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OJgate: Asking For Orange Juice May Violate Federal Law / AA Investigating FA Helen

OJgate: Asking For Orange Juice May Violate Federal Law / AA Investigating FA Helen

 
Old Dec 14, 2009, 12:30 pm
  #61  
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Originally Posted by RCyyz
Handing out a warning card when not warranted ought to be (IMHO) cause for dismissal. AA should conudct their own internal investigation then, assuming all that we've read is true, fire the FA with cause.

I am surprised though that the FA actually got this card in the first place. My impression was that the captain had to sign said card. If so, did the captain do his due diligence? Obviously not (again, assuming all that we've read is true). IMHO, the captain bears some responsibility here too.
From the accounts we've heard, it sounds like the captain did not come out to interview the passenger personally, which, in hindsight, would have been prudent. However, when contacted by a FA claiming to have been threatened/intimidated, I can see how the captain would take her at her word, presumably having no reason to suspect otherwise.
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 12:36 pm
  #62  
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Delta Offers Gold Status To Victims Of Pyschotic American Airlines Stewardess

Delta has offered Gold status to anyone who was on the ill-fated American Airlines flight where a stewardess screamed at a first class passenger who had the gall to ask for orange juice, and had him given a written warning by the captain.

"Your article was forwarded to me from an industry peer and I thought maybe you would like to offer Gold status on Delta to anyone mentioned in your article or that was on the flight that was offended by the treatment they received during the flight..."
Full article
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 1:01 pm
  #63  
 
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Originally Posted by dstan
However, when contacted by a FA claiming to have been threatened/intimidated, I can see how the captain would take her at her word, presumably having no reason to suspect otherwise.
Agreed. On the other hand, if handing out these cards is such a big deal (that it may entail a Federal investigation) one would think (hope?) that at a least brief word / chat between captain & pax would happen prior to a carding.
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 2:23 pm
  #64  
 
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I swear - you could make this story into a Country & Western Song.

So I did.

To the tune of the Wabash Cannonball

The AA Orange Juice Song

(Link loads midi for some karaoke fun.)

Listen to the story
Of an AA morning flight
When a passenger
And a flight attendant
Had a great big fight

On an early Sunday morning
When the day was bright and new
On a flight from Sacramento
To D-F-W

On AA Flight Six Fourteen
There was this bitter dame
A first class flight attendant
And Helen was her name

A passenger in first class
He got his breakfast tray
And asked this flight attendant
"Can I have some OJ?"

Helen rolled her eyes, now
She thought "This guy a jerk."
"You must be new to first class, dude
"Cause that's not how this works".

He said "You're condescending
Now don't get smart with me
I'm one of your best customers
'Cause I'm an EXP."

Well, this made Helen madder
She set the poor guy straight
"The authorities will meet you
When we get to the gate."

I'll ask the other people
If they'll back up my tale
They'll say you interfered with me
And you might go to jail."

So she asked the others
But no one volunteered
She scared the other passengers
They all thought she was weird

They said "We saw the whole thing
We think you've flipped your lid!
And when we land in Dallas
We'll tell them what you did!"

(Sometimes) when you fly AA
This is what you get get
A bitter flight attendant
On a shiny silver jet

And as for crazy Helen
Well, she's still on the loose
So if you ever see her
Don't ask her for orange juice.


(all tongue-in-cheek)

Last edited by LoneStarMike; Dec 15, 2009 at 10:56 pm Reason: tweaked the lyrics
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 3:04 pm
  #65  
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Originally Posted by RCyyz
Agreed. On the other hand, if handing out these cards is such a big deal (that it may entail a Federal investigation) one would think (hope?) that at a least brief word / chat between captain & pax would happen prior to a carding.
Certainly would hope so!
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 3:09 pm
  #66  
 
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Originally Posted by mbstone
I so do not believe this thread. If this had been a real incident witnessed by an entire F cabin on AA there would have been multiple FTer eyewitnesses and this thread would be in American AAdvantage instead of here.
As a Dallas resident I can tell you the story is true and has become a huge PR disaster locally. It has gathered plenty of local coverage from the accused and the other eye witnesses. To your point, I agree it should have stayed in American AAdvantage. There are underlying issues that AA needs to hear, although unofficially at FT.

This story hit a cord with all of us frequent travelers who travel on AA planes more than sit at our office desks- “it could have been me.” Some FA's, just like any employees have bad days. However, if I offend my receptionist at the office- I do not get a federal warning, we just fix it. Not so in the air. It appears there is a post 911 tension between passengers and FA's that is probably more related to job tensions more than anything else. Clearly it is the exception and not the rule.

Last week I overhead the #2 FA tell a passenger to “tell Obama you will call him back” rather than tell him to turn the his phone off- as the door was already closed. His response was “pardon me, I do not understand.” She repeated herself and said “you know what I meant, tell Obama you will call him back. His response was "what does Obama have anything to do with anything with this," she said "don’t get smart with me, just turn it off. This continued and later she was in the galley telling the #1 FA the guy was being rude and if she had any more problems they will have to pull him off.

