There are also bigger checks where the airplane is completely stripped of everything inside the cabin and everything is replaced with newer items. One airline use to use carpet for their bulkheads, and have just recently replaced them with a different wall. Here is a picture of a bulkhead where the carpet was completely ruined by passengers putting their feet up on the wall, costing the airlines thousands of dollars to replace.

Ok, it's inevitable...passengers need to have physiological breaks and need to go to the lavatory during the flight. What doesn't surprise me are these same people who have their feet on a seat, tray table, bulkhead, are the same ones who walk up the extremely dirty aisle and walk to the lavatory in their bare feet. Something to consider if this is you....that's often NOT water on the floor of the lavatory. As good of an aim some male passengers have on the ground, will have a good aim when turbulence hits. Surprising enough, women often have bad aims too, especially when they squat over the seat as oppose to sitting on the seat. (literally had to clean up the bodily fluid after a female passenger urinated all over the floor instead of hitting the spot) Again, just put your shoes  on for the few minutes you need to use the loo because 1) it's more sanitary, and 2) there may actually be broken glass on the floor walking to the lavatory.  (this goes for the little tykes too!)

Are you still with me? Yeah, believe it or not, people do this all the time. I've even encountered a stinky foot on a commuting flight.  Sure, this person was kind enough to keep her shoes on, but they stunk up to high heaven. I had to repeatedly turn around and ask her to move her feet because of the stench. (that's my elbow next to her foot)

I actually put my tote bag under the seat in front of me and leave it there the entire flight. I get out what I need when I get to my seat so I don't have to bother with it later on. I do get cramped sometimes, so what I do is to get up when the seatbelt sign is off and go to the lavatory, even if I don't have to go just to stretch and get the blood flowing.

Here are some more folks with their feet on the bulkhead. Yes, at one time all three of their feet were on the wall. I don't know why this is so except-able because there is often food involved along with beverages being handed out. Many passengers don't even remove their feet when the working flight attendant is trying to work (place beverage, snacks, and/or food)  Passengers throw a fit when they board a plane and it is a pig sty. Well, just look at what the passenger does, you can then start to understand why the place isn't so tidy. It would be nice if we did have the plane steam-cleaned after every single flight, but that would cost money and take up a LOT of your valuable time since most passengers want to board that late arriving airplane and get on their way to their destination quickly

Now the flight is coming to a close, and we're descending into our destination. Believe it or not, many people still don't put their shoes on for landing. Just like the take-off, anything could happen at any moment, and you just don't know when you will have to evacuate the aircraft.

There could be times where the plane lands in terrible weather, crashes, and you have to quickly get out to save yourself, or the plane has no power and abruptly stops at the end of the runway and you hear the evacuation commands to "UNFASTEN SEATBELTS, COME THIS WAY!" 

Best rule of thumb is wait until you're at cruise altitude to take off your shoes (if you really have to). Remember to put your shoes back on when you have to go to the bathroom, take them off again when you're back at your seat, don't put them on the furniture since other people not only have to sit there, but eat there too. When preparing for landing, put your shoes back on because you just never know what may happen.

Following these simple rules not only keeps you prepared for any type of emergency, but gives you a few extra minutes doing other things while those who don't know how to follow proper jetiquette are still gathering their belongings and putting on their shoes when they had the last 25 minutes to do so.

What's the difference between an airline Company ID and a nametag?

Following a great discussion on Flyertalk.com, a question was asked if hiding a badge was against FAA/TSA regulations and/or policies.  Since it is not an FAA/TSA regulation/policy, I responded to the question as it was not.

Later on in the thread, another poster quoted an airline policy regarding wearing of name-tags, which is completely different than that which was asked. Yes, majority of airlines do have a policy where their employee's must wear name-tags on their uniforms, as most company's do.

I then posed a question whether or not the person who felt a flight attendant was specifically hiding their name-tag thought that what was being hidden was actually a Company ID. This is in deed different than a name-tag that most airlines require, as the Company ID to all crewmembers is issued under Department of Homeland Securty, and is checked at each Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, much like regular passengers must show their Driver's License.

