Why are passengers rude to pilots?

[BoilerUP]

For what these people pay? ******************** them! I do what is outlined in my company manual. no more no less. The traveling public deserves to get treated like this. They pay peanuts and then want filet mignon, all the while wearing their cut off jeans and stinky flip flops. I say raise the prices so high that only decent people can afford to fly. Get the trailer trash out of here. No manners and even less common sense.

Deserves to be posted again.

If you feel slighted when a passenger asks you a question and doesn't offer thanks, just make sure to say "You're Welcome" regardless and go about your business.

All of us are airline employees, representing our regional carrier and the mainline partner. Yes there might be alot of stupid/rude pax out there, but there is an equal percentage of stupid/rude pilots. Just because a passenger isn't 100% courteous to you doesn't mean you should stop being that way to them.

What ever happened to simple professionalism in this industry? Oh yeah, the "its not my job" syndrome and "I'm not paid enough to _________, you get what you paid for" disease.

 

[siucavflight]

Deserves to be posted again.

If you feel slighted when a passenger asks you a question and doesn't offer thanks, just make sure to say "You're Welcome" regardless and go about your business.

All of us are airline employees, representing our regional carrier and the mainline partner. Yes there might be alot of stupid/rude pax out there, but there is an equal percentage of stupid/rude pilots. Just because a passenger isn't 100% courteous to you doesn't mean you should stop being that way to them.

What ever happened to simple professionalism in this industry? Oh yeah, the "its not my job" syndrome and "I'm not paid enough to _________, you get what you paid for" disease.

Nice post, punch just dosent get it, we are in a customer service industry. Be rude to the customer and they will take their business elsewhere.

 

[Grassstrippilot]

I laughed my A$$ off at that. Although if you haven't eaten at Wendy's on C Concourse you MIGHT not get it.

Oh man! That's funny!!


Slomo! Great Avatar!!!

 

[Grassstrippilot]

A few months back while walking through the terminal I noticed a toddler getting away from his parents as he was allowed to use the main corridor as his personal play ground. He got on an escalater leading to another terminal without the parents notice. I ran after the kid and returned him to his mother, whom snatched him out of my hands and yanked him away in a huff without so much as a smile, never mind a simple thank you.

People are rude, I disagree that they are taking their anger at the airline out on the pilots. That is immature and not productive for them. They could never get anywhere in society with that kind of attitude. I believe that they all think we are overpaid and under worked. The only way to change this is for all pilots to continue to act like the professionals we are and command respect.

In any setting this drives me nuts. You went well beyond the extra mile. Personally, I enjoy being helpful in another way. Go up to the mother and ask her if that was her toddler that just went up the escalator. I especially enjoy the look of panic and fear when they look around and can't see they beloved little baby. Maybe the little jolt of fear will teach them to keep a reign on their kid. If you want to spice it up a little, ask her if it was her little boy that a guy just grabbed and went up the escalator with. Same result with a little more panick stricken look.

 

[willbob]

First: Slomo nice avitar, and if anyone trys to take it down they must be a member of the "alternative lifestyle' camp.

Second: I always try to be polite and helpful, I try to imagine the person that is rude and stressed is my 80 year old mother having a very bad day at the airport, but the people that come close to that discription grew with manneras and respect. I hate the young fat white trash that have no manners whatsoever.

Had a chubby little kid with a mouth full of Mcdonalds fries yell at me "hey pilot-HEY PILOT" to which I responded "My parents taught me not to talk with my mouth full", and then added as a afterthought "children should be seen and not heard" his parents were mortifyed.

Third: stupid pax that blame the airlines for there own stupidity. witnessed a passenger show up at the gate seconds after the door had shut for his LSE trip. after yelling at the gate agent about how screwed up the airline is. He then sits down and starts making calls to the people who were going to pick him up at the airport telling them how his flight was late ect... The whole time he is stuffing his face full of McDonalds that he stood in line for at least 20 minutes at MSP thus missing his flight! well at least he had 6 hours to reflect on his own stupidity-if he was smart enough to figure it out.

Idiot!

 

[jellynuts]

I love it when a pax gets on the plane and hands their boarding pass to the FA like they are an usher at a baseball game and wants them to point out their seat, which happens to be 4 ft away in row 2. The best part is that they think this is normal because they usually say nothing before or after the exchange, as it is a normal to be that stupid and not look at your boarding pass.

