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Galley Gossip: A question about being a flight attendant on reserve {Gadling}
Feb 1st 2009 12:14PM Max, my how sour the grapes are today! I know people who think like you are not open minded enough to be reasonable, but I'm going to try to enlighten you anyway. You don't know anything about the flight attendant job. You say our job is to make the flight more enjoyable for people "forking over large amounts of money". When was that? 1978? Up until recently, nobody was forking over more than 99$ one way. Barely enough to cover the cost of jet fuel to carry them. And our job? Is not about giving you three drinks and extra pretzels and water "to take a pill" the minute you (and 150 other people) step on the aircraft. It's about safety. Bottom line. Period. For all those people who like to sling the term "waitress" at us, I hope the next time you're at TGIFriday's, and you choke or have a heart attack, your waitress, (who is trained to handle these emergencies, of course,) steps in to save your ungrateful life. Or evacuates you out of the restaurant if it's on fire, and is the last person out. No offense to servers, that is not their job. But service on an airplane comes after, not in spite of, safety. And about those "many" benefits. I have been flying for twenty years, and haven't had a pay raise since 1996. I am a single parent, and can barely afford the group rate for health insurance for me and my son. That, you see, was cut in one of the many contract re-negotiations that took place so people like you could keep flying cheap despite the rising cost of jet fuel. Neither my union nor any other has "destroyed the industry". (Not your comment, someone else's but I'm on a roll.) My days are longer, my pay lower, and the removal of all the traditional services apparently all my fault. So, why, you say, don't I quit? Because, jacka$$, even on a bad day, my job is still pretty good. Why don't I lift your bag? Because it is not in my job description, therefore my company will not cover any injury I might sustain as "on the job". So I will be in pain, without a paycheck, and paying a lawyer to fight for me because you had to pack a heavy bag, but didn't want to check it, or lift it yourself. Sorry, I can't afford to be that nice. What I CAN afford to do is smile at you, attempt to serve you in a manner commensurate with the tools at my disposal, (yes, I have TWO degrees, and use big words with frequency) help you if you have a medical emergency, and, hopefully neither you nor I will never have to face this possibility, but I can save your life in the event of an accident. And I do it because I enjoy it. I rise above people like you, who are blessedly in the minority, and have a great time with the majority of passengers, who are pleasant and appreciate what I do. Have some respect.
Tell Us!: Most Annoying Commercial Ever {WalletPop}
Jan 31st 2009 9:34AM Okay, now I have to find that one on YouTube. I'm already laughing and I haven't even seen it.
Tell Us!: Most Annoying Commercial Ever {WalletPop}
Jan 31st 2009 9:31AM Ch ch ch Chia!!! Every time that comes on, I have to wash my brain. Also, the Burger King commercials with the guy in the giant head. That is about the creepiest thing I've ever seen. I cheer when the little boy kicks him. Lastly, can anyone reach Vince from ShamWow and tell him something is wrong with his eye? What IS that? Is he squinting? "In the next 20 minutes or so 'cause we can't do this all day." Except 82,000 more times. ShamGAG.
Galley Gossip: Just a few things a flight attendant doesn't want to hear {Gadling}
Jan 29th 2009 1:01PM Kristi, Kristi, Kristi....do they know you're out unsupervised? Next time you want to go off institution grounds, make sure your meds are up to date. As for you, AhovalaN, go back to your ESL class and see if they can teach you to spell. Big FYI? "Juvellin" is not a word. As for the poster who wanted to know "where the good looking ones are", (meaning flight attendants) allow me to enlighten you. They're wondering themselves where all the well-mannered, charismatic, dapper businessmen went. When, exactly, did they get replaced by Joey Buttafuoco wannabes, in their NFL team pajama pants. pit stained sweatshirts and mullets, having somehow gotten a seat in first class with the proceeds from their "Girls Gone Wild" bootleg business? They huff and puff their festering swamp breath all over everybody as they struggle to fasten their seatbelt extensions over their huge bellies, right before they plant their smelly stocking feet on the wall and demand a beer. With ice. Oh wait, was that you? Who knew? Trust me, you aren't missing anything because you didn't stand a chance. The "good looking ones" were interested in men who didn't think a romantic evening consisted of a bucket of KFC and a Colt 45 in the El Camino in the 7-11 parking lot near the strip club. Now if you don't mind, I have to hand out earplugs, eyeshades and surgical masks to everyone ELSE in first class, and then I'll be happy to bring you your hot steaming cup of STFU.
Galley Gossip: Just a few things a flight attendant doesn't want to hear {Gadling}
Jan 28th 2009 10:40AM To Kelly, the person who was planning to travel with an infant...in the case of whether or not you have to purchase a seat for the baby, if he/she is under two years of age, most airlines allow you to hold him/her in your lap. As a flight attendant, however, I would highly recommend purchasing a seat for the infant if you can afford to do so. It's much safer for them in the event of turbulence (it's hard to hold onto a baby and your seat at the same time) and much more comfortable for you. With a baby in your lap, it's so hard to move around, your arms get numb, you have no tray table space to put a drink or anything else; you get the picture. I'm also a mother, and having a seat for your infant just makes a flight much more pleasant. Also, babies tend to be happier in a familiar place, such as the car seat they're in whenever you take them out at home. As far as how sound carries, it's just a personal opinion, no science behind this, but I do think it tends to carry forward more. I appreciate that you're trying to not subject your fellow travelers to a crying baby, but it might be better for you to try to obtain a seat near the bathrooms. That way, you're closer in case you need to change a diaper, or use the facilities yourself. Finally, if it's just you and the baby, don't hesitate to ask a flight attendant to hold him/her when you need to use the restroom...we're happy to help, and I personally love to get my baby fix every once and awhile. Safe and happy travels!
