TonyC said:
I want to be sure that I understand you here, and digest the full impact of your statement. I am assuming that "imo" means "in my opinion". If I am correct in my assumption, then it appears we have a difference of opinion.
The Captain recognized it was unwise to fly on the same airplane as the identified passenger.
Option 1: (Your preferred option) Captain walks off airplane, conflict resolved. Oh, but the airplane doesn't move until another Captain can be assigned the trip and make his way to the airplane.
Option 2: (the option chosen) Captain asks the passenger to leave. Passenger leaves, conflict resolved. Flight departs without delay.
Option 3: (not an option) Captain does nothing, proceeds with the flight knowing he is distracted.
My opinion is that the Captain has the right to choose between those options. My opinion is the Captain should not be castigated because he did not choose the course of action you would have preferred he choose.
Now you may think I'm unworthy to comment on this subject, unworthy of forming a valid opinion, simply because I'm a lowly box-hauler. In fact, you've as much as stated so on another thread. But I'll have you to know that PIC Authority is a VERY sensitive issue at my company, as we have had SEVERAL Captains terminated for exercising their PIC Authority by deplaning jumpseaters. If you think a distinction is made in the FARs about Cargo PIC and Passenger PIC, then you are ill-informed. I HAVE studied the FARs that relate to this issue, and I FIRMLY believe in the Captain's PIC authority. It was Captain K's call - - not yours or mine.
I support him.
OH, but how could I forget?
I must concede to your superior wisdom. You are far more articulate and knowledgeable than I, and I am unworthy to engage in a meaningful discussion with you. My inferiority is evident in my position as a lowly box-hauler. Please pardon my interruption of your life.
I bow to you.
Oh, I'm sure if I were telling you how to deal with a box that was just sitting there on your aircraft....not smoking, or ticking, or leaking, or damaged, or mislabeled...but one that just simply pi$$ed you off by it's mere existence and proximity even though it had a perfect right to be there, you'd point out my complete lack of experience in real-world box-deplaning, and weigh my opinion on the subject accordingly. You consider yourself lowly? Inferior? Well, I certainly don't, but to each his own I say, even inferiority complexes. Hell, the entire UK is built on that. But I never questioned the existence of a PICs authority, and it would be silly to think there's a difference in it regarding pax-hauling vs. box-hauling. It's simply that I think misused his if the facts have been related correctly. Hey, come to think of it, he'd probably get pi$$ed-off and de-plane me if he knew my opinion on how he admittedly-emotionally wields his de-planing authority.
But if you're listing options at least list them all. Forgetting the most obvious one....the one that thousands of pilots in bad situations use and have used in the same, exact scenario as Capt K was faced with...is pretending his was the only avenue; that he had no choice but to let his emotions rule the day, and that his authority exists without scope. So here are the REAL options he had, revised for accuracy;
Option "A" (the most widely used, my preferred option, the one you convenienty left out, and the only good one)
The Captain, upon finding out who's onboard suddenly tells the F/O to immediately drop whatever he's doing, and "get on the horn to Dispatch and confirm we are an organ-donor flight and is there a Lifeguard callsign we should use." After the F/O has done this and in answer his quizzical look while awaiting Dispatch to call back, with great solemnenity the Captain tells him that even if Dispatch's answer "on that Lifeguard thingy" is negative, it's critical that they push-back on time and "flying really, REALLY fast" is essential due to the fact that they've just been told an apparently rare-and-expensive human organ is on board...that "the world's biggest d!ck is sitting in First Class". The Captain then sits back and thoughtfully watches the F/O with a raised eyebrow as he struggles to find the right words in answer to Dispatch's response and counter-query of "No. and Wtf are you talking about?"
Having now gotten his ya yas out, and pleased with is own wit (happily preserved for posterity on the CVR...just in case) the Captain is now free to get back to his job and attend to the tasks at hand, and sets a good example for his F/O by doing so as befitting his profession and position as the man in the left seat; critical things like checking FMS programming and V speeds, ensuring paperwork is satisfactory to the Feds, and elevating cockpit morale by giving the F/O a heads up when he spots good-looking, eye-candy babes coming down the jetbridge. They go fly and think about flying. Everything's cool.
Option 1 (the next best option) Captain walks off airplane, thereby removing the problem. Conflict never materializes in the first place, since Captain isn't there to initiate it. Airplane doesn't move until another Captain can be assigned and make his way to the airplane, reinforcing what pax already know....airline travel sucks. Pax relatively assuaged when F/O makes skillful announcement relating how Captain has fallen ill, and in the interests of safety has taken himself off the flight, because at least half of them imagine that the words "fallen ill" are really aviation codewords for "hung over". Knowing this, the intrepid F/O goes on to apologize for the delay while they are waiting for the FNG to show up, and announce that the departing Captain gave instructions to comp free drinks for everyone on the flight, on him, while they wait.
Heroic, abused F/O not only succesfully deflects the F/As ire (who's workload has just increased dramatically before even leaving the gate and their instinct at this point is to hate the cockpit crew as a cohesive team unit) away from himself and towards the just-departed Captain Drama, thus maintaining whatever odds he had of scoring later that night with one of the F/As, but it also placates the passengers to some degree, hopefully reducing their ire from the accusatory, "probably-hung over" level to a more sympathetic "well, maybe he was throwing-up blood" one.
Option 2 (the option chosen, the one you think professional). Captain initiates conflict, and asks the passenger to leave. Passenger leaves, conflict resolved by passenger. Flight departs without delay with Captain Drama at the controls. F/O no doubt watching him carefully, wondering just what additional emotion-driven move the Captain might have up his sleeve to spring on him.
Option 3 (not an option) Captain does nothing, proceeds with the flight knowing he's distracted. Not much different that option 2. Problem still at the controls, just another 170 lbs added to the gross TOW of the aircraft.
Bowing isn't necessary..okay maybe it is..... but when you're finished get off my hijacked airplane-thread. I'm so uncontrollably, emotionally wrought-up in this that if you don't leave, I swear I'm gonna de-plane myself and either head off to Seattle to write and sing angst-riddled, wuss-songs about my feelings, or go on Oprah.
