You're a professional, remove the stickers from your flight bag!

[jonjuan]

. . . remove the stickers from your flight bag!

I was waiting for a flight when two sets of airline crews walked by. Both crews wore clean, sharp looking uniforms; both displayed personal grooming standards equal to or above any airline's requirements. Everything about these two sets of crews looked professional until they walked past my point of view and some stranger next to me asks, "Why do some pilots cover their flight bags in stickers? It looks unprofessional." I didn't want to admit it, but he was right. He was stating an obvious observation that so many of the traveling public think, but hardly say out loud.

Why do some of us feel the need to plaster our favorite ski resort, sports team, or political statement all over our flight bags? I'm just as much a fan and proud of the university I graduated from, but I wouldn't want my doctor to walk into the waiting room with a clip board covered with his alma mater's brand. Or my lawyer having his collegiate logo pasted on the side of his briefcase next to the sticker sporting his favorite local microbrew.

I hear pilots at all levels complain about not getting the respect that they once had, and maybe that will never change. But if I'm going to represent the commerical airline industry as a pilot, I would appreciate the guy (or gal) next to me looking some what professional. In addition to many other things, not having stickers covering their entire flight bag would be a good start.

Grandfather who flew B-17s (35 missions) in WWII and later flew for Pan-Am, had a number of "fun" stickers on his suitcase to include one of Snoopy flying his doghouse. One of the best parts of his job was pax coming up to him saying they loved his stickers.

 

[jonjuan]

I've noticed of the FO's I fly with, those who have the most stickers tend to have their own "style" of doing things. It borders on poor technique sometimes and annoys me to no end. The pros are low-key, well spoken, calm, and don't stand out with idiotic cusomization of their luggage.

You don't see Emirates, Lufthansa or United pilots with the "DMB", "Vail", "Terrorist Hunting Permit", nor the prolific "Mile High Club...Giggity" stickers, do you? Nope. I've had FO's doing walk-arounds with Jamba Juice in their hands, cell phones, etc. There is an issue with professionalism at the regionals, and you can't blame it entirely on age.

And those AirFrance pilots with no stickers on their flight bags had no idea what the 330 was doing from 350 to impact.

 

[Oakum_Boy]

I never included Air France. They've wrecked the Concorde, A340, A330, 747....

 

[Mookie]

My stickers stay!!!!...I truly do .... "...wish I was Driving a Titleist"

really...this is a topic here? wow...slow news day

mookie

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Cracked me up when I was at Comair and saw guys with a 747 sticker on their bag. Ask them, "Who did you fly the 74 for?" "Nobody, I just like them!"

Oh.. I had stickers on my bag for airplanes I had actually flown. Silly me.

 

[Clutch]

Comair has a transgendered shemale pilot walking around... That's unprofessional no matter what kind of stickers it has on its bag.

 

[spudskier]

My doctor walks in the room with a "Lavitra" clip board and an "Ambien" pen... It reflects on me personally and I'm fine with it.

 

[COOPERVANE]

Lighten up Francis.

 

[dojetdriver]

TFAYD is the ONLY sticker an XJT'er needs on their bag.

But somebody needs to make "it doesn't matter how we got here", "cost competitive", "Industry Standard", etc etc etc..........

The SureJet stickers made by the ORD CA are priceless.

 

[Leroy Smith]

TFAYD is the ONLY sticker an XJT'er needs on their bag.

The SureJet stickers made by the ORD CA are priceless.

They need to advertise. I would put either of them on my truckboattruck.
Not on my flight bag. I dont think there is enough surface area remaining that isnt tore up....... Besides, that would be unprofessional.

 

[suupah]

Why do pilots always compare their professionalism to doctors and lawyers? At one point in history that might have been an accurate comparison but not in todays age.
Here is what makes doctors and lawyers professionals. Advanced degrees, high pay, and treated like professionals from their employers/customers.
Here is what makes being a pilot not even close. Requires a high school diploma, Pay is comparable to a NYC bus driver, treated like a bus driver by employers/customers.
You are a mass transit provider. Stop putting yourself on a pedestal.

I couldn't agree more. I know a lot of doctors and lawyers and pilots on the average, myself included, are nowhere near the intellectual caliber of doctors and lawyers.

I would however argue that the dire consequences for incorrect action, the heavy burden of responsibility and the life sacrifices that we must make to pursue this career are probably close to dr's and lawyers though.

I do not like to compare our profession to the esteem of doctors and lawyers. I would say we are of a much higher technical caliber then a bus driver though functionally similar maybe.

 

[imacdog]

This thread reminds me why working for a regional was the worst two years in my career. Thanks for the memories kids.

 

[jonjuan]

I never included Air France. They've wrecked the Concorde, A340, A330, 747....

Technically, CAL wrecked the Concorde.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Technically, CAL wrecked the Concorde.

EAL scab to be specific, Hellonewwomans dad to be more specific...

 

[BigPappa]

Why do pilots always compare their professionalism to doctors and lawyers? At one point in history that might have been an accurate comparison but not in todays age.
Here is what makes doctors and lawyers professionals. Advanced degrees, high pay, and treated like professionals from their employers/customers.
Here is what makes being a pilot not even close. Requires a high school diploma, Pay is comparable to a NYC bus driver, treated like a bus driver by employers/customers.
You are a mass transit provider. Stop putting yourself on a pedestal.

Are you trying to say that you have no dignity or self-respect? That is the image you paint with such statements. Nobody will see you as a professional if you don't see yourself as one. Just wondering....