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NWA Has Some Good Ex-Employees - Here is one: Professor James Dixey.
NWA Has Some Good Employees - #3
Even I can not help but have empathy for people like this. Names have been removed to protect the innocent. NWA employee comments are in black, my replies are in brown and underlined for the benefit of blind people who are using a screen reader.
Ronald J. Riley comments on "Just a little venting- more to come."
I was not really sure how to classify the following post. The writer is quite defiant, displaying some of the characteristics which make NWA staff and their service stand out as the worst, but she also presents a good picture of how NWA uses and abuses employees and how their frustration with such treatment boils over into poor customer relations. Furthermore, I immediately sent her an e-mail asking if she really wanted to be identified. I was concerned about management retaliation. But my concerns were groundless, because she has listed a false e-mail address. Last, her post was one long paragraph, with no breaks. So I am adding breaks where I wish to include my replies.
A customer replies Re: Just a little venting- more to come.
Posted by Jill on March 30, 1999 at 20:04:12:
Dear disgruntled passengers,
I recently found this website and could not resist replying to
some of the comments. I have been a flight attendant for several
years now, and I enjoy my job. I come to work with a smile on my
face, even when they've been flying me 24-7! I like the adventure
of travelling to new places and meeting new people everytime that
I go to work.
I get paid less than the average McDonald's employee and even qualify for food stamps. I was hired as a professional, yet I am not treated as one. Not only does the company not value my service, either do the customers. I worked at ***** while I was in college and not only did I make more money, but I also was treated well by the consumers.
This is probably the single biggest reason for such poor service. It is not right when companies make obscene profits at the expense of both their employees and the public.
Northwest passengers have a chip on their shoulders before they even step on the aircraft. About 50% of the passengers entering the aircraft will not even respond to my greeting.
Is this a surprise? Northwest has screwed so many passengers over that fully half of them are expecting the next screwing on the flight they are boarding. They probably tried to book a trip with other airlines and just couldn't do so for some reason. They are not at all happy about being on NWA.
The other 50% are infrequent fliers who are clueless about what NWA has in store for them.
First class passengers are typically well-mannered because they are seasoned travellers.
I hate to tell you this, but there are plenty of first class NWA passengers who are not happy with the company. In fact, I have had several tell me that NWA First class is equal to Southwest third class.
It is the people who only fly for pleasure that do not understand what an airline is all about.
I disagree. I fly for both pleasure and business and I do pretty much understand what it is all about and I will never fly NWA again.
I have seen mothers come onboard countless times without a snack for their children or bottle for their baby! I have had things thrown at me when I have to tell people that there is no more room for baggage. Why is this my fault? Blame your fellow passengers for not checking their bags!
For what it is worth, I have never had problems with flight crews on NWA. And I most certainly would not throw something at a crew member, but I would like to toss a few of NWA's upper managers out at 20,000 feet or so.
As to people checking bags. NWA has a bad habit of losing or destroying bags. Is it any wonder that people try to avoid checking them?
If there isn't a meal served, people are mad. If there is a meal served, it isn't good enough. And if your special meal was not boarded, it must be my fault and you should definitely scream at me.
The fact is that the quality of food served, if any is served, has gone way down. But I agree that this is not your fault, and it only makes me want to get those disreputable NWA managers at 20,000 feet.
If you have long legs, be sure to tell me 20 times how uncomfortable you feel.
I am polite and courteous until someone gets in my face about something beyond my control. People give me way too much power. I am not a CEO, I am not the caterer, or FAA, or even a manager.
And here is the big problem "until someone gets in my face". The reality is that as a professional you need to know how to deal with the customer who gets in your face. A pro can usually defuse such a situation.
I am there to save your life in the case of an emergency. Serving drinks and peanuts is just a bonus for the passenger. FAA mandates this operation and the employees. They do not say that we must serve drinks to be a good airline. Our safety record stands on its own.
I see that "attitude" showing again. And as a customer I am interested in the whole record, not just safety.
There are so many things that I would like to explain that I don't know where to start. Comments such as "Did you get a good night's sleep?" after a morning flight is delayed due to crew legalities is unneccessary! No, is the answer. That is why the flight was delayed. FAA mandates how many hours rest we have to have between flights. Sometimes there has been a delay the night before due to mechanical problems or weather and we are required to push back our morning departure time.
Once again, you are a pro who should be able to handle this. I think one problem is that NWA has aggravated so many customers that people like you probably get a disproportionate number of customers who suffer from the "NWA syndrome."
And as far as plane changes go, we often do not know of them ahead of time either- we aren't trying to "trick" you. Things happen unexpectedly every day. Why can't people understand that Northwest is not God. It does not always forsee weather or mechanical problems. And wouldn't you rather leave on a plane that has been fixed than a broken one? It all comes down to safety- think about that the next time that you fly!
Yes, some of NWA's excuses are legitimate, but in many cases we suspect that NWA have mislabeled problems to avoid being held accountable.
The people who have "air rage" are the people who have never had to work in a service industry. And if you cannot treat me with the respect that I deserve as a human, I will not give you the time of day. As the now famous saying goes, "Flight attendants are there to save your ass, not kiss it.".
This is the first I have heard this saying, but it does show why NWA's people have such a bad reputation.
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Ronald
J. Riley
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