Oh and the whole age thing and looking to young to be able to be a pilot is a joke. A woman once asked me if I was missing my prom one night on a flight to philly and I just smiled while saying yeah and your daughter is really unhappy.

I find that when people are rude or angry towards you it pays more to be nice or pleasent back to them. Example: driving down the road and someone happens to give you the finger, instead of giving them the finger back try waiving to them with a smile. Now that will promote some serious anger haha!

 

[CA1900]

I find that when people are rude or angry towards you it pays more to be nice or pleasent back to them...

You mean like this guy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAgLd1Q5Bsk


I love how sweet and condescending the cop is; it just sets the guy off even more. Hehehe....

 

[Rook]

When I was a relatively junior F/O, I flew a PWM-DTW trip. It was winter and we had to de-ice. My CA (nice guy but no CRM skills at all)never made any announcements to what we were doing. After the de-icing we had an ATC delay and once again, CA wouldn't say anything to the pax. When I prompted him his response was, don't worry about it. Landing very late in DTW I jumped off the plane to help the XJ rampies offload the carry-ons. As I was pulling bags onto the j/bridge this a$$clown came up to me and said that was the worst flight ever. I responded "make all your complaints to Northwest Airlines...sir He then responded with "I'm a Northwest pilot!" (DH'ing out of uni) To which I responded with this gem, "Then you should be used to this." Now this isn't a knock against NWA guys cuz I take the commuters home all the time. But this jerkoff actually tried to get my name by grabbing my ID's from my neck. I shoved the guy off me and told him to get his mf'ing hands off me. (DTW represent right? )

Anyways for that gem I had to do a little tap dance in the CP's office (my fearless CRM leader was the one to turn me in)After a few laughs the incident was forgotten. But I never flew with that CA again. Kinda felt bad for shoving the guy but only for about 2 seconds. CP said that I had every right to defend myself.

Oh yeah...slomo your avatar rocks the house!

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

When I was a relatively junior F/O, I flew a PWM-DTW trip. It was winter and we had to de-ice. My CA (nice guy but no CRM skills at all)never made any announcements to what we were doing. After the de-icing we had an ATC delay and once again, CA wouldn't say anything to the pax. When I prompted him his response was, don't worry about it. Landing very late in DTW I jumped off the plane to help the XJ rampies offload the carry-ons. As I was pulling bags onto the j/bridge this a$$clown came up to me and said that was the worst flight ever. I responded "make all your complaints to Northwest Airlines...sir He then responded with "I'm a Northwest pilot!" (DH'ing out of uni) To which I responded with this gem, "Then you should be used to this." Now this isn't a knock against NWA guys cuz I take the commuters home all the time. But this jerkoff actually tried to get my name by grabbing my ID's from my neck. I shoved the guy off me and told him to get his mf'ing hands off me. (DTW represent right? )

Anyways for that gem I had to do a little tap dance in the CP's office (my fearless CRM leader was the one to turn me in)After a few laughs the incident was forgotten. But I never flew with that CA again. Kinda felt bad for shoving the guy but only for about 2 seconds. CP said that I had every right to defend myself.

Oh yeah...slomo your avatar rocks the house!

Wow..... all this would've not happened if the you or the CA made a few PA's.

People don't mind change, they just don't like being changed.


I've been on flights where the pax were getting screwed over by the sytem... yet updated PA's were made..they were told the truth and they got off the flight smiling....

 

[willbob]

Anyways for that gem I had to do a little tap dance in the CP's office (my fearless CRM leader was the one to turn me in)After a few laughs the incident was forgotten. But I never flew with that CA again. Kinda felt bad for shoving the guy but only for about 2 seconds. CP said that I had every right to defend myself.

DTW cheifs rock

 

[rickair7777]

Deserves to be posted again.

If you feel slighted when a passenger asks you a question and doesn't offer thanks, just make sure to say "You're Welcome" regardless and go about your business.

All of us are airline employees, representing our regional carrier and the mainline partner. Yes there might be alot of stupid/rude pax out there, but there is an equal percentage of stupid/rude pilots. Just because a passenger isn't 100% courteous to you doesn't mean you should stop being that way to them.

What ever happened to simple professionalism in this industry? Oh yeah, the "its not my job" syndrome and "I'm not paid enough to _________, you get what you paid for" disease.

I am actually in the "you-get-what-you-pay-for" camp. The only public service obligation I feel I have is to safety. On-time performance, effeciency, courtesy, and helpfulness can all be purchased from me by my employer with decent treatment and wages.


