United Captain Off Loads F/A

[J.Otto]

I agree with b707. The capt. was quite brazen in his handling of the situation.

 

[crashpad]

Safety is the #1 priority. When there's a crew member with a communication problem, they compromise everyones' safety.

 

[IBNAV8R]

FAR 121.533
(d) Each pilot in command of an aircraft is, during flight time, IN COMMAND of the aircraft AND CREW and is responsible for the safety of the passengers, crewmembers, cargo, and airplane.
(e) Each pilot in command has FULL CONTROL AND AUTHORITY in the operation of the aircraft, WITHOUT LIMITATION, OVER OTHER CREWMEMBERS AND THEIR DUTIES during flight time, whether or not he holds valid certificates authorizing him to perform the duties of those crewmembers.

Seems this little known concept has gotten lost. Don't know what happened in this case. The captain may or may not have overreacted but if there was ANY noncompliance on the part of the FA, he/she should be violated, fired and be friggin' happy that airplanes never had yardarms.

 

[Cardinal]

Never learned conflict resolution as a toddler the way the rest of us learn it? Don't know how to be an adult and find an amicable solution to a problem. That's exactly the kind of guy who has no business in charge of an airliner.

In Africa conflict resolution often involves a rusty AK47.
On the streets of American cities conflict resolution often involves billy clubs, handcuffs, and an issue Glock.
On this flight it involved a 1 hour enroute diversion. As conflict resolution takes many forms, this example is certainly in the mild category.

All those of you down on this captain, have you never had a flight attendant get out of line, such that you can't imagine it coming to this? I've worked with a great bunch of FAs, but there were still the 2%ers that could turn any situation into a nightmare.

 

[C-150ETOPS]

Perhaps you little b#$ches enjoying your little sewing circle might sit tight for awhile and wait for the full report, including the Captain's side.

Chances are that more than a few of you idiots, especially one that actually advertises in his Avatar as an "XJT FO", have never spent many "enjoyable" hours with a FA crew that appears to have little respect for procedures, FAR's and the Captain.

This could be anything from a petulant, career stressed Captain going "off the reservation", to a FA that repeatably ignored warnings about grabbing cigarettes in the forward lav, or pressing in a oven circuit breaker repeatably after being warned not to for MEL reasons because they're too lazy to walk to the mid galley. Of course in the FA's case, they're always fire and engineering experts when it comes to "their" lavs and galleys. In my experience, the FA's backed off when told to knock it off (never of course admitting guilt, even after the strong cig smell came with a FA in the lav). I would have no problem doing what the UAL CA did if the actions continued.

 

[SLOTH]

That is one big problem that we're dealing with right now. Everyone seems to think that they have the right to usurp the Captain's authority without repercussions. Personally I'm glad that this Captain did what he did to draw a line in the sand. Not sure if I would have handled it the same way, since each situation is different. Outside if the US the FA would most certainly have been canned for insubordination.

 

[RNObased]

Pretty amazing how bravado on here. Did it ever occur to anybody on here that the Captain was just a dick trying to extend his 2 inch tool? YGTBSM diverting a 767 full of passangers to show what a stud he was. No wonder they are going broke and no wonder all the "super pilots" on here that find this so impressive are working at the misfit operatons they are.

Bus

I have read this whole thread and bus is right on the money. Maybe the FA wasn't giving the captain the respect he thought he deservered, but he was probably doing his job in back and wasn't storming the cockpit with a plastic knife.

Finish the flight, get the job you are being paid to do, done then take it out in the parking lot at ORD and kick the crap out of the FA. Actually my money would be on the FA after seeing some of those captains. Sometimes you have to look at the BIG picture.

 

[Sedona16]

I have read this whole thread and bus is right on the money. Maybe the FA wasn't giving the captain the respect he thought he deservered, but he was probably doing his job in back and wasn't storming the cockpit with a plastic knife.

Finish the flight, get the job you are being paid to do, done then take it out in the parking lot at ORD and kick the crap out of the FA. Actually my money would be on the FA after seeing some of those captains. Sometimes you have to look at the BIG picture.

I'm just curious, do you have facts about this scenario the rest of us aren't privy to? It always amazes me how quickly pilots turn on their own before getting any facts. This might very well have been something more serious than a little arguement. lets give the PILOTS the benefit of the doubt until we hear any details or official report.

 

[C-150ETOPS]

An observation.

Certain posters here, claiming to be pilots, have taken the FA's side in this incident without any other information than a couple of newspaper articles with extremely limited information, and one alleged second hand report from an alleged FA on another internet forum.

We also know that amongst the "legacy" carrier FA's and even what I've witnessed with a LCC FA, that just as in society today, there is a certain subset that "feel" they don't have to listen to or respect any authority that doesn't place their "feelings" at the top of the decison flowchart. Over and over again, my carrier is routinely slammed by jumpseaters (rightly so), for the FA's sending them to the "back of the bus" when there are open First Class seats, yet when the ultimate example of Captain's authority may have been used, you slam the Captain without all the facts.

Totally pathetic.

 

[GogglesPisano]

Pilots truly are they're own worst enemies.