I feel bad for this passenger, if in fact this incident happened the way it's being described:

http://www.yahoo.com/gma/flight-atte...11504366--abc-news-topstories.html


Article quote:

"A midflight dustup over pasta boiled over earlier this month when a flight attendant told a passenger to shut up — an incident that was caught on camera.

The spaghetti spat erupted on an American Airlines flight from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, to Miami on June 5, when the crew ran out of pasta for business class customers, according to passenger Ra Nath.

Nath tells ABC News he asked a flight attendant why his row, the second row of the section, was served last. According to the passenger, the flight attendant then became aggressive."

Key phrases: Punta Cana and Dominican Republic.
Some passengers up front from here are just annoying as hell. Give this FA a break for not shutting them up with more PC tact.
First class tickets are dirt cheap from there. I know of locals who will drive from Santo Domingo to catch a cheaper flight on first from Punta then coach from SD.

Everyone deserves to be treated equally yes. But with dump fares come the entitlement attitudes. That's the difference.

Passengers mistake: assuming. Assuming being in row two meaning you get served after row one. Just not true.

[Edited 2016-06-09 16:00:53]

I saw the actual video, sent to a Miami news station and made public. The customer keeps asking the flight attendant for his name? I thought AA personal wears name tags?

I believe "shut up" is AA's version of "hello".

It could be because of AA's method of taking meal orders. On flights that involve a time zone change, the meal orders for westbound flights are taken from the rear of business/first class to the front. Thus, if the passenger was seated in the second row of business/first class--and assuming it was a 737-800 with four rows of business/first class--then at least 8 of the 16 passengers would have ordered before him.

I've been in the second to the last row of meal orders before, and have had my first choice run out before. So, this could be the possible explanation. I will say, if my first choice is gone, then I generally have no problem with the second choice. Or, if I don't like the second choice, then I just ask for the "set up" which is basically the fruit plate (for breakfast flights), or the salad (for lunch/dinner flights). Frankly, it's just not that big a deal. (And, if it is a big deal, then I will pre-order my meal online.)

--Max

Quoting Mcmax (Reply 4): On flights that involve a time zone change, the meal orders for westbound flights are taken from the rear of business/first class to the front.

What is the purpose of this? I am sure there is one but I can't think of why that would be.

I agree that some passengers seem entitled. I was flying yesterday and overheard a young woman who was very loudly talking on the phone to a friend, saying the gate agent should be fired because her carry on bag had to be checked to the final destination and not given a "valet bag tag" to be returned to the gate. Was saying the gate agent was completely stupid, dad paid for my FC ticket, etc. I bet she was flying on a mainline flight, where it is illegal for the gate agent to issue a "valet" bag tag. They can only be used on Express flights unless it's a personal assisting device such as a wheelchair, carseat, or stroller. Given her attitude, it may have been a carseat for herself.

Quoting Mcmax (Reply 4): It could be because of AA's method of taking meal orders. On flights that involve a time zone change, the meal orders for westbound flights are taken from the rear of business/first class to the front.

That is exactly correct.

Quoting jetmatt777 (Reply 5): What is the purpose of this? I am sure there is one but I can't think of why that would be.

The purpose is that if you always take orders front to back the folks in the last row get what is left over. So to make it fair AA rotates they way orders are taken. Same with transcons. The savvy frequent travelers know this and select their seats accordingly.

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 6): The purpose is that if you always take orders front to back the folks in the last row get what is left over. So to make it fair AA rotates they way orders are taken. Same with transcons. The savvy frequent travelers know this and select their seats accordingly.

Makes sense. Thank you!

Quoting jetmatt777 (Reply 7): Makes sense. Thank you!

It's not like the old days when we would get a 10-15% overage so everyone got their first choice. These days it is if you have 20 seats occupied you have 20 meals.

I have never heard a f/a tell a passenger to "shut up." They have told ME they wished they had said it in the privacy of the galley but I know they are just venting. The real problem is with breakfast flights where for 20 passengers you'll get 12 hot entrees and 8 cereals. Try forcing cereal on two whole rows. That's one reason I have so much grey hair.

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 8): I have never heard a f/a tell a passenger to "shut up." They have told ME they wished they had said it in the privacy of the galley but I know they are just venting. The real problem is with breakfast flights where for 20 passengers you'll get 12 hot entrees and 8 cereals. Try forcing cereal on two whole rows. That's one reason I have so much grey hair.

