**Just a quick shout out to my loyal readers — I am so glad to be back writing about the airline industry again…sometimes life throws you curve balls. You just need to learn how to hit them! After moving with my transfer and finally settling in to my new base, things have finally fallen into place for me to get back to the business-at-hand: the airline business. Thank you for your patience.
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Wow! What on earth is going on in the airlines and the traveling public these days!?

It seems that frustrations and anger are hitting the boiling point in the industry today…almost daily now, I am getting reports of incidents between passengers and crew members. Flight attendants and pilots are losing their minds (literally) and more and more passengers are accosting crew members, with serious consequences.

Those of you who read this column regularly know that I have addressed this issue before. It is a federal offense to interfere with a crew member at any phase of your travels, including boarding and disembarking the aircraft. Those close to me who are not airline personnel have asked if there are