Sorry, I have to agree with Efrem. The incident with the lady in question appaled me and all fair minded people. I love this Board, it exasperates me sometimes, and sometimes the drivel seems to cling like LAX fog, but that is samll and seldom.

I was approached by some female from USA Today to talk about seating in Business Class on AA or some such. She had difficulty making my cell phone work from the USA. As far as I was concerned, as she had not that much brain, what was I doing talking to her. She never got throug, but I fear that I thought that she had a cheek approaching me a a result of her poking around on this Board.

I am very very careful knowing now just who might be out there snooping as opposed to participating to be very careful what alusion is drawn to any airline employee. I have read people *****ing about who got what from which Flight Attendant on flight BAXYZ. That could and can get people into serious trouble with their employer. It could in the USA cost them their jobs (Europe is a bit stickier in that respect), and I do not want that on my conscience. I thinkk that we must be prudent in who we name, and who we talk to. this person from USA today could have been anybody.

Off soap box, thank you!!


Paul

another longtime reporter with a comment:

Yes, folks often feel they've been misquoted. Until, of course, they hear their original quotes.

My interviews are primarily for radio,sometimes TV, hence they're recorded. The one time a local accused me of misquoting, I pulled out the original tape (which, of course, is recorded WITH permission) and played it for the annoyed party.

End of the argument. A year later, I interviewed this same person. He took the time to thank me for teaching him to formulate his entire answer before starting to talk.

sherlock21b: I don't want to carried away with this since we're straying away from FF topics. But there have been a number of instances in my life where I have been close to a story that made the news (and knew all the details first hand.) In most every instance, there were major inaccuracies.

Perhaps the blame does at times lie with the editors. My point is though, that regardless of who's to blame, mistakes, mis-quotes or whatever you want to call them seem to happen all too often.

I'm sure that MANY reporters are very professional and competant. Since I don't know you, I certainly will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you're one of them. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Neal (edited 06-19-2001).]

I've been contacted on numerous ocasions and have never had a negative experience. There is a reporter from the Wall Street Journal that I have spoken to by telephone and e-mail many times and they have always been extremly professional, courteous and sensitive to my time. I respect a reporter who goes out of their way to get background facts when writing a story.

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Ken in Sacramento