Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, nowhere near the 1%
Posts: 3
The Exit Row Questions ... where did these come from?
For context, I've flown 242k miles in the last 2 years (actual, not award) on United.
I'm having a nice pre-takeoff conversation in the exit row and here comes the FA to ask us the "verbal yes" question. Well that's what I'm thinking anyway, so I stop my conversation and wait. Typical fare in today's exit row; I agree it's not unreasonable to ask me if I can handle the door / willing to assist / whatever. No problemo.
So the FA approaches and says, "take out your safety cards and follow along." I ignore this, in the same way that I ignore, but can recite from the deepest coma, the seat-buckle speech.
Seeing this, the FA announces to the 11 other passengers, "well I guess we have someone who wants a quiz!" He then says, "Sir, since you have not looked at your card, I need to ask you some safety questions."
Wha..?
I say, "Yes, I can handle the door, thanks."
FA: "That's not quite good enough sir, you ignored me, so I need to give you a quiz. The answers can be found on the safety card."
Me: "Young man, I'm not a very important person, but if you continue to speak to me like I'm in 7th grade, I'll take your name and flight badge number."
FA: "Sir, I don't know where this hostility is coming from. Now what kind of airplane are we flying today?"
Me: "Wha...what does that have to do with anything?"
FA: (speaking as if to a 3 year old) "This is a different plane than we usually fly so it's important that you understand its operation. Anyway sir I'll have to reseat you if you can't answer the question."
Me: (jaw nearly on the floor) "It's an A320, and it's one of the most common planes in your fleet. Give me your name and flight badge number."
He did, and was snotty the rest of the flight to me. I resume my conversation with my seatmate by asking, what the heck...? He says, "oh, I've gotten 'the questions' a few times."
Who dreamed up this asinine interaction, and should I expect more of it?
You need to prove you can hear and understand questions in English, the language of aviation. Yes, most FAs brush by the rules, but you encountered a stickler. You did not comply with his instructions when he asked you to pick up the safety card, so he was pretty much required to test you further. I don't see a problem here with the FA's actions. OK, he may have been a bit of a witch with a b but so were you so it's even, right? Why not go along to get along? I don't see anything wrong or incorrect in his actions. He could have reseated you but once you proved you could hear and understand and knew the ropes he let you stay in the exit row. A real blue meanie would have reseated you and been within his rights because of the attitude you were giving off. Is it really a big deal that they are the FA and we are the passengers? You can't humor somebody for two minutes? He asked you a softball question so he clearly didn't want to make trouble for you. I vote let it rest.
Human beings become complacent very quickly. Perhaps this is why the safety stuff needs to be focused on for every flight, no matter how long one's been flying for.
The FA must be one of the "goes by the book" types.
No issue here. But next time you can make it quick by showing how knowledgeable you are about the aircraft/type and safety-related procedures. It also reassures the pax sitting nearby you in some ways.
I'm with the FA on this one. If you are told to take out your safety card and follow along, you need to take out your safety card and follow along. No one cares if you have infinitium status and fly ten million miles a year and can recite the safety instructions backwards in your sleep. You are not special, and you need to follow instructions like everyone else.
If I had been the FA, I would have re-seated you on the grounds that you demonstrated an inability to follow instructions. What if there is an emergency landing and the FA tells you something and you just ignore her because you think you know better?
I'm with the FA on this one. If you are told to take out your safety card and follow along, you need to take out your safety card and follow along. No one cares if you have infinitium status and fly ten million miles a year and can recite the safety instructions backwards in your sleep. You are not special, and you need to follow instructions like everyone else.
If I had been the FA, I would have re-seated you on the grounds that you demonstrated an inability to follow instructions. What if there is an emergency landing and the FA tells you something and you just ignore her because you think you know better?
While I understand the argument you are making, this "answer my darn questions" scenario and a disaster crash scenario necessitating the use of the exit row by all pax are in 2 completely different leagues.
If you are in the exit row you need to be able to follow orders and exercise good judgement and the cabin crew was right to see if you could exercise both, although his approach probably left a bit to be desired.
Programs: Marriott Platinum, USDM Silver, National Exec Elite, IHG Platinum
Posts: 738
Quote:
Originally Posted by cbn42
I'm with the FA on this one. If you are told to take out your safety card and follow along, you need to take out your safety card and follow along. No one cares if you have infinitium status and fly ten million miles a year and can recite the safety instructions backwards in your sleep. You are not special, and you need to follow instructions like everyone else.
If I had been the FA, I would have re-seated you on the grounds that you demonstrated an inability to follow instructions. What if there is an emergency landing and the FA tells you something and you just ignore her because you think you know better?
Fine, then the FA should say "Sir, I need you to follow along and answer questions or I'll need to re-seat you." and not patronize him like he's a 3 year old.
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, nowhere near the 1%
Posts: 3
tl;dr - too many exit row warnings already exist; making me take a quiz has nothing to do with safety. This isn't about safety, it's about lawyers and liability.
Vindictive replies make me lol. Don't you fly at all? You should know you get at least 1 and usually many more 'warnings' before your butt ever hits that seat:
You get a web-based warning when you select your seat on the 'net. If you make your reso by phone you get a warning from the agent. You give a confirmation at the kiosk when you check in, or to the TA. You give a confirmation to the GA when they scan your BP. You get an overhead page from the FA. AND you get "I'm required to have you give me a verbal yes" question. Now I need to take a quiz if I don't mindlessly pick up a card? Enough!
I agree that responsibility comes with the exit row. However, lawyers and liability are driving this - not safety.
It would seem the point of these meaningless, ineffective questions is so the airline's lawyers can show in court that "we ask everyone if they can operate the exit door in case of an emergency" so that if something goes wrong during evac, they can show the pax in 12A didn't do his job.
Whether you read the card, answer the "yes" question, or be forced--yes, forced--to "take a quiz" is immaterial to whether you can actually perform in an emergency situation.
If the airlines were truly serious about safety, they'd sit the FAs in 12A and 12F.
For context, I've flown 242k miles in the last 2 years (actual, not award) on United.
snip Me: (jaw nearly on the floor) "It's an A320, and it's one of the most common planes in your fleet. Give me your name and flight badge number."
He did, and was snotty the rest of the flight to me. I resume my conversation with my seatmate by asking, what the heck...? He says, "oh, I've gotten 'the questions' a few times."
Who dreamed up this asinine interaction, and should I expect more of it?
You got what you asked for. Follow the program and enjoy your exit row.
