FriendlySkies

They could have done it discretely.. Pull out the iPhone and click!


lol^

cblaisd

Then there would have been no problem.

Seeksreal

This would only bother me if they were doing it during dinner or cocktail service instead of taking care of the pax. If they were on break, so what? I am not offended by PDAs. If they really bothered me so I couldn't sleep I would probably have said something directly to them. I don't see the need to report them for something like this. The world could use a little more love and affection!

Flyingeagle

^ Same here. Put the earplugs in and the eye mask on and one last glass of wine and only dream of what might be, after all once one is married it is only a dream...

bmustaf

I'm not saying it is illegal, but the FAA does set some expectations of the job functions of cabin crew - and if they engage in behavior that compromises that it certainly is in the purview of the FAA to consider administrative sanction of that behavior. I think it is pretty reasonable to say that if two FAs are more obsessed with pleasuring their own desires on-the-job and disturbing passengers in the course of doing so that it isn't a wonderful statement of their commitment to being professionals committed to the execution of their duties. People get fired from less stressful/important jobs for lesser infractions.

If this was your business, would you like it or allow it? If you were charged with regulating an industry would you think it was acceptable for the first line of safety and security in that industry be more concerned with their own personal business (be it making out, playing around on their laptops on "crew scheduling software", or whatever else)?

Maybe you will answer yes to both or either of those, but that's not a world I'd like to fly in.

The FAs were not functioning as intended . A bit tounge in cheek on the sky kit, I certainly wasn't clear on that.

I'm not here to doubt the veracity of the OP. I'll assume they're being truthful and I'm not going to second guess them. I tend to believe things aren't always what they seem but also have a healthy respect that crazy things like this happen and no one speaks out to stop them (coworkers or passengers).

But yes, I think it's a serious enough issue that calls into my confidence in their ability to do their job. And, frankly, enough of a transgression of the contract inherent in my purchase of the ticket that UA will transport me in a professional manner that I will want it documented and addressed by the Capt and Station Manager so it does not become a "he said/she said' kind of situation like we have now where we're calling in to question the word of the OP.

Air Marshall deploy, local PD, TSA, and FBI get called to greet the plane before departure/on arrival when a guy wears a turban and looks a little too foreign for some xenophobic captain's/passenger's comfort level and my expectation that the cabin crew face corporate sanction through their internal management chain for obviously unbecoming conduct (if it really happened) is extreme? I think you're barking up the wrong tree of extremism.

If the OP was a troll/is exaggerating, then sure, my reaction would be a bit extreme, but in my book EX's 1957 posts kind of give him enough credibility I won't do that without some compelling reason to think otherwise.

My objection isn't specifically with them sucking face (although it is tacky and pretty classless on the job and in public, but to each their own), but with the implication that carries for how they carry out their duties and treat passengers in the course of said behavior. People management isn't about reading rules out of a book and applying them mechanically, and I tend to see this kind of behavior as a pretty clear indicator that there is some kind of issue getting in the way of someone's commitment to being a professional. I wouldn't tolerate an employee doing this - there would certainly be some kind of attempt at understanding why it happened and some kind of attempt to restore that confidence in their commitment to their work/professionalism.

If it doesn't feel right to your gut, it probably isn't right. If you can honestly say this is a total non-issue then we probably just differ on management style and how personal behavior interacts with ones ability to do ones job effectively. That's OK, but I really doubt most well-integrated members of a Western culture think there is nothing wrong with this situation.

I'll repose my questions from above:

If this was your business (e.g. United was your private business), would you think this was OK? Would it inspire confidence in your employees?

If you can answer yes to both or either of these questions, well, then, I don't think we'll find common ground. And that's OK.

booch

is it unprofessional: yeah. would it bother me: no.

you've certainly got every right to report something that you feel injured you or amounted to bad service, but i tend just to let things like this roll off me. imho there are worse things in life than folks being affectionate in public.

bmustaf

+1. Exactly.

Making out. Playing games on their phone. Swearing and/or proselytizing. Whatever. A hallmark of professionalism is the ability to separate such personal issues from your work.

When someone can't do that, it becomes a material barrier to their presentation as a professional. Invariably, that's a pretty serious question of their ability to do their job.

If they can't keep their hands, opinions, or boredom to themselves/in check then how do you really expect any rational individual to expect/trust/understand that they will or be able to keep more serious emotions/impulses under control when it matters?

