Return to Field

[wheelsup]

Perhaps, but if you had to deal with the people they have to deal with, I think you'd be one too. It's easy for those of us who don't have jobs requiring direct interaction with the trash that make up this country to criticize.

We are lucky to have some ex-mainline gals here in my domicile and I can tell you their way of "telling" or "asking" you to do something is no where near the put-you-down-ness that most of the commuter f/a's have in their tone and attitude.

I honestly think there are some F/A's out there that simply do the job because they like to boss people around and be in control, and make other people as miserable as they are.

 

[granlistillo]

F/A's are nazi's, I tried to bring my rolleron on board on another commuter and the f/a told me it wouldn't fit and I had to gate check it. "It's OK I'm crew, it'll fit, I fly the same plane". She repeated her instructions, FIRMLY. Fine, whatever, treat me like I'm 2 years old and stupid. I'm not going to argue. Just a PITA when I have to take out my wallet, keys, and laptop so they don't get stolen.

I understand they have to be firm, but there doesn't seem to be any common sense in regards to that seatbelt sign either. On one of our flights a women actually pissed her pants because the f/a kept telling her to stay seated (she was in the first row). As an F/O I don't even mention the seatbelt sign, it's up to the CA when to turn it on and off.

In our airline, crews rollaboards and no others are part of the BOW and all others get checked. So our own DH crewmembers have to gate check theirs. That policy is enforced, period. If you were jumpseating or non revving on my airline, you would have been treating the same way, even by the most patient and professional FA. You were right not to argue, even though it is a PITA.

There are FAs that love conflict and exerting their authority. I have a 4 day starting with one in 4 hrs who provokes people, and really really is not cut out for that job.

 

[wheelsup]

In our airline, crews rollaboards and no others are part of the BOW and all others get checked. So our own DH crewmembers have to gate check theirs. That policy is enforced, period. If you were jumpseating or non revving on my airline, you would have been treating the same way, even by the most patient and professional FA. You were right not to argue, even though it is a PITA.

There are FAs that love conflict and exerting their authority. I have a 4 day starting with one in 4 hrs who provokes people, and really really is not cut out for that job.

OK I'm lost in understanding your procedure. How do you handle a passenger who brings carryon luggage on board? Do you gate check all luggage? A positive space crew member is just a passenger.

This particular airline does not gate check all luggage so I'm not sure how your rule applies.

Carryon luggage has no weight as long as it's stored in the passenger compartment, it is figured into each passenger weight when doing W&B.

 

[MQAAord]

There are FAs that love conflict and exerting their authority. I have a 4 day starting with one in 4 hrs who provokes people, and really really is not cut out for that job.

Sadly, yes there are some like that. And that's really, really awful for the airline and the profession in general.

It's easy to get burned out as a F/A, and need a break. I found that, for myself, doing base manager work and working in the training department REALLY helped with the burnout. It kept me working, but was a change of scenery and off the line with the "general population" for a bit.

 

[granlistillo]

If the passengers see you, as a uniformed pilot, DEMAND to bring on a rollerboard when they all have been asked to gate check theirs, then suddenly everyone is going to demand to bring theirs on... "Well why does that pilot get to bring his on and I can't!!"

You bring up a good point. When riding in the back we should set the example. People are watching. I always put the usa today crossword down and watch the safety briefing every time.

People watch the FAs too. Last week I was sitting across the aisle on a DH with my FA. It was on a different company's airplane, but she told a lady in front of her that she had to stow that electronic book reader. The lady complied, but felt a little silly. The FA working the flight on her final walk through before landing, told our FA to buckle her seatbelt. The lady in front caught that and made a loud chortle sound, and murmured something about stupid flight attendant.

 

[Polar742]

I like tagging my roller bag and dropping it in the jetway.

So much effort to drag it down the aisle and put it in the overhead.

I just realized how lazy I am. Go me.

Oh, things that irritated me most about pax flying:

1) Sheeple that think they are special - "Well, I've done it before" all the while holding up boarding and leaving on time, because you know the toolbag doing this will be the first one that bitches if the flight is late.

2) I'm taxiing out and heard the noise of a cellphone searching for a signal (GSM phones mostly) while I'm trying to talk to ATC or my flying partner. If it's interfering with the audio system, I have no idea what it's doing to other stuff....especially land based navigation systems (to Joe Q. Public, if you're reading: the magic instruments that find the runway when the weather is really bad is a "land based navigation system" and you calling on your cellphone to tell your wife/husband/mistress you're about to land will interefere with that)

3) Individual FAs, that if I took every "issue" that they had with a passenger at face value, I would still be writing reports from a 1:30 flight 4 years ago.

