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Time to Ban This Passenger! (Pax offered disembarkation at gate, demands on apron)
AA flight 2731, clt-jfk. Big delays because of weather in route. Flight and cabin crews very transparent about the status, says we will stay at gate till we get some idea of possible openings to NYC. copilot comes out and engages FC cabin. passenger in 4A just in front of me engages in long conversation with flight crew, several times he is offered the chance to deplane while we sit at the gate for more than an hour. Finally we taxi out and start working our way to the runway. when we are 4 or 5th in line he calls the flight attendant and says he wants off, that he is going to miss his appointment. She explains that it will significantly Increase the delay as we reposition after dropping him off but he is adamant. So back to the gate we go and drop him off. Passenger sitting next to him Confirmed that he never mentioned emergency, just that he was going to miss his meeting so he said there was no reason for him to go to New York. I understand the need for diversions or interruptions to flight ops in the case of emergencies but that was clearly not the case here. Airlines have begun to bill passengers who have been so disruptive they have to divert flights. Airlines should start making people who pull this kind of crap suffer some consequences. |
...and then what? |
Originally Posted by LondonElite
(Post 31334700)
...and then what? IMO these incidents need to be written off in the cost of shared transportation (i.e. commercial air travel). It is not productive to ban such passengers. And who knows it could be you someday - say your child is rushed to the hospital with a life threatening injury, would you really not try to deplane? |
I thought this was going to be the same guy and a continuation of the guy in the admirals club with his feet all over the table!!!! lolololololol! :D |
Earlier message was truncated, agree that with real emergencies that’s the risk we run with shared transportation. But it was clear the only thing going on here was that he was pissed that the weather delay caused him to miss an appointment. And very early in the delay the copilot gave him what turned out to be a pretty accurate window of how long we were likely to sit, but the passenger decided not to get off before we left the gate. |
I've had this happen before at LGA. Caused a lot of people to miss connections. Clearly not an emergency ... just I want off. Crazy thing was I think we actually would have landed mostly on time, it was just the usual LGA waiting line.
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It, of course, makes sense to deplane the idiot. Maybe he's passive or maybe he becomes violent. Nobody wants to find out at FL 40.
But, I do agree that air carriers do not use at least temporary bans enough. This is a person who has likely cost AA a lot more than he will make for AA in the rest of his flying days. Best to fire him as a customer and suggest that he will be happier on some other carrier. |
Yes ban him or her when something like this happens. |
Usually they say just before closing the door "if you wish to deplane this is your last opportunity" or something similar. I guess that's not really true....
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Originally Posted by AZbba
(Post 31335674)
Usually they say just before closing the door "if you wish to deplane this is your last opportunity" or something similar. I guess that's not really true....
I had the same thing happen on a Pacific Southwest flight from DCA a few years ago. A congressman got pissed after while we were sitting on the runway delayed -- waiting an hour or two for takeoff. He asked to return to the gate to be let off the plane, and was refused. Picked up his phone and made a call. Even though the ground stop was lifted and we were in line for takeoff, we ended up going back to the gate to let him off no less than 5 minutes after he made his call. |
Originally Posted by mastertrust
(Post 31334690)
Airlines should start making people who pull this kind of crap suffer some consequences. The problem with your suggestion is that he has a legal right to get off the plane. If AA were to punish him for excising that right, I doubt that DOT would be pleased... There are regulations, and if you exercise your rights under them, and get punished by AA, well AA is going to be in a world of legal trouble. Just reality. |
Originally Posted by spin88
(Post 31335744)
While I agree its sort of a dick move on the guys part, I also understand the "my flight has become in vane" part. A self centered person (or one wanting to save themselves the cost of the trip) would want off.
The problem with your suggestion is that he has a legal right to get off the plane. If AA were to punish him for excising that right, I doubt that DOT would be pleased... There are regulations, and if you exercise your rights under them, and get punished by AA, well AA is going to be in a world of legal trouble. Just reality. |
Originally Posted by spin88
(Post 31335744)
While I agree its sort of a dick move on the guys part, I also understand the "my flight has become in vane" part. A self centered person (or one wanting to save themselves the cost of the trip) would want off.
The problem with your suggestion is that he has a legal right to get off the plane. If AA were to punish him for excising that right, I doubt that DOT would be pleased... There are regulations, and if you exercise your rights under them, and get punished by AA, well AA is going to be in a world of legal trouble. Just reality. I believe the right to get off the plane is only while the door is open and you are parked at the gate. There is no right to get off mid flight -- including going to the runway and taking off. |
I once had a truck with airstairs retrieve me at a remote stand after it was clear that I would miss my meeting. I wasn't a jerk about it, and the crew didn't seem particularly bothered.
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So one passenger can ask to get off the plane while taxiing to the runway, and the crew complies with that passenger? Doesn't seem fair to the other passengers who will be further delayed, not to mention future flights scheduled on that plane would also be delayed. Unless the crew deems the demanding passenger a potential disruption or threat to the flight, then I can understand why they would turn the plane back to off load the passenger.
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