Seems like a situation where you would just stock a box of cereal and a few milk cartons in the galley, load all hot meals, and if anyone wanted cereal you could still provide? A box of cereal and 2 quarts of milk wouldn't take up any room or any weight and everyone would be happy. I understand the lunch/dinner -- You can't load 60 meals to guarantee every seat gets what they want!

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 6): The savvy frequent travelers know this and select their seats accordingly

No need to be savvy. When you purchase a premium cabin ticket on a flight with meal service, AA automatically offers you the option to make your choice ahead of time.

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 6): The savvy frequent travelers know this and select their seats accordingly.

Prior to the merger with US, the rule we all had memorized was FEBO--front even, back odd. If you were on an even-numbered flight, meal orders started from the front of the cabin. With AA using the same flight numbers on return trips (i.e., SNA-ORD and ORD-SNA) will often have the same flight number, FEBO wouldn't work anymore.

Now, if it involves a time zone change, eastbound flights start from the front, and westbound flights start from the back. If there is no time-zone change, then southbound flights start from the front while northbound flights start from back. I haven't been able to come up with a good acronym for it--like FEBO--but I use FES. Front, east south.

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 8): The real problem is with breakfast flights where for 20 passengers you'll get 12 hot entrees and 8 cereals. Try forcing cereal on two whole rows.

I've been on those breakfast flights where I've forgotten to pre-order, and there will be cereal or oatmeal left. Since I never grew up eating those things for breakfast, this is when I just ask for the "set up". I'm perfectly happy with the fruit plate.

[Edited 2016-06-09 17:10:30]

Quoting Mcmax (Reply 4):
On flights that involve a time zone change, the meal orders for westbound flights are taken from the rear of business/first class to the front.

What is the purpose of this? I am sure there is one but I can't think of why that would be.


This goes back to the days of smoking onboard, when all the smokers were seated in the last couple of rows, so FEBO-Front Even Back Odd came into play, This changed after the merger because we ended up having a lot of flights that kept the same flight number round trip so they came up the directional method. I still have to check the catering papers for the flights I work in First to make sure I'm taking preferences in the right order.

MikeBos

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 8): The real problem is with breakfast flights where for 20 passengers you'll get 12 hot entrees and 8 cereals. Try forcing cereal on two whole rows. That's one reason I have so much grey hair.

Can't blame you for that. That's a terrible policy. I tend to prefer no-frills tickets, but if I spent an obscene amount of money for paid F and didn't even get a single hot breakfast choice I'd be steamed. I wouldn't complain to you but I probably would complain to customer service after the flight.

Quoting peanuts (Reply 1): Everyone deserves to be treated equally yes. But with dump fares come the entitlement attitudes. That's the difference.

Totally disagree. So, if you ask for something in coach (maybe a water?), you would be okay with getting yelled at because of a supposed "entitlement attitude"?

I think not.

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 8): It's not like the old days when we would get a 10-15% overage so everyone got their first choice. These days it is if you have 20 seats occupied you have 20 meals.

exactly. How ever, most airlines are now rolling out a system where you can do this.....

Quoting uberflieger (Reply 10): No need to be savvy. When you purchase a premium cabin ticket on a flight with meal service, AA automatically offers you the option to make your choice ahead of time.

which makes it a lot better. AA has it and I believe DL is working on it.

Quoting jetmatt777 (Reply 9): Seems like a situation where you would just stock a box of cereal and a few milk cartons in the galley, load all hot meals, and if anyone wanted cereal you could still provide?

because generally once its open it gets tossed. Also if you cater 20 hot meals then have one person take cereal you just wasted that hot meal.

Its annoying but its understandable. Not only is it bad to waste food but it also becomes a pretty big cost when you look at all the meals offered by the US3 every year.

We have had a few outraged passengers with the entitlement attitude recently on flights that were not angry that their choice was unavailable, but rather that when they didn't like their choice that we couldn't provide them the other. I had one tell me that they paid to have a choice they enjoy....

Look, you know whether or not you like hummus, whether or not you like chicken, etc.

Quoting 11725Flyer (Reply 14):

Of course you "totally disagree". You didn't even bother to understand what I was talking about.
Your analogy is completely irrelevant to what I said about entitlement attitude.
Context my friend. Context.

