United pilot gets a nod

[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.

 

[Guitar rocker]

In all honesty, if I were on any flight that was delayed and the captain was handing out bananas and mac D's cheesburgers to try and make everyone happy, it just wouldnt look right. Sure, I have a sense of humor and all but I just dont think this is very professional. If I went to a gas station and they were fresh out of gas but the pumps would be up and running in another 10 minutes as they filled er up and they wanted to give me a cheesburger and some chips for waiting...well, I could see that.....but not coming from the captain of a major airline. Geeeez.

If I was on Flannagans delayed flight, why couldnt he go fish me out a nice filet mignon (medium well with shrooms), some garlic roasted potatos and a nice fresh ceasar salad instead of some lousy cheesburger? That would be more like customer service.

 

[Guitar rocker]

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

Agreed. I wouldnt be happy with that sight....it wouldnt look very professional. Its one thing for a hair stylist to sweep the hair around her chair but not a surgeon using the windex to help clean the blood off of the floor..........just like it isnt right to see an airline pilot handing out fruits and coupons and wipping out the cell phone to take a picture of fido. I mean, its somewhat silly to even think of picturing that even taking place.

 

[PCL_128]

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.

Amen.

 

[Exskydiverdrivr]

He wouldn't have to stand at the gate and brief pax when a flight was late, if a gate agent showed their face somewhere before 25 minutes to departure time. (adjusted for the delay even). What's the big deal guys- he likes what he does. I don't have a problem with this.

When you have one of the worst pax satisfactions going you need all the help you can get.

 

[405]

Can someone define "above and beyond" please for the rest of the group? Obviously, that work ethic is dead.

I'm sorry, I forgot. It's "me, me, me" now.

 

[g-code]

I don't see why all you guys have to be such d***s in response to this guy. He is going above and beyond the call of duty.

I guess it doesn't stroke some egos enough when a guy does this.

 

[g-code]

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!)
BBB

Ok Admiral. I guess some here have never heard of lead by example.

 

[Phaedrus]

This captain is clearly compensating. I've surmised that what he truly lacks is....cynicism.

 

[WalterSobchak]

What's the big deal guys- he likes what he does. I don't have a problem with this.

And, therefore, we can safely say he is not a FI.com member. The bitterness and hated on this site towards those who go out of their way to do the right thing is insane.

 

[paid4training]

Dam, no wonder this industry is going down the crapper. This guy is taking care of passengers and enjoying doing it. The company is not making him do it, he's doing it on his own. Maybe if some of the "professionals" would do some of these things passengers would respect the industry a little more. And maybe just change the preception of airline pilots from a pompus a$$!!