No Oakum Boy, that wasn't part of my CAPT training. You can't learn professionalism from a flight school that doesn't know what it means. But getting back to the conversation at hand, it's called being a professional in a professional environment. I'm not calling the captain a liar since I don't have the weather reports for the situation to assess it myself. My point was he should have handled the situation in a professional manner. Passengers are always going to bitch and moan. It's how you handle the situation that distinguishes you. And IMHO, this captain decided it was perfectly okay to publicly humiliate this iPhone passenger.
And with millions of iPhones out there, I'm sure this isn't going to be the only incident. After sitting on the ramp/tarmack for hours not going anywhere fast, that iPhone just might be tempting to find out what exactly is going on...with the Internet so available and all on that device. Passengers aren't the dumb cattle they once were.
DX Rick & Vetrider, I don't know about other people but when I fly, I have my list of preferred airlines that I'd rather fly on and a list of airlines I will never fly on. Sure, the cost of the ticket is a key consideration but if it's within $50 difference, I'll go with the preferred carrier. This goes for hotels, cars, restaurants, anything. Why would I tolerate your bullsh!t when I can give my money to your competitor and ruin your reputation in the process?
Just ask CAPT. They know all about how poor service to their clients has caused a detrimental effect on their student enrollment in the United States.
Passengers are never wrong!?? My question is did the passenger have his phone on while taxiing out? Nonetheless, don't try to start a mutiny on an airplane with an I-phone or a blackberry by trying to make the flight crew look like they don't know what they are doing! We have to work within an ATC system--we are not out there freelancing. Weather at destination may be great, but the enroute hiways may be impacted by areas of weather that greatly affect available airspace, especially in the Northeast. In addition, although weather may look great at a destination at a given point, maybe the weather was sitting over the field earlier and is still impacting the arrivals that extend several hundred miles out. As a result, if there are too many delayed planes in the air, then ATC will give out ground delays to "meter" traffic that has not taken off yet.
The last thing a flight crew needs is an armchair quarterback trying to start a riot in the back of a plane. FYI, the last thing we want is a long delay. Our duty days are regulated by "
scheduled flying limits." However, with such things as weather, something outside the carrier's control, our duty time can be extended, in some cases to 16 hours.
It would not be my intent to ever insult a passenger. However, if somone tries to usurp me and make it look like I don't know what I am doing, I will assert my professional knowledge and communicate it to the rest of the passengers. I might even address the issue with the passenger, preferrably in private if possible. By the way, there are FAR's that address "interferring with crewmembers attempting to perform their duties." But, in worst case scenario, if this makes someone else look bad, then so be it. I am charged with the duty to get all my passengers to their destination SAFELY! Weather can be a threat, but so can unruly passengers!
The next time you go to your doctor with medical problems and he gives you a diagnosis and treatment, whip out your I-phone and go to WEBMD.com and challenge his findings with it! My guess is he will escort you to the front door, tell you to self medicate, get your Medical Degree, or find another Doctor!
