United pilot gets a nod

[FLYLOW22]

This is what we at SOUTHWEST do everyday!

Yeah.... but he did it with original thinking, not just waiting for a memo.

 

[Ex737Driver]

This is too funny. A guy actually goes out of his way to make sure that his passengers are taken care of and...holy sh!t...wait for it...wait for it...enjoy their flight and the responses come flying in about how unprofessional and "disturbing" this dude is.

There is a reason no one is willing to pay the fares that you people think they should pay. If every flight had this sort of experience, people would pay a little more to fly United, I know I would. Instead I get the surly flight attendant that bites my head off for holding my son on my lap instead of my wifes, because that's where the oxygen mask is (less than a foot away)! It's called product differentiation and right now there is none (except for SWA who does the same sort of thing but on a different level).

This guy deserves a pat on the back, because it's obvious that he loves what he does and it shows.

Fine. Great idea. Excellent decision. Let's have this type of service on each and every flight at each and every airline. I'm all for it as well. The point being made here is don't have the damn captain of a 747 handing out coupons and bananas like a monkey at the zoo. The man is paid, albeit a lot less, to fly the aircraft from point A to B. He is a professional and it's time he acted like one. Make the calls, delegate the appropiate services, coordinate the perks, but for God's sake, leave the duties outside of the cockpit to your co-workers who are paid to do these jobs. Next thing you know he'll be running down the jetway to drive a tug to baggage claim to personally hand each pax their bag.

 

[Dewey Oxberger]

No but I have read several stories about Doctors who do things for their patients above and beyond sticking a finger up their ass and telling them to cough. The nicer stories get turned into movies with Robin Williams. Robin Williams sadly doesn't make movies about pilots, Wilt Chamberlain does though so that has to count for something.

You mean Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? "We've got clearance, Clarence."

 

[Guitar rocker]

You should know better. Don't you fly for a Frac?

No, I sell bananas, apples, business cards and burgers to pilots who give our goods away to passengers.

 

[Long Time Gone]

You mean Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? "We've got clearance, Clarence."

Didn't I just clarify that?

Besides, it's.....

"Roger, Roger."
"Huh?"
"Roger."
"What?"

Clarence was the FE.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Your day is coming over there at SWA...soon.

WOW !!! Deja-vu....I had a legacy Captain use those exact same words to me back in 1994....it was my last trip at that legacy.

However he didn't say exactly when this so-called "day" would be. Would the prediction made in 1994 count if this "day" happened next year? Or is there a statute of limitations on any such predictions?

You've made your prediction...and you stated, "soon". My question is....how "soon"? A week?...month?...couple of months?....by Thanksgiving?....Christmas?....Kwanzaa?....New Years Day?....Super Bowl Sunday?....

 

[AC560]

You mean Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? "We've got clearance, Clarence."

Yeah sorry I was tired after dragging Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 mins last night. Tonight I am staying at Holiday Inn Express though.

 

[say again]

Who really cares what this guy does!!! And as a pilot, I'll take free food anyway I can, so good for him.:beer: I've heard of other pilots ordering pizzas for the PAX under the same circumstances, I just think its a good gesture on their parts.

 

[poor2thecore]

Fine. Great idea. Excellent decision. Let's have this type of service on each and every flight at each and every airline. I'm all for it as well. The point being made here is don't have the damn captain of a 747 handing out coupons and bananas like a monkey at the zoo. The man is paid, albeit a lot less, to fly the aircraft from point A to B. He is a professional and it's time he acted like one. Make the calls, delegate the appropiate services, coordinate the perks, but for God's sake, leave the duties outside of the cockpit to your co-workers who are paid to do these jobs. Next thing you know he'll be running down the jetway to drive a tug to baggage claim to personally hand each pax their bag.

I think it's pretty unprofessional when you hop on a flight home, and you don't even hear the pilots, let alone see them! How awkard is that!

Since we're comparing this guy to a doctor ie, a "professional." What would you think if you were going in for surgery and not getting the opportunity to speak to, or meet your surgeon first? Right, because his job is to operate on you, and completely forget get about what you are thinking.

Good on this guy. Someone who enjoys his job enough to go out of his way to help other people out. I don't think for a second that this puts the prestige of an "airline captain" to shame. Jeeze, forty years ago Pan Am 747 Captains were walking through the with white gloves, people carrying they're bags, layovers in 5-star hotels, steak dinners ever night, limos to wherever they pleased, etc, etc. Ya, lots of prestige in the title today. Give me a break.

