US Airways Suspends Pilot

[PHX767]

It all boils down to judgement. I learned a long time ago to pick my battles and when to decide to fall on my sword. If a guy is that annoyed and spring loaded to the P.O.'d position that he can't handle keeping his mouth shut for 30 seconds then he needs to call in sick and take a breather. Shouldn't be flying. What does he do, start throwing crap around the flight deck when he gets a reroute or a hold?

I just had to do the routine this weekend while doing the furlough non-rev thing. With all the metal that I had with me except my wedding band and class ring stuck in my rollaboard, I still beeped.

Got the treatment, the pat down, and the shoe check. It wasn't a big deal. I allowed extra time to go through security, so I wasn't in a rush. The kids doing their job did just fine. It wasn't degrading nor did I feel my pilot ego being stepped on. If I was in a uniform, I would feel the same way. I usually joke with them, say "rub my shoulders a little while you are at it."

I trim my nails and hairy parts at home now, so I don't need to carry anything that would slow me down.

Judgement.

 

[Tim47SIP]

The single ID is the only way to go. I cant help but wonder what the Passengers are thinking when the flight crew is scrutinized twice as much as the average person. When a crewmember is screened more intensly than the people around him, the passengers wonder why. I have had them ask me "is there something wrong with the other pilot"?, "has he been screened by your company"?, How long have you known him"? etc. I'm not saying the crews should not get checked, but I think there should be a different room, or check them the same as every one else. You dont know how many airports I have been to that the crews were singled out, even with company ID cards and a dispatch with all of the names on them. The problem I have with this is that the screaners will practically strip search and open every crew bag, and then let 10 passengers by without one bag being checked. Every one should be checked the same!.
Although I personnaly keep my mouth shut during the screening process, I have heard many a crew member ask "if you are worried about that little fingernail file, then what do you want me to do with the crash axe and flair gun in the cockpit"? Normally the screener would just say "look, I didn't make up the rules" and the whole thing forgotten. For me, I just tell them to watch out for the brown spots, as they are real! I am sure ALPA will try to help him as he is from a major. If he was from ASA, Comair, Eagle, COEx, etc. he would be out of luck. I hope he does not loose his job.

 

[Stinger6]

But how do it know?

If the issue were one of respect only, then crews (including FAs) should be at least partially exempted or treated better.

If the issue were one of security, then all should be screened vigorously by one means or another.

But we all know that the issue is one of pretense only. There is a small but very stupid portion of the population (including some crew members whose words I read here) that thinks these security measures somehow make us more secure.

None of these measures would have prevented 9/11. None of them. And I think many of you suspect that the bad guys are done with airplanes. When there is a next time, these men will shock and horrify us with their use of something we never anticipated. Then there will be a whole new segment of the population destroyed by new security measures.

The only prevention is a massive, horrifying retaliation that makes the world stand up and take notice. When blood runs in the streets of the enemy capital, people will think twice about harming the hairs on any of our heads. Of course, this will never happen, but that's what I keep waiting for. In the meantime, keep on taking off yer shooz.

 

[capt_zman]

How is asking for tweezers being harassed and/or disrespected? All these people are doing are trying to make the general public feel safe with flying again. Why is that so bad?

Also, explain to me why a high school education is needed to search a person or a bag. I don't think they are doing any math or vocabulary here, just looking to see if something isn't right. Nothing really calculus or physics related here.

As for comparisons between pilots and other high-end professionals, the main reason pilots don't command the same respect is that they are a commodity. There are 10,000 qualified pilots right on your heals dying to take your job for less money.

Which brings me to another point, we all know that life is a series of choices. You make right and wrong ones all throughout your lifetime. Why is it that all I keep hearing about is that "We fly for peanuts" or "Lost opportunities" or "Regional Airline Slave" or "We deserve this or that"? Please, do us all a favor, put the uniform on that you earned and do your job that you chose. If you don't like that, I'm sure there's a $6.50/hr security screener position available at an airport near you.

