duchy

How difficult would it be to ensure the honor guard /accompanying family are seated as far forward as possible to facilitate them deplaning first to execute their accompanying the casket at unloading responsibilities ? It's a lot easier to hold the hoardes back if the escort isn't seated way back.

RooseveltL

This is ridiculous.
Can Americans (which I am one) stop placing their written or unwritten values on the rest of the world?

I've seen cars (ie. soccer moms) unable to wait for a funeral possession at a green light - we now feel 5 minutes on a plane is a sin?

Unless the aircraft had 100% US born-citizens, 100% English as their native/spoken language, and 100% respect/honor the death of a solider. If ANY of those factors is less than 100% - this entire thread is useless as any foreign born traveler doesn't understand the hype, any non-English speaker doesn't understand the announcement, and some foreign born flyers I have experience stand up before the plane even arrives at the gate.

I would wait the 5 minutes but in today's global community it is impossible to create a post like this with any level of seriousness as it is solely your values and doesn't represent everyone onboard. As much as you respect a fallen solider, also respect other passengers who don't understand why they must wait and how would you explain if the person was born in India, Chile, Norway, Africa, Caribbean (whereas military service or war victims is not a familiar concept)?

P.S. I respect soldiers (maybe not respect why we are in war or combat) and vets, yet I was a full adult and baffled in ATL airport when a soldier walked by and many at the airport stood up and applauded as I thought something weird/odd happen? HUH? Just not a concept I'm familiar with from the NorthEast and doesn't make me less patriotic but not the way I was bought up so I respect everyone's right to honor and appreciate while acknowledging if I'm in Greece I will follow the customs of Greece even if I don't understand (as long as it doesn't dishonor my personal values) it but I also accept if someone doesn't understand or does it wrong as maybe not exposed to the tradition.

RooseveltL

It is not possible to move passengers confirmed seats in the front of the plane elsewhere for a last-minute itinerary add-on. Doesn't matter the reason unless the airline has an equivalent seat available. I think we all have seen the United video incident and doubt any airline wants video footage of forcing a passengers from their paid upgrade bulk head seat for a family member who booked a last minute airfare (independent of reason) plus factor in any other gender, religion, racial profiles of the participants involved (e.g. move a Jewish person selecting/paid up for an exit row for prayer purposes replacing with an 18 yr old nephew of a Fallen hero) and let us just agree - if a seat available you get the seat but no way will any airline willingly shift people without a PR nightmare.

TBD

I promise you the soldier felt just as confused ...

RussianTexan

1 question I have is....why can't they just unload the service member while people are getting off the jetway? ??? Why can't they do both at the same time? One is in the carg hold, the others are on the plane. I don't see why they're interfering with the other.

TBD

I don't think the issue is that they can't do both. It's that some folks expect the passengers to pause and pay respects while the other is happening.

User Name

I think people can expect all they like, but they also need to understand that the world is made up of people who think differently about all manner of things, and is all the better for it.

RooseveltL

Exactly my reply earlier - 'pay respects' means different things to different people.
I watched footage of JFK after assassination and the country was paralyze in mourning. I don't think the same happened during Reagan's attempted assassination and I can speak with confidence God forbid (not a praise of the guy just it is a government leader) if something happened to current POTUS or the prior (while he was POTUS) - I don't think everyone in this nation would halt their lives to pay respects or even be respectful due to the turmoil.

Everyone does their own thing and some of the traditions of the past jsut don't translate forward to our expanding diversity.

anon2k2

I was on a flight that had to divert because of a medical emergency. One of the passengers must have had a heart attack, and they had him laid out in the back galley, used the AED on him and asked for medical volunteers. There was a whole lot of commotion, so one would have to be beyond daft not to understand the emergency.

Once we landed at the diversion airport, the pilot, twice, did an announcement that we were going to be met by medics and that everyone needed to stay in their seats while the medical emergency was handled.

Stop at the gate, and at least 20-30 passengers immediately get up and start grabbing their bags from the bins. One of the FAs without a mike, yelled at the top of his lungs, "EVERYONE SIT DOWN NOW!!!"

Stupidity is the plague that will eventually cause humans to go extinct.

Zeeb

As an American, I was totally unaware of this "value" and I think I'm in the majority. Somebody edited a video and tried to make people get all righteously indignant. But honestly outside of the linked article and this thread I haven't seen this discussed anywhere.

Maybe it is a military custom, but it isn't a US custom.

Zeeb

I was walking behind some young soldiers in dress uniforms once in ATL and overhead them discussing exactly that. They were wierded out by the people coming up to them and trying to agree on what the best way to respond was.

TBD

Precisely.

Even the random "thank you for your service" is awkward and should probably just stop. Nevermind this thread on requiring people to pause a moment for something going on outside the aircraft....

ATOBTTR

The service member would have appreciated the irony of this - the "punish everyone for the actions of a few" that he/she was probably accustomed to.

ROCAT

It does seem that some current and former military want to make it a US custom. As someone who studied history in college (minor) the current pro-militay ultra nationalist stance many Americans have is based on history rather worry some.

ATOBTTR

I wouldn't call it "worrisome". I think a lot of it stems back to Vietnam and how poorly troops were treated following their return - both by the public and by their government. The US has since gone overboard to make sure that such an era doesn't happen again (somewhat on the government side and to a very large extent on the civilian side) intl terms of treatment and respect towards the military.