Two things on my first flight since the pandemic.

[brush]

On Southwest, the flight attendants no longer serve beverages on a beverage cart. They now serve on a tray they balance with one hand and then with a napkin and the other hand serve a cup across two seats to the person on the window, then the middle seat and finally the aisle-seated person. Can you imagine how hard that job is now without a beverage cart?

And to Ft. Lauderdale to and from Vegas with a stop in Houston going and one in New Orleans back, that was the serving routine on full flights...at least 200 people on each plane. How could their union agree to that which just makes their job that much harder. No beverage cart. Airlines I guess are trying to save money any way the can.

And speaking of saving money, the hotel we stayed in, a Hilton, not a luxury Hilton, but suitable for a quick, two-day stay for a graduation, the maids no longer clean the rooms everyday. I guess they fired a lot of them as to have your room cleaned now, they've got apparatuses on the door frame that you use so the door doesn't close all the way, then the maids will clean the room.

They need fewer staff to do that so many jobs must've disappeared. Anything to bring in more profits I guess.

[hippywife]

1. I've seen service like that before the pandemic.

It's usually the first class cabin crew helping out the FAs with the cart. The latter will start in the back with the cart, and the former will start taking orders from the front of coach. Gets it done faster.

[brush]

3. There was no cart at all, just hand-held trays.

[hippywife]

6. I did say "usually'.

And now that someone else mentioned it, I seem to remember SW not using carts at all. And it's been a while since I've flown.

[hauckeye]

2. Maybe it's a Southwest thing

There have been beverage carts on all the flights I’ve taken recently, but I haven’t flown SW

[Croney]

4. I've flown often on Delta the last two years, and there's always a cart.

[we can do it]

8. Same here, even late 2020. Would not fly SWA for free.

[MLAA]

5. As far back as I remember and way before pandemic, SW has always done drinks this way.

[brush]

7. Really? This was the first time I noticed beverage service without a cart.

[MLAA]

10. I can't remember if America West is the same, but last I was on American and Delta they used carts .

The Southwest Airlines flights I’ve been on have all been between 1-2 hrs, and everyone got their drinks. It always felt like they had enough flight attendants, it again on short flights it’s one drink and pretzels 🙂

[dalton99a]

9. Southwest never used beverage carts

[gratuitous]

11. We flew Alaska recently

Two night stay in San Diego. Before and since the pandemic, we've always been the guests who re-use our towels a couple of times and decline housekeeping except for fresh coffee pods or pouches. We leave a tip for the housekeepers because it's a tough job and I don't want to do it.

[brush]

13. It is a tough job and many of them must've been fired.

I always leave a tip. Even with no daily cleaing they still have to clean the room when a guest finally leaves.

[kimbutgar]

12. I flew United in October cross country and again in March for a 1 hour flight.

And the flight attendants had beverage carts.

The hotel thing has changed. They do not clean the rooms outside of emptying the trash. But I think it’s because a lot of people left the hotel work during the pandemic and didn’t come back.

[brush]

15. It makes sense that houskeepers were let go during the pandemic downturn.

[VMA131Marine]

14. That apparatus on the door frame

is also to prevent the door from being forced open from the outside. It can be used by housekeeping to keep the door open while they are working on a room but mostly it’s a safety feature for the occupant; there is a corresponding knob on the door that it hooks over. These days, you pretty much have to request for your room to be cleaned. I just stayed 4 nights in a Hilton in Berkeley, CA and they come to service the room until the last morning. Personally it doesn’t bother me much; if you really need it done you can request it.
Yes hotels are short-staffed, but that’s because hotels are having great difficulty hiring the housekeeping staff they need. I’ll let you think about why that might be.

[brush]

16. Why let me thing about it? Say what's on your mind. I'm not into trying to read other's minds.

[cilla4progress]

17. Real time experience

Last edited Mon Jun 19, 2023, 08:49 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm flying home back to the us rn cutting our trip short having contracted covid on the flight over (currently on Glasgow to Heathrow leg). Waaah. Flying back biz class - only tix we could get. Omg - so this is how the other half lives! Airport lounge to hang in between flights with free food and open bar. Champagne on board (included).

Was just handed a basket of warm rolls to pluck one from. 😳

Husband and I are pretty much the ONLY ones masked in the Airport and onboard. This led us to a false sense of security on the way over. How we ended up sick. 😢

I think I am ruined from ever flying economy again!

[MissB]

18. I'm sorry you got Covid!

Yeah, it’s the only way I’ll fly now. We don’t fly often so we just deal with the cost when it comes up. If we flew frequently then we wouldn’t fly first class.

[liberal_mama]

22. Did you wear a mask on the first plane ride that you got Covid on? If so, what kind? My nephew

travels a lot for his job and wears a 3M N95 Aura. He's never had Covid.

[cilla4progress]

24. No.

Fatal flaw.

We saw maybe 40 people whole trip with masks!

We were COVID virgins. 6 jabs (last one a couple weeks ago - for trip).

We are wondering if that made us more vulnerable?

Wearing our K95s now - for other people!

[Initech]

19. I fly Southwest all the time, and have since before COVID.

They’ve never used carts on their flights. I’m OK with that.

I’m actually going to Reno next week, on Southwest, I’ll observe and see what I see.

[Johnny2X2X]

20. Southwest is no frills

I don't think I've seen carts on their planes befroe.

I fly Delta and they always have carts.

I did notice at a recent hotel stay in downtown Seattle that the maid service was by request only.

[NowISeetheLight]

21. Delta & Southwest

I usually fly Delta and fly first class (I'm overweight). They carry a tray. I've flown Southwest a couple times and I think they've used a cart both times.

I actually like Southwest because they have a "Customer of Size" policy. When you book you can book an extra seat using your name and adding XS to the middle name. You'll get two seats. Then after the flight you call customer service and they refund the extra seat. Details on their website.


https://www.southwest.com/help/booking/extra-seat-policy

[BannonsLiver]

23. SW ditched the carts a long time ago.

The trays are lighter.