Really, you can't. You can choose to not consider these questions, but there is very little rationale to argue that there isn't a serious credibility and suitabilty question when basic tenets of professionalism can't be upheld. Have a few DUIs? Forget getting a CDL or taking the bar. Get a few too many speeding tickets or even a bad reference? Forget being a police officer. Don't pay your credit cards? Forget getting your CPA. Happen to like the prescription meds a bit too much? Leave your MD at home. Hey, like that special "medicine" you can get in a few states these days? Pretty much write off any job that requires a drug test. All shining examples (al biet the DUI is a bit more extreme/serious) of where one's inability to separate otherwise pretty innocent/totally legal personal items from even being considered for a professional role. Making out is no crime, of course, but doing it on company time when you're representing the company certainly isn't copacetic. I'm not saying they should be fired or denied work like the previous examples, but it is certainly suspect and grounds for some kind of behavioral modification.

Why do people wear uniforms? They're not just about identifying personnel or because they look neat. It's about image, brand, and about demonstrating attention to a role. Dirty uniforms aren't acceptable in nearly any job (even ones where you uniform is routinely soiled, it is expected you clean it. I was a firefighter in a previous life. Bloody, smoky, spaghetti sauced, or otherwise soiled uniforms were cleaned not only for sanitary reasons but because it demonstrated our commitment to being competent professionals). I won't even get into how this situation is analogous to a dirty uniform .

I'm glad to hear a concurrent view on the topic. Yes, the world needs more affection, love, etc, etc. The world also needs people committed to doing their jobs professionally. You can be a good person and not carry on like a college aged freshman while doing your job quite easily. Millions of humans manage it on a daily basis!

But, most of all, if I wanted unruly, uncouth, or otherwise ridiculous FAs I'd either fly Southwest or Hooters Air. I think it's fair to say that I expected not to have to watch two people make out and be kicked by them (in the employ of the airline nonetheless) when I bought a ticket.

Culture Guru

report it!!!!

this is totally unprofessional

entropy

very unprofessional.



at least CO has the most professional men and women in the business (har har)

"Get a room"! its pretty ridiculous for them to do that in plain sight of everyone. I could maybe understand a discreet little peck here and there while most passengers were asleep.

Asuka

Let it slide

kcblakely

Hmmm. I wonder how far that kinda argument would go with other professions...

"Two teachers snogging in their office when they should be teaching or prepping lesson plans? I wouldn't complain - I'd rather have happy teachers and a little on-duty snogging than frustrated educators"

"Two Border Protection officers sucking face when they should be monitoring cross-border traffic? I wouldn't complain - it gets dull there in that office, and what's a few more illegals this way or that anyway?"

You should complain, OP. I absolutely guarantee that UA does not want that sorta stuff going on...

mre5765

Unprofessional behavior. But I'm not surprised that there is support for it.

Reporting it is a waste of time. He said/she said.

Unfortunately, given it was the purser, OP's options at the time were quite limited.

Complain while in the air? To who? The purser is the nut job violating the code of professionalism (written or not) and the rest of the cabin crew was supporting this violation (we don't even know just how cooperative the female FA was; she could have been coerced). He'll have OP arrested when the plane lands.

Take photos discreetly? And then what? If you submit those to UA, OP will be arrested for taking photos on the plane.

Find other witnesses, and then report it to a member of the cabin crew and then report it on the ground? Dicey because the cabin crew will separate the witnesses and work on each separately.

Fortunately this out of control purser didn't molest OP's Mrs. That would have forced the issue, with very negative consequences, all on OP and his Mrs.

PERRL

We all have different ideas of what "making out" refers to. Could you be a bit more specific/explicit about what they were doing?

If you are not sure that one of the participants is male, how well could you see what is going on?

If it lasted 3-4 hours, then it likely wasn't too risqué.

If it was a conversation, then maybe they were just talking intimately.

If it was a "massage" (neck rub?) that could be shared with someone else who is presumably not her partner, then it sounds very innocent.

I think that the use of the phrase "making out" is triggering reactions based on people's imagining different scenarios, many of which may be far from the truth.

seamaster73

bow chica wow wow

dgcpaphd

The voice of reason returns - thank you.

By the way, please recall that the OP stated that the alleged "making out" occurred while the two FAs were sitting on a jump seat! Probability says that the situation, as described, was highly overstated.
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