Dear American Airlines Flight Attendants, Barricading Yourselves In The Galley Is Not Providing Premium Service

Earlier I wrote about how American Airlines can be great again in part by offering more consistent and professional service onboard. Here’s a perfect example: flight attendants cannot barricade themselves in the galley after meal service. It’s time for a paradigm change.

American Airlines Flight Attendants Barricade Themselves In Galley After Meal Service? Not Acceptable

A passenger was flying from Salt Lake City (SLC) to Miami (MIA) in American Airlines First Class this week and shares the following experience:

I took the MIA – SLC flight last night and my wife and I were in 1A and 1B. Flight started well and service through the meal service was fine. For the last three hours of the flight the FAs literally barricaded themselves in the galley with the drink cart blocking any access to the bathroom unless asked to move it. Four people had to take their glasses to the front as the FAs did not come back after initially clearing the dinner. They offered water shortly before we started descending, but otherwise were talking to each other the entire flight.

This is beyond unacceptable. And yet this story is not unique…I’ve heard it over and over. I’ve even witnessed it personally.

Hey folks, I’m not talking about a 15-20 minute break after the meal service. I know it’s tough to be on your feet for hours at a time and no one is saying that flight attendants cannot rest here and there, even on shorter journeys.

But there’s a big difference between the flight attendants who frequently monitor the cabin and proactively offer drink refills throughout the flight and the flight attendants who literally barricade themselves away from passengers.

It’s little things like this that can (and must) change at AA if it ever hopes to be premium again.

How? It starts with communication. Frequent memos should not just tell flight attendants what not to do, but tell them what to do (i.e. check for empty glasses and refill requests every 15 minutes in first class). Annual safety training and new flight attendant training should include an entire day dedicated to service, not just an hour or two. From a warm welcome to addressing passengers by name to thanking them for flying American Airlines…these are such easy things that are so often neglected.

Change starts by laying out an alternate vision. While every flight attendant is not going to read every memo, if this protocol is communicated often enough through every possible medium, more and more will catch on…and I’m convinced that when flight attendants feel that management has a vision, they will work harder to deliver better service.

How else would United flight attendants (generally speaking) provide such excellent service when they still do not have a contract? At least the folks at United feel like the carrier is moving in the right direction…they recognize United is moving toward profitability and success. Delta achieved that long ago.

CONCLUSION

This is not a “pick on flight attendants” article. I think it’s fair to say that some barricade themselves in the galley because they do not know better. But it should not be that way…if AA ever hopes to be premium again, that must change immediately.

> Read More: Make American Airlines Great Again: A Five-Point Blueprint