A United Airlines flight attendant was overheard bitterly complaining about her job and even about an orange juice request on a transatlantic flight. How should United deal with such bitter employees?
United Airlines Flight Attendant Hates Her Job…And Let’s Everyone Know It
A traveler shared the following anecdote from a Chicago – Amsterdam flight on reddit:
Took a flight from ORD to AMS, one of the flight attendants was absolutely wild! Constant snotty comments and outwardly talking about how much she hates being there. Loudly chatting with a colleague during drink service “I’ve got 18 months till retirement, I don’t know if I’ll even make it unless they give us more money,” or my favorite was a customer asked for orange juice and her response was “ugh, shoot me in the eye now.” Like really?! If it’s so damn bad don’t show up and subject a captive audience to your terrible attitude! So much for friendly skies lol
I realize that reddit is merely a creative writing forum for some, but unfortunately, I have run into these sorts of FAs before. On one level it is refreshing and the sardonic humor can sometimes be strangely calming. We know many flight attendants do feel that way, even if most keep it bottled up inside.
But of course, this is highly unacceptable…you don’t speak to passengers that way or talk to your colleagues in that way within earshot of passengers.
I know flight attendants at United are desperate for a new contract (deservedly so) and morale has dropped for many. That’s an unfortunate reality, but a reality nonetheless.
But this sort of bickering is never okay. Never. The passenger was urged to reprot it and I concur: that bitter flight attendant may be on her way out, but that does not mean she can speak that way even in her last 18 months, which is still time to do a lot of damage on the customer service front.
Yes folks, ultimately if cannot tolerate job, you can find another one. I realize that’s not going to happen for someone so close to retirement, but this sort of behavior undermines all that United is trying to accomplish with “Good Leads The Way.”
I hope that the new flight attendant contract at United will include renewed training and discipline mechanisms to avoid this sort of thing…
Hoping she gets named and fired by UA. Being fired as a FA just before 18 months of guaranteeing great benefits for life is similar to be caught trying to escape prison just 1 month before being released. Stupid!!
@Santastico … No no , cannot punish her for nothing … I would not have heard her complaining , myself . Perhaps the informer or squealer mis-heard her , and she actually said “Last time I poured orange juice some drops went in my eye” . Never take the word of an informer or squealer because they usually have an axe to grind .
She is upset because there is no great benefits after retirement!
Thats what they are fighting for.
If the job sucks and there’s no advantage to hanging on then quit and stop making the rest of us miserable.
as I said, Sara Nelson to a labor camp so she learns what work is and dissolve the union!
Service will immediately improve if the FA union is dissolved as the bad apples can quickly be removed and those who perform highly can be promoted to the flagship routes, not merely the geezers
Nah, keep the union, just give it better leadership.
OK XI
No you don’t know a thing about with a non-union airline. I’ve been with both, and I would take union airline job over a non-union airline any day. And as much as I thought similar to what you’re saying when my union carrier merged a non-union airline, I thought I won’t let affect me and my life with or without a union(although I voted to stay with a union). Boy was I wrong. They treat you like a 2nd class citizen(same at every airline), but with a union, we at least had labor and pay protections that I don’t have here at my non-union airline. And if y u think it doesn’t matter, you would be wrong. It does matter. Remember, this is a workforce dominated by societal minorities(ethnic, gender, LGBTQ etc,), and you think the people in the company’s upper’ echelons give a flying F about you? No. They’re all a bunch oh discriminating power people who wouldn’t even spit on you out of disdain. At least with a contract, they can’t weasel out shorting you money when they screw you over. Believe it or not, you have recourse I don’t. I’m more stuck then you are.
Having worked as a desk clerk,ages ago,at the OHare Hilton,I checked in plenty of flight crews.UAL and AA we’re wonderful,the absolute worst were the Braniff Texans,y’all,little wonder that airline dissolved.
Why is she complaining? United is not cutting her pay. In contrast, Medicare is cutting pay by 3% in 2025.
