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Galley Gossip: A flight attendant responds to Senator Schumer's outburst
No one likes to be told what to do.
After the announcement had been made to turn off and stow all electronic devices, a flight attendant noticed Senator Schumer still chatting away on his cell phone and asked him to turn it off. He complied, but not without a fight. He argued that because the aircraft door had not been shut at the time of the announcement he was entitled to use the phone. The flight attendant, who was reported by Politico.com as being polite throughout the incident, told Schumer that she didn't make the rules, just followed them, and with that she walked away. That's when Senator Schumer made a big time passenger faux pas. He turned to his seat mate, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and uttered the B_word under his breath.
I can't help but wonder what Senator Kirsten Gillibrand had to think of Senator Schumer's childish behavior. Especially at the ease in which the word was used!
While I understand that passengers don't like to be ordered around, especially on an airplane by a lowly flight attendant who should know the customer is always right even when that customer is breaking an FAA regulation, this story is really much deeper than that. It's about respect - or lack thereof. The airplane is a microcosm of the world and the Senator's outburst is just another example of how society behaves today. Take it from me, the one stuck in a flying tube for hours on end with passengers from all walks of life, it's a me-me-me, A.D.D world out there. Don't believe me? Pay attention next time.
When I heard Brian Fallon, Senator Schumer's spokesperson, had stated that the senator regrets making the "off-the-cuff comment," I wondered if the Senator would have thought twice about what he'd said if the story hadn't made headlines? Doubt it. Oh and did you notice that nothing was mentioned in terms of an apology regarding the use of his cell phone at a time when it was not permitted, which is what triggered the outburst in the first place? I'm not surprised.
Want to know what I love most about this story?
This type of bad behavior over nonsense is just a regular part of my work day. Flight attendants constantly have to remind passengers, and re-remind them, and then re-remind them again, to turn off their phones. Passengers usually respond by either out right ignoring us or by hiding the device under their thigh until the flight attendant has passed and it is safe to resume the conversation. Last month on a flight from New York to Dallas, I had to tell fourteen passengers - fourteen! - that it was time to turn off and put away their electronic devices after a PA had been delivered not once, but twice! I even had to firmly tap, tap, tap a man on the shoulder, a man with his head shoved between his knees, in order to inform him that I was well aware he wasn't conversing with the floor. His seatmates chuckled. The passenger just glared at me. On another flight I witnessed the following conversation take place in first class...
FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Excuse me, Sir, it's time to-
PASSENGER: Can't you see I'm on the phone, bitch!
I couldn't believe my ears! I was even more shocked at what happened next. The flight attendant actually acted like it was no big deal someone had just called her a bitch and even left the passenger alone to finish his conversation. Maybe the flight attendant was just used to being treated like crap and therefore thought nothing of it. Perhaps the flight attendant was a fan of the passengers work and figured the well-known rapper meant nothing by the word used so often in lyrics. But could it be that this kind of reaction by a flight attendant is why so many passengers feel they can bark at us and get what they want? Who knows. All I know is if I went around calling passengers bitches whenever I didn't like what they had to say, I'd be out of a job. And apologizing about it after the fact would not make it okay.
Photos courtesy of Propublica and Kaiban
Filed under: Airlines, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jane trahey Dec 17th 2009 9:14AM
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bitch
On the offchance that you know how to read, check the definition of " bitch" which -- in modern usage -- means " a malicious, spiteful, or overbearing woman —sometimes used as a generalized term of abuse."
Senator Schumer apparently thought the flight attendant -- who essentially told him "I make the rules on this plane" was all of those things, and he said so in a *private* conversation with his seatmate.
The day we are not allowed to express an opinion about a flight attendant's demeanor in a private conversation with a seatmate will be a sorry day for American civil libertis.
Willy Dec 17th 2009 9:52AM
Jane, no need to be a bitch in your comment.
PS -- it's spelled "liberties," on the off chance you learn how to type.
Heather Poole Dec 17th 2009 11:12AM
Jane - First of all, the flight attendant did not say "I make the rules," she said "I DON'T make the rules, I follow them." Basically the flight attendant told the Senator that she was just doing her job. That's it. She was not being malicious, spiteful, or overbearing. The Senator, on the other hand, may be another story. While I believe strongly in the freedom of speech, I also believe in respect. Sorry to hear you don't.
Nick Dec 17th 2009 12:07PM
If by "American civil liberties" you mean using abusive language on someone who's doing her job (really.. just ANYONE), you're stretching your civic "rights" too far. I have to agree with Heather here.. this is just an example of how people tend to behave in the society these days. Respect and courtesy are things that need to be earned, not merely expected, from others.
skygirl1 Dec 23rd 2009 1:55PM
Ms. Jane,
Since you bring up the dictionary you might want to also include a female dog in heat under that term.
ed Dec 17th 2009 9:23PM
Maybe the time has come for the FAA to kick it up a notch. Arm the flight attendants with tasers and when the senator doesn't follow orders, ZAPPP. Just kidding of course, but after all we have been through since 9-11 it still amazes me that my fellow travelers don't get it. We have rules we must follow to make flying bearable. The people who don't follow the rules make a stressful situation worse for everyone. I see them all the time, thinking they are bigger than the rest of us. I really think you need to escort them off the plane, no arguments, no excuses, just give them the boot. Don't rebook them, let them scramble. Once that happens to one or two of them, I think the problem will go away.
