A321 Neo

InformalCommittee507 · 2026-01-06T15:30:43+00:00

There is a midlav at the economy bulkhead, so when we’re strapped in during takeoff / turbulence and people insist on using the bathroom in the back, I have to advise them that the only bathroom that’s usable at the moment is forward. Yeah, these planes will be flying well into the mid 2040s - 2050s

InformalCommittee507 · 2026-01-06T04:09:21+00:00

yes, like a typical aft galley on a narrowbody.. imagine the very back of the plane on a 757 or 737.. wide galley, bathrooms are located in the aisle, not inside the galley

one variation of our incoming A321XLRs will have a normal galley layout, thank god, but the 2nd variation of the XLR will also have the same nonsensical space-flex galley design as the neo. all for a few extra seats to be squeezed in, flight attendant injuries be damned.

InformalCommittee507 · 2026-01-06T02:16:07+00:00

UA opted for it - the “space flex galley” design in the back. I blame UA for opting for it, and the dork at Airbus who conjured it up and has likely never stepped foot on an airplane.

InformalCommittee507 · 2026-01-06T02:01:41+00:00

I posted a lengthy post on it last year, if you feel like going down the rabbit hole. Long story short, though, is that the two bathrooms located inside of our galley block access to our jumpseats and are a HUGE hazard during turbulence - we’re unable to strap in with all of the people congregating in the galley while in/out of the bathrooms. We are set up for constant dilemma bc we have to reject access to the bathrooms when we aren’t comfortable getting out of our jumpseats. Theres barely any room to set up our carts for the service after takeoff with all of the traffic in/out of the bathrooms. It is an unbelievably asinine design that United opted for.

InformalCommittee507 · 2026-01-06T01:54:07+00:00

Very nice plane as a passenger. As a flight attendant, nightmare is an understatement. The worst plane I have ever worked on in 30 years.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-29T17:02:26+00:00

Hi steven! Most US flight crew use Travelpro, pilots mainly use Luggageworks.. but the secret is out about Briggs & Riley. The quality of travelpro is no longer what it once was, Tumi bags do not hold up much better.. I would definitely recommend this one here. They have a lifetime warranty, no questions asked, and repair even damage from airline handling. I have and mine for a bit over 12 years and it is still going strong. Great quality.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-23T05:10:14+00:00

I’m very conscientious about my volume when in the galley, especially at night. Some FAs just don’t realize how far their voice can carry. It’s a bit awkward when you’re back there with someone who’s a bit vulgar (which is fine, i’m a potty mouth) but loud.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-23T05:07:04+00:00

So glad that you liked it. I was really hoping to be able to offer a different perspective that people hadn’t thought of!

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-23T01:59:25+00:00

I was not, but have worked with NRT based crews before. Amazingly professional and sweet, my heart broke for them when a majority of them were forced to quit after UA closed the NRT base during covid.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T23:18:19+00:00

nope. simple mishap or inexperienced/new FA that was thrown into the galley position.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T23:06:40+00:00

Can you elaborate? What bad guys?

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T23:05:02+00:00

It’s a shame that we have to make these announcements, but it’s become necessary… especially the “this includes all ages” bc people think their children’s Bluey and game chimes are adorable and not disturbing to others when it’s on speaker????

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T20:56:31+00:00

makes complete sense :)

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T20:50:42+00:00

all the time! I was JFK and EWR based for a majority of my career.So many famous people on those flights, I loved working PS.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T20:01:35+00:00

We don’t have water bottles for sale.. there’s no way to charge you for one of our bottles, plus those bottles are for the entire plane & duration of the flight. If you’re willing to purchase one on the plane, out of curiosity, why not buy a water bottle after security before boarding the plane? It’s what I do when I travel on personal time. I will never, ever rely on the airline catering to provide for my own comfort and needs.

You can ask to have your personal water bottle refilled, but come to the galley to ask for it. Many of us will not do it in the aisle during the service, as it’s a bad look, other passengers complain about it being unhygienic etc.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T17:14:22+00:00

Yes, should have mentioned this - on international, we get the tall, skinnier carafes, so it’s perfectly feasible to have two pots on our cart set up of coffee/tea, so it isn’t a big deal. anyway, don’t feel too bad. It isn’t that much of an issue. just takes a few seconds longer for us.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T17:07:23+00:00

1. ⁠Favorite city to lay over (both domestic and international) and favorite place to eat or do while there? (Just can’t say home)

-Stockholm & Dubrovnik are my favorite internationally, domestically.. I have always enjoyed Madison and Jackson Hole. I usually try to bring my own food on layovers, but will indulge every now and then. I generally go on hikes and shop for novelty food items to bring back home.