Company IDs have more information than just a name-tag. They often include company name, a hire date, company seniority date, photo of the crew member, employee pay-role number, full name of the crew member, along with a TSA mandated expiration date.

Majority of airlines will require the Company ID to be hidden from regular view of the passenger, but will require crew members to wear their name tags at all times. Name tags will often come in variable forms: first name only, last name only, nickname only, or first and last name, along with any other title such as specific language or qualification such as a Lead Flight Attendant.

I can understand that majority of passengers don't understand the difference between company policy and/or FAA/TSA regulations and most wouldn't care. Many flight attendants will put their own name on their name tags, while others will not.

Sure, we can walk into a restaurant, retail store, or even a post office and find someone wearing a name tag. There have been cases involving passengers looking up crew members by their name and stalking them. When a customer writes a letter (whether it be a complimentary letter or a derogatory experience) they often want a name to provide the company.

Just like at a retail store, you don't need a name, let alone a full name of the person you are writing up. You just need to write what store you were at, what time of day, and in what department you were in (if it was a large store). Same thing with the airline, you don't need a name (which could be helpful) you just need to have the date you were flying, flight number, and seat number, the company will do the leg work in finding the appropriate person to commend, or reprimand.

I do wonder though, why is it when one is explaining differences, others believe that they hate what they are doing and should find something else to do. It's funny that not once did I ever say what the flight attendant did to the original poster was right or wrong, yet because I posted to the topic I'm acknowledging the flight attendant (or me) was wrong and should find another job. That always baffles me.

American Airlines 5@5

Starting today, American Airlines is launching on select flights a "Thank You" to it's customers. Throughout the month, customers are invited to enjoy cocktails, wine and beer for $5 on American or American Eagle domestic flights departing between 5:00 p.m. and 5:59 p.m. (Domestic flights are defined as those within the continental U.S. and those between the U.S. and Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean).  The happy hour will offer customers a savings of $1 on beer and $2 on liquor and wine.


American Airlines is cashless and accepts major credit or debit cards for in-flight purchases.  American Eagle and American Connection only accept cash for purchases made onboard.

To see what beverages American has to offer, click here.

Non-alcoholic beverages will continue to be complimentary in Economy Class, as they are today.



 

"Opt-Out Day" fizzles!

With all the hoopla surrounding the new TSA Pat-Down procedures, I laughed hard to see how much this angered a few people who have quickly forgotten Richard Reid, the alleged "Shoe Bomber" in February 2002, or just recently, the 2009 Christmas Day "Underwear Bomber" who tried to take down a Delta Air Lines jet when it approached the U.S. soil.

I can understand the inconsistencies we, as travelers, see from the TSA, however the public needs to understand that there are extremists from other countries are out to kill thousands of innocent U.S. individuals, just because we live here in the U.S..

These extreme groups don't just target the military, they target the innocent. In past wars, only those that wore the uniform of an opposing country would be targets. Now, it's a no-holes-barred. I am thankful that there haven't been any attacks over the U.S. soil, but this doesn't mean that the threat isn't there.

Many people try to say that the TSA isn't doing their jobs with these attempts, however, what these same people are forgetting, the "Shoe Bomber" and the "Underwear Bomber" originated OUTSIDE of the U.S.. Even British Airways boss rips the U.S. on our security (or lack of).

So this brings to question....What kind of security does the U.S. need? Do we need the National Guard roaming the airports with machine guns at the ready? Do we need a mirrored model of El Al security where they approach a passenger, is time-consuming, and is "racist": the profilers have a conversation with each passenger; as an Israeli Jew, they usually get the abbreviated treatment -- focusing more on where their bags have been since they packed them. As a foreigner, you get a much more in-depth grilling. As a Muslim? They want to know your shoe size, and then a whole 'nother screener comes over and asks you everything all over again, just to see that you keep your story straight. Like they say in the article above, the conversations they have are not so much about what you say as how you say it. The screeners are taught to iterate a few levels deep into your story and see that it doesn't break down under scrutiny.