 

[ksu_aviator]

I think whats really frustrating for a lot of us is the fact that hamburger flippers could still by pass security after 9/11 and pilots have to go through extra security. If I was a radical I would get a hamburger flipping job and just pass the gun in a brown paper bag to my buddy that was going to Hijack the airplane. I don't know every airports security process, especially since I'm now furloughed, but hamburger flippers where still by passing security in early October.

As for the pilot...yes passing security on a daily basis sucks, but he should keep his mouth shut, but I know I've been tempted to let those screener know what I think. We should also look at the screener to see what he/she did. They have to be held liable for their actions too. I'll have to see what the pilot said before I hang him, but I'm sure he wishes he had kept his mouth shut.

 

[MAK]

For all of those wondering what, if anything, ALPA is doing to support Captain Menear (US Airways), just go to www.alpa.org and see if you can find anything (I couldn't).

I'm afraid there's only ONE thing ALPA understands anymore... your dues check-off.

 

[dondk]

Making the flying public feel safe by taking tweezers, nail clippers or whatever, is that is what is being suggested?

If it was only that simple, heck the furlouged guys would be back at work!

When I say harrassed or disrespected, let's think of this differently... Let's be like the average passenger. A hard working person who goes to thier office everyday. How would they feel (or you) if every day going to your office you had to go through a checkpoint, get singled out more often than not, have your personal belongings riffled through and possibly conviscated. Submit to pat down's, removing shoes, belts, hat's, getting asked if you have an underwire bra on?

All this to do your job. If this was happening to John Doe at Microsoft, Stanley Morgan, General Electric, Ford, or whomever they too would be fed up. It just happens that for crews our workplace is an airport, and our office is an airplane are we really any different than Joe Public? I cannot see how we are any different, other than for the amount of passengers that pass through security and the amount of crews it appears the focus is more on the crews and we are a far less percentage in relation to passengers. So why do we get the special treatment? Is it because we should take it because we want our job(s), because we are easier targets as we are more likely not to have the contraband and hence less work for the screeners? Is it because we HAVE to go through thte security check point where a passenger can choose not to travel by air?


Education... when you take a person, and suddenly give them authority without proper training or education we are asking for trouble. Myself like many others have kids, if tonite I sit down and tell my 12 and 13 year old they have the power and authority to search me, challenge me without any reprisal from me as I can go to jail. What do you think would happen?
I think there should be a baseline these screeners adhere to, not only on procedures but in capability and reasoning skills. In most cases something beyond a HS education will be required.

Professionalism, we are expected to be professional from the second we put that uniform on, then we shold get the same respect that we are to emit. A police officer demands respect because of the uniform they wear, why should we be any different? Are police officers a commodity too?

I for one do the job I chose, I chose to make the "peanut" pay, work the hours away from my family, lose the opportunities I could of had. I chose all of that, and I would probably choose it again. I did not choose to be singled out because I fly aircraft, I did not choose to have my personal items riffled through, I did not choose to have to answer to a security screener who now has the power to basically end the career I CHOSE...

 

[avbug]

I think we have the source of the problem. If a simple comment is made to a screener, it would probably pass. However, if a crewmember who feels the way the following quote depicts; arrogant, haughty, high, and demeaning, picks a fight, he will probably lose.

quote:
"All of a sudden a bunch of under-achieving, under-educated, goons with a chip on their shoulder over their $8.25 an hour jobs have been given power over $200,000 a year sky gods - a few of the screeners can not help but turn into bullys. They have been waiting years to "teach these arrogant pilots a lesson." (School is now in session folks)"

Call in to a secretary to talk to the boss, you had better be nice to the secretary. You need to get past her, and it would do well to treat her as a person, as a human being. You may never get past her, otherwise. Same for the screeners. They have a job to do, and cop an attitude as shown in the quote, and you may end up having a hard time.

Two hundred thousand dollar a year sky gods? Is there someone out there who really thinks of themselves in this manner? Unbelievable. Sad. Pathetic. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE???