Galley Gossip: Just a few things a flight attendant doesn't want to hear {Gadling}
Jan 28th 2009 7:50AM Oh, Heather, I couldn't have said it better myself. I have been a flight attendant for twenty years (mad props to my co-workers on the Hudson!!) and I have heard them all. You only left out one, my personal most hated question of all..."Am I going to make my connection?" Well, I'm trapped in the metal tube up here with you. I'm not psychic, and I don't have access to a computer. How would I know, exactly? If I tell you yes, and you don't make it, it's my fault. If I tell you no, well, that's my fault, too. Bottom line, I DON'T KNOW, and it doesn't matter until we land. I will add that the most ridiculous request I ever got was many years ago when we served meals on 737's cross country. Full airplane, no extra space for even a molecule to move, and a passenger asks me, in the middle of the meal/beverage service, to stand in line for the bathroom FOR HIM, then send someone to get him when I get there, so he doesn't have to wait in line himself. People, we DO love our jobs, we do. But how would you feel when faced with customers like this? We're not personal servants. And to those people with specific food needs (what is a pescetarian?) I beg you, bring your own. If you're allergic, religious or diabetic, nobody is responsible for your meals except you. We are now strictly in the transportation business. We don't have any hidden food that we're not giving you just to be mean. Happy trails!
Another disabled traveler horror story: Delta passenger with muscular dystrophy forced to crawl off plane {Gadling}
Jul 31st 2008 8:14AM My dear Maria, if you would be so kind as to reread my post, you will notice that I made no mention of "getting paid" to do the compassionate thing. I explained clearly and neutrally how the accommodation of disabled persons generally works in the airline industry. I did say that flight crew members are prohibited from lifting disabled passengers due to liability concerns and risk of injury to themselves, thereby compromising other flights they are needed to operate. I followed that by adding that most of us will break the rules to some degree to show compassion to those who are disabled. Clearly, you either did not read the whole post or did not understand it. Maybe you should ask God to explain it to you, so you do not further make a fool of yourself.
Another disabled traveler horror story: Delta passenger with muscular dystrophy forced to crawl off plane {Gadling}
Jul 30th 2008 6:31PM As a twenty year flight attendant with a major airline, I would like to contribute to this debate. The problem is multi-faceted. It is the responsibility of the disabled person to find out if the airline in question is equipped to assist them. It is the responsibility of the reservations agent to confirm that. Then, it is the responsibility of the ticketing agent to ensure that the disabled passenger arrives at the gate in a timely fashion, provided the passenger has allowed enough time. The boarding agent informs the flight crew of the disabled passenger's needs, which must be within reason, as the flight crew is NOT qualified to lift, or transport any disabled person. Also, the boarding agent notifies the destination airport that a disabled passenger is arriving. The arrival agent is then responsible to ensure that the proper equipment is available when the passenger arrives. This might be provided by the airline, or by the airport, depending. At NO time is the flight crew either required or expected to physically lift the passenger for liability reasons, and also, should a crewmember be injured in such an effort, the outgoing flight is then compromised. Now, having said that, there are exceptions to every rule. There appears to have been a serious breakdown in this chain of responsibility, and at my airline, no passenger would have been made, or even allowed, to crawl anywhere. That is just human compassion. While not technically allowed to risk injury lifting a disabled passenger, I can't think of a single crewmember in my experience that wouldn't have at least attempted to help in some way. I think the problem is liability law complicated by cost cutting measures at airlines AND airports, further mucked up by arcane company policies. Unfortunately, the disabled person gets the short straw. Hopefully, the situation will improve in the near future, but understand that no one person, or even department is solely to blame.
I'm Obsessed with the Liberty Mutual Ads {News Bloggers}
Feb 25th 2008 10:00AM I think you're overanalyzing. Pizza guy is looking at his watch because he's wondering how much longer he has to deliver pizzas before he can go home, have a beer and watch "American Idol". The poor vegetable chopping girl is depressed because she's, well, she's a vegetable chopping girl. Prep work in a busy restaurant kitchen sucks. Just read Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential". Older brothers are supposed to pick on younger brothers. That's how kids develop coping skills for the real world. If they always get to win growing up, they'll crumble like stale cookies when they get their first rejection letter from a job interview. As for Nadine repeating her lifesaving move in the last few seconds, I think it's a metaphor for the karmic circle. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
What's the Most Offensive Thing Ann Coulter Has Ever Said? {News Bloggers}
Oct 12th 2007 3:55PM For the person who wondered, Ann Coulter lives in West Palm Beach, FL, where she knowingly voted in the wrong precinct and then denied it. But I digress. Cenk, you're being your own worst enemy and her best friend by giving her any attention at all. She tends to time her ridiculous and offensive statements with the pending release of a new book, after which it will fly off the shelves. by even mentioning her name in any kind of public forum, you're just proving that there is no such thing as bad publicity.
