American Airlines flight cancelled due to booing passengers
People love to get angry and take sides when things turn south during air travel. If you don't believe me, go to Flyertalk.com, click on ANY forum, click on ANY thread, and you'll probably see a labor vs. management or passenger vs. airline dispute.These disputes come into particular focus during delays. Whether mechanical or weather related, it always seems like there are a dozen armchair pilots sitting in the crowd saying something like "It's just a landing gear locking pin! Who needs that? I'm going to miss my connection!"
Just last week in Providence I sat next to a guy howling because the weather was fine in Providence and there was a weather delay. What he didn't realize was that there was a ring of thunderstorms around the airport causing traffic. Not right above us.
Passengers on a recent American Airlines flight were so fired up from a delay in their crew showing up that they actually booed the employees when they boarded the plane. The pilots and flight attendants were so miffed that they canceled the flight, stranding passengers in Miami overnight.
Now who is the villain here? Nobody deserves to be booed at, especially when you're just doing your job and connected in from a late flight. But as a rule, passengers don't really know the full details of what's going on so we can expect them to act like a fussy mob. Especially if your job is to deal with passengers all day. Should you have really canceled the flight?
It's a close one, but I'm going with the passengers on this one.
[Via Gothamist]
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Dave Jul 9th 2008 5:09PM
I too side with the flight crew. I am a Flight Attendant and have been doing my job for 22 years. I love my job but in recent years have really begun to hate people.
The traveling public does nothing but complain about the airlines and the service they get. If you whiners were willing to pay what it actually cost to transport your ass across the country then you might get the service you think you deserve.
If given the choice, I too would have chosen not to fly that trip. A group of angry booing passengers in the gate area can easily translate into a very big problem at 32000 feet. Add alcohol, cramped seating, and a full plane to the already volatile mix and who knows what could happen.
Yes more information needs to be passed along to passengers as to why their crew is late, or about any other delay. However, people also have to realize that they need to be accountable for their behavior as well. If you want good service and attention, then think about how you are acting and if it warrants what you expect from others.
Jean Jul 15th 2008 7:14AM
Well said Dave..I too am a flight attendant..flying many years...these are adults that booed this crew..acting like 3 year olds who did not get their way..the traveling public is rude..childish and want everything for nothing...good for that crew..
Richard James Jul 10th 2008 2:43AM
Seriously, what is wrong with you people? Canceling a flight because people were booing? The passengers should be rounded up and questioned? Heck, why not skip that step and just execute them all?
This isn't even a case where the people who were booing were punished...EVERYONE was punished, whether they were booed or not. And those of you who side with the airline crew don't care what sort of problems a canceled flight - canceled solely because of a childish flight crew - may have caused them. At the very least it probably cost them thousands of dollars collectively. Maybe someone lost a big sale. Maybe someone missed the last moments with a dying family member.
The passengers probably weren't told why the crew was late, and even if they were, airline passengers are so used to being lied to that they probably didn't believe it.
Those people paid money to be transported to their destination, and the airline crew failed them because their feelings were hurt. And according to Dave, the bad service is the passengers' fault because we're not paying enough? Hmmm...last time I checked, I wasn't given much of a choice in how much my ticket cost.
I have never witnessed an industry so determined to put itself out of business as the airline industry is right now.
V. Johnson Jul 9th 2008 7:09PM
OK, five things to consider: First, what about the persons who wasn't booing because they had sence to know the late employees had a good reason. Should they have been "Punished" by not being able to take off in a timely manner. Secondly, did the pilots feel "Well, maybe they wasn't booing but to hell with them too?" Or, thirdly did the pilots care about the angry attendants who wanted to continue the flight. Forthly, "Booing?" Were any threats made, booing as a sence of short lived humor? Did the pilots experience a sence of danger or a thin skin attack and hurt feeling attack?? Fifthly, was there a good party going on and the pilots were looking for a reason to cancel the flight. Booing dosen't seen too threatening to me. I don't think I like these pilots nor would I invite them to any of my parties either.