I personally would LOVE to see security mirror what was shown in the 1990s movie 'Total Recall'. In the movie, where passengers were going to Mars, passengers walk through an X-Ray passageway. This system should make airport security quicker and more effective. Another point to make, you keep your luggage with you and don't have to put it onto an x-ray belt.

Another item that the news media fail to inform the flying public, is that the TSA Body Image Scanners do NOT store images. I can understand how the news can be misleading, allowing viewers to believe that the images view are stored, and are capable of being sold to a Third Party then your 'image' is plastered all over the internet. This statement is simply FALSE.

I can also understand the 'not knowing' how much radiation we are being exposed to. Sure, these machines are new, and they haven't been thoroughly tested, however according to the FDA, "Health risks are minuscule"

Maybe they should give radiation detection strips to airline crews, and/or the most frequent fliers to showcase how much radiation they're being exposed to.

Flight Attendant Hero, or Flight Attendant Embarrassment?

Sure, we all know that air travel is getting more and more frustrating over the last few years. We can look back and see where the trend started when airlines started to charge for checked luggage. Being over the required weight by one pound the airlines will charge you more, or having more than one or two bags will cost more too. This often starts at the ticket counter when checking in.

After forking over more money than expected, then you have to go through the TSA security checkpoint where you can see them frisking little old grandmothers with walkers, or find them now keeping the photos from the new body image scanners, so it's only fair to understand why passengers are getting more and more frustrated before they even get to the plane.

Planes are becoming more full. No more extended leg room, cramped seats, no free food, blankets, pillows, or magazines that use to be included in the cost of the ticket. However, getting onto the plane is becoming a nightmare due to the airlines charging for the checked bags. So it's a hassle to find space for your carry-on since everyone is bringing everything onto the plane. Small bags that should be placed under the seat are being placed into the over-head, making it difficult for the last group of passengers to find space for their bags. Even some arguments that come about with stowage of items in seatback pockets. (Stowage of items in seatbacks)

Once everyone is situated, now we have to worry about those electronic devices being turned off at time of departure. I've written about these U.S. regulations before (Why don't airlines allow cell phone use after aircraft door is closed), yet passengers ignore the regulations and the flight attendants now have to become policemen telling people to turn off their devices. When those passengers don't listen, then it becomes a very frustrating situation for both flight attendant and passenger.

Depending on where you are sitting, your first choice of food may not be available, or the limited Buy On Board snacks are gone and you are really hungry. It's cold on the airplane, but the airlines have  remove the pillows & blankets, or they have started to charge for them. So your family vacation or trip hasn't really started, but it's starting off very rough, and the plane hasn't even left the gate. Hopefully, there isn't a maintenance delay, or weather delay, but if you know anything about flying, hope that you aren't flying out of JFK at "Rush-Hour" where you could be taxiing for over an hour before take-off! 

Finally the plane is in the air, and the you then find out your personal TV isn't working, or the entertainment device given to you in-flight is inoperable, or the kid sitting behind you constantly kicks the back of your seat. How about that screaming child, or the overly loud and obnoxious passengers sitting across the aisle hitting on the flight attendants or buying more and more alcohol and getting drunker as the flight goes on.

Finally, you arrive at your destination and you just want to get off the plane, but now everything is happening in reverse. You are now waiting for your gate to open up and the flight has just been long and tiring and you just want to get off the plane. While the plane is sitting there, in the 'penalty box' you decide to get your bag out of the over-head bin (which you are not allowed to do because you don't know when the plane is going to move) yet, you get up to retrieve your bag. The flight attendant informs you to leave your carry-on stowed, and to remain seated as you are still on an 'active taxi-way'. Yet, you ignore the request, so the flight attendant comes to you and again asks you to take your seat, but this time, you don't like their demeanor as they have now singled you out in front of everyone and you yelled expletives at the flight attendant.