Lose the ego, and go fly from A to B because you can't do anything else. Robots!

 

[nyboilermaker]

Funny how you never hear of an emergency room doctor going out and buying 200 cheeseburgers for the folks siting around for hours in the waiting room. Oh yeah, that's because he an professional and sticks to the job he was educated/trained/hired to do.

When does he actually do his job and fly the aircraft from point A to point B?

You're kidding right?

This is exactly what we SHOULD be doing. We get paid to manage airplanes AND people. I can teach a monkey how to fly a 767, dealing with people and having them enjoy their trip makes them buy tickets again.

No, not everyone thinks like that jackass at SPIRIT and honestly, most of our CEO and managers.

"We make the world we live in."


-NYB

 

[Rekks Inbound]

For those of you who side with this pilot, thats great. But quick question for you...why arent you out there doing the same thing he is? Maybe your embarrassed to hand out bananas???

I hate to say it, but this day and age where people are so sue happy....what happens if he hands out some micky D's burgers that people get sick from or someone finds a little something "special" in that burger.....who is liable??? The pilot, UAL and micky D's are........

I am sure that many people laugh at this pilot and enjoy his attempt at making everyone happy. Inherently, there are other passengers who perhaps are a bit more conservative and feel awkward at accepting bananas and burgers from an airline pilot at the gate. There are other professional ways that a pilot can "take care" of his passengers rather than being a waiter and handing out business cards with name and number.

If this Captain continues to want to go above and beyond the call, that is his choice. Good for him! Might just defuse some of the feelings the traveling public has for us 'airline professionals'.

I might not buy the pax burgers and fries, but I'll go down and chuck bags, track down wheelchairs, let the pax know what is going on with a late flight with info directly from dispatch (takes heat off the CSR's), etc. So yea, I do just about the same thing as this Captain. Just because the company is run like sh$#, management is a bunch of a--holes, oesn't mean that I don't have some pride in my job, and more importantly, myself and my pax/crew.

Peace.

Rekks

 

[ivauir]

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".


BBB

My CEO passes out peanuts and drinks when he flys.

To be good or great at your primary duty doesn't have to put you above anybody else.

As far as your military analogy ... YGTBSM! You think you are Patton because you are an airline pilot? Patton was rough around the edges but he understood that respect is earned and not assumed. If cleaning the latrines was what was need to earn that respect he'd have done it. Of course that wasn't what was required, but as it turns out he did used to walk downrange during shooting practice. He showed his men that he trusted them and that he wouldn't ask them to face any dangers that he wouldn't. I don't know what your military background was, but you might want to review some of those leadership lessons. It is not struting around telling people what to do, or acting like people or jobs are below you.

 

[AA767AV8TOR]

While I do see what this pilot is trying to accomplish, it’s tantamount to trying to plug a dam burst with your finger. Yes, a pilot buying burgers for a couple hundred pissed off passengers makes for some feel-good press but does nothing to solve our problem.

We’re now at a breaking point where the government needs to step in and save our managements’ from themselves. You just can not launch hundreds of jets at a few airports and not expect major delays and gridlock. Throw in some weather and now the system is completely out of control.

We’re faced with severe ATC grid-lock and it’s not going to get better any time soon unless the government steps in. There must be some incentive for slots and/or encouraging the airlines to flying bigger aircraft into the jammed airports such as ORD and JFK. The passengers want cheap tickets, but at these prices this is the system we get and deserve. Unfortunately this is the service that comes with decimated pay, benefits and pensions. Anyone that walks empty handed onto any flight nowadays deserves what they get.

Finally, while this guy is out trying to be a hero and getting some face time, who’s minding the shop up front – monitoring the aircraft, checking notams, fuel, weather, coordinating with ATC and dispatch?? Oh, let me guess, the good old F/O at truck driver’s wages!!!!

BTW, off our message board, an old acquaintance of this guy think he is probably angling for a VP of flight job. Any UAL’ers know this guy??


AA767AV8TOR

 

[Guitar rocker]

If this Captain continues to want to go above and beyond the call, that is his choice. Good for him! Might just defuse some of the feelings the traveling public has for us 'airline professionals'.

I might not buy the pax burgers and fries, but I'll go down and chuck bags, track down wheelchairs, let the pax know what is going on with a late flight with info directly from dispatch (takes heat off the CSR's), etc. So yea, I do just about the same thing as this Captain. Just because the company is run like sh$#, management is a bunch of a--holes, oesn't mean that I don't have some pride in my job, and more importantly, myself and my pax/crew.

