Flight Crew Harassment

[Goodstick]

In light of recent news about passengers heckling the AA crew and the subsequent cancelation I started thinking of all the times I and my crew have been harrassed by passengers for either running late due to aircraft swaps or even comments about sobriety. The question comes up as to how best to deal with this? Would you just ignore the passenger and go about your normal duties or politely tell the person that if he wants to get to his destination that he had better refrain from making anymore such comments? At my company it is unclear how our management would support us for removing apassenger for making a comment such as "Hey are you guys sober enough to fly the plane this morning?

 

[ultrarunner]

Once an airline passenger makes a sobriety comment directed toward a crew member, that is essentially grounds for removing yourself from the flight.

 

[Flyerdan]

In light of recent news about passengers heckling the AA crew and the subsequent cancelation I started thinking of all the times I and my crew have been harrassed by passengers for either running late due to aircraft swaps or even comments about sobriety. The question comes up as to how best to deal with this? Would you just ignore the passenger and go about your normal duties or politely tell the person that if he wants to get to his destination that he had better refrain from making anymore such comments? At my company it is unclear how our management would support us for removing apassenger for making a comment such as "Hey are you guys sober enough to fly the plane this morning?

Answer - Not yet but we plan to taxi slow so hopefully we will be before the take-off roll. And if the hang over gets too bad while en-route I have a bottle of vodka in my flight case that should get us to our next over night. THANKS FOR ASKING!

 

[Andy Neill]

"Hey are you guys sober enough to fly the plane this morning?

If you're in Las Vegas, say "You bet!"
If you're in Anchorage on Dec 21st, say "Sober as the day is long (about 5 hours and 27 minutes)."
General: "Sure are. Are you sober enough to ride?"

 

[flyipilot]

AA is at total fault in this. When do the airlines EVER learn? I know, the pilots were late..big deal. The point is your paying customers were waiting and waiting and waiting. AA should have delt with it in a better fashion. It is getting so old that when a paying customer voices their concern and most of the times rightly so, and the airlines screams "threat" OH oh....stop hiding behind the TSA and FAA. We all know the rules and we all know that the airlines just will never learn about good customer service or taking a bad situation and turning it good. So, they keep losing customers and keep losing money. GO ahead, bash me...I am a fellow pilot and I see it all the time when I am in the airports. I shake my head in shame and thank my lucky stars I am no longer in that industry. I would fire every CSR and start over. But, it is obvious, the top execs see it and do not care. Maybe Virgin America will be the best airlines out there. Time will tell.

 

[i'mbatman]

Its easy, you act like a professional and don't respond.....it happens every single day to pro athletes.....how many of them do you see talking back to loudmouthed idiot fans?

 

[Goodstick]

Its easy, you act like a professional and don't respond.....it happens every single day to pro athletes.....how many of them do you see talking back to loudmouthed idiot fans?

That is generally how I deal with these types of passengers but I am seeing a disturbing trend. Perhaps with the ticket prices going up "bus people" will go back to the buses.

 

[FLYLOW22]

I remember a Delta crew in DFW that walked off the flight to do a voluntary (requested) alcohol test after a pax made a comment about sobriety when boarding.

Crew wanted to clear their good name.

3 hour delay. Good times. Don't blame them one bit.

 

[Andy Neill]

I remember a Delta crew in DFW that walked off the flight to do a voluntary (requested) alcohol test after a pax made a comment about sobriety when boarding.

Crew wanted to clear their good name.

3 hour delay. Good times. Don't blame them one bit.

This behavior on the part of the crew makes no sense to me. Why punish the 99% of the passengers who didn't say a word for the boorishness of one?

 

[ultrarunner]

This behavior on the part of the crew makes no sense to me...

Then you don't understand the sensitivity of the situation when a paying passengers accuses a crew member of possible intoxication.

It is no laughing matter.

 

[lionflyer]

I remember a Delta crew in DFW that walked off the flight to do a voluntary (requested) alcohol test after a pax made a comment about sobriety when boarding.

Crew wanted to clear their good name.

3 hour delay. Good times. Don't blame them one bit.

Comair did the same thing in ATW a few years ago because of some smarta$$ comment about sobriety. Good for them! Of course the article I was reading made the crew out to be the bad guys.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep, it's always the crews fault for passenger ignorance.

Expensive fares can't come soon enough...for a number of reasons.

 

[waka]

I remember a Delta crew in DFW that walked off the flight to do a voluntary (requested) alcohol test after a pax made a comment about sobriety when boarding.

Crew wanted to clear their good name.

3 hour delay. Good times. Don't blame them one bit.

I completely agree. Although it would be sweet justice had the Captain made a cabin announcement; "Folks, due to the passenger in 12C questioning our sobriety, we're going to take a 3 hour delay so that we can go take a voluntary alcohol test. When we finally get underway, we'll try to make up some of that time enroute."

 

[Andy Neill]

Then you don't understand the sensitivity of the situation when a paying passengers accuses a crew member of possible intoxication.

It is no laughing matter.

I see no need for a delay because a passenger said "Heh, heh. You guys sober enough to fly?" On the other hand, if the capatain asked that passenger "Do you have any reason to think we are not" and the passenger said "I'm not sure" or "yes", I'll go with the test then. Not just because the captain's sensitive ego was bruised by a boorish comment.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Fact is that you do. Even if they are joking it is an accusation, and you must deal with it accordingly.
Here at DAL we have done something to combat this. We have trained observers. When you get your sobriety questioned, you call one of them. They being trained observers of ones sobriety take all of the liability and make the go no go decision.
If they decide that you are sober, you go, if not you go get tested.
I had this happen before this change in policy. Called the CP's for the legal guidance, and straight from legals mouth was, even if they are joking you need to go get tested. He came out took everyone off drove us to the clinic, got tested, drove us back and we left four and a half hrs late, minus one passenger.