elitetraveler

That was the joke with AB playing an AA pilot apologizing to AB and Seth Myers asking AB as himself "do you think this is working" about four times in two minutes.

If you hate the guy fine, but obviously you didn't get the joke.

abk

Whether you like him or hate him the SNL skit was a clear public relations loss for AA.

Juanefny

I was reading excerpts from his 'apology' online and while I think that his behavior is inexcusable he does have a point. Have you watched the show Pan Am? Have you seen how customer service focused the FAs were? Many FAs now days are bitter and seem to really not enjoy their jobs and walk around ordering passengers around.
Again, what he did was wrong, but some FAs are in desperate need of CS training. Good FAs should be greatly rewarded in my opinion.

sluggoaafa

ABC News did a great report this past year.

Is it really safe to use a cellphone on a plane?

Knowing the crew that was on 'this' particular flight with AB, I have a really hard time understanding how he believes the FAs were zeroing only on him. I'm like AAFA, I'm a bit more lax on the policy until the Safety Demo is being played. That is more important than games, texts, or emails.

I was amazed a few years ago, after the AA 757 Emergency Landing at LAX with an evacuation, I witnessed a few people just 'tap-tap-tapping' away on their phones without any regards to their safety.

I asked the one pax closest to me, who was in B/C, where his closest exit was, he mentioned the 1L door. I came back and said that due to heavy smoke in the cabin, you are now dead. He asked what did I mean by that, and I showed him that directly behind him was the closest exit. We had a good laugh about it, he turned off his phone and thanked me for making him aware of the issue.

No matter how often one flies, you should always just turn the devices off and pay attention to the safety announcements.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

Yeah. This is because the public is already upset about airlines and how pax are treated. Whether AB was right or wrong, it's definitely biased towards being a public relations loss for AA.

deirdre

This is one reason why I still miss PSA's comedy routines for the safety presentation. People paid more attention to them, and it's important. I always look for my nearest exit when sitting down, always look at the safety card no matter how many times I've flown what I think is the same aircraft config, and always listen to the presentation. Granted, I don't travel as much as many people here.

sluggoaafa

uh, I'm going to bite....as I know I shouldn't.

You do realize that this has nothing to do with AA/AMR filing for BK protection don't you?

This (issue) has to deal with a pax not following Federal Aviation Regulations that FAs must ensure pax follow before taking their jumpseats prior to take-off. How many times we see on this forum where FTers are upset that FAs don't do their jobs. Well, in this case, FAs were doing their jobs, and a pax wasn't following their request.

The FARs that AB violated are:
1) FAR 121.311 Seatbelt compliance (he got up from his seat and went into the Lav after the ac door was shut and seatbelt sign was on)
2) FAR 121.589 Stowage of Carry-on items (believe it or not, iPad, phone, books, newspapers etc are all to be followed by this policy for taxi-out, take-off, and landing)
3) FAR 121.306 Electronic Device Policy. (This is vastly the violation that AB was breaking, got busted for violating, and threw a tantrum.

Whether one believes the FARs are archaic or not, he failed to follow the numerous requests to turn off his device (FAR 121.306). When the FA came back to remind AB to turn his device off, he chose to throw a tantrum like a 3yo, got up -violating FAR 121.311- stormed into the Lavatory, slamming the door so hard that it alerted the pilots...who they believed everyone was sitting and ready for departure) due to his actions, and vulgar language to the crew, he was ultimately asked to leave the aircraft, delaying the flight, and more importantly, delaying the other pax.

On a side note, the FAA is beefing up their checks through-out the system. I just received a post from a close friend that stated: so I guess you can say that BK and FARs have something in common

Krazyglue

And every other airline has to follow the same FAR's. Yet you don't hear about FA's flying off the handle anywhere else.

Ever think that just maybe the FA's may be driving away premium pax from the attitude? Or maybe it's the contracts that caused the BK?

You could have probably got him to stop playing words by asking him for an autograph instead of acting like you have an axe to grind.

I'm in paid F right now on an AA flight.

brp

Sure you do- if you bother to look. Not too long ago some kid got kicked off a WN flight for having his pants too low. And there are likely more of the same, but this one comes to mind.

On the flights I've taken since the announcement the FAs have been as high quality as ever. No difference. This is basically an irrelevant speculation.

Cheers.

sluggoaafa

The crew that was working this particular flight are the nicest FAs one could ever hope to have. Looking at ABs track record for going off on tantrums (411: caught on tape), we can only guess he was upset that he got 'busted' for violating the FAR and didn't like to be asked to turn his device off.

AB and 5 other Celebrities kicked off flights
Not so "Silent Bob" tweets about LUV
Twitter fail on Qantas
Even though these last two aren't someone being kicked off a flight for violating FARs, it just goes to show that when a celebrity is 'upset' about being told to do something, and they tweet about it, we start to hear about it around the world.

As a friend told me the other day, it's amazing how people have separation anxiety of turning off their devices for 10-20 minutes and won't follow simple requests.

I fail to see how requesting someone to turn off a device multiple times is an attitude. As another poster said, the Automated announcements prior to a/c door closing asks you to turn off your device..1, Once the a/c door is closed, FAs will make the announcement electronic devices be turned off..2, Just before starting the safety tape, The #1/Purser will ask for Electronic devices to be off again...3, then the safety compliance checks during/after demo 4 or more times. I'll stand by what I said earlier, the crew that was on ABs flight is the best in the system (IMO) and him going off on his tantrum against them, turns me off in watching anything he is in.

scnzzz

AB is being an unmitigated jerk over this. I desperately hope (however unlikely) that someone at the FAA sees fit to make an example of him... yeah, I know it's unlikely.

Skyman65

I asked all three viewers who actually watched the SNL episode. One sided with AB. One sided with AA. And the third thought that AA was right, though AB was a d-bag. So I'd call it a draw.

TrojanHorse

Personally I thought it was hilarious

BFD if it was PR loss for AA

Am i going to stop flying AA b/c of that skit
Uhmmm no

do I think anyone else is? I doubt it

seriously, if you take anything serious off SNL... I feel bad for ya

abk

Must not have a big following in Taiwan.

abk

I am not an AB fan but you gotta love a guy who can get thrown off an airplane and has the power/connections to put out his story on Twitter, the Huffington Post and then Saturday Night Live. There are times in the 25 years I have been flying for business that I would loved to have been able to do a SNL skit about some of the ridiculous things I have encountered as a passenger on AA and a host of other airlines.