Underachieving? Who on earth are you to set the standards that another must achieve in life, or to dictate who or what that person will be? Do you think you are superior because you have a more extensive education, or that it makes you better? If so, you have a long way to go in life yet, and some import lessons yet to learn. Perhaps you studied Aristotle, and the screener did not. Are you greater in the eyes of the courts, the eyes of
God, the eyes of the law? Are you superior in some way that gives you the right to look down on others?

Don't tell me about those who have worked hard to get where they are. We've all worked hard. But we know nothing of the lives of others. We've all heard the comment that I cried because I had no shoes...but have you walked in the other person's shoes?

Do you deserve respect because of your uniform. You don't deserve squat. You deserve nothing. Respect is earned. Don't forget that you are not a "sky god," but a person doing your job. A human being. Five bucks worth of chemicals and water in a skin suit, doing your job.

Yes, you spent thirty or fity grand on your career. So what. Most people spend that on their house. It's money, it's been spent. You spent it. Big deal. We all got here one way or another, but you do NOT buy respect. Don't demand it, don't expect it; go earn it. One does NOT earn it by making snyde comments and looking down on others from the self-inflated position of a "sky god." I am sickened to think of sharing the cockpit with someone who would look upon me, or anyone else, with such a haughty point of view. And deeply saddened.

Someone commented that we deserve great respect, and are better than our passengers because we can fly an ILS to minimums. Wow. What arrogance. I've had passengers who could perform intricate heart surgery. Passengers who had been awarded purple hearts in the service of their country. Passengers who ministered to entire congregations in times of need. Passengers who fought for points of law in the highest courts and congressional sessions. Not a single one of them could fly a localizer to minimums, so does that make me better than them?

I've had passengers who had to borrow the money to get somewhere, or who were comped because they couldn't afford to go. Passengers who had no education, no status. Who's clothes were purchased second or third hand. Passengers who were old, sick, who had no great gift left to give society but themselves. Am I better than they? No. I am their servant; I am there to serve them and to do my humble best for them. They deserve my respect. They are human beings; people. They are my responsibility, my charge, my mission. Better? They are my equal, except that I will bow for them; they deserve no less.

When I leave the terminal, I am not better than the man who has nothing. The man in the old olive drab field jacket and ragged pants, with his belongings in a store bag, his hair wet, his eyes vacant, and his hope gone. Better? I am humbled to the dust; I could be that man. We are but one step from the gutter.

I will tell you this, and be done with this thread; it's sickened me. A short time ago I lost my employment. One day I had everything, and the next it was gone. Much like many of us. I lost my house, my car, pawned my possessions. I couldn't afford a single present for my children this Christmas. I had a potentially life threatening medical condition, and couldn't be seen by a doctor because I had no money, and no insurance. I sought public housing, but was unable to recieve it because of so many others here seeking the same thing.

I am back today, just barely, but thanks only to another person who helped me. Some of these events happened only weeks ago. I am flying, I am working, I have purpose.

Don't be lead to believe you are superior in any way to screeners, passengers, those who work with the FAA, or others in any capacity. You are not. You are a person. You have one vote and one voice in life, as do they. Your value is the same. You may make more money, but you are no more important. To those who would believe otherwise, I pity you in your prison.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Two hundred thousand dollar a year sky gods? Is there someone out there who really thinks of themselves in this manner? Unbelievable. Sad. Pathetic. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE???

No - this was the way it is supposed that some screeners percieve pilots to be - that misperception is what they feel justifies their actions to "teach pilots a lesson."

Based on your writing, you apparently feel that the actions of the airport security screeners is justified and that in fact, they are qualified. You are obviously grabbing at straws seeing as how you have resorted to deliberate misquotes.

The fact remains that we must have adequate selection, training and certification of airport screeners.

Do you deserve respect because of your uniform. You don't deserve squat.

Ok, you wrote that in your post advocating "respect" for screeners? Enjoy the moral low ground you flame baiter.

 

[avbug]

Respect because of a uniform or job? No.

Respect because each of us is a human being? You bet. If that's the moral low ground, I'll occupy it with honor.