"We have an excellent team of cabin crew today" announcement

On our recent trip, on both flights as part of the pre take-off annoucements the person doing them (assume the FSM) said:

"We have an excellent team of cabin crew today" before going on to introduce the supervisors for each cabin etc.

On landing it was supplemented by "thanks to the crew for a great job/service".

I couldn't help but think that it was all very self-congratulatory (not to mention a bit of a cringe) and it's actually the paying customer who should be the judge of the crew's performance?

lets face it, everyone likes being buttered up. If your boss gives you some encouragement it more than likely will result in an increase in performance.

It may have came off as a self congratulations but it might be a motivation thing for the cabin crew on board.

How was the crew on the flight? There also might of been an issue on board you were unaware of.

heard those 2 many times...yes bit cringy

Several years ago, the introduction was: "Virgin has some of the best cabin crew in the world, but unfortunately they aren't on the flight today, but I am sure the cabin crew today will do their best to make your flight enjoyable...." followeed by laughter all round.

As all of us who fly a lot will know this is announced on every flight.
I don't find it too bad, after all, they wouldn't want to say "The crew today is crap and bloody miserable" (unless you are on BA of course) and it's in the general introduction with "Julie in Upper and Rebecca in PE and Economy". Its good they tell you who is in charge.
Most passengers on the plane with us will be having their one flight a year, so its probably good for them to hear the introduction at take off and the thanks at the end.

Several years ago, the introduction was: "Virgin has some of the best cabin crew in the world, but unfortunately they aren't on the flight today, but I am sure the cabin crew today will do their best to make your flight enjoyable...." followeed by laughter all round.

I've heard exactly the same gag myself. wonder if it's the same captain with his one good joke?

"We have an excellent cabin crew. Shame we can't say the same about the passengers"

I'm sorry but when we are flying we don't know what the crew in other classes have delt with. It could be a problem passenger, a drunk passenger or it could be a nervous flyer. The fact that the FSM (or Captain ) says this helps the morale of the crew because it makes them feels valued.

As my mum says being polite and saying your p's and q's don't cost you anything!

On our recent trip, on both flights as part of the pre take-off annoucements the person doing them (assume the FSM) said:

"We have an excellent team of cabin crew today" before going on to introduce the supervisors for each cabin etc.

On landing it was supplemented by "thanks to the crew for a great job/service".

I couldn't help but think that it was all very self-congratulatory (not to mention a bit of a cringe) and it's actually the paying customer who should be the judge of the crew's performance?

I totally agree and yes, if anyone should be commenting on the service it should be the paying customers. In any case - to suggest they have an excellent team "today" gives the impression that it isn't always the case. And being a loyal Virgin customer, I have to say there are many days when the team is far from excellent.

[honey lamb]

Several years ago, the introduction was: "Virgin has some of the best cabin crew in the world, but unfortunately they aren't on the flight today, but I am sure the cabin crew today will do their best to make your flight enjoyable...." followeed by laughter all round.

I had the "Virgin has some of the best cabin crew in the world, but unfortunately they aren't on this flight" announcement. Unfortunately, he was right. xx(

As an OBM we do performance monitoring on every flight on each crew member so no it's not just up to the customer to judge on performance. There are many things we look for that the customer will not notice or know about.

The PA is simply reassuring the customer that the team onboard is a good crew and that they will hopefully give you a good flight.

The PA is simply reassuring the customer that the team onboard is a good crew and that they will hopefully give you a good flight.

Does that mean that if we don't hear such an announcement, the captain has made an assessment to the contrary???
):

For my edification, is an OBM an On Board Monitor? And is there one on every flight?

Thanks

Martin

[honey lamb]

As an OBM we do performance monitoring on every flight on each crew member so no it's not just up to the customer to judge on performance. There are many things we look for that the customer will not notice or know about.

The PA is simply reassuring the customer that the team onboard is a good crew and that they will hopefully give you a good flight.

OK, assuming that an OBM is an On Board Monitor as suggested in another post, then why, if it is on every flight and on every crew, is there such an inconsistency in service and in crew? I have had some superlative flights on VS and some where I have wondered if the crew had been dragged in from the highways and byways!

As an OBM we do performance monitoring on every flight on each crew member so no it's not just up to the customer to judge on performance. There are many things we look for that the customer will not notice or know about.

The PA is simply reassuring the customer that the team onboard is a good crew and that they will hopefully give you a good flight.

Just a passing comment on this. With all the statements made on just this board alone about the growing inconsistency of VS would it not be an idea to focus on what the paying customer can see in the first instance?
While I fully understand you need to manage and judge the big picture from the business side VS need to retain bums on seats.