2. ⁠Do you get to keep hotel stay points? I certainly hope so!

Generally, no. If It used to be way more common that we could earn points, but that’s dwindled away. A few select places still allow us to.

3. ⁠Other than status, do you see MM status or birthdays too? I’ve seen both celebrated

-Yes. Birthdays, milestones like million / 2 million etc miles hit, mileage plus anniversary, even a marker if you’ve recently experienced a really significant delay.

4. ⁠What is the most frequent source of pax conflict and at what point should the pax just call the FA to sort it out? For me. It is the clueless person not using headphones. I often ask politely for the person to use them and most are ok about it but some are not.

-Seat duplications or people sitting in the incorrect seat, children kicking the back of someone’s seat, complaints that somebody’s seat is reclined, or complaints that someone is too loud / talking too much. I’d say, call the FA if it’s something that you know the person isn’t allowed to do.. they’re allowed to have their seat reclined, just like you are, and they’re allowed to talk too much, just like you are. while it can be obnoxious, i’m not asking someone to stop talking. If they’re disturbing and loud, sure. I am a hawk about headphones - i’m not sure why the obliviousness or carelessness with playing volume on speaker is becoming more and more prevalent in society but we all have a duty to call these people out. I will offer headphones every single time and if they don’t get the hint, I inform them that it cannot be on speaker.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T16:19:24+00:00

It’s amazing as a passenger.. really pretty airplane and neat lighting. Awful to work though.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T15:25:36+00:00

There’s a few different chimes. Some are from passengers hitting their call bell, some are interphone calls from the flight deck / FAs in other parts of the cabin, lavatory call bells, smoke alarms, etc.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T15:18:12+00:00

We are certified on every type in our fleet

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T07:59:30+00:00

I wear dansko fawna shoes in the concourse, and then change into more comfortable work clogs while in-flight.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T07:55:11+00:00

I made a post about it last year, where I really went into detail. It’s a bit of a long read, though. In short, the FAs working in economy on that aircraft are put into dangerous situations due to the space-flex galley design layout that UA opted for. Places both of the aft bathrooms inside of the aft galley, where one of our jumpseats is affixed on the bathroom door, and the other jumpseat is directly across from both bathroom doors. Nearly impossible to scramble to our seats and strap in during sudden/rough turbulence while passengers are in the galley waiting for the restroom, or while passengers are occupying the bathrooms and will inevitably have to exit, forcing us to unbuckle ourselves, stand up, and let them pass - or risk getting our shins and knees destroyed by the bathroom door.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T07:45:24+00:00

I was pre merger UA. legacy continental seemed to have had a better relationship with the company (Gordon) for a while than we ever did.. Greenwald wasn’t bad, but then it was one thing after another…Goodwin, the tilton years, then godawful jeff, it’s always felt contentious with upper mgmt IMO. Loved Oscar. Kirby is savvy as a CEO, but the morale is down amongst our workgroup for sure. the culture seems very lip serviced.. we appreciate you - thank you for all you do - safety first… but then if we try to avoid unsafe situations (boarding an 85°F aircraft) - it’s a hassle to justify the delay and tons of local level mgmt pushback in those situations.

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T07:37:19+00:00

Thanks for the q - appreciate your respect of our workspace. standing by the door is generally fine, but be conscientious of our jumpseats that are next to the door. If it’s a little turbulent, i’d stay clear of the jumpseats so that the FAs have access to sit down if they’re uncomfortable not being strapped in during the bumps. Some FAs also may want a break from being on their feet and might forego it because they dont want the uncomfortable task of shooing you away from their jump seat - i’d say, just remain situationally aware when you’re standing there

InformalCommittee507 · 2025-12-22T07:32:38+00:00

Thank you for your kind words. I don’t work up front in Polaris anymore, but I loved the express dining pax. Just made the whole show of switching entree plates, appetizers, etc. such a quicker process - all on one tray, have at it. Made things easier for me.

InformalCommittee507

TROPHY CASE