You're a professional . . .
. . . remove the stickers from your flight bag!
I was waiting for a flight when two sets of airline crews walked by. Both crews wore clean, sharp looking uniforms; both displayed personal grooming standards equal to or above any airline's requirements. Everything about these two sets of crews looked professional until they walked past my point of view and some stranger next to me asks, "Why do some pilots cover their flight bags in stickers? It looks unprofessional." I didn't want to admit it, but he was right. He was stating an obvious observation that so many of the traveling public think, but hardly say out loud.
Why do some of us feel the need to plaster our favorite ski resort, sports team, or political statement all over our flight bags? I'm just as much a fan and proud of the university I graduated from, but I wouldn't want my doctor to walk into the waiting room with a clip board covered with his alma mater's brand. Or my lawyer having his collegiate logo pasted on the side of his briefcase next to the sticker sporting his favorite local microbrew.
I hear pilots at all levels complain about not getting the respect that they once had, and maybe that will never change. But if I'm going to represent the commerical airline industry as a pilot, I would appreciate the guy (or gal) next to me looking some what professional. In addition to many other things, not having stickers covering their entire flight bag would be a good start.
. . . remove the stickers from your flight bag!
I was waiting for a flight when two sets of airline crews walked by. Both crews wore clean, sharp looking uniforms; both displayed personal grooming standards equal to or above any airline's requirements. Everything about these two sets of crews looked professional until they walked past my point of view and some stranger next to me asks, "Why do some pilots cover their flight bags in stickers? It looks unprofessional." I didn't want to admit it, but he was right. He was stating an obvious observation that so many of the traveling public think, but hardly say out loud.
Why do some of us feel the need to plaster our favorite ski resort, sports team, or political statement all over our flight bags? I'm just as much a fan and proud of the university I graduated from, but I wouldn't want my doctor to walk into the waiting room with a clip board covered with his alma mater's brand. Or my lawyer having his collegiate logo pasted on the side of his briefcase next to the sticker sporting his favorite local microbrew.
I hear pilots at all levels complain about not getting the respect that they once had, and maybe that will never change. But if I'm going to represent the commerical airline industry as a pilot, I would appreciate the guy (or gal) next to me looking some what professional. In addition to many other things, not having stickers covering their entire flight bag would be a good start.
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