OK, assuming that an OBM is an On Board Monitor as suggested in another post, then why, if it is on every flight and on every crew, is there such an inconsistency in service and in crew? I have had some superlative flights on VS and some where I have wondered if the crew had been dragged in from the highways and byways!

Perhaps not an actual physical person with a clipboard or hidden in the pax number (at least not all the time ): ) but a computer program or series of checks the FSM and CSS complete and fill in to be analysed later... Artistic license could be taken and not all short falls may be picked up.

OBM is an Onboard Manager such as an FSM or CSS.

The thing that irritates me about this announcement is that it completely ruins the currency of 'excellence'. If everyone is excellent then excellence is pretty average. Most of the time the service provided will be within sight of the average. Occasionally it will be much better or much worse. Very occasionally it will be very much better. That, for me, would be the definition of excellence.

And yes, as a general rule, I do think it is the passengers who should make the judgement!

Heard this on BA and American as well - I could well be wrong, but was under the impression that the "thanks to the team" message often came from the flight deck. I quite like that actually, the sky gods thanking the the cabin crew.

Never had an issue other than, as others have pointed out, when the crew were in fact awful!

To Mr/Mrs-once-a-yeajr-hliday-flight, it gives a "warm" feeling of team, and can't do any harm really.

[Neil]

I always took this announcement as a bit of public praise from the FSM to the crew in front of the pax to give them a little gee up before they started their service.

Most people like praise and positive encouragement from their managers, and I think part of good management is using praise at the start of a day/week/month/fight to energise them towards delivering their maximum.

Neil

To Mr/Mrs-once-a-yeajr-hliday-flight, it gives a "warm" feeling of team, and can't do any harm really.

Agreed. Not quite sure why a fairly standard statement has been subjected to a standard of linguistic analysis usually applied to the speeches of the Chinese Politburo.....besides, shouldn't it be "you have" rather than "we have" and what happens to "today" when it's an overnight flight and "today" becomes "tomorrow" .

The thing that irritates me about this announcement is that it completely ruins the currency of 'excellence'. If everyone is excellent then excellence is pretty average. Most of the time the service provided will be within sight of the average. Occasionally it will be much better or much worse. Very occasionally it will be very much better. That, for me, would be the definition of excellence.

And yes, as a general rule, I do think it is the passengers who should make the judgement!

+1

The thing that irritates me about this announcement is that it completely ruins the currency of 'excellence'. If everyone is excellent then excellence is pretty average. Most of the time the service provided will be within sight of the average. Occasionally it will be much better or much worse. Very occasionally it will be very much better. That, for me, would be the definition of excellence.

And yes, as a general rule, I do think it is the passengers who should make the judgement!

I feel exactly the same, the company I work for which will remain nameless has staff announcing that "There is a Good Service or are Minor / Severe delays on the following services.

If customer A is told that there is a good service but has to wait the scheduled five minutes between services because they have just missed one they are unhappy about the wait as they expect a turn up and go service.

Customer B however has been told that there are severe delays (our definition of severe delays is to "use an alternate route") but the next service might only be a minute away.

Yes we should advise about disruptions but not with blanket delay messages.

It's just noise, VS and BA both have some very self important types who love the sound of their own voice. I don't need to know the name of anyone on the crew anymore than the girl at Pizza Express introducing herself. I don't care, now shoosh you're not nearly as interesting as you think.

It's just noise, VS and BA both have some very self important types who love the sound of their own voice. I don't need to know the name of anyone on the crew anymore than the girl at Pizza Express introducing herself. I don't care, now shoosh you're not nearly as interesting as you think.

Skipness, it's in the company issued P.A book, the FSM is following procedure by introducing themselves. Almost every flight/every airline I have flown the FSM/No.1/CSD whatever has introduced themselves in the initial P.A. All very self important types? No. Not everyone is a frequent traveller. I read your posts on many sites and find them generally interesting and you clearly have a lot of knowledge with regards to aviation but I think this post is a little unfair.

It's just noise, VS and BA both have some very self important types who love the sound of their own voice. I don't need to know the name of anyone on the crew anymore than the girl at Pizza Express introducing herself. I don't care, now shoosh you're not nearly as interesting as you think.

Skipness, it's in the company issued P.A book, the FSM is following procedure by introducing themselves. Almost every flight/every airline I have flown the FSM/No.1/CSD whatever has introduced themselves in the initial P.A. All very self important types? No. Not everyone is a frequent traveller. I read your posts on many sites and find them generally interesting and you clearly have a lot of knowledge with regards to aviation but I think this post is a little unfair.

I agree - very unfair and the last sentence was frankly, in my opinion, insulting.

I have heard similar introductory announcements on several airlines including BA, LH, UA, DL and LX to introduce the FSM/purser and the staff - though without the comment that the good staff aren't on board today - so it's obviously industry practice.