Laura Jul 9th 2008 7:04PM
You paid for the right to get on the plane and fly to your destination, not for the right to be rude and obnoxious to people who are merely doing their job. Maybe 'service employees' should charge extra to offer 'kick me' services to people who have crappy attitudes and a crumby homelife.
steve Jul 9th 2008 9:04PM
The Flight crew are the "paid professionals," who should have made apologies for "their" company being late, whatever the reason. "Customer Service" or lack of in this case, should have been making continuous announcements on the status of the flight. Had that been done, the "informed" passengers would never have acted in such a manner and may have even applauded the crews final arrival. I am sure all those passengers didn't roll out of bed looking for a flight crew to be rude to. Their reaction came out of frustration caused by THE AIRLINE. You don't punish a passenger for poor or even rude behavior. You punish a customer for CRIMINAL, as defined by Webster, behavior. The customers are not as "nice" as the good ole days, but society as a whole has changed. Unless you live in your own little bubble never to look out, DEAL WITH IT! Its the companies, customer service AND the flight crew, responsibility to take care of "their" paying customers, regardless of the price they payed, which was set by, oh yea that's right, THE COMPANY. A little info goes a long way. In these days boys and girls you may just have to do a little more work to keep the same or even less of a paycheck.
Signed CS Supervisor for a Major Airline.
Father Richard Byrne S.J. Jul 10th 2008 10:32AM
Prima donnas all. Just sit down and drive the plane. Quit if you don't like the job and let all the "retired" pilots work.
mary Jul 11th 2008 3:33PM
Actually, I would have clapped upon the arrival of the Airline crew. They are the ones responsible for the passengers' safe arrival at their destination. The crew could have been delayed due to traffic. Clapping might have spurred others to be both relieved and glad that the trip could now begin, perhaps it could have turned out differently.
The decision to not fly was a lesson for the obnoxious behavior of some booing passengers, however, the well-behaved passengers also got punished.
Catherine Bossi Jul 12th 2008 12:48AM
The traveling public has no clue and taking the time to explain it is a waste of time. Grow UP! Get a grip it really is not all about "YOU" it is a transportation thing. Passengers are now getting what they want to pay for... travel between 2 places. The industry deals with an outdated air traffic control system and a group of individuals who litteraly have no class. They board an airplane with pants hanging below their butts so we all can see what kind of underwear they wear. Passengers are not just rude to flight crew but to fellow passengers. It is a very sad world now. There is no compassion for anyone but "me, myself, and I. Shame on you!
Brenda Jul 12th 2008 2:54AM
Prima Donnas??? Oh puhleeze! What the average flying public may not know is that there are many variables that may have made the crew late.- such as they may have been a reserve crew called in because the original crew may have time-out on their duty day because of a number of reasons - delays, a sick crew member, poor scheduling, broken airplanes, etc. These reasons are almost always not a result of the cabin and cockpit crew, so should you take it out on them by acting hostile? No, you shouldn't.
I agree that the passengers should be given honest and frequent updates to whatever delay they're facing, so they can make other arrangements if necessary, but taking it on the crew? Is that going to help get you there faster? No, again. If the crew is late because of the airline's fault, go ahead and write the airline. Write your congressperson about the antiquated air traffic control system if you want, but blaming the crew is like being a bully in the schoolyard.
And no, I don't work for the airlines, but I do work in the travel industry.
AA1908 Jul 13th 2008 7:12PM
I`m one of the 7 crewmembers that had refuse to work AA1908 MIA-JFK 6JUL. We didn`t just walked because of booing and clapping. We were threatened, and taunted to react to their fighting gestures. We were called every derogative name from a**holes to Faggots. We did everything that the other comments suggested to do, even to the announcement. The problem is that no one believed us. We were held in customs in MIA coming from Haiti. Passengers couldn`t believe that they made it through customs and us,crewmembers, didn`t. We suggested removing the bad, but it was sooo many. We wanted Air Marshals,which was none. We wanted security at the gate for the mob scene, which 9-1-1 gave us several busy signals. After awhile ,we than decided this flight is not suitable for everyone. Even after announcing that we may not fly due to their behavior, we were still threatened by some.
EEP Jul 14th 2008 4:53AM
As a former flight attendant who resigned from the job after 16 years (mostly from this type of abuse you have to deal with every day) I think the traveling public needs to be more educated on how airlines operate. I can promise you it is NEVER the airline crews fault when a delay happens. It is our WORST nightmare. Please know, always, your crew wants to get to the destination on time maybe even more than you do.
Mr. Jim Jul 15th 2008 9:15PM
We had a flight from Minnesota to Baltimore and the crew did not show up. The crew from the first flight said they would fly on the connecting flight so we could all get to Baltimore on time and not have to stay all night in some airport! This was a California crew and had worked all day but went on and made the effort to help out, we LOVE them! Thanks for helping out!