With all the other things that have happened in-flight (or even prior flights) the flight attendant finally breaks, gets on the P.A. and continues to berate you using the same expletives to the entire plane. Now, the flight attendant decides that he is through working as a flight attendant, pulls the emergency slide, grabs a couple of beers and jumps.

Many people see someone who has just cracked under pressure and couldn't deal with the stress, others hail him as a hero because he finally did what so many other flight attendants have wanted to do, but didn't, or is this someone who has flown under the radar far too long and should have never been given a flight attendant job.

For me personally, I find the whole thing an embarrassment to the flight attendant profession, but others find him a true Saint. Showing what flight attendants have to go through on an almost daily ritual of being berated by passengers over the smallest of things that are out of their personal control. Showing that not only airlines, but passengers often don't see the role of a flight attendant as a true Safety Professional.

More issues with Carry-On bags...

Yes, here I am talking about carry-on bags...AGAIN. If you remember, I talked about this issue with Carry-Ons could clog Holiday Travel last year. Now that airlines are charging for checked bags, passengers are starting to bring more and more bags onto the aircraft.

The only problem is, there isn't much room for the added bags. Sure, airlines have tried to expand the overhead bins to accommodate the carry-ons, however, the airlines don't have the  money to keep up with the demand, and besides, many people don't listen to the many announcements from the flight crew requesting to place smaller bags under the seat in front of them, while reserving the over-head bins for the larger bags.

On the left is what can happen when passengers actually place their small carry-ons under the seat in front of them, while reserving the bins for their roll-aboard, AND place them wheels first into the bin. There are many bags that may be too long to fit this way, but it does help to at least try. Don't worry about your handles sticking out, when the bin is closed, the bags will roll down into the bin itself, and will fit just nicely.

Too often, I see passengers place their small purses, pocket-books, laptops, backpacks, or other small bag that can be placed under their seat, into the overhead taking up valuable room. If you have a small bag, please, just place it under the seat in front of you like this guy did on the right. I have a tote-bag that is part of my crew bag, and I always put it under the seat in front of me, not because of my computer or my In-Flight Manual being in it, but to save room for the larger bags in the bins.

After boarding is complete, and you see a bin that still has plenty of room in it, feel free to place your smaller bag into the bin, but all we ask as crew members is just be courteous to your fellow passenger and place that small bag under the seat, no matter what the duration of your flight is.

Now, don't place your bag behind your legs for take-off and/or landing. Remember, FAR 121.589 is a safety regulation that is designed to "prevent carry-on items from slowing an emergency evacuation and to prevent injury to passengers by ensuring items are properly restrained." Behind your legs is not properly restrained. Don't wrap your strap around your leg either, as this may cause you to trip during an evacuation and get trampled. Place your bag completely under the seat in front of you, making sure you have clear access to the aisle at all times.

The same is true if you are sitting at a bulkhead seat. All carry-on items must be properly stowed for taxi-out, take-off, turbulent weather, landing, and taxi-in. Some airlines will allow those sitting at bulkheads to board first to allow you to stow all of your bags, while at others the cabin crew will often try to keep the overhead bins available for you. Just remember: for take-off and landing, since there isn't a seat to stow your bags, all bags must be in an overhead bin.

Busy with School and Flying, it's hard to keep updating my blog

It's hard to believe that once again, how lax in my posting abilities have been for my blog. I do apologize for that. I know it's hard to believe to some, even though I talk a lot in person, I was never good at maintaining daily diaries or even doing any type of journal. so, SORRY everyone!

Anyway, what's been going on with Sluggo? Well, I'll try to recap the best of my ability and see how well that goes.

I just completed my 2nd year, 4th semester with the University of Phoenix. So far, I've completed a total of 18 classes! The experience has truly been unbelievable. I've had many great semesters, a couple of interesting semesters, and then there was my math!

