Why are passengers rude to pilots?

[siucavflight]

Wow, so much hostility to the people that are allowing you to get paychecks. Any industry where you have day to day contact with the public you are going to be treated like this. Be friendly help out, and if that dosent work just ignore them.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Slomo's avatar = BEST EVER.

 

[lowlycfi]

Some of the posts on this thread are part of the problem with this industry. You seem to not understand that this is a customer service business that happens to provide air transportation. When I was a F/A for Southwest, our paychecks had the statement "Deposits made possible by your Southwest Customers." I always kept that in mind when I put on my uniform (and I still do, even though I don't work for SWA anymore). Stop whining about and drop the hostility to the people who pay your salary.

 

[olympus593]

The Passenger? F**K THEM!!!
Slamo: Best Avatar, Congrat!!!

 

[Ganja60Heavy]

When a passenger approaches me, my response is to pretend I don't hear them for about 12 seconds, then slowly turn my gaze toward them but before actually making eye contact, I yell "Neggs guess n' lion".

 

[PlanetK]

well said lowlycfi! at first when i saw this thread i thought it was a bunch of f/a's b**ching again.

yes, folks, the part where you interact with the passengers is indeed called 'customer service'. and yes, some of these people are rude. but they're rude whether they're at the airport or on the freeway or in the mall. (in an ideal world, these people would just stay at home, and give the travel industry a break) but pax (the good ones and the bad ones) do pay your check, so it is in your interest to suck it up and be professional.

fly safe everyone,
PK

 

[eddie]

Yikes Suupa - With 500 hours I would think just wearing your uniform would jazz you. You'll find both kinds of pax, just help them out it won't hurt you not to get a thank you.

If you want to take a break and not be bothered, do it in the pilot lounge.

 

[wolfpackpilot]

Someone needs to make a flight case sticker that says: "I am not a walking information sign, I don't know where your bag is, I don't know where your flight leaves from."

And as a United Premier Exec/Delta Gold Skymiler; my sticker is gonna say:


I dont care how much or little you make, shut up and fly the plane!

 

[wms]

It's not just airline passengers, but in society in general there is no sense of decorum, courtesy or common decency. Take your family to a nice restaurant and some idiot will be sitting nearby letting the expletives fly because they think they're the coolest in the place and have a right to say and act how they want. We blew off our parents and grand parents when they wanted us to learn a few manners, and now we're paying the price for it. No one even thinks of saying please, excuse me, or thank you anymore. Just FU because I think I'm better than you. This is a trait that crosses all lines of gender, age race, and social background. Learn to live with it because that's just the way life has become.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

It's not just airline passengers, but in society in general there is no sense of decorum, courtesy or common decency. Take your family to a nice restaurant and some idiot will be sitting nearby letting the expletives fly because they think they're the coolest in the place and have a right to say and act how they want. We blew off our parents and grand parents when they wanted us to learn a few manners, and now we're paying the price for it. No one even thinks of saying please, excuse me, or thank you anymore. Just FU because I think I'm better than you. This is a trait that crosses all lines of gender, age race, and social background. Learn to live with it because that's just the way life has become.

It is a personaility trait and not a character trait. We have increased our identity via personality and not character.

Personality based people are controlled by thier environement and are simply mirrors of it. If the weather is bad, then they are in a bad mood. If someone is mean to them then they are mean. If thier employer treats them bad they are mad.

So much of their energy is comsumed by responding to factors they cannot control. If a person is spending time and energy being angry cause its raining and cold or another yelled at them then they cannot focus on positive change.


Back to this thread.. do you need to people to not be rude for you to be nice? Or positive. Effective people don't let even allow events like this to be an obstacle..they simple dismiss it and continue to be productive...

Also consider empathy. When we are at the airport we are in our work element. Many passengers travel not so often and they feel they are giving up alot of control over to the airlines and flight crews. They are stressed out and they just want to arrive on time, safe and with thier luggage. Airports are big, congested, intimidating and confusing.....

 

[VABB]

You are in public. You are a representative of your company. The average traveller just wants some information so they can get to where they are going. If they ask, just tell them. How hard is that?

I can't believe how stupid some of these threads are. Some of you people need to contact Dr. Phil so he can treat you on his show. Maybe he can arrange for a couple of pilots and a couple of passengers to come on the show and for everyone to discuss their feelings with him about this topic.

 

[crashpad]

I found this topic enlightening. I tend to be polite to all customers, even helping those traveling on competing airlines. It's our industry and we, the Airline Pilots, are the only ones passengers look to for comfort.

Examples:
Years ago a rude pax demanded to know how to get to baggage claim. I politely sent him on the train in the opposite direction. Not Nice.

More recently, a pax who loudly exclaimed on his cell phone that 'some pesky pilot' was ushering him onboard. I stated "there goes your TV". He made another smart comment and I said;"There goes your drink".
He finally said "I think this pilots gonna kick my butt, I better go now."
I laughed; "I'm gonna wait until your at the plane, then I'm gonna kick you onboard so we can leave on schedule".
It was a playfull exchange, but I made my point and he shook my hand and thanked me for a great flight before deplaning.

I give all pax respect, but when encountering the occassional 'meanies', I must become the parent. In the end, my goal is to make their flying experience positive, comforting and, sometimes educational.

 

[Richard Gozinya]

They're jealous!!!

Not Jealousy, It's Penis Envy!

Dick

 

[chqflyer]

I hardly ever chime in with my 2 cents here, but, DA@M!! Slomo wins Avatar of the year award! What was this thread about again??:beer:

 

[ATTCS]

Over 2 hours go by and only one person comments on Slomo's avtar, fellas, you need to take a break and research what is really important on this thread.

Somebody's posting something? When scenery like that appears I've got better things to do than post something stupid like this.