[Edited 2016-06-09 17:57:22]

Its shocking to see all of these entitled people having a meltdown over a meal for a 2 hour flight... Jesus!

Quoting santi319 (Reply 18): Its shocking to see all of these entitled people having a meltdown over a meal for a 2 hour flight... Jesus!

shocking?

Ha never been to Flyertalk eh? Its 95% entitled people complaining the CEO of airline X didn't personally come kiss their butts.

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 8): I have never heard a f/a tell a passenger to "shut up."

I have. On a UA flight from GRU-ORD years ago a flight attendant told me to shut up during the safety announcement.

The flight had been delayed a couple hours due to weather and some of the passengers in coach were a little rowdy and I guess her nerves were frayed but as a 1K in business I was pretty mad and the purser just shrugged it off and said there was nothing he could do when I told him about it. That was the final straw that convinced me leave United and have only flown them once since (and that was because Alaska rebooked me on them due to a weather issue).

Not saying the f/a is a saint but the guy sounds like a real douchebag.

Quoting deltal1011man (Reply 19): shocking? Ha never been to Flyertalk eh? Its 95% entitled people complaining the CEO of airline X didn't personally come kiss their butts.

So true.

When I'm lucky enough to be seated in F, I always tell the F/A taking orders that I'll have whatever is left. They usually think I am a saint and treat me extra special for the rest of the flight.

It's one meal...so unless you have an allergy or special dietary needs it's not anything to get worked up over. AND, if you do have an allergy or special needs, you should advise the F/A when boarding. It's much easier to problem solve when you have all the meals available BEFORE taking orders.

-Aloha!

As Mcmax pointed out, AA allows J passengers to choose their meal online prior to the flight. Not excusing the FA's choice of words, but if it was really that important wouldn't it be prudent to order ahead?

The problem is when you travel in Business or First, you spend crazy amount of money, and in return?

Of course I will want to be served like a King, foods and drinks I want, everything gets priority....I mean these are what I paid for otherwise what's the point?

Last week I complained to GA Office due to their baggage handling system, as a platinum/gold member you get a priority baggage tag but many times the first baggage that showed up were non tag - economy class and they always like that, very random.... not in order. I kept complaining but the result still the same from week to week.

If the price ticket between economy and business are only little different then I would not complain because then I just know I am paying for bigger seat and better meals only but when the prices are that much high difference....It's like buying mercedes and you get a toyota.

Quoting gia777 (Reply 25): The problem is when you travel in Business or First, you spend crazy amount of money, and in return?

Probably as cheap as it has ever been.

Had the flight attendant pointed out American's pre-order program, when he ran out of choices, the customer wouldn't have been wondering why people in front & behind him got the pasta he wasn't offered. Obviously the guy didn't book himself and wasn't aware.

Quoting uberflieger (Reply 27): Had the flight attendant pointed out American's pre-order program, when he ran out of choices, the customer wouldn't have been wondering why people in front & behind him got the pasta he wasn't offered. Obviously the guy didn't book himself and wasn't aware.

But that cannot be used as an excuse.... I bet many people also don't realize / pay attention regarding "pre-order your foods"

It's better to overstock the food rather than not... in any case, this is First Class / Business Class. Those passengers paid for the extra facility and extra service and extra convenience.

Nowadays, you can pre-order your selection a certain amount of time prior to flight time. Perhaps this passenger did that and was led to believe that it would be so per the website. I'm not taking up for the ill-behaving passenger, but perhaps that is part of it. I could at least understand it in that context.

Quoting gia777 (Reply 28): It's better to overstock the food rather than not

My recommendation, never start an airline.  

kia ora

i am not a first class traveller.
yet i have to say that for first class i would expect also a first class service. and not able to provide the same choice of food to all passengers is not very first class to me (no matter if you can pre-oder or not).
whether to have too much food on the plane is ecological and economical is irrelevant. it is the expectation with a first class service.
otherwise give that class a different name.

it is also irrelevant if people have an 'entiltlement attitude'. they pay for first class. that doesnt mean they should act like assholes. and if air lines make some first class fares too cheap to attracts the wrong first class passengers, it is not the passengers fault.

lets take a first class hotel... if you stay in the burj al arab you dont expect to hear 'sorry but we ran out of that'.....

with a name to a product comes a ceratin expectation.

cheers

enzedder

Quoting santi319 (Reply 18): Its shocking to see all of these entitled people having a meltdown over a meal for a 2 hour flight... Jesus!