For those that actually know me, either via facebook, drum corps, or flying, you know how much I was dreading my math courses. I am proud to say that I passed both semesters of math, and hopefully do NOT have to think about math again! It's hard enough counting to 21....but I was able to manage!

Besides school, I've been focusing on my flying these last few months. I haven't been able to hold my usual trans-con flying due to AA reducing flight attendant staffing over on the International side. This meant that many of the junior International FAs were sent back to Domestic.  Majority of them were senior to me, so I wasn't able to hold the lines I generally fly.

I was able to pick up a few extra trips here and there, but mostly just flew my schedule. It does become a little interesting when you commute from Minneapolis (MSP) to NYC. With the merger of Northwest and Delta, Delta has started to reduce many of their flights between MSP and NYC. So, I have to start flying on us and connect through Chicago (ORD).

At the beginning of this month, I was able to go back to my hometown of Winchester, VA. I try to go at least every six months or so to visit family and friends. One of the great aspects of going home in May is the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. Winchester has celebrated the blooming of the Apple Trees for over 83yrs, and this year was no exception.

The festival has expanded from being only a weekend event to a full week. There is Wine tasting, sports luncheon, stag luncheon, apple pie baking contest, Music Festival, Firefighters Parade, Grand Feature Parade, 10K race, carnival, circus, arts and crafts, Coronation of the Queen, and of course, plenty of different food vendors from around the country.

The festival has had many notable celebrities over the years, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Joan Rivers, President Ford, and this year Val Kilmar. I was a little disappointed in seeing how much weight Val had put on, but it was fun to have him visit our little community for The Bloom.

Each year it has become more and more difficult for the festival to get a celebrity to commit to the weekend activities. Most actors and actresses have very full schedules, so many will only commit at the last minute, or as their time permits.

Friday morning, my mom and I went to the raising of the tent for the Cole Brother Circus. It had been many years since I had watched the tent being raised, but it was very interesting to see the changes. I remember how the hard workers use to pound the stakes into the ground, now they use a 4-wheel bobcat with a jack-hammer on the end of it. When it was time for the tent to be raised, Elephants were used, but now it's all hydraulics.

The fun part about being there so early, we were able to see the different animals. Of course the main attraction that we liked were the elephants, but there were tigers as well. It was fun to be so close to the animals. The Elephants were chained to the truck they came on, and of course, the tigers were in cages.

Before we knew it, the tent was being raised and work had started putting up the 3-Rings in the middle as well as the Bleachers.

As my mom mentioned, there wasn't much talking between the employee's of the circus. Once in a while, someone would whistle to get the attention of someone else, but everyone worked hard laying out the tent, and getting the large arena ready for their first performance later in the evening.

One of the events that I enjoy the most are the Parades. Friday night is the Fireman's Parade and Saturday is the Grand Feature Parade. Both parades follow the same route, which is roughly 2  miles long. If the weather is a little cooler, the parade route is pleasant for the bands to march, but if it's hot and humid, which it was (85-90 degrees) then it can be torture for the long 2 1/2 hour marching route by foot. Of course, the Music Judges stand is at the end of the route to judge the bands endurance of the long route.

Having marched this parade for many years, I can understand how difficult it can be for some of the bands that never performed in this parade, especially during extreme hot weather! The bands are judged on Marching, Auxiliary (guard/flags), Musicality, and the Drum Major.

When I was in school, the Festival was a large event for the bands. There use to be a Jazz Band Competition, Concert Band Competition, both Parades, and after the Grand Feature Parade, there was the Field Show Competition. However, by mid-90s, many music programs were starting to be cut, so the Field Show Competition was no longer.

Now, there is just Jazz, Concert, and the Parades. Many bands go to the larger venues which are part of Fiesta-Val where bands travel to New York City, Myrtle Beach, or even Orlando.  This way, as soon as the bands are done with part of their competition, they can allow the kids to do different activities at a large amusement park.

Anyway, it was a great visit to be home to visit family and friends.