As for extremely rude passengers, I will give them one non-hostile response and then walk away if they persist in rudeness. I will and have refused to fly rude passengers. All you have to do is say "I feel intimidated/threatened by the pax" to the CP and that will be that. I usually like to get security involved to cover my @ss...as long as you have a witness (CSR, flight crew, or even other pax) the culprit will not have a leg to stand on.

 

[ArcticFlier]

What ever happened to simple professionalism in this industry?

What ever happened to the Golden Rule? Do unto others as you would have others do unto you? You get what you charge in this industry, and given what we charge.........well you get the idea. It's too bad many have forgotten that, but it's not an excuse to be rude to the customer. Two wrongs don't make a right.


AF

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I am actually in the "you-get-what-you-pay-for" camp. The only public service obligation I feel I have is to safety. On-time performance, effeciency, courtesy, and helpfulness can all be purchased from me by my employer with decent treatment and wages.

Character for sale?

It is pretty clear in your logic that character is absent. Thus if you were to acutally bargain for decent treatment and wages in exchange for character, in time you will once again be wanting to re-discuss terms.

Character and intergrity is a persons gift to himself. Not something that is bartered for....

In addition, I seriously doubt your airline treated decently and had good wages and then changed...after you signed on. No, your employer was the same when you applied. It is you that has changed: changed from an interviewing wannabe ready to "do whatever it takes" to your current personality based self.

 

[rickair7777]

Character for sale?

It is pretty clear in your logic that character is absent. Thus if you were to acutally bargain for decent treatment and wages in exchange for character, in time you will once again be wanting to re-discuss terms.

Character and intergrity is a persons gift to himself. Not something that is bartered for....

In addition, I seriously doubt your airline treated decently and had good wages and then changed...after you signed on. No, your employer was the same when you applied. It is you that has changed: changed from an interviewing wannabe ready to "do whatever it takes" to your current personality based self.

You have no idea of the meaning of integrity or character...my understanding of those terms was solidified in the middle east.

We are discussing BUSINESS, not ethics. Good customer service is a commodity that provides economic benefit to the employer, and costs money to acquire. Motivated, personable people are more effective at customer service, and therefore have more market value than fat, lazy slobs with bad attitudes. You get what you pay for...

I once worked for a company that reaped great profits by taking advantage of my can-do attitude and willingness to go the extra mile and insulate that company's customers from their endless incompetence. Got tired of being a human shield because it was the "right thing to do". I finally stopped giving...which really doesn't suit my personality, so I quit.

My current employer is great, treats me well, and I feel great about putting forth 110%.

 

[slomo]

Ok folks, everyone take a deep breath, relax. Forget customer service, professionalism and all that and let's try and re-focus on why we got into this sordid business in the first place.

Let my avatar remind you.


I didn't think it'd be such a hit. I just thought it was mildly amusing.

 

[pdub20s]

The other day in the terminal, a couple of other pilots and I were just talking during a break and were approached by three different people demanding to know where something was. Not one of them thought it important to say excuse me, or thank you. They just walk up interrupt your conversation, demand to know where to get their bags, then walk away shaking their heads and without even a thank you. One lady came up and grabbed the coat tale of the pilot to get his attention.

Anyone know why passengers treat pilots like this? From now on I will not even acknowledge a passenger if they speak to me this way.

What do you guys think Chuck Norris would have done ?

 

[Mike man]

I was in checking the weather at a gate computer, with no gate agent around, a few months ago. A passenger walked up, a man in his early 30's, and said "excuse me, can I ask you a question?" I said "I'd be happy to but I might not know the answer." He extended his hand with a wad of garbage in it and said "here". I gave this man a look of distain and told him there must be a garbage can around here some where and he should find it.

He was on my flight, so when we got to our destination I called for a meet and assist for a blind passenger, he refused the assist.

 

[BeachBummer]

I got a lady who came up to me while commuting to work with "I sure hope you know how to fly that thing, my husband was in the navy for 23 years". I replied I'm sure i'd do fine, but i'm not flying that plane. What do you do maam? She said she was a 2nd grade school teacher. I said "well, thats excellend, but never would I come into your classroom and ask you if you knew how to teach... do you my mom is a teacher too"! just about then the husband dragged her off with a surprising look on her face.

 

[flyer172r]

Wow..... all this would've not happened if the you or the CA made a few PA's.

