A note from this FA to you.

[RegionalFA]

Dear Pilots,

This is just a friendly little reminder about a thing called "mutual respect." Yeah, you remember me, the cute chick in the back. Remember, I'm here to work, too. Please respect that.

Sorry. I'm a little worked up right now. Why? Because I had a wonderful newhire just try to make me feel insuperior. Hon, I can bump you off any flight, so watch it.

When talking about scheduling and how flight attendants are basically not restricted by the FAA, keep your comments to yourself. That's right, clamp it. We have no FAA mandated duty limitations, daily limitations, weekly limitations, monthly limitations or Yearly limitations. by contract, I can't be "scheduled" more than 30/7. However, I've flown *censored* near 40 due to weather delays. I've had pilots yanked from flights that I was left to work. Flight attendants are superhuman and don't get tired, apparently.

Your little comment about how "well, FA's can't kill 50 people." *censored* you. Seriously. Shove it. Okay, and, with autopilot and a co-pilot, the odds of you "accidently" killing a boatload of people are pretty slim, too. Don't imply that my job doesn't matter. Where were you the last time a passenger stopped breathing, had a heart attack or just plain freaked out? You can't come out of the cockpit any more... who's gonna put out a fire? Who's gonna keep those people happy when you make your self serving announcements that we're gonna be sitting for a few hours due to weather. It sure as hell isn't you.

So, let's not forget that FA's have a different job, but it's important, too. And, while the FAA doesn't show that it agrees, it is important to know that the person in the back is alert and confident. It reflects well on you and the company.

I realize that you, as a pilot, for obvious reasons.. have the more... "daunting" tasks at hand. At least on a daily basis. Yes, I want to know that you guys are alert and paying attention. I want you to catch the radio calls, see the other aircraft in the vicinity and ALL the piloting aspects of daily work. I respect your job.

Please respect me and mine.

And, if you don't, just keep it to yourself. Don't say that it's okay that they work me to death because, unlike a pilot, I'm not as much as a safety risk. Maybe I'm not, but that doesn't make it "okay" for me to be unalert in the back.


Thanks for understanding.

Your FA

 

[PacoPollo]

..The GUAT is back!!!!!!

 

[Air Biscuit]

You're probably paid more than alot of f.o.'s. So don't feel bad. With Mesa, Chautauqua, and everybody else willing to work for sh!t wages and continue the race to the bottom you just may have the better paying job in a few years.

 

[I.P. Freley]

You GO girl!

Excellent points, and I agree with every one of them.

A little mutual respect goes a long way... I am always amazed by pilots that don't understand this little truism. The person (or persons) in the cabin have a difficult and often thankless job, and having a flight crew belittling them makes matters worse. I make a point of briefing my FA on EVERY leg... And impress upon them that their input is valued, and above that, EXPECTED. I want my WHOLE crew in on the game.

The first time I see my FO playing that "I'm better than you" game to the FA is the LAST time s/he does that.

 

[RegionalFA]

You're probably paid more than alot of f.o.'s. So don't feel bad. With Mesa, Chautauqua, and everybody else willing to work for sh!t wages and continue the race to the bottom you just may have the better paying job in a few years.

while i appreciate the sentiment... why does everything have to be turned into a CHQ/MESA bash? Get over it!

 

[210FR8DOG]

I think being an FA is harder than being a pilot. I'd rather deal with instruments and weather than a bunch of whiny, moaning passengers. You've got my respect.

 

[LittleDeuce]

Dear F/A

Please consider those comments as an immature remark by a pilot that should know better.

Any true professional pilot would never even consider underestimating the value of Flight Attendants as an integral part of the entire crew.

 

[RegionalFA]

Re: You GO girl!

Excellent points, and I agree with every one of them.

A little mutual respect goes a long way... I am always amazed by pilots that don't understand this little truism. The person (or persons) in the cabin have a difficult and often thankless job, and having a flight crew belittling them makes matters worse. I make a point of briefing my FA on EVERY leg... And impress upon them that their input is valued, and above that, EXPECTED. I want my WHOLE crew in on the game.

The first time I see my FO playing that "I'm better than you" game to the FA is the LAST time s/he does that.

Thank you. I guess I should have included that this doesn't apply to ALL pilots. I realize that. i absolutely ADORE most of my crews. We have a LOT of fun and I feel like part of a "crew." Not the FA to the crew.

