Hanging out with the FAs

Do you hang out with the flight attendants on overnights?

  • Frequently

    Votes: 12 12.6%

  • Never

    Votes: 26 27.4%

  • Sometimes, it depends

    Votes: 57 60.0%
  • Total voters
    95
SlumTodd_Millionaire

SlumTodd_Millionaire

Most Hated Member
Okay, I’ve been enjoying the cluster that is the jumpseat war argument over on APC, a place I haven’t been in many months. While there, I noticed a poll and thread going right now that had results and comments I found pretty appalling, so I’m curious if the results will be different here in the more refined atmosphere of @Derg‘s living room. The subject: hanging out with the flight attendants on overnights. Please pick an option in the poll and feel free to comment on your reasoning,
 
First off, the hotels at 90% of the overnights are different, mainly because they are on a different schedule than cockpit crew. (117?) On a 4day, I may have 20 different cabin crew, compared to the regionals where the same 4 crew would fly the same 2,3,4 day trip.
 
Depends on how long the overnight is for the most part. I can also gauge if they seem to be the type to slam click. If we have a long enough overnight I try to ask if they would like to join for food and/or drinks on my dime. I know they don’t make a lot and they are always appreciative of that gesture.
 
CFIT99 said:
First off, the hotels at 90% of the overnights are different, mainly because they are on a different schedule than cockpit crew. (117?) On a 4day, I may have 20 different cabin crew, compared to the regionals where the same 4 crew would fly the same 2,3,4 day trip.
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At my regional, we could have 4 legs and 4 different sets of FAs. People have told me that the prior airlines that make up the company had FAs stay together with pilots for the entire trip. That seems to make a lot more sense. CRM will be a lot stronger if I’m with you the whole trip and I learn a little more about you besides your name and where you’re overnighting tonight.
 
Jordan93 said:
Depends on how long the overnight is for the most part. I can also gauge if they seem to be the type to slam click. If we have a long enough overnight I try to ask if they would like to join for food and/or drinks on my dime. I know they don’t make a lot and they are always appreciative of that gesture.
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Is “my dime” what the kids are calling it these days?

At the regional used to hang out with them. I probably wouldn’t now.

On the Corp. side- if we hire a contract FA for a trip, then yes because it’s more of a “crew” trip.
 
It’s rare. In the past might have grabbed a bite with them but it’s rare anymore that there’s a decent overnight where you actually keep the FAs, AND they happen to seem like someone you’d want to hang out with. I prefer spending time alone on a trip, that’s my down time!

And hey, they don’t like hanging out with me either.
 
Definitely hung out more at the regional since we were all typically of similar age range and stayed together as a crew on a 4 day. I’d frequently buy coffee and cocktails to make the long days a little less sucky for everyone. Had some good times for sure.

Nowadays less so since I tend to fly with a lot of senior FAs on international trips and everyone has their routine it seems which is fine by me. I dig running around solo and doing the photo/exploring thing but it is fun when we get together with a good crew on occasion. The Hawaii overnights tend to be more of a social scene so that harkens back to the regional days with better scenery but the drinks ain’t as cheap.
 
In 2.5 years at Delters there has been 1 overnight where the entire crew was cool, wanted to hang, and had a long enough overnight. International... obviously everyone generally has the same overnight, but everyone has different agendas and sight seeing they'd like to do.

Otherwise we basically never overnight with the FAs or they're on a 9 hour and going to a different hotel.
 
I hang out with other crewmembers maybe 10-20% of the time, but when I do it's usually both the Captain and F/A. At my company usually it's the same crew for a whole trip (I work at a regional with only one type). So if everyone feels like it we'll do things together on overnights, but that's only so often and I tend to be a solitary person in general.