People don't mind change, they just don't like being changed.


I've been on flights where the pax were getting screwed over by the sytem... yet updated PA's were made..they were told the truth and they got off the flight smiling....

I wish that was always the case. Did a flight from IAD to EWR, thought it was going to be a half hour ground stop, turned into a 3 hour ground stop, and every time the EDCT time got pushed back the captain made a PA announcement describing exactly what happened, and yet when we got there a passenger decided to wait for me on the jetbridge so he could ream me out for making him miss his connection. I tried to explain what went on but he just called me a liar and continued yelling at me until finally my captain tapped me on the shoulder and I walked away before I started getting into it. I guess you really can't please all the people all the time.

 

[GEORGE DUBYA]

What I like to do when I am interrupted by a passenger is to drop down against one of the concrete pillars that hold up the terminal and begin to clean my self like a cat. Once my uniform pants come off they usually go away.

 

[Terry Hunter]

When a passenger approaches me, my response is to pretend I don't hear them for about 12 seconds, then slowly turn my gaze toward them but before actually making eye contact, I yell "Neggs guess n' lion".

THANK YOU Ganja- My wife was wondering what was sooo funny that I was reading, causing my eyes to swell up. The rewards of wasting hours of my life finally find a return on investment in FI.com.

 

[Sig]

I'll be DURNED if this thread didn't come to mind this afternoon in Philthadelphia.

No gate agent, I was totally ignored by a supervisor, planeful of pax, 18 minute turn- ran in, got the door open, kicked the folks off, printed my own release (like that's a big deal, but hey), fielded about 15 questions from passengers, made three of them laugh hysterically, made one feel like pewp for laying into me (AND he apologized when he deplaned), somehow managed to find a gate agent and forced her to take those odd ticket things, and somehow felt good about it.

Having said all that feel-good saccharine flapdoodle above, I gave up on giving half a crap about USAirways because they gave up on me a long time ago, and therefore F the passengers. I could've been a serious pr!ck about the whole ordeal and sat on my hands, but I did someone else's job(s). The goofiest part? Because I read this thread and I rethought my job.

Don't even begin to get me wrong- I don't have some revamped outlook on being a turboprop puke in the northeast, and I'll most certainly get an instant headache when the next stupid question is fired at me the nth time that day, but I did have an ounce of give a d^mn. For the most part, it's going to be "I just fly your fat arse at the speed of smell for a pittance. Siddown. Shaddup. Quit yelling." But it was surreal thinking about this thread when a minor meltdown in a crummy corner of a shabby terminal could've gone full tilt into a huge delay behind the late evening push, or with a half ounce of give a shyt I made a tiny planeload of people a little less intolerable and got them home.

Whatever. Who wants pie?

 

[cjdriver]

Here's my bus ticket driver, when do we leave?

 

[CA1900]

I'll be DURNED if this thread didn't come to mind this afternoon in Philthadelphia.

No gate agent, I was totally ignored by a supervisor, planeful of pax, 18 minute turn...

LOL, you're getting me all nostalgic for CommutAir's US Airways Express days. I distinctly remember coming into Boston--an ALG station then; not sure now--when the express gates were out along the far end of the terminal, and they were bussing the passengers out to the planes.

So we get to the ramp at about 9:45am (right on time), creep towards the gate so they can hear us in the ops trailer, and we get.... nothing. Nobody comes out. One guy opens the door of the trailer, looks at us, and goes back in: Not his flight, not his problem. So we sit. And sit. On the service road, with our ass out on the taxiway, and cars stacked up in both directions on the service road, giving us dirty looks. (At least we didn't get the finger; that's another story altogether!)

We've waited five minutes now, we've called in repeatedly, we're due out in 10 minutes, and I have to whiz like a racehorse. (It's a 1900 -- no bathroom!) Finally, I look over at the captain: "I have an idea." He shuts down the left engine, I climb out, shut the door, grab wands, and marshal us in.

All of a sudden, the ramp agent in the trailer hears the other engine shut down, and comes running out. He gets right up in my face and says, "What the f--- do you think you're doing?"

I threw the wands at his feet. I was furious -- this particular agent had made us late every day that week because of his pure laziness, as somehow we always were his assigned flight.