I'm just irked because we have an influx of newhire FOs and a lot of them seem to have a holier than thou attitude and seem baffled when I stop asking them every leg if they want anything from the galley.

 

[Stinkbug]

In November 2001, I was jumpseating on a Delta Express 737 out of MCI, bound for MCO. During the takeoff roll, smoke or something like it (I believe it was ultimately determined to be water vapor), filled the cabin to the point that I could hardly see the cockpit door, which was only six rows in front of me. Obviously, the passengers began to panic. Shouts of "smoke!" and "fire!" could be heard all through the cabin. The people behind me started reciting the Lord's prayer very loudly. I was kind of in a state of disbelief. I saw, or rather felt, one of the FA's rush past me and begin banging on the cockpit door. Apparently she was successful in getting the cockpit crew's attention because the plane immediately rolled into an extremely steep bank and pretty much remained in that bank until we were lined up with one of the intersecting runways. We landed safely and evacuated on the runway (went down the slides - very cool

I tell this story not so much because it was the first time in my life when I thought I was close to dying, but rather because it was the first time I had the opportunity to see in person the real reason we have FA's - to maintain order in the cabin during emergencies and to ensure the safety of the passengers until they're safely evacuated. The three FA's on the flight were all young - I don't think any of them were beyond their twenties - and were obviously, like everyone else, terrified. But the professionalism and poise with which they executed their duties during the pre-landing briefing and the subsequent evacuation was astonishing. We've all seen FA's brief passengers in emergency exit rows on the use of those exits, but I can assure you that seeing one do it with trembling fingers in a smoke-filled cabin while simultaneously trying to comfort crying passengers is a much different experience. It forever changed the way I view the flight attendant and her role on my aircraft.

I made a point to let the captain of that flight know how well his FA's controlled the cabin while he and the FO were getting the plane back on the ground. I'm pretty sure he also now has a healthy respect for his FA's, if he didn't before.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Dear Pilots,

This is just a friendly little reminder about a thing called "mutual respect." Yeah, you remember me, the cute chick in the back. Remember, I'm here to work, too. Please respect that.

Sorry. I'm a little worked up right now. Why? Because I had a wonderful newhire just try to make me feel insuperior. Hon, I can bump you off any flight, so watch it.

When talking about scheduling and how flight attendants are basically not restricted by the FAA, keep your comments to yourself. That's right, clamp it. We have no FAA mandated duty limitations, daily limitations, weekly limitations, monthly limitations or Yearly limitations. by contract, I can't be "scheduled" more than 30/7. However, I've flown *censored* near 40 due to weather delays. I've had pilots yanked from flights that I was left to work. Flight attendants are superhuman and don't get tired, apparently.

Your little comment about how "well, FA's can't kill 50 people." *censored* you. Seriously. Shove it. Okay, and, with autopilot and a co-pilot, the odds of you "accidently" killing a boatload of people are pretty slim, too. Don't imply that my job doesn't matter. Where were you the last time a passenger stopped breathing, had a heart attack or just plain freaked out? You can't come out of the cockpit any more... who's gonna put out a fire? Who's gonna keep those people happy when you make your self serving announcements that we're gonna be sitting for a few hours due to weather. It sure as hell isn't you.

So, let's not forget that FA's have a different job, but it's important, too. And, while the FAA doesn't show that it agrees, it is important to know that the person in the back is alert and confident. It reflects well on you and the company.

I realize that you, as a pilot, for obvious reasons.. have the more... "daunting" tasks at hand. At least on a daily basis. Yes, I want to know that you guys are alert and paying attention. I want you to catch the radio calls, see the other aircraft in the vicinity and ALL the piloting aspects of daily work. I respect your job.

Please respect me and mine.

And, if you don't, just keep it to yourself. Don't say that it's okay that they work me to death because, unlike a pilot, I'm not as much as a safety risk. Maybe I'm not, but that doesn't make it "okay" for me to be unalert in the back.


Thanks for understanding.

Your FA

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to hear about your experience. This is probably the same type of guy that makes idle threats of not alowing a Delta Jumpseater on board when the F/A calls up front. Then miraculously, he backs down off his tirade and welcomes the guy on when he meets him face-to-face. WTF?