Flight Attendant falls asleep during taxi
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PIT
Programs: UA 1K/ DL Plat HH Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 249
Flight Attendant falls asleep during taxi
On a PIT-IAD leg yesterday during a MR I was in 02F and after landing I noticed the flight attendent was sleeping!
Anyone else had any experiences like this? I understand overworked and underpaid, but don't sleep on a little CRJ when you face the customers.
Should I write UA?
Anyone else had any experiences like this? I understand overworked and underpaid, but don't sleep on a little CRJ when you face the customers.
Should I write UA?
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SFO South Bay
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 3,052
Boy, I can't imaging sleeping in one of those uncomfortable jump seats facing backwards while landing!!
But for safety reasons, there is no excuse for this. I would report it definitely.
But for safety reasons, there is no excuse for this. I would report it definitely.
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,043
That is not a UA flight attendant. That is a regional airline FA. You should probably right the carrier you flew that day.
#5
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: DEN: WN or UA, AA LT Gold, VIA Preference Preferred
Posts: 1,550
I have observed this several times on UA and UX.
I might get concerned if the plane pulled up to the gate and the FA didn't wake up.
I might get concerned if the plane pulled up to the gate and the FA didn't wake up.
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
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Posts: 8,826
Having said that, I might have remarked to the FA upon leaving "Pretty long day?" and see where it might have gone from there. The FAs response would have helped me figure out if there was any place to go with it from there. If his or her attitude was cavalier or flippant, sure, it might make sense to send a letter... but otherwise, doing something that might cause someone to lose their job might seem a bit harsh.
#7
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Denver, CO USA
Programs: UA 1P, F9 Ascent, SPG Lifetime Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 816
Seen it dozens of times.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
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I say report it. If she can't do the job, she needs to find something else she can do.
After all, FA's are primarily there for our safety. The least they can do is stay awake.
#9
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
#10
Join Date: Feb 2004
Programs: AA 'kettle', Marriott Gold, ICH Gld, Hertz 5*
Posts: 5,258
Since s/he fell asleep *after* landing during the taxi phase, I wouldn't be inclined to complain. Perhaps have a bit of fun with him/her, but that's all. We're all human. Then again, s/he might have to wake me up
#11
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,691
I would pick your battles. FA's have worse work rules and hours than RJ pilots, and that's bad...
#12
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,686
As someone else pointed out, their primary purpose is for our safety.
One of my close friends ahd to evactuate a CRJ as a passenger when an airport bus rammed (actually, the other way around, but the aircraft had the right of way) a taxiing CRJ in 2002. The flight attendant was knocked silly, and my friend (an ex flight attendant) performed the evacuation.
Which is worse, a non-functioning IFE, a FA talking to her friends during cruise phase of an aircraft, or a flight attendant unable to perform his/her duties of safety during the most critical time?
737, u are an ex flight attendant, correct? This behavior is egregious and I am betting is spelled out in her company manual as behavior warranting termination (and I bet the AFA has accepted this as the policy.)
I know for a fact it is in ALL of UA's rules "Sleeping or the appearance of.....up to and including termination." but in this position, it is far worse. I mean the NW (or were they DL) pilots that were "discussing their bidding schedule" last month were at least (per them) awake, the flight was in cruise phase and the aircraft on auto. Their is no "auto" switch for a flight attendant. They need to be awake and alert at all times.
Like so many hear have said when employees complain of loss of benefits "We realize you have a choice in careers..." well, it is far better to have crews that at least perform the required safety functions of their safety job, then to have a seat back that fully reclines, yet one should complain about one and not the other? Yes, their schedules can be brutal,, but that is no surprise to them. They know this from day #1 of training.
What would happen if the person in row 1 was a) a company employee, b) representative of her mgmt, c) a FAA inspector, or d) a person needing her assistance due to an emergency. The person would be in serious trouble. Why wait for it to get to the point of d?
Last edited by fastair; Nov 23, 2009 at 1:26 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: OAK SFO SJC
Programs: DL, AA, UA, AS
Posts: 1,028
How do you know that the FA was asleep? Maybe she was just resting her eyes.
#14
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YVR SFO
Programs: UA G
Posts: 4,866
It's totally worth at least an email. Write your *Voice@ address and give them as many details as possible. They'll figure out which company operated your UX flight and will hopefully raise the appropriate hell.
#15
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K, DL Plat
Posts: 576
I say no harm, no foul, no knowledge of the mitigating circumstances that may have caused it.
I'd forget it.
I'd forget it.