4) This is a 2-pronged one: Pilots that never turn off the seatbelt sign when it's smooth for an entire flight...or at most a little light chop, leading to Passengers that get up and go to the head regardless of flight condtions.

I'm good now...thanks for the therapy.

 

[granlistillo]

OK I'm lost in understanding your procedure. How do you handle a passenger who brings carryon luggage on board? Do you gate check all luggage? A positive space crew member is just a passenger.

This particular airline does not gate check all luggage so I'm not sure how your rule applies.

Carryon luggage has no weight as long as it's stored in the passenger compartment, it is figured into each passenger weight when doing W&B.

You bring a back pack, purse, computer etc that easily fit under the seat it can go in the overhead. Standard rollaboards are all gate checked, and are added as such in ACARS for the w&b. The only exception is the for the crew working the flight. That's the rule, I guess you could take it up with the DO and the POI for the airline. I know other carriers are different. I only point it out, so you might have an explanation for it. Do you remember the carrier?

 

[wheelsup]

The airline isn't important. I had no idea there were companies out there that mandated specific rollerons can't be taken in the passenger compartment. Good to know. Thankfully I mostly ride on my carrier or mainline and they have much more relaxed and reasonable rules.

No need to add in the sarcastic remarks about taking it up with the DO or POI. Funny how nothing in aviation is standardized and each carrier has its own rules for W&B even though they operate the same aircraft.

It wasn't that I had to check it, that doesn't bother me.

 

[granlistillo]

Didn't mean to be sarcastic at all. Oh the internets. I was just kinda saying it is one of those rules, "from on high".

 

[C150J]

What if an in-flight Fed was on board? We've had FAs get "violated" for ignoring this type of thing. I'm not saying whether the air return was necessary or not, as I wasn't there. However, it gets pretty tenuous when someone is directly disobeying your requests in a public setting. Personally, I like the idea of having the police deplane the individual AT the destination, but again, I wasn't there.


Regardless, I think the crew did the right thing by at least addressing the issue. We had an APU explode at the gate a couple months ago, and it required the FA to yell at several people to deplane - they were too concerned about their connections to get off an aircraft with firebells enunciating.

 

[granlistillo]

I like tagging my roller bag and dropping it in the jetway.

So much effort to drag it down the aisle and put it in the overhead.

I just realized how lazy I am. Go me.

Oh, things that irritated me most about pax flying:

1) Sheeple that think they are special - "Well, I've done it before" all the while holding up boarding and leaving on time, because you know the toolbag doing this will be the first one that bitches if the flight is late.

2) I'm taxiing out and heard the noise of a cellphone searching for a signal (GSM phones mostly) while I'm trying to talk to ATC or my flying partner. If it's interfering with the audio system, I have no idea what it's doing to other stuff....especially land based navigation systems (to Joe Q. Public, if you're reading: the magic instruments that find the runway when the weather is really bad is a "land based navigation system" and you calling on your cellphone to tell your wife/husband/mistress you're about to land will interefere with that)

3) Individual FAs, that if I took every "issue" that they had with a passenger at face value, I would still be writing reports from a 1:30 flight 4 years ago.

4) This is a 2-pronged one: Pilots that never turn off the seatbelt sign when it's smooth for an entire flight...or at most a little light chop, leading to Passengers that get up and go to the head regardless of flight condtions.

I'm good now...thanks for the therapy.

:yup: Excellent

 

[minitour]

If I were a paying pax on a flight and we returned to field because a passenger was listening to his iPod at 6,000 feet rather than deal with it after we landed, I would start shopping for a new airline.

...until this airline saves you $1.75 on the seat on travelocity, cheap tickets or expedia. Then you'd be right back on board with the rest of us/them.

I like tagging my roller bag and dropping it in the jetway.

So much effort to drag it down the aisle and put it in the overhead.

I just realized how lazy I am. Go me.

Oh, things that irritated me most about pax flying:

1) Sheeple that think they are special - "Well, I've done it before" all the while holding up boarding and leaving on time, because you know the toolbag doing this will be the first one that bitches if the flight is late.