"I was doing your f***ing job, since you aren't interested. Where the hell were you? Don't even tell me you didn't hear us, because I already know: You were sitting on your ass watching TV in the trailer, like you do every morning when you make us late. We're going to be 20 minutes late out of the gate today. And you know what I'm going to tell Ops when they ask what the delay was? I'm going to say it's a Carlos-wanted-to-watch-Wheel-of-Fortune delay! Our airline paid US Airways $1300 to 'handle' this flight, and I had to park the god**** thing myself!"

Then I turned around, and see the captain just laughing his head off at my tirade. I grinned, opened the door as the bus showed up, and wished our passengers a nice day as they went on their way. The ramp guy just stood there, dumbstruck.


Honestly, I have never had worse service from a US Express station; at that point (late 1999), even PHL did a better job, despite the drug deals going on in that trailer down there. With employees like these guys, I'm amazed US Airways has stayed in business. I really am.

 

[CoolSidePillow]

People suck that's why they created a God to forgive them![/quote]

People suck that is why there is war, famine, disease, and natural disasters to get rid of so many and keep the cancer of the earth from spreading

but that Slomo avatar is the most profound thing ever put on this forum

internet is for porn!

if I need to read important things I will use my library card

I hate MESA

I am a schitzo..... so am I

 

[suupah]

What do you guys think Chuck Norris would have done ?

chuck norris would have them naked before they could have even asked the question "where is the baggage claim?"

 

[RJP]

1) Give puzzled look.
2) Mumble any three words you know in a foreign language.
3) Turn up iPod and walk away.

 

[acaTerry]

IMHO - Be a Professional Pilot, when interrupted by a rude passenger, do the best you can to help them with a smile and a kind word. We might not know where their flight leaves from, but we probably know where the information can be found.

Often passengers are running late due to no fault of their own and their stress is a normal reaction - after all we will leave them at the gate if they don't connect in time. If I can help someone with my ALPA pin and bag tags in plain view, I hope that passenger goes away with a better impression of airline pilots and of our association.

I once heard a senior US Attorney (two levels from the President of the US) relate a story how as a child she got lost at CVG and a Delta Pilot helped her find her way back to her father. This made enough of an impression on her that she still talks about it 28 years later and candidly, she holds Delta pilots on a pedestal as a result to this day.

After all, take a deep breath, forget all the Reguest for Proposal garbage for a second and enjoy smiling back at the kids that smile at you. They go back and draw pictures that they want to be airline pilots some day. Our percentages against Firemen have fallen in recent years and darned it, this is a better job that going into a burning meth lab, or an apartment complex engulfed in flames at 02:30 in the morning.

Even the backpacker pilots with the ear buds have the newest Ipod'o'Treo with WiFi. Show off that internet connection. Starbucs has free wireless and every airline (except for AirTran ) has a site where you can get current flight & gate info. These are our customers who pay for those jets we get to scoot around in. Go ahead and hate airline management for the stupid schedules and lousy service that get these people so jacked up to begin with, but don't hate the customer.

BINGO!!!!
As long as you guys call yourselves losers (See spelling BTW), have that queer looking gel / spikey hair, whine about hats and walk around with wires in your ears and backups hiked up on your backs, the public perception of you will be LOW. Geez, people had more respect for us J32 (for you SJS Academy grads..a J32 is a 19 seat PROP) drivers than they do for todays regional jet "Captain". You guys make your own bed, now sleep in it or remake it. Act like a pro, and you'll be seen as one. Remember the newspspers in CVG during the CMR strike? CMR had a top notch pilot group, and they had the respect of their pax and the press, and the strike worked, thanks in no small part to the perception of the pilots (this led shareholders and frequent flyers to write letters.).
...now todays regional pilot, with your requirement for 24 hour electronic stimulation, borderline queer styling, and slack-off attitudes, you deserve what you get. Those who this does not apply to, and you know who you are, educate / lead the way thay need you to. Then you"ll see a change, slowly.

 

[acaTerry]

1) Give puzzled look.
2) Mumble any three words you know in a foreign language.
3) Turn up iPod and walk away.

Classic example. See my above post.

 

[TCBKING]

Ok folks, everyone take a deep breath, relax. Forget customer service, professionalism and all that and let's try and re-focus on why we got into this sordid business in the first place.

Let my avatar remind you.


I didn't think it'd be such a hit. I just thought it was mildly amusing.

Im pretty sure I quit caring about this thread when I saw this Avatar. By the way, Is there a story behind this picture or did you find it on the net somewhere. If it is your picture, where do I send my resume?