Fair dinkum: Aussie phrase sparks in-flight dispute
Aug 10, 2007, 7:19 am
#1
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Fair dinkum: Aussie phrase sparks in-flight dispute
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/busi..._0810_web.html
An Australian tourist upset over her airborne snack says the slang term "fair dinkum" landed her in a fair amount of hot water this week on a flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh.
Sophie Reynolds, 41, said the problem began about halfway through her Delta Connection flight on SkyWest Airlines when she rejected a snack of crackers and asked the flight attendant for pretzels.
An Australian tourist upset over her airborne snack says the slang term "fair dinkum" landed her in a fair amount of hot water this week on a flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh.
Sophie Reynolds, 41, said the problem began about halfway through her Delta Connection flight on SkyWest Airlines when she rejected a snack of crackers and asked the flight attendant for pretzels.
Aug 10, 2007, 7:38 am
#2
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Unless, as the article alleges, the passenger was acting aggressively throughout the flight, the FA needs nothing less than a pink slip and drop-kick right out the door. I have little tolerance for flight attendants who act like chicken littles or use their position to take out frustrations on customers.
Aug 10, 2007, 7:57 am
#3
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US domestic airlines (for practical purposes) like DL must love this kind of priceless publicity.
Why must staff in security and then on the flight make passengers' life so unpleasant, when it is the passengers whose return business will ensure these employees' job security?
Why must staff in security and then on the flight make passengers' life so unpleasant, when it is the passengers whose return business will ensure these employees' job security?
Aug 10, 2007, 9:01 pm
#4
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I can 't imagine feeling compelled by a FA request to produce my passport (or any other id) for inspection. 
I'm sure some of my info is available anyway via the PNR on the manifest, but I certainly wouldn't be forking over anything additional. We can discuss with a LEO on landing, since I guess at this point I would assume if it got to the point of demanding id inflight, it wouldn't go any differently on the ground. What did the FA think s/he was anyway, "FA, Texas Ranger"? 
I'm sure some of my info is available anyway via the PNR on the manifest, but I certainly wouldn't be forking over anything additional. We can discuss with a LEO on landing, since I guess at this point I would assume if it got to the point of demanding id inflight, it wouldn't go any differently on the ground. What did the FA think s/he was anyway, "FA, Texas Ranger"?
Aug 11, 2007, 5:22 am
#5
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Geesh, why don't they just pass out two six shooters in a holster for these FA's who think they are the new sheriff in town. It's getting so ridiculous up in the air now.
Stories like these make you want to carry a voice activated recorder strapped to my chest. How about a 007 watch that acts as a recorder? Now you have to have proof of everything you say because these FA's can lie and get away with it.
Stories like these make you want to carry a voice activated recorder strapped to my chest. How about a 007 watch that acts as a recorder? Now you have to have proof of everything you say because these FA's can lie and get away with it.
Aug 11, 2007, 6:47 am
#7
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I didn't know it was illegal ("illegal"?) to swear at US FA's. (Or, at least swear at FA's whilst within US jurisdiction.) You'd think that's pretty stupid, considering that seems to extend the "rights" of FAs to dish out whatever behaviour they want without fear of repercussion? (Please don't take this in the wrong way: No decent FA, or anyone decent for that matter, deserves to be insulted, and I'm sure there aren't many, if any, FAs that carry out their job maliciously/sadistically.)
In any case, I hope that the FA in question is, culturally, a little more the wiser. Being in the flying business, there is a bigger world out there besides her beloved LOTFAP.
In any case, I hope that the FA in question is, culturally, a little more the wiser. Being in the flying business, there is a bigger world out there besides her beloved LOTFAP.
Aug 11, 2007, 10:08 am
#8
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{Disclaimer}
After my first hand experience dealing with a few regional airline FA's and their serious attitude issues, and the eagerness of the major carriers to wash their hands of any responsibility despite being on their ticket stock, I'm disinclined to give much weight to the FA's version of events.
Aug 11, 2007, 10:43 am
#9
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{Disclaimer}
After my first hand experience dealing with a few regional airline FA's and their serious attitude issues, and the eagerness of the major carriers to wash their hands of any responsibility despite being on their ticket stock, I'm disinclined to give much weight to the FA's version of events.
After my first hand experience dealing with a few regional airline FA's and their serious attitude issues, and the eagerness of the major carriers to wash their hands of any responsibility despite being on their ticket stock, I'm disinclined to give much weight to the FA's version of events.
Aug 11, 2007, 10:49 am
#10
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Geesh, why don't they just pass out two six shooters in a holster for these FA's who think they are the new sheriff in town. It's getting so ridiculous up in the air now.
Aug 12, 2007, 7:28 am
#11
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What's interesting is the airlines reasoning for getting the coppers involved:
There obviously was no safety issue or they would have restrained the pax.
Comfort? Is the discomfort of crew or passengers a reason to call the cops? Besides, it seems that only one FA "felt uncomfortable."
Behavior like this on the part of a carrier should be fined as a waste of law enforcement resources.
"The safety and comfort our of passengers and crew is our first priority," Snow said. "When other passengers or crew members feel uncomfortable it's our standard procedure to contact law enforcement just as a precaution."
Comfort? Is the discomfort of crew or passengers a reason to call the cops? Besides, it seems that only one FA "felt uncomfortable."
Behavior like this on the part of a carrier should be fined as a waste of law enforcement resources.
Aug 12, 2007, 10:39 am
#12
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"Our initial reports indicate it was more than a misunderstanding of the language," said SkyWest spokeswoman Marissa Snow. "We witnessed aggressive behavior throughout the flight."
Seems logical to me......
Aug 12, 2007, 7:48 pm
#13
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http://www.ajc.com/news/content/busi..._0810_web.html
An Australian tourist upset over her airborne snack says the slang term "fair dinkum" landed her in a fair amount of hot water this week on a flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh.
Sophie Reynolds, 41, said the problem began about halfway through her Delta Connection flight on SkyWest Airlines when she rejected a snack of crackers and asked the flight attendant for pretzels.
An Australian tourist upset over her airborne snack says the slang term "fair dinkum" landed her in a fair amount of hot water this week on a flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh.
Sophie Reynolds, 41, said the problem began about halfway through her Delta Connection flight on SkyWest Airlines when she rejected a snack of crackers and asked the flight attendant for pretzels.
Aug 12, 2007, 8:34 pm
#14
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Discussion of this story started a couple hours earlier than this thread over in the Travel Safety/Security board:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=723908
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=723908