This is only the beginning
Good Leads The Way
This reminds me of a racist flight attendant at Texas (while travellelling with spouse )to whom I asked politely if I can get a glass of water.He was apparently so insulted by a brown person requesting him to get water.He asks me loudly,”what?you want McDonald’s burger?”I did the same.I asked my wife loudly,”what ?u think he is stupid?
Well if she feels like a waitress, she should go do it. She’ll make a lot more money in tips.
Indeed in my limited experience. And I was likely one of worst!
Ugh nobody proof reads? MATTHEW SHOULD BE FIRED NEVER MIND THE FA.
She should be fired.
The FA was only expressing her concern about orange juice being a chemical concoction in the USA. Fresh oranges are squeezed in season, the water content separated from the flavor ones,a chemical processing designs the brand flavor and the addition of orange water qualifies it to be labeled fresh squeezed.
There ya go…UNION MENTALITY! Employees in every industry have “bad days”. In the case of this union flight attendant, her attitude seems to be “only do what is required under the contract.” Don’t let the fact that the passenger is THE PERSON THAT PAYS YOUR SALARY! The company might write the check but without that passenger…NO CHECK! Even airlines without unions will have cranky employees and there are non-union flight attendants who will grouse about the job, too. But, the majority of the non-union employees will “go that extra mile” because it is the right thing to do AND they realize who pays the bills AND who makes their profit sharing check bigger. Besides, if the employee doesn’t like the job…GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt! “Oh, but then I will start off at the bottom.” DUH stupid!
Matt has had issues with UA fa’s for a while now & is weally weally mad bc he got slapped down on another forum by a pilot who didnt capitulate to his demands over seeing internal documents re turbulence injuries & lack of service. So now he is just looking for any excuse to bash UA…. waaaaah
I didn’t get “slapped down” by LarryJ or anyone else, Joey. He explained he could not post the data and explaiend why, which of course was reasonable. I have no “issues” with UA FAs and I never write anything just to bash UA. Get real. Read everything I write, not just the articles you find uncomfortable (perhaps because they hit a little bit too close to home?). You’re barking up the wrong tree.
First world problems. Do you really think this is worthy of discussion? Sometimes people have a bad day or get burnt out.
And so many readers here are like: “Fire them” “She should quit and go be a waitress” “I’m a big deal and pay your salary” – instead of some compassion and maybe wondering why it might be that someone feels so deflated and let down after what sounds like a newly full career.
Flying is a difficult job – it isn’t traveling. Inconsistent schedules. Unexpected upheaval and reassignment to completely different routes and shift lengths. Repeated lost nights of sleep. Irregular eating patterns. Chronic fatigue. Missed family events. Relationship stresses…
Whatever this individual is going through, the response really should be some compassion and appreciate that you got your orange juice, you watched your movie, and you took your trip, there was never anything negative directed at you, someone was having a bad time and expressed it and hopefully they got a good rest and felt better.
And really, stop eaves dropping and mind your own business.
I’m skeptical of this story. It’s usually the younger Gen Z or Millennial employees that display this kind of attitude.
If she’s that close to retirement, more likely than not, she’s Old School and would have quit long ago if she didn’t like the job.
*Not* excusing her behavior at all. Sounds like she *should* retire ASAP, *before* she’s canned. Does she realize that *any* pax *could* be a member of management, there to *evaluate* the service?
Still, serving the general public IS a *complete drag* nowadays. Far better behavior is needed on *BOTH* sides of the equation. BE the change you wish to see, whatever the situation at hand. That’s the *only* way things will ever improve. Let’s ALL locate our proper manners again.
When rude behavior is “normalized”, our entire society suffers.
*Why* all the *stars*? Is there a *secret* message you’re trying to *convey*? But, *SOMETIMES* you use *CAPS*, interesting.
When people can’t type a *clear* message, our entire society *suffers*.
I don’t believe this ever happened.
Gosh another US geriatric crew. What a fresh breeze flying Gulf or Asian carriers.
P.S. I do respect them but i feel BAD for them that they have to work this at their age and i do feel sometimes uncomfortable being served by Grandma.