Karen Jul 15th 2008 10:55PM
I don't work for the airlines or any travel capacity. I am definetly on the side of the crew. Ever hear of mob mentality? All it takes is a few people to get a large crowd going. I highly doubt that if 5 people booing and making loud obscene comments to the crew would've cancelled the flight. However no one should have to put up with the significant amount of hostile behavior that these crew members experienced,
Seeing as how passengers out-number crew about, what, 28:1, I have no problem with them cancelling the flight. If there's major tension beyond the norm and hostile actions (this DOES include loud and/or sustained booing/rude comments) while everyone's on the ground and not even in the plane, how the heck do you think it'd be trapped in plane several thousand feet in the air with no way out and no reprieve from the taunts? I highly doubt the boo-ers would stop. More likely they'd continue on the plane and direct their comments to the attendants bringing them water and complaining about having to stay in their seats.
Although a good portion of the passengers would've probably been trapped overnight, it's unlikely that all were. I've had flights cancelled for mechanical reasons (both morning and night flights) and the ticket counter people were able to get me on other airlines and get me to my destinations.
To those who called the crew immature and think them "upset about their hurt feelings", gee, who started the booing? Who continued the booing? And for the "innocents" who weren't booing, why weren't they telling the people beside them to shut up? Guilty by association, isn't that what everyone was told growing up? I'd bet if some of those "innocents" had tried calming others down or asking them politely to shut their traps and keep the groaning to a dull roar, the flight wouldn't have been cancelled.
Delays happen everywhere in every form of transit system. We've all learned to live with it, deal with it, with a reasonable amount of grumbling. These passengers with the bad apples went beyond reasonable. And one last thing...does anyone think that the crew made the decision by themselves without consulting some kind of supervisor first? Doubtful. They knew money would be lost by cancelling the flight and that people would be even more ticked. There are times when you have to weigh the safety and health of employees over that of customers. No one, in ANY profession, should be expected to perform their duties under those conditions. I'd bet that supervisor approval was hard won too.
Dean Jul 16th 2008 5:10PM
Hooray for the American staff..they deserve better as do all employees who serve the public idiots of today that they face...I recently took American to Europe and back and had EXCELLENT service in all deprtments from everyone...people of the usa need a serious ass kicking and get dumped from eveything when they start acting out, perhaps a change in our society will take place.
flight attendant Jul 16th 2008 7:47PM
I'm a flight attendant for another airline. I've been in this situation. I remember working a 15 1/2 hour duty day and we were late due to weather. We connected from another flight and were pushing a 16 hours which is not safe!!!! We were dead tired, but we didn't want to cancel the flight because we felt sorry for the passengers. When we arrived at the gate, we were met by angry passengers and did they even appreciate that we continued to work? NO !!!!! We all volunteered to go work our long duty day without overtime because we felt sorry for those stupid passengers that treated us like dirt.
So good for American Airlines crew for teaching those assholes a lesson.
carolyn Aug 29th 2008 7:44PM
First of all,it was more then booing because i was there! You need to get your facts right before you write a commenrt! Passengers were cursing,calling the crew "faggots" and other things and advancing towards them. The "passengers" need to stop trying to help run the airlines and simply come to the airport and get on their flights! They don't help the subway conductors,the bus drives,the train conducters so why in the heck are they trying to help the airlines? the crew was well within their rights to cancel the flight,after all if one of those fools started a fight on the plane and caused an accident or injury to other passengers you'd be saying they should have cancelled the flight when their was a problem on the ground! Get a life nobody is coming to your job telling you how to write your report,don't try to tell airline employees how to do theirs!
Carolyn Aug 29th 2008 7:44PM
Another thing the public needs to understand is buying a ticket on a plane does not give you the right to curse out people,and act like fools. I see frequent flyers acting up all the time.the first thing they yell is "I fly every week" well if thats the case you should know that you need to be here at least 30 minutes before departure,that you can't carry on 4 bags,and your whole family does not need to go to the gate with your 17 year old! What gave the passengers the right to say ANYTHING to the crew? I've been banking at the same bank 20 years but you can bet if I curse out the tellers,throw someones name plate at them and call someone a "faggot" I'm going to be escorted out and have my account closed! They are luck that all they got was cancelled flight and American needs to stand behind their employees!
Carolyn Aug 29th 2008 7:45PM
The fligt crew does not OWE the passengers an apolgy! And who is the idoit that said they should get on the microphone and apologize? Have you EVER seen a flight attendent say anything on the microphone outside of the plane? Np because thats not their job,the airline employees made several announcements saying the crew was late due the inbound flt was late and they had to clear customs-since they were arriving from an internationl flight so what did the passengers NOT understand? Problem is passengers want to help run the airlines and all it takes is one or two loud mouths to start a war. Ticket prices are so low you have people who have never even seen an airport on planes and combine that with the "know everything" frequent flyers and you have a mess