Peace.

Rekks

Rekks....I totally agree with you. There is nothing wrong with helping and assisting passengers at all. Making PA's is always nice too. As you mentioned, I wouldnt be handing out bananas, burgers and business cards though. But I would go out of my way to help others with their bags and find out about connecting flights etc.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

MMMMM cheeseburgers!

 

[Guitar rocker]

Since we're comparing this guy to a doctor ie, a "professional." What would you think if you were going in for surgery and not getting the opportunity to speak to, or meet your surgeon first? Right, because his job is to operate on you, and completely forget get about what you are thinking.

!

We arent talking about pilots not speaking to the passengers....thats not the point. I agree that it is somewhat unprofessional when that does happen........ but how would you feel if you were waiting to see your doctor and he/she was running late and when you finally get into the office you are offered bananas, apples and/or a nice stale cheese burger to be washed down with a bottle of wine that was supposed to be for the patient before you.....all because you were patient in waiting??? Guess I would have to wonder if I was in a convenience store or a doctors office. As that is not professional, that sort of thing doesnt happen.

Buuuut, if that has infact happened to anyone at the doctors office, maybe you could leave their with a little buzz and a slightly higher cholesterol count.

 

[Big Beer Belly]

My CEO passes out peanuts and drinks when he flys.

To be good or great at your primary duty doesn't have to put you above anybody else.

As far as your military analogy ... YGTBSM! You think you are Patton because you are an airline pilot? Patton was rough around the edges but he understood that respect is earned and not assumed. If cleaning the latrines was what was need to earn that respect he'd have done it. Of course that wasn't what was required, but as it turns out he did used to walk downrange during shooting practice. He showed his men that he trusted them and that he wouldn't ask them to face any dangers that he wouldn't. I don't know what your military background was, but you might want to review some of those leadership lessons. It is not struting around telling people what to do, or acting like people or jobs are below you.

ivauir... a little sensitive on this subject aren't we? If you enjoy scrubbing the latrine, cleaning the aircraft, folding the seatbelts (always thought that was a little like trying to put lipstick on a pig... but I digress), passing out peanuts, singing, playing guitar while wistfully strolling the aisle, stocking the sodas, throwing the bags, mopping the galleys, driving the tug, emptying the poopers, etc... have at it!

Once upon a time pilots were paid similarly to other professionals (doctors, lawyers). You can't demand to be paid on par with those professions and perform the labor of a janitor. See the disconnect? It has nothing to do with ego, or being above any task... that's a simpleton's perspective.

BBB

 

[dhc8drvr]

And when the issue of customer service comes up at an interview, your gonna say "F***K em, not my job", right?

I'm thinking this guy knows when he has the time to add the additional service. Then again I guess he could just sit up front and bitch,bitch,bitch about how bad his day is screwed up, that's productive.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

While I do see what this pilot is trying to accomplish, it’s tantamount to trying to plug a dam burst with your finger. Yes, a pilot buying burgers for a couple hundred pissed off passengers makes for some feel-good press but does nothing to solve our problem.

We’re now at a breaking point where the government needs to step in and save our managements’ from themselves. You just can not launch hundreds of jets at a few airports and not expect major delays and gridlock. Throw in some weather and now the system is completely out of control.

We’re faced with severe ATC grid-lock and it’s not going to get better any time soon unless the government steps in. There must be some incentive for slots and/or encouraging the airlines to flying bigger aircraft into the jammed airports such as ORD and JFK. The passengers want cheap tickets, but at these prices this is the system we get and deserve. Unfortunately this is the service that comes with decimated pay, benefits and pensions. Anyone that walks empty handed onto any flight nowadays deserves what they get.

Finally, while this guy is out trying to be a hero and getting some face time, who’s minding the shop up front – monitoring the aircraft, checking notams, fuel, weather, coordinating with ATC and dispatch?? Oh, let me guess, the good old F/O at truck driver’s wages!!!!

BTW, off our message board, an old acquaintance of this guy think he is probably angling for a VP of flight job. Any UAL’ers know this guy??


AA767AV8TOR

Yes, I know Denny....he is just a good hearted guy, his wife has some Medical problems and he is a real family man.

Don't know about the VP rumor, but I will say he is a real STANDUP kind of Captain.

 

[ERJFO]

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.

What type of red-neck orders a fillet medium-well? And who calls in mignon anymore?