Two codes that American Airlines uses when attributing a delay to a flight attendant are:
- FA4: late to the gate
- FA0: lack of completion of duties
This summer American’s on-time performance has improved, so there are fewer delays to pin on anyone. However at an employee meeting last week, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Brady Byrnes told cabin crew that during the second quarter FA4 and FA0 delays were “down 25%” compared to the airline’s goals, and that this was responsible for “point five” of the carrier’s overall improvement in D0, exact on-time departures.
Byrnes noted that not only are flight attendants showing up and doing their jobs (reduced FA0 and FA4 delays), but that the tools and procedural changes they’ve made are helping too. For instance, the five year old ConnectMe system lets flight attendants text with the gate, using their iPhone instead of traditional phones.
It’s good to improve communications, but that system still has limitations. For instance, during that same question and answer sessions it was revealed that American’s caterers do not have access to it.
- When flight attendants see that a flight hasn’t been properly catered, they cannot text catering.
- This is “because of some firewall issues.”
- So messages have to be directed to the gate agent or to the tower, in order for them to relay messages about catering.
While that makes it difficult to get catering issues addressed, in Dallas they have a PLC facility, which reportedly means ‘providing limited catering,’ and smaller trucks roam the airport, able to quickly stock planes with extra ice, dry ice, and soda.
Gary you are not serious right !!!??? It was never the FAs so stop your lies !
Correction: not “in Dallas.” The cost of running the DFW Airport is not only born by Dallas, but equally by Fort Worth & other nearby municipalities. When airline attendants say, “We are now approaching Dallas,” I always depart the plane with a corrective comment – “Dallas-Fort Worth, please!”
Glad to see that crews are actually showing up and doing their jobs! Must be because of the union negotiations. Don’t give AA any ammo to use against Y’all at the bargaining table!
After a recent visit with my 83 yr old mother I have decided she will never fly AA again. Having requested a wheelchair at the gate I was stunned that she was left in the bathroom, in a wheelchair by herself—-not once , but twice!!! I consider that elder abuse!! Shame on you American Airlines!!!
False narrative by AA.
When have flight attendant ever not shown up and not do their job?
AA makes sound like FA’s are late arriving to gate from their home.
AA failed to add that FA’s are late because of late connection or in customs, then have to clear back through TSA security.
Agents and FA’s work together.
@carol Elder abuse on you for sending a 83 yr old immobile lady on a fight with out assistance. Open up your wallet and pay for some one to accompany her if she needs assistance. AA is NOT in the business of Elder Care.
Entitled Lazy Grandchildren who do not want to take care of their own family!
@carol I agree with TomRi. What did you expect that 20 yr old male Handicap chair staff to do? Go in the womens room and put her on the Toilet?
You are entitled,
FYI Carol AA does not employee the Wheel chair the airport does. Call the Airport up NOT AA and batch to them that your too lazy to take care of your own grandma
Carol Parker
–Research your topics before trying to make a point. The AIRPORT provides the wheelchair services. Not the airlines.
CAROL: You are ignorant and lazy and entitled. AA doesn’t have anything to do with the Wheelchair attendants. Like at all. Use Google next time and You’ll find that out. Next, those teens that work that job work off tips. Did you give Your granny tip money? Next and lastly, Your and awful human being for relying on anyone but YOURSELF for not ensuring that Your 81 year old Grandmother got to her destination safely. Call the airport necf time, or better yet,, go.with her and see that the Wheelchair staff are literally teens and work menial jobs for tips. They get you off the ramp and on the plane and You can’t count on them for nothing else. Complete FOOL.
@Carol Parker Wheelchairs are handled and brought in by a completely different company. I assure you it is not American Airline’s fault. I am sorry this happened to you.
@lesliewenb- and I’m sure the crew tolls their eyes at your condescending and unnecessary comments. How small your life must be to focus on that.
Benjamin….NAILED it!
As usual I didn’t bother reading the article, the single reason I’m here is to see the comments.
Angry Fort Worth person was well worth the click… But I had to put in the popcorn before finishing up what is and isn’t elder abuse. One person probably had poor judgment on how hands on it was going to be to have his mother flown alone and is blaming AA when there is probably way more to the story. Then everyone else coming after them and getting super classist while their at it.
I also love trying to pick out who the AA Flight Attendants are on here.
People just need to have more compassion and love.
I chose this job because I’m lazy. I like to pretend I’m here for safety but I’m a tiny 130lb women that will not t be able to do anything in an emergency. I also enjoyed being paid to sit at home for a year during covid. Please do not ever tell me I haven’t shown up for work other than that year when everyone else worked.
So much misinformation about wheelchairs. An airline might sub out the service, regulations say clearly the airline is responsible. Mobility assistance is the top category of complaints, and AA leads the pack.
Bad move, AA, trying to throw FAs under the bus. They have all kinds of problems, and that says a senior management issue.
This statement and headline is FALSE & Ridiculous!!! When has a flight ever cancelled or had rolling delays due to a Flight Attendant not showing up or not doing their job?? The reliable issue fall squarely on the shoulders of American Airlines management allowing these planes in need of maintenance to be constantly deferred until they break then passengers are forced into cancellation or rolling delays and the real possibility of the crews timing out because they have worked a 15 hour day or will have less than minutes rest. If AA Mgmt would put humans (customers & crews) before their profits they wouldn’t have a reliability issue at all but instead of being accountable they would rather remain tone death and blame their unstaffed and underpaid Flight Attendants while top tier management continues to rip this airline apart and line their pockets.
Do better American Airline’s!!! #humansoverprofit #stopthegreed
Roaming Dad,
You’re spot on!
It’s obvious who couldn’t even pass the interview process with AA (or any other carrier) let alone get hired! And so they lash out here in the comments section. EZ to pick them out also.
(right J Smith)?
If the flight attendants weren’t showing up all this time why do you still have a job? The reason you have improved OT is because there is so much pressure on the gate agents and the FA’s and it’s the only thing AA cares about other than $$$
This is clearly satire.