SlumTodd_Millionaire said:
Okay, I’ve been enjoying the cluster that is the jumpseat war argument over on APC, a place I haven’t been in many months. While there, I noticed a poll and thread going right now that had results and comments I found pretty appalling, so I’m curious if the results will be different here in the more refined atmosphere of @Derg‘s living room.
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LOL. I just found that thread :tinfoil::tinfoil::tinfoil:, I thought I was excessively paranoid about some things, but wow:

An APC User said:
I won’t set foot into an elevator alone with a female. Nor do I ever sit or stand next to one on public transit or engage in any conversation. It may seem a tad extreme, but I’m naturally extremely introverted and avoiding unnecessary chatter with strangers suits me just fine anyway. No I don’t sit there in stony silence ignoring the first officer I’m flying with. I do have the ability to work with others.
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I’m indifferent.

Yes, no, whatever.

Hell, a good amount of copilots I have little interest in hanging out with if they’re“socially challenged” and no, I don’t want to talk contract during dinner, see printed pictures of the garage you’re building and no, you’re not bringing your five day old hot dish to the bar with me. “can I get a set of silverware? You don’t mind if I eat this here do you bartender?”

I’m happy in a (good) group, I am happy absolutely alone.
 
Well the FAs rest thing is about to change, so there's that.

On occasion. Definitely hang out with the other pilot more, but if it's a late-ish arrival or hotel in an industrial-type area, I typically verify that everyone is set as far as the food goes and offer to tag along if they aren't and don't feel comfortable to get out by themselves.
But with 2 FAs in the back, I think "pilots do their thing, FAs do theirs" is much more common than on 145/200
 
Nopiddy nope!

Two reasons:

1. Plausible deniability. “I wasn’t there, what happened? I have no idea!”

1a. Given a VERY notorious case at my shop that involves an overnight layover, no thank you.

1b. From being FO the couple times we went out as crew, I saw quite a few FAs expected and/or thought the pilots (esp the CA) would pay the bill. Other times though rare, felt like some of them were fishing to snag you as a BF. I had one literally say to my face that a rung was just an obstacle to overcome. No thank you.

1c. Going back to 1a, while it may sound paranoid, I just don’t want any accusation(s) that could jeopardize my career.

and

2. If I just spent 6-8 hrs locked in a tube with you over a 10-12 hr duty day, the last thing I’m gonna want to do is see you again once we’re off the plane. ;) And I mean no offense.



I’m not a slam clicker. I’ll still go do stuff. It just won’t be with the other crew. I do my own things.
 
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That isn’t to say I wont take care of my crew. One time once exiting the van at the hotel, a FA realized her purse was still on the plane. Ops/security check had found it but they were closed now and it was put in ops manager office. They said come get it first thing in the morning. But now tonight she has no money on her, no cards, nothing for food. So I took out my wallet and gave her a $20 bill and said go eat with this and then go in the morning and get your purse from the ops manager office.
 
At this point I find going out with a good crew is a perk of the job. Then again I am not the type of person that likes to go out solo all that often. Also being in a smallish base helps a ton since you tend to know the people you are flying with. I'm sure a transition to mainline could change my perspective.
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Nopiddy nope!

Two reasons:

1. Plausible deniability. “I wasn’t there, what happened? I have no idea!”

1a. Given a VERY notorious case at my shop that involves an overnight layover, no thank you.

1b. From being FO the couple times we went out as crew, I saw quite a few FAs expected and/or thought the pilots (esp the CA) would pay the bill. Other times though rare, felt like some of them were fishing to snag you as a BF. I had one literally say to my face that a rung was just an obstacle to overcome. No thank you.

1c. Going back to 1a, while it may sound paranoid, I just don’t want any accusation(s) that could jeopardize my career.

and

2. If I just spent 6-8 hrs locked in a tube with you over a 10-12 hr duty day, the last thing I’m gonna want to do is see you again once we’re off the plane. ;) And I mean no offense.



I’m not a slam clicker. I’ll still go do stuff. It just won’t be with the other crew. I do my own things.
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Ah, the Pence approach.
 
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