2) I'm taxiing out and heard the noise of a cellphone searching for a signal (GSM phones mostly) while I'm trying to talk to ATC or my flying partner. If it's interfering with the audio system, I have no idea what it's doing to other stuff....especially land based navigation systems (to Joe Q. Public, if you're reading: the magic instruments that find the runway when the weather is really bad is a "land based navigation system" and you calling on your cellphone to tell your wife/husband/mistress you're about to land will interefere with that)

3) Individual FAs, that if I took every "issue" that they had with a passenger at face value, I would still be writing reports from a 1:30 flight 4 years ago.

4) This is a 2-pronged one: Pilots that never turn off the seatbelt sign when it's smooth for an entire flight...or at most a little light chop, leading to Passengers that get up and go to the head regardless of flight condtions.

I'm good now...thanks for the therapy.

5) The pax that are up the second the wheels hit the wells opening up the ice drawer so they can get the first diet coke...even though we're being rocked something awful trying to get around some weather. Then they bitch about it being so bumpy their drink spilled.

6) The pax sitting in the back, whom after you advise you'll be landing in less than 10 minutes to please stow the tray tables, move the seats out of the aisle and buckle up....they bitch about spilling their drinks when you lowered the gear because it startled them.

How about put your drink away next time like I told you to and you wouldn't smell like vodka right about now. No, you're right...it's much safer and easier if I make a PA announcement that we'll be lowering gear/flaps/speed brakes/turning/anything that might cause your drunken stupor to be interrupted.

God, I miss freight.

-min

 

[Murdoughnut]

I can understand these "why bother" comments - it makes sense to some extent.

But then there's the whole "gotta make them learn" thing. Like the guy who tosses a bag full of garbage out of his car window into my neighborhood. Now I could just let it go, say it's not worth my time. But I get much more satisfaction out of following him all the way to his place of employment, waiting for him to go inside, and then scratching "STOP LITTERING A**HOLE" into his door.

Without punishment, people will just keep doing what they're doing.

 

[mshunter]

The airplane had been airborne for all of 3 minutes. What was the FA doing up out of THEIR seat below 10,000? Was watching an ipod SUCH a safety hazard that they HAD to get out of the seat and address it?

If the kid had been disobeying instructions since they left the gate, why did they take off?

I get the sense that this never would have happened had the kid not challenged the FA. He was just being a smartass, not making a threat. To me, it sounds like the captain just wanted to prove that his dick was bigger.

Last time I checked, you were allowed to get up from your seat (i.e. unbuckle) if it interferes with your duty. I'd have to say that it was interfering, would you?

 

[jhugz]

Last time I checked, you were allowed to get up from your seat (i.e. unbuckle) if it interferes with your duty. I'd have to say that it was interfering, would you?

At C5 we would get up before 10k and not sit down and buckle until the gear was down.

 

[Trip7]

Personally I would have not returned to the field. Why penalize 49 other people for the actions of one? I would only return if the actions of a passenger threatened the safety of the flight. Like someone said before, I would have made a stern PA directed at the passenger, and if they did not cooperate, I would have had law enforcement waiting for them at the destination.

You have to think of the majority of people on the flight. What if someone on that flight had a wedding, funeral, family reunion or important business meeting to make? I am not going to wreak 49 people's trip because of one moron's stubbornness. That man getting handcuffed at the outstation would make just as good of a public statement as the man getting handcuffed in Charlotte. Other than the fact you wouldn't have 49 pissed off people.

 

[jhugz]

You have to think of the majority of people on the flight. What if someone on that flight had a wedding, funeral, family reunion or important business meeting to make? I am not going to wreak 49 people's trip because of one moron's stubbornness. That man getting handcuffed at the outstation would make just as good of a public statement as the man getting handcuffed in Charlotte. Other than the fact you wouldn't have 49 pissed off people.

That's not the job of an airline pilot to get someone to their wedding or funeral on time. The job is to get someone from point a to point b safely. That passenger threatened everyone's safety on that airplane by not complying w/ crew member's instructions. I think the CAPT did a fantastic job.

 

[minitour]

What if someone on that flight had a wedding, funeral, family reunion or important business meeting to make?

Why are they cutting it that close? And if it's for business...charter. If you're cutting it that tight for that important of a business meeting, charter something. Take the other 49 unknowns out of the equation.

-mini

 

[wheelsup]

If you're cutting it that tight for that important of a business meeting, charter something.

That's kind of a cop out, don't you think? Your solution is for the creme de la creme of the airlines revenue to charter a flight because the airlines are unreliable?

 

[wheelsup]

That man getting handcuffed at the outstation would make just as good of a public statement as the man getting handcuffed in Charlotte. Other than the fact you wouldn't have 49 pissed off people.

At your airline can captains have passengers arrested?