United pilot gets a nod

[Big Beer Belly]

He is taking care of his passengers because (in his mind) that is what he is paid to do. In your mind, you are paid to fly from point A to point B.

He's acting like a customer service agent would today or perhaps a steward would years ago. A captain of an ocean going vessel would DELEGATE customer service issues such as this so as not to denigrate (lower) the status of the captain (highest ranking on the ship!)

Sort of like Bush confirming the travel plans of white house tour visitors... perhaps a stretch, but you get the point. Same philosophical reason I oppose flight crew from cleaning the cabin/lavatories on through flights.

"A few minutes before the captain was scrubbing the crapper, now suddenly I'm supposed to respect his "authority" and do what?"

BBB

 

[A350]

I would guess that it would be called customer service.....

This is a lost art. Good on him.

A350

 

[Big Beer Belly]

I would guess that it would be called customer service.....

This is a lost art. Good on him.

A350

BAD on him. Definitely NOT a military man with a clue for authority.

Imagine Patton or MacArthur scrubbing the latrines so they could appear as part of "the team" and not elitist!

BBB

 

[bravodude]

Really? you give out wine left over from FIRST CLASS? You reroute bags to OSAKA? You have raffles AFTER THE MOVIE? You pass out cards with info on the 767? You buy 200 burgers for pax? (I guess you buy enough for seconds...)

WE take care of our pax. wine from first class No but hey what do i know our coach only airplane just doesnt make any money does it, we have the lowest rate of pax complaints among the big boys but again what do i know, but most importantly we treat people with respect something that this united pilot understands but you do not.

 

[AC560]

BAD on him. Definitely NOT a military man with a clue for authority.

Imagine Patton or MacArthur scrubbing the latrines so they could appear as part of "the team" and not elitist!

Patton and MacArthur were in the business of leading young men into combat and potential death, they weren't running a service industry.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

WE take care of our pax. wine from first class No but hey what do i know our coach only airplane just doesnt make any money does it, we have the lowest rate of pax complaints among the big boys but again what do i know, but most importantly we treat people with respect something that this united pilot understands but you do not.

Your day is coming over there at SWA...soon. I remember not too long ago when one of your pilots gloated about all the money you at SWA made not just in salary but in corporate earnings...so far so good but it isn't sunny all the time...

 

[Guitar rocker]

Funny thing is that UAL says that this is great customer service for their airline. UAL also reimburses Flanagan too.......that being said, assume for a minute that all UAL pilots tomorrow would be doing the same thing. Something tells me that UAL mgmt wouldnt support the free wine, 10% coupons, complimentary bananas and apples etc. Thye would put a stop to what they say is great.

Then again, I wonder why is that there is perhaps only one UAL pilot that does this type of customer service? Seriously, what do all of you other UAL guys think about it and if its that great, why isnt everyone doing it? Last but not least, it is somewhat funny to hear someone say,"and this is my first flight." But unfortunately for those without a sense of humor and in this politically correct world, that can seriously be perceived in a literal sense causing some to wonder about even flying with him.

Im supposed to fly on UAL this week. Wonder if I can get some free wine, apples, bananas, and a 10% off coupon too..........something tells me that I wont though........I might have to buy some peanuts on the plane instead.

 

[dhampton]

Does this guy creep anyone else out?

 

[Big Beer Belly]

Patton and MacArthur were in the business of leading young men into combat and potential death, they weren't running a service industry.

Oh puhleez forgive me for YOUR inability to see an analogy! Imagine YOUR CEO scrubbing the toilet in the corporate office, emptying the waste baskets, and vacuuming the floors... all in an attempt to appear to be "one of the team".

Wouldn't you hope/pray he has better (more worthy) things to be contemplating?

Same goes for the captain of a delayed flight. Wouldn't you as a passenger hope/pray that a customer service agent (let alone THE captain of the flight!) work the crowd trying to appease the customers.

Along the same lines... how would you feel if you saw your surgeon cleaning up the operating room prior to your surgery? Would you honestly feel... "Hey, what a great fella to be helping out and cleaning up"... or would you be questioning the the financial health of a hospital that requires its most accomplished/educated/esteemed colleagues to mop up the goop from the previous surgery?

BBB

 

[Ex737Driver]

Doctors don't have the down time that pilots have during a long delay. I would rather that doctor help out patients rather than buying burgers and resulting in even longer delays in the waiting room. When there is a long delay what would you rather the pilot be doing than helping the passengers? Buying 200 burgers is an extreme example, but I thought it was cool he called ahead to have the manager pull a passengers bags and retag them.

He is taking care of his passengers because (in his mind) that is what he is paid to do. In your mind, you are paid to fly from point A to point B.

Calling for catering to restock items left out is in the job description. Calling ops to have a bag retaged is in the job description. Calling to have fuel removed so that all paxs and bags can be accomodated is in the job description. Taking pictures of animals to be loaded in the cargo bin and then showing them to the paxs is not in the job description. Cleaning the cabin with the FA's after each leg is not in the job description. Spending whats left of your check on apples and big macs after your CEO raped you and all of your employees of pay, benefits, and retirements, is definetely not in the job descriprion.