This is more of a 'theory' thread...Based on observations I've had recently and not-so-recently with flight attendants, gate agents, ticket counter workers, etc...
A few weeks ago, I was flying HKG-SFO, and struck up a conversation, as I normally do, with the flight attendants (excellent crew, BTW). While chatting with one of them in the galley, we got on the topic of their travels, which somehow circled into a discussion of SHARES. Of course, I was lamenting about all the problems we discuss here with it, and she shared that she too, as an employee is frustrated by it (mostly with her standby travel, but also as a paid customer as well). She told me, "You 1Ks and Global Service people really need to write in...They listen to you!"
I had a poor procedural experience at LAS a few weeks prior, and commented to the agent how I don't blame them, but 'the system'. She said, almost exactly as above, "Write in...They listen to 1Ks!"
I've heard this echoed time and time again, not just post merger, but also pre-merger. For years, I've heard, "They listen to you guys...They don't listen to us!" or the like...But the underlying sentiment of all of these discussions is always that they listen to (alleged) top-tier flyers.
I do think that there was some credence given to 1Ks pre-merger, given the reversal of such policies as continuing CR-1s (RPUs) after the flack that was put up here on FT and beyond. But I'm not discussing this as whether or not we're listened to, but more along the lines of the employee perception that the 1K/GS members have on 'change' with regard to management.
Is it:
1. That the front line employees actually believe that we have a voice that's heard?
2. Passing the buck, so to speak. "Not my doing, take it up with management".
3. A dig at management..."It is the way it is...You can call/write/e-mail all you want, ain't going to change anything" or "We don't matter to them, only (maybe) you do".
4. Something else?
A few weeks ago, I was flying HKG-SFO, and struck up a conversation, as I normally do, with the flight attendants (excellent crew, BTW). While chatting with one of them in the galley, we got on the topic of their travels, which somehow circled into a discussion of SHARES. Of course, I was lamenting about all the problems we discuss here with it, and she shared that she too, as an employee is frustrated by it (mostly with her standby travel, but also as a paid customer as well). She told me, "You 1Ks and Global Service people really need to write in...They listen to you!"
I had a poor procedural experience at LAS a few weeks prior, and commented to the agent how I don't blame them, but 'the system'. She said, almost exactly as above, "Write in...They listen to 1Ks!"
I've heard this echoed time and time again, not just post merger, but also pre-merger. For years, I've heard, "They listen to you guys...They don't listen to us!" or the like...But the underlying sentiment of all of these discussions is always that they listen to (alleged) top-tier flyers.
I do think that there was some credence given to 1Ks pre-merger, given the reversal of such policies as continuing CR-1s (RPUs) after the flack that was put up here on FT and beyond. But I'm not discussing this as whether or not we're listened to, but more along the lines of the employee perception that the 1K/GS members have on 'change' with regard to management.
Is it:
1. That the front line employees actually believe that we have a voice that's heard?
2. Passing the buck, so to speak. "Not my doing, take it up with management".
3. A dig at management..."It is the way it is...You can call/write/e-mail all you want, ain't going to change anything" or "We don't matter to them, only (maybe) you do".
4. Something else?