Yet another airline story

[Ken Ibold]

Heard this one from a traveler from the Pacific Northwest who came to Atlanta for NBAA. I don't know the airline involved.

Anyway, a male flight attendant gave the pre-pushback safety lecture, and this guy says the FA had the most effeminate voice he's heard come from a man in a long time. Then, as the FA was streaking down the aisle slamming overhead bin doors and admonishing people to put their seatbacks up, he came upon a gentleman seated in front of my acquaintance. The pax was having a conversation with his seatmate, and the FA asked him to put his seatback up. Without looking at the FA, the guy replied, "Yes, ma'am" and continued his conversation while complying with the instruction. The FA went ballistic and said he was going to write up the pax for verbally abusing a flight crew member. Off he went. He came back a few minutes later with another FA, pointed to the guy, and the other FA wrote some stuff on a form. At no time was the pax advised he was "in trouble" or offered a chance to explain. My acquaintance said he would have stepped in and given an impartial observer point of view if the opportunity arose, but it didn't.

Hopefully this stupid little incident won't lead to anything. Woe unto the traveling public if it does. But then, we'll never know, will we?

 

[wsuffa]

There are a LOT of FAs that have gone on a power-trip lately, emboldened by the security rules.

Were I your friend, I'd be proactive and write a letter to the CEO of the airline. It might save the other folks a lot of grief (including placement on the no-fly list), and it might get a message back to the chief flight attendant for the airline.

I have lost most of my tolerance for that kind of stuff lately.

 

[Teller1900]

This is why I'm glad my plane doesn't have an FA. From everything I hear around the line, they're just non-stop drama. That's the last thing I, or any of my CAs, want to deal with.

 

[flyersfan31]

Uh, oh. That's on his permanent record now.

 

[Ghery]

I called United customer service this morning to file a complaint about my flight from Sydney to San Francisco on Tuesday. About 2 or 3 hours out of SFO they screened a movie in coach (this is in a 747 where you don't have a choice of video entertainment) that wasn't listed in Hemispheres as being on any flights, anywhere in their system. "Mr. Brooks" starring Kevin Costner and Demi Moore. Evidently, "Mr. Brooks" is a Jekyll/Hide type who is into serial murder. An early scene is of one of his murders. Now, that's one thing. But the victims were shot in bed. Nude. As in there was a nude sex scene where their genitals were about the only thing not visible. An "R" rated scene if there ever was one. And this was on the monitors all over coach. With children on board. What were they thinking (or NOT thinking as the case may be)? Glad I didn't have any small children with me. Not the preferred way to explain where babies come from. My wife wasn't very favorably impressed, either. Come on, this isn't Hooters airline!

Greg, I know your management is messed up, but???

 

[kevin47881]

So Ghery, wat was there response Don't leave us hanging.

 

[Ghery]

They made a note of my complaint.

You should see the firestorm I started on Flyertalk.com. Moderator closed the thread in about 1 hour. People commenting that they were more offended by some of the violence later in the film than the sex at the beginning. Too bad it was closed before I saw the replies, because from the description I would have agreed with them. I just didn't get that far in the movie before I quit watching and went back to studying for my IR written (shows you how entertaining that movie was to me ).

 

[AWACSEng]

I saw a piece on this very topic this afternoon on CNN Headline News. Looks like the programming mgr. had a brain fart when they put this one in the rotation

 

[kevin47881]

They made a note of my complaint.

You should see the firestorm I started on Flyertalk.com. Moderator closed the thread in about 1 hour. People commenting that they were more offended by some of the violence later in the film than the sex at the beginning. Too bad it was closed before I saw the replies, because from the description I would have agreed with them. I just didn't get that far in the movie before I quit watching and went back to studying for my IR written (shows you how entertaining that movie was to me ).

Appreciate the feedback. Good luck on the IR written. I just passed mine about a month ago.

 

[bbchien]

Ghery, what you are to do is get your IR, buy a piece or a whole XC useable aircraft and NEVER never fly the airlines again.

 

[AWACSEng]

I bet a whole aircraft would be more prudent and useful than just pieces of one. (wink)

 

[KennyFlys]

I wonder if that male flight attendant is less likely to have children?

Deep voiced men make more babies: Study

 

[Ghery]

Ghery, what you are to do is get your IR, buy a piece or a whole XC useable aircraft and NEVER never fly the airlines again.

Bruce, if I could do that, I would. However, my employer's travel policies prohibit the use of GA (except for our shuttle fleet) on company business, and many places I go are just too far to avoid the airlines. This movie, for example, was on a flight from Sydney, Australia to San Francisco. Long enough on a 747, never mind anything else. As it is, I burned 80,000 miles on my United Mileage Plus account for my wife's ticket on this trip, and my balance is just over 400,000 miles available.

