Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Cranky Flight Attendants

Btea
Explorer B

I flew every 2 months during the last year. In the beginning of COVID, the FA, had to attend to maybe one person in each row. Now that people are flying again, it seems they are having a hard time getting used to their job. Simple things like giving out a snack or water seems like a burden to them. I have seen FAs antagonize some passengers and "play favorites" among others . There has been no consistency in how they have handled the mask situation.  Depending on the FA's "mood", I have seen them be really cranky on flights, because "they can". I liken it to the kid that sees the power in being a hall monitor. Unless the passenger is being physically aggressive, loud or unruly, they have every right to complain. Your job is to provide customer service and as I learned from working at Sears in the early 70's "The customer is always right". 

12 REPLIES 12

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

dfwskier
Aviator A

Hmmm, I've flown 20 times this year alone- most recently last Tuesday -- and have noticed absolutely none of what you have described.

 

Could an occasional FA get cranky - yup - most people have bad days occasionally. However I have seen no evidence of widespread crankiness among SW FAs.

 

You do have the option of filing a complaint.

 

 

 

https://community.southwest.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/Contact-Customer-Relations/ta-p/108355

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

YeahNoMaybe
Adventurer A

"Your job is to provide customer service and as I learned from working at Sears in the early 70's 'The customer is always right'. "

 

Quote from an interview with Herb Kelleher (who you may or may not know was one of the founders and long time president of Southwest Airlines):

 

But aren’t customers always right? “No, they are not,” Kelleher snaps. “And I think that’s one of the biggest betrayals of employees a boss can possibly commit. The customer is sometimes wrong. We don’t carry those sorts of customers. We write to them and say, ‘Fly somebody else. Don’t abuse our people.’”

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

Btea
Explorer B

Obviously.... does not understand the importance of customer service.  As long as the flights are cheap, he will stay in  business

 

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

Btea
Explorer B

Never heard of the guy, but I could care less about the corporate "history" of SWA. It is an employer's duty to train their employees on how to provide service and deescalate potential problems. All of the problems SWA- FA are having appears to be related to their inability to do this. There is evidence that the FA that got some teeth knocked out was contributing to the conflict during the entire flight.  I've never seen a server at a restaurant act this way. They just need to get over the fact that they aren't the "sky patrol", and are servers that provide customer service.

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

dfwskier
Aviator A

@Btea wrote:

Never heard of the guy, but I could care less about the corporate "history" of SWA. It is an employer's duty to train their employees on how to provide service and deescalate potential problems. All of the problems SWA- FA are having appears to be related to their inability to do this. There is evidence that the FA that got some teeth knocked out was contributing to the conflict during the entire flight.  I've never seen a server at a restaurant act this way. They just need to get over the fact that they aren't the "sky patrol", and are servers that provide customer service.


Sorry, but when it comes to things like masks, FA's are in effect agents of the government.

The federal rule, for those 2 and older is simple: "no mask no fly," and the feds  require airlines and  their FAs to. enforce the rule. There is no customer service component. Either follow the rule, or face the consequences.

 

If you don't like it, take it up with your elected officials.

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

Btea
Explorer B

This has nothing to do with face masks. I've been wearing them and working in the public for over a year. This has to do with employees that have "power", but have not been trained properly to deescalate situations related to upholding the rules related to them. A familiar problem in our society right now. These cranky FA's need to be accountable for their actions.  They also need to understand that if they don't like their jobs and "serving" a plane full of people, they need to find another job.

 

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee
Solution

@Btea We're sincerely sorry for letting you down or if any of our Employees have left you questioning our commitment to exceptional Customer Service. As a Customer-to-Customer support forum, we are not equipped to assist you here, but I encourage you to Contact Customer Relations for assistance if you had a concern over a specific Employee so we can document your concerns and follow-up with the Employee internally.

 

 

Nicole
Community Manager

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

YeahNoMaybe
Adventurer A

"I have seen FAs antagonize some passengers and "play favorites" among others ."

 

I have gone back an reread some of your older posts.  

 

This is a common complaint of yours.

 

 

Re: Cranky Flight Attendants

Btea
Explorer B

I just travel on Southwest because it is cheap. My flight is a little over 2 hours so I just want to get to my destination. FA's are just waiters or waitresses in the sky. Little education is needed for their job and I see it much like any customer service position.  If I am left alone for my flight, without a complaint from them that my purse may not be "far enough under my seat" or my only carry on ( a back pack stowed in the bin) needs to be moved because someone is too lazy to check their bag... I am fine. SW needs to hire people that are professional and consistent with their messages. They obviously have the same difficulties in their hiring practices that many employers are facing.