It's not like more can just be created out of thin air.... 

Quoting deltal1011man (Reply 15): Its annoying but its understandable. Not only is it bad to waste food but it also becomes a pretty big cost when you look at all the meals offered by the US3 every year.

A totally penny-pinching way to deal with your best customers. Compare what each meal costs relative to what each F/J pax is paying. Seems to be foolish and money-grubbing to have zero flexibility. Stock extra, and donate the extra to food shelters and take the tax writeoffs.

Quoting klkla (Reply 20): The flight had been delayed a couple hours due to weather and some of the passengers in coach were a little rowdy and I guess her nerves were frayed but as a 1K in business I was pretty mad and the purser just shrugged it off and said there was nothing he could do when I told him about it. That was the final straw that convinced me leave United and have only flown them once since (and that was because Alaska rebooked me on them due to a weather issue).

Yep, as much as some can't wrap their heads around it, one bad experience can leave a searing memory in our heads... Lots of people here will scream that it's unreasonable and everyone has a bad day etc but then again there are the PA addresses saying we have a choice, and with or without such addresses it still is true, we vote with our feet.

Quoting Revelation (Reply 33): Stock extra, and donate the extra to food shelters and take the tax writeoffs.

Don't think it's a viable option to donate a meal that's been in a warmer for 4-6 hours....

Quoting uberflieger (Reply 30): My recommendation, never start an airline.

Why? I know of one airline in the US that stocks one of each meal for each passenger in First. The same airline also serves free meals to passengers in Economy, but shhhh....don't start an airline  

Quoting antoniemey (Reply 34): Don't think it's a viable option to donate a meal that's been in a warmer for 4-6 hours....

Then donate the meals to the gate agents meeting the flight.   

On a serious note, is it even possible/legal to donate uneaten food items from inbound international flights?

Quoting enzedder (Reply 31): in the burj al arab you dont expect to hear 'sorry but we ran out of that'

American's management will be delighted seeing its brand being compared to the Burj Al Arab.  

Quoting airportugal310 (Reply 35): I know of one airline in the US that stocks one of each meal for each passenger in First

You mean the little niche carrier out west with a fleet of 50 planes and a $190 million profit in 2015?   

Quoting OB1504 (Reply 36): On a serious note, is it even possible/legal to donate uneaten food items from inbound international flights?

Donating food in general is very tricky, especially in lawyer-happy North America. Liability is a huge reason why grocery stores and chain restaurants generally throw away food in a secure way and have strict (sometimes to the point of firing) policies forbidding employees from taking unused food at the end of a shift, etc. Of course there are many exceptions, especially with independent stores and mom and pop shops who don't employ dozens of killjoy attorneys. That being said, even if all other considerations were out the window, airlines would be no different than any other large food service corporation in that regard, and would probably still throw away the food to avoid potential liability. But they don't really have to deal with it since it's so impractical to even consider it.

Edit: Just to be clear, I mean prepared food. An unoponened pack of pretzel or can of coke would be perfectly fine to donate.

[Edited 2016-06-09 21:13:04]

I was on an AA flight from ORD to ORY when an American passenger (who obviously had at least tried to learn some French, stumbled over the pronunciation for green beans in French, the F/A looked at her & said "What did you just win the lottery or something?" I without thinking, blurted out "how rude" and the passenger was thankful I spoke up, she was with out words after hearing that. In J class as well. Very sure every so often a F/A just gets grumpy, but if that is the case, maybe you are in the wrong industry if you can't deal with idiots easily.

Quoting gia777 (Reply 25): The problem is when you travel in Business or First, you spend crazy amount of money, and in return?

Again, the FA's behavior was certainly condescending....However, the difference between Y and J in that part of the world is often nominal. This past February I spent $150 more to fly RT J between SEA and BZE than the best Y fare I could find. I don't fly J for the food or the "premium" service, I do so for the space. There are others like me. Really.

i am not a first class traveller.
yet i have to say that for first class i would expect also a first class service. and not able to provide the same choice of food to all passengers is not very first class to me (no matter if you can pre-oder or not).
whether to have too much food on the plane is ecological and economical is irrelevant. it is the expectation with a first class service.
otherwise give that class a different name.

it is also irrelevant if people have an 'entiltlement attitude'. they pay for first class. that doesnt mean they should act like assholes. and if air lines make some first class fares too cheap to attracts the wrong first class passengers, it is not the passengers fault.