TheOtherSideOfStory Dec 17th 2009 9:47AM
But for another view of the story, read the views of Wall Street Journal and New York Times reporter Joe Sharkey:
http://joesharkeyat.blogspot.com/2009/12/schumer-and-flight-attendant.html
Heather Poole Dec 17th 2009 11:12AM
JOE- The flight attendant in this situation was reported as being polite. The Senator refused to follow the rules regarding cell phone usage on the airplane and then called the flight attendant a bitch because she was just trying to do her job. That's what happened here. Those are the facts. So let's try leaving politics, as well as whatever past experiences you've had with other flight attendants, out of this one since it has absolutely nothing to do with what happened in this particular incident.
cblock2 Dec 17th 2009 12:03PM
Heather, there's one problem with your statement - by all press accounts I've seen of the incident - including Sharkey's - Senator Schumer was NOT in violation of the cellphone rules when the FA told him to turn the phone off. The cabin door was, by all accounts, still open.
Does this justify Schumer's remark? Of course not. But really, how many of us have not uttered a choice expletive or two under our breath when walking away from an incident like this?
And at the same time, as Sharkey points out, lately we are seeing a lot of these incidents where FAs are making up rules as they go along, and falling back on the "you have to obey uniformed crew member instructions" rule when it's pointed out that the customer is actually, per airline policy and/or FAA rules, in the right. The "obey instructions" rule is there to give crew, including the FAs, flexibility to deal with truly unusual circumstances, not to rewrite airline/FAA policy on a whim.
And at the same, same, time, as you point out, there's also rampant disrespect toward FAs, and that seems to be getting worse as well.
I'm not sure what the answer is - I think part of it is just the general coarsening of our society, and part of it is just the way the average citizen is constantly bombarded these days with what seems to be an ever-expanding thicket of rules and regulations and people harping at him, multiplied tenfold the moment you arrive at an airport, and then you take it from FAs as well...the people, more than anyone else, who (from the customer's perspective) are supposed to be the ones making your flight as pleasant as being sealed up in a metal tube can be.
And at the same time, the FAs are expected to enforce these rules, maintain order, get the passengers on the plane quickly, and all in an environment where the passenger is already stressed out and frequently annoyed before they even see the FAs.
Answer? All I can suggest is that we - passengers, FAs, all of us - take a deep cleansing breath, remember the other side are people too, and that even if your dealings with the airline that day may have been less-than-satisfactory, that's not the FA's fault. Other than that, I'm not sure what to do.
Oh, and vote against Schumer next time...he really is a pompous git.
Mark Dec 17th 2009 10:31AM
I would never make somone mad nor call them a name--especially if that person would be bringing me food or drinks later. Just sayin'...
SavvyNavigator Dec 17th 2009 11:37AM
The first-class passenger you observed and the scenario you portrayed in the final paragraph made me think one thing:
That first-class passenger was damned lucky he did not have the previously-discussed Helen on that flight!
Heather Poole Dec 17th 2009 12:24PM
CBlock2 - Of course we're all human and we've all uttered something rude under our breath at some point in our lives. I know I have! As for the door being closed before the announcement was made, all airlines are different in regards to those kinds of rules, so I'm not positive what was going on there. We haven't heard from the flight attendant and as you know, there are two sides to every story.
As for flight attendants making up their own rules, I've never seen that, so I'm unable to comment. What I have come across are passengers who don't like to be told what to do, especially by a flight attendant, and when a flight attendant does tell them what to do - put the seat up, fasten the belt, whatever - some passengers "think" we're abusing our power. What power, I ask? We have no power! We're just doing our job.
Really the point of my post really had nothing to do with Schumer but with people behaving badly in general - on a regular basis! And not just on the airplanes! They're at the mall, too. I've seen them And at the grocery store. The big difference is flight attendants get stuck with these kinds of people for hours on end. Do I really care that the Senator is the one who uttered the B_word? No. Does it bother me that the people think it's okay to be disrepectful and freak out over nothing? Yes. And why oh why is it okay for a passenger to call a flight attendant a bitch? Would you think differently if the roles were reversed? WHY? We're all human here.
cblock2 Dec 17th 2009 1:36PM
Heather - I certainly don't think it's okay for a passenger to call a FA a bitch. But I've heard FAs call passengers bitches, bastards, a$$holes, and so on - not to their face, but behind the galley curtain (why do some FAs seem to think those curtains have some sort of magical sound absorption properties?) As you point out, we're all human.
