Originally Posted by
porciuscato
My new approach is to keep my head down, say nothing, and then write a letter (not an email) to the appropriate executives. Then follow that letter up with a phone call.
I hope some FAs read this thread. It should be a heads-up that if you do this crap to me or anyone around me, I will make it my personal mission to get you fired. I hope other frequent flyers will join on this. If an FA mistreats a passenger and management gets 4 or 5 separate letters from nearby passengers, they are more likely to act.
I have adopted this approach to "keep my head down" just like you. Although, I have done it for years.
I resolved to follow this path of peaceful submission after I witnessed a FA have a woman thrown off of a flight for "suspected intoxication", even though, when the airport police came aboard and questioned those of us seated around the woman, we universally said that she was not belligerent and did not act intoxicated. At the time, I was absolutely incredulous that the police still removed her after taking all of our statements.
One of cops confided to me that it really didn't matter what we said, all that mattered was what the crew was saying, and that they really didn't have any discretion to find in favor of the passenger and force UA to transport her.
The conflict that resulted in the woman's expulsion was something trivial-a snarky remark that I really didn't fully catch but the gist of which was that the FAs were lazy.
In that case, I wrote UA to explain what I had witnessed and that the woman had done nothing wrong, and had not raised her voice, but had only uttered an under-the-breath comment.
Since that time, I have witnessed many more incidents of FA/GA capriciousness that have resulted in expulsion, and this has only reinforced my humble, submissive demeanor whenever I am dealing with a FA/GA.
The truth is, like you, I really only care about getting to my destination on time to meet my obligations. Being right and being unfairly treated don't even enter my mind. If the FA asks me to squat and cluck like a chicken, I am going to do it with alacrity.
The time to fight your battles is after the trip is over.