******************************************************************************************************************************************

Well Well said. Some of the answers on this tread make me wonder. I try hard to not get worked up and have not had my choice on a few F/J class flights. The longer the flight more annoyed I get. I try to keep it to my self. With AA now letting us choose online I've not had one problem with meals on AA.

I don't care the class of service or if they paid $1 for there ticket, service should always be top level. It's the cheapest thing for airlines to work on. There is a art to working with customer and US airlines really need to work on trainer there FA. Some friendliness a smile or two, the use of my last name on a F/J ticket and a few words of conversation make my happiness with the airline soar.. even though the flight might be delayed or there is no gate at LAX and we had to wait 45 min for one. But the small things the Captain and FA do can smooth over all the hassles with travel. Ticket agents could use this also, if you want the customer to act right you need to set the example your self.


Off the wall blurt : ) I've been flying the LAX JFK Flight a few times now in J class on the A321T and man do i like those J seats.

[Edited 2016-06-09 21:50:51]

[Edited 2016-06-09 21:51:35]

[Edited 2016-06-09 21:53:19]

Quoting grbauc (Reply 41): whether to have too much food on the plane is ecological and economical is irrelevant. it is the expectation with a first class service. otherwise give that class a different name.

They should just call it what it is for domestic flights within the U.S. - Upgrade Class. A good number of passengers flying around in First Class in the U.S. have paid a coach fare and First Class fares are an all time low these days, so to say that they pay an arm and a leg isn't true at all.

Regardless of how much of a douche bag the passenger was, it was out of line for the FA to tell the passenger to shut up. The FA took it even deeper by threatening to have the police meet him. The FA only escalated the situation, when the approach should have been the opposite. I am pretty sure the FA will lose his job over this.

Look, I know the job isn't easy. I know passengers like this make you want to scream. However, we all know it's not professional to tell someone to shut up. If the moment feels like you are about to blow....... Go to the galley, close the curtains, and take some very deep breaths.

Quoting ASFlyer (Reply 42): Quoting grbauc (Reply 41): whether to have too much food on the plane is ecological and economical is irrelevant. it is the expectation with a first class service. otherwise give that class a different name. They should just call it what it is for domestic flights within the U.S. - Upgrade Class. A good number of passengers flying around in First Class in the U.S. have paid a coach fare and First Class fares are an all time low these days, so to say that they pay an arm and a leg isn't true at all.

But that doesn't matter what is paid or that certain FC fairs are a lot lower. So what if some of the fares are cheaper on some flights what about the fifteen flights I took where I paid a whole lot more???

Full fare tickets (that bump to FC) that are about the same has restricted FC ticket have been around for a long time for the many businesses that only allow coach travel.

Quoting ASFlyer (Reply 42): Quoting grbauc (Reply 41): whether to have too much food on the plane is ecological and economical is irrelevant. it is the expectation with a first class service. otherwise give that class a different name. They should just call it what it is for domestic flights within the U.S. - Upgrade Class. A good number of passengers flying around in First Class in the U.S. have paid a coach fare and First Class fares are an all time low these days, so to say that they pay an arm and a leg isn't true at all.

BTW I like your Idea for calling it Upgrade class....

Quoting klkla (Reply 20):

If your talking during the announcements they can tell you to shut up and you should. Your comment shows all here what entitlement attitude is. So you were talking during a time when your not supposed to and were told to shut up, then quit fling UA over it. I'll bet UA is glad you left.

Quoting F9Animal (Reply 43): I am pretty sure the FA will lose his job over this.

Nope. The union won't allow that.

Quoting rbavfan (Reply 46):

How about "Please sir, be quiet while the safety video is playing." An FA should never go as far as to say "shut up". One can be professional and strict at the same time.

Quoting jpetekyxmd80 (Reply 21): Not saying the f/a is a saint but the guy sounds like a real douchebag

That's true, but there is really no excuse for telling a customer to shut up. You have to rise above it and behave professionally if you work public service or the service industry, as hard as that can be sometimes.