I definitely agree with you that there is a problem - and a growing one - with passenger disrespect towards FAs, and as I said, I'm not sure what the answer is. I do think a lot of it just comes from the frustration and annoyance of modern air travel, and that FAs are the last person on the "other side" of the process the traveler comes in contact with before the flight, and thus they take a lot of "attitude" from passengers that they realistically shouldn't have to.
Again, not sure what the answer is, other than just encouraging people to remember the Golden Rule. Heather, we need to get you on Oprah or Ellen or something so these stories get a wider audience!
Adam1222 Dec 17th 2009 12:25PM
Muttering the b-word is an "outburst"? Seriously?
Stan Dec 17th 2009 12:42PM
I do not condone name calling or rude behavior. Having said that, why don't airline employees follow the rules/policy? If a passenger is allowed to use the cell phones/electronic equipment until the time the door is closed and he or she follows that policy, why did the FA bother him? I can understand Senator Schumers frustration but using the B word was completely out of line on his part. If any one should have known better, it would be a person with his resume. With his experience in dealing with the public its an un excusable event and I'm sure he know it.
I had an incident, Dec. 03, 09 boarding CO flight 611 bound for IAH (B757-300), when a polite young lady (CO agent) in the jet way, pulled me aside with tag in her hand, telling me that my carry-on was too big...the flight was full....there would not be room for it in the overhead bins and need to check it in. Being elite member I was boarding the plane early, right after first/business class had boarded. I knew that, at least at that time, there would be room for my luggage. Surprised at her request (its the first time this happened to me) I said that my 21" (21 x 14 x 9) carry-on complies with CO's policy (L+W+H=45"). She reiterated that it was a full flight and there would be overhead space problem. At this time I said that I'm an elite frequent flyer and that the reason I'm boarding early is to claim my overhead space and if she wished I would go back to the gate check-in and talk to someone who is more familiar with the carry-on policy. At that time she allowed me proceed with my carry-on. I must admit, knowing that she was out of line, I felt my blood moving, through the cholesterol infested vains, little bit faster then normal.
I am applauding that finally CO is taking steps to screen out those who abuse the carry-on policy and try to board with too many or oversize carry-on baggage(s). Airlines should follow their policy and train their employees to do so.
BobJ Dec 17th 2009 4:28PM
I'm with Heather on this one. One would think that Senator Schumer, who spends his days making, or at least trying to make laws we all have to obey, can't bring himself to follow the rules himself.
jane trahey Dec 17th 2009 4:41PM
It's okay, Willy, I actually *do* know how to spell "liberties." I am using an ergonomically unfriendly itty bitty notebook keyboard.
And too many posters seem to have the sequence of events screwed up. Schumer was polite to the flight attendant while he was talking to her. It was after she left that he turned to his seatmate and called the FA, a "bitch." He didn't yell it at the FA; he said it under his breath.
He did try to make the point that as long as the cabin door was open, the rules -- as he understood them permitted him to use his cellphone. The FA's response was that regardless of the rules, if she -- as the flight attendant -- asked him to stop talking, then he needed to stop, regardless of what the regs say. This was reported in some of the accounts of this incident.
I don't think it's appropriate for Schumer or anybody else to insult a flight attendant directly, but I have no problem with him calling her a "bitch" in a private conversation with his seatmate. He is entitled to an opinion of the
FA's behavior, just as the FA is entitled to her opinion of his.
skygirl1 Dec 23rd 2009 10:34AM
Jane... It is a company policy and therefore considererd FAA policy that cell phones be turned off prior to closing the aircraft door. That is when we make our compliance check.
RON Dec 17th 2009 10:59PM
I agree with CBLOCK2. I was recently on a flight when a flight attendant was saying that someone had snatched her newspaper, which she later found stuffed in her jump seat. However, she went on to say how each day passengers seem to get worse and worse, she announced this to the entire first class cabin as she was doing pre-departure beverages. I think it's important to realize that flight attendants are NOT victims, anyone who works in a service industry or with people, deal with disrespect and harsh personalities. I'm a nurse and was kicked in the head for not bringing a man ice last night, Imagine if that happened to a flight attendant, we'd NEVER hear the end of it, right?
I'm sure this senator was a frequent flyer, so I'm sure he knew the rules, and that would probably explain why is phone was not off while the forward door was open. Perhaps he felt provoked by this flight attendant, since she was actually going against the rules. While I don't condone calling anyone names, sounds like they were both in the wrong.
News Shooter Dec 18th 2009 11:56AM
I live in the NYC area, and Sen. Schumer is well known for his big ego, and attention seeking behavior. If he had truly said it "under his breath," no on but Sen. Gillibrand would have heard it. But some one did. IMO the Senator is a prime example that a big ego is very different from a strong ego. I also think he was showing off for NY State's junior senator.
Yes, we do have the right to speak our minds, BUT we also need to accept the consequences of what we say.