Originally Posted by
strickerj
<div style="text-align:left;"><br /><br />By the sound of it, you followed all of the advice you’re offering and still got booted, suggesting even “playing nice” with the crew doesn’t help. I’m thinking we’re seeing more of these incidents now with passengers revolting because they know they’re going to get booted anyway, so might as well make a scene and get some media coverage.<br /><br />People get frustrated when they’re completely powerless, and they often don’t have the choice to just switch to a competitor because in many markets, there aren’t any. I’m generally not one for more regulation, but if the airlines won’t voluntarily address this, then the law needs to.</div>
NO: by "playing nice" I was exaggerating to mean don't do ANYTHING that could set them off... which today and given this Southwest story... means don't even blink the wrong way. You really don't know what will set one of them off on a bad day.
Media coverage? This Southwest event did get media play, but what happened? Southwest issues a standard non-committal apology dressed with statistics as to how great a carrier they remain. Perhaps if the media coverage included pictures of the errant FA, publicly shaming the FA. Then what? Think of that viral video of the AA FA who got into it was a mother and her crying twins over a baby stroller. It was heart-breaking to hear mom crying at how she was treated-- and angering to see the FA in question verbally threaten the pax who filmed part of the encounter: what a monster that FA appeared! But whatever happened to him? He could still be flying for AA.
And just imagine boarding an AA flight, recognizing him standing in the FC galley as you board, then turning to him to say: "Weren't you that FA?" I'd bet you'd be booted from the flight just for verbalizing the recognition in those few innocent words.
One solution I thought of initially is that both the pax and crew member should be booted. But even with reservists on had to sub out, it still means a delay, so no airline would be in favor.
The DOT reporting idea also sounds like a good one. But airlines are to DOT as Boeing --it seems-- is to FAA, so don't expect the DOT to add something else to their bureaucracy.
Finally, let me clarify that I feel the vast majority of FA's are true professionals that deserve respect for the important role that play for the airline and its passengers. Many approach their work with a positive attitude and willingness to provide good customer service in addition to their safety responsibilities. Yet they are human, and we know we are not perfect, with bad apples here and there.