On the same flight the #1 FA moved an F passengers overhead luggage into coach so she could accommodate luggage for an employee. This move was to accommodate the luggage of a late boarding pilot in the jump seat. (No he was not in a hurry, he told me so.) I mentioned to my seatmate, I’ve never seen that before and he responded…. “Yea but what can I do about it.” Exactly….

Last edited by flymeAAway; Dec 14, 2009 at 9:02 pm
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 4:44 pm
  #67  
 
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Originally Posted by dstan
From the accounts we've heard, it sounds like the captain did not come out to interview the passenger personally, which, in hindsight, would have been prudent. .
In hindsight, the CAPTAIN better "NOT" come out of the cockpit to handle an alleged Level ONE threat. In doing so, he or she could jeopardize the safety of the cockpit. That incident or any incident in the cabin could be a terror plot. The "form" is given to anyone who is disruptive or physically abusive. That's part of the debate. Was it warranted?
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 5:06 pm
  #68  
 
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Originally Posted by flymeAAway
As Some FA's, just like any employees have bad days. However, if I offend my receptionist at the office- I do not get a federal warning, we just fix it. Not so in the air...
Try fixing a sexual harrassment LAWSUIT.

Originally Posted by flymeAAway
Last week I overhead the #2 FA tell a passenger to tell Obama you will call him back rather than tell him to turn the his phone off- as the door was already closed. His response was pardon me, I do not understand. She repeated herself and said you know what I meant, tell Obama you will call him back. His response was "what does Obama have anything to do with anything with this," she said "dont get smart with me, just turn it off. This continued and later she was in the galley telling the #1 FA the guy was being rude and if she had any more problems they will have to pull him off.
.
That passenger IGNORED the several announcements that F/A's know they have to make to get everyone to turn off those devices. Apparently, not everyone knows how to turn off their devices because they continue to talk or text through the emerg. announcements/videos, as the planes taxi's out for departure and I've watched passenger's answer their phones as the planes rolls down the runway. On approach, I've watched someone answer their phone at 10 thousand feet. Even worse, you get them to turn it off only to watch them turn it back on as you walk away. In other words, it's a frustrating FAA REGULATION that alot of passengers DO NOT want to follow. Yet, the F/A is responsible for following those required FAA REGULATIONS.
One would hope that being nice would work in today's world. That's met with a wave of the hand, or simply being ignored. In some cases, you literally have to stand there and REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT.....please turn off your device NOW.
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 6:20 pm
  #69  
 
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Originally Posted by NYC96
In other words, it's a frustrating FAA REGULATION that alot of passengers DO NOT want to follow.
It's a regulation that some FA don't follow as well. Many don't turn off (power down) their phones, and I've watched FA text away as the plane rolls down the runway.
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 6:20 pm
  #70  
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Originally Posted by NYC96
In hindsight, the CAPTAIN better "NOT" come out of the cockpit to handle an alleged Level ONE threat. In doing so, he or she could jeopardize the safety of the cockpit. That incident or any incident in the cabin could be a terror plot. The "form" is given to anyone who is disruptive or physically abusive. That's part of the debate. Was it warranted?
That consideration did enter my mind and certainly could possibly have been a factor.
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Old Dec 15, 2009, 8:47 am
  #71  
 
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American to investigate first class flight attendant

DALLAS - American Airlines said it has launched "a very thorough investigation" after first class passengers complained of a belligerent flight attendant. It happened on Flight 614 from Sacramento to Dallas on December 6. Passengers complained the flight attendant went into a tirade after an executive platinum passenger requested orange juice with breakfast. Other first-class passengers who didn't know the man came to his defense during flight. The veteran flight attendant, a woman in her 50s named Helen, allegedly threatened the passenger, saying he violating federal law by interfering with a flight crew. "We are also talking with all crew members from that flight, not just the flight attendant in question, plus others passengers who were nearby," said Tim Smith, an American Airlines spokesman. "... When the investigation is complete, we will take any appropriate action as necessary. We are not quite there yet."
The airline said it has scheduled more interviews on Tuesday with those involved. It's uncertain if the flight attendant at the center of the issue is still flying.
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/passenger-79179052.html



Here is the link to the above:http://www.wfaa.com/news/consumer/Am...-79260282.html

Last edited by seadoes; Dec 15, 2009 at 12:46 pm
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Old Dec 15, 2009, 8:58 am
  #72  
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Welcome to Flyertalk.

I had expected the linked article would be the source of the extract quoted in the post, but in fact it appears to be a different article with a somewhat different emphasis. Could you edit your post to also include a link to the quoted text?
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Old Dec 15, 2009, 8:59 am
  #73  
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GOOD!

This FA doesn't deserve to fly.........

Last edited by oldpenny16; Dec 15, 2009 at 12:26 pm
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Old Dec 15, 2009, 9:01 am
  #74  
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Originally Posted by oldpenny16
This FA doesn't deserve to fly.
I take it you feel that this one blurb provides you with enough evidence to draw a conclusion as to what happened on that flight. No need to even investigate, right?
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Old Dec 15, 2009, 9:03 am
  #75  
 
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Originally Posted by oldpenny16
This FA doesn't deserve to fly.
Must be nice being in possession of all the facts so that you can judge someone.
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