SWA Plane Returns To LAX After Man Chokes Woman

[Nark]

A lot of these in-flight problems could be handled much better if the FAs would get involved to quell the situation(s). There seems to be an abundance of apathy amongst the FAs of late. Maybe the political correctness of our society or a message from Corporate that they have to make everyone happy no matter what the circumstance. Not sure what it is but it's not working!

If the FAs won't (or can't) get involved, then it should come as no surprise that the passengers will try to handle it themselves. Based solely on reports and witness statements, I'm not stating that the woman SHOULD have been choked, but I'm not stating she didn't deserve it either!

I do hate that the news is reporting, "It's not clear if any charges will be filed."
That's crap: if you cause a flight to divert for something like this, there should be charges and you should have to pay the cost(s) incurred.

I agree with your statement about FA's not getting involved. The problem, I believe, is that too many airlines will not back them up, when they do their job. They are too quick to throw them under the bus, where as pilots are normally never questioned. (of course not always, I can think of a few that I won't air their dirty laundry).

Your last paragraph regarding the charges: an investigation is warranted. Lest we have the Duke Lacross-esque accusations being thrown around.

 

[AM011309]

I do hate that the news is reporting, "It's not clear if any charges will be filed."
That's crap: if you cause a flight to divert for something like this, there should be charges and you should have to pay the cost(s) incurred.

SOOOO totally agree.

but I'm not stating she didn't deserve it either!

Really? Just for reclining her seat?? I know there's a whole debate about someone having the right to recline their seat vs. the right of the person having space that is being reclined on vs. if one doesn't have the right to recline the airline wouldn't make reclining seats etc. etc. etc.

But... really?

 

[KLB]

I'm going to hold the airline partly responsible for this also. They have these seats crammed so closely together that it's ridiculous. I'm surprised that there aren't other issues like this with the seat back.

 

[Stone Cold]

I'm going to hold the airline partly responsible for this also. They have these seats crammed so closely together that it's ridiculous. I'm surprised that there aren't other issues like this with the seat back.

Why are you so anti-America? Don't you know those poor airlines are just trying to make a buck?

And just in case you need that in there too.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

You stay classy, Southwest!

 

[BEEF SUPREME]

I think FAs have one of the most thankless jobs on earth. I spend entire flights trying to get them to warm up to me. If I can ever get the chance to say "yeah I'm a pilot but I have FA duties as well and that is the hardest part of my day" I usually make a new friend


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[MikeD]

I think FAs have one of the most thankless jobs on earth. I spend entire flights trying to get them to warm up to me. If I can ever get the chance to say "yeah I'm a pilot but I have FA duties as well and that is the hardest part of my day" I usually make a new friend

Because they hate pilots.

 

[fholbert]

Because they hate pilots.

Tell them you sell shoes!

 

[mshunter]

I think FAs have one of the most thankless jobs on earth. I spend entire flights trying to get them to warm up to me. If I can ever get the chance to say "yeah I'm a pilot but I have FA duties as well and that is the hardest part of my day" I usually make a new friend


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I've tried to get a few to warm up to me on a 4-day trip, with no luck, no matter how hard I try.

 

[dustoff17]

SOOOO totally agree.


Really? Just for reclining her seat?? I know there's a whole debate about someone having the right to recline their seat vs. the right of the person having space that is being reclined on vs. if one doesn't have the right to recline the airline wouldn't make reclining seats etc. etc. etc.

But... really?

Let's not confuse a "right" with a privilege. There is no right to recline the seat. If we use the "well the engineers shouldn't have designed the seat if they didn't want me to use its' full range regardless of who is sitting behind me" logic, then we can hardly flinch when the guy behind puts his feet against the chair to restrict its' movement. I see no more value to leaning back than I do for the space behind. All things considered, these two passengers could have worked out a compromise for the very limited space afforded to them.

For example, I do enjoy reclining my seat as it relaxes my lower back. However, if the guy behind me is 6'4" tall, I'll ask him how far I can go back and NOT injure or restrict his blood flow. The act of asking him will most likely give me more room than I was going to take in the first place simply because I extended the courtesy.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

Good grief, the seats are made to recline, and if I bought a damned seat, I'm using it. The idea that the guy behind me has the right to dictate whether I recline my seat or not is absurd. Don't like the minimal room you get in coach and the guy in front of you reclining his seat? Then pony up the cash for a business class seat.

 

[MikeD]

Good grief, the seats are made to recline, and if I bought a damned seat, I'm using it. The idea that the guy behind me has the right to dictate whether I recline my seat or not is absurd. Don't like the minimal room you get in coach and the guy in front of you reclining his seat? Then pony up the cash for a business class seat.

On SWA, that's not possible though, as you well know. But then, people should go into riding SWA knowing that.....since they get what they pay for.

If there are set upgrade options, then I agree......pay the money for the class with more room. Or don't complain.

Even so, do seats really recline that much so as to be a real problem? I guess I've just never noticed that all that much, with people sitting in front of me who have reclined their seats. Never been an issue.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

Yes, if you buy a ticket on SWA, you get the trailer park experience that you deserve. But no matter who you buy a ticket on, you don't get the right to dictate (or even influence) whether the guy in front of you reclines his seat or not.

 

[MikeD]

Yes, if you buy a ticket on SWA, you get the trailer park experience that you deserve. But no matter who you buy a ticket on, you don't get the right to dictate (or even influence) whether the guy in front of you reclines his seat or not.

Agreed. I'm just wondering where the problem has truly been; whether it's actually been an actual physical-space issue for someone reclining their seat in front of them, or whether it's just a case of sour grapes. As like I mentioned, I haven't seen a marked difference from people sitting in front of me whether they are sitting upright or reclined.....maybe two or three inches difference, if I really took the time to pay attention?

Or is it something that mainly affects people who are larger/very tall, etc?

 

[A Life Aloft]

Based solely on reports and witness statements, I'm not stating that the woman SHOULD have been choked, but I'm not stating she didn't deserve it either!

Just curious here.............but what sort of statements or reports, would lead you to believe that under ANY circumstances that it's okay for a man to be choking a woman or that a woman deserves to be choked by some man?

 

[KLB]

I'm 6'00" and some seats come to my knees when reclined. I've been dinged by the metal parts of the tray table a few times when people come back abruptly and it does not feel good!

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

I can say I've even seen DL First class even be a problem. Yes I'm a large person and the dinner tray was a problem. I don't see how @gulley does it. The FA asked them to bring the seat up for the dinner service and it wasn't a problem. The real problem I saw was the passenger next to me have a problem when the seat reclined quickly and hit his laptop (15" Macbook). I usually don't recline my seat unless I'm reclined on. Then I sometimes do.

 

[DPApilot]

I can say I've even seen DL First class even be a problem. Yes I'm a large person and the dinner tray was a problem. I don't see how @gulley does it. The FA asked them to bring the seat up for the dinner service and it wasn't a problem. The real problem I saw was the passenger next to me have a problem when the seat reclined quickly and hit his laptop (15" Macbook). I usually don't recline my seat unless I'm reclined on. Then I sometimes do.

It's probably because I don't have diabeetus.

 

[DPApilot]

Also, the only issue I have is when someone in first reclines their seat and the IFE is harder to see. I don't recline unless that happens, and it's never fully. But then again, I try to think about those around me. Also, thank you @Derg for the constant upgrades.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

It's probably because I don't have diabeetus.