Now, if they'd just buy a Citation X and let me learn to fly it.

 

[ScottM]

After flying coach to and from Europe last week and having a crying baby one row behind me for 7/9 hours (man that kid was upset about something). I think a simpler solution would be that no kids under 17 be allowed to fly!!

BTW there is some group trying to get the airlines to create ways via seating for families to not be able to see the screens if they do not want to. I think a better solution is to upgrade equipment so that all can have entertainment options. This is after all the 21st century. Captive movie audience on planes is so 1960's.

Scott

I called United customer service this morning to file a complaint about my flight from Sydney to San Francisco on Tuesday. About 2 or 3 hours out of SFO they screened a movie in coach (this is in a 747 where you don't have a choice of video entertainment) that wasn't listed in Hemispheres as being on any flights, anywhere in their system. "Mr. Brooks" starring Kevin Costner and Demi Moore. Evidently, "Mr. Brooks" is a Jekyll/Hide type who is into serial murder. An early scene is of one of his murders. Now, that's one thing. But the victims were shot in bed. Nude. As in there was a nude sex scene where their genitals were about the only thing not visible. An "R" rated scene if there ever was one. And this was on the monitors all over coach. With children on board. What were they thinking (or NOT thinking as the case may be)? Glad I didn't have any small children with me. Not the preferred way to explain where babies come from. My wife wasn't very favorably impressed, either. Come on, this isn't Hooters airline!

Greg, I know your management is messed up, but???

 

[wsuffa]

After flying coach to and from Europe last week and having a crying baby one row behind me for 7/9 hours (man that kid was upset about something). I think a simpler solution would be that no kids under 17 be allowed to fly!!

BTW there is some group trying to get the airlines to create ways via seating for families to not be able to see the screens if they do not want to. I think a better solution is to upgrade equipment so that all can have entertainment options. This is after all the 21st century. Captive movie audience on planes is so 1960's.

Scott

There is a congressman that's proposed a bill to require airlines to only show family-level movies (e.g. Bambi).

That's the wrong approach, IMHO.

 

[mikea]

I think the original story gives the lesson that airline passengers need to adopt the same survivals rules as prisoners - funny how that applies - Rule number xx) Keep your mouth shut at all times unless it is absolutely necessary to talk. Nobody is your friend and anything you say and any information you give can and will be used against you. That applies to interactions with the staff and fellow prisoners.

 

[Ghery]

After flying coach to and from Europe last week and having a crying baby one row behind me for 7/9 hours (man that kid was upset about something). I think a simpler solution would be that no kids under 17 be allowed to fly!!

BTW there is some group trying to get the airlines to create ways via seating for families to not be able to see the screens if they do not want to. I think a better solution is to upgrade equipment so that all can have entertainment options. This is after all the 21st century. Captive movie audience on planes is so 1960's.

Scott

UA's 777s have individual screens in coach. Their 747-400s, on the other hand, do not. And they use the 747 for the SFO-SYD run (and probably the LAX-SYD run as well). I much prefer the 777 as a captive in coach. Like on the SEA-NRT flights.

I would much rather not fly commercial at all, but, like yours, my job requires travel to places where GA just isn't practical, not to mention prohibited by company policy.

 

[wsuffa]

i Think the original story gives the lesson that airline passengers need to adopt the same survivals rules as prisoners - funny how that applies - Rule number xx) Keep your mouth shut at all times unless it is absolutely necessary to talk. Nobody is your friend and anything you say and any information you give can and will be used against you. That applies to interactions with the staff and fellow prisoners.

And the wardens - er - TSA.

 

[JohnR]

Reminds me of Elaine's visit to the doctor . . .

(Slappy knows what I'm talking about.)

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Uh, oh. That's on his permanent record now.

I bet he is on double secret probation now...

There have been a few times on my rides back and forth from ORD that I felt I was treated more like an inmate then a customer...

 

[ReverendSlappy]

Reminds me of Elaine's visit to the doctor . . .

(Slappy knows what I'm talking about.)

Of course... Who hasn't had their flight to Tunisia hijacked by Dominican crepe rollers who, among other things, demand to have the original in flight movie, "Sack Lunch" (starring Dabney Coleman) replaced with "The English Patient"?

Or, in another instance, had their plan to travel to Africa to visit the Massai bushmen and examine their sandals derailed by poppy seed bagels -- and poppy seed chicken served in Jay Leno's green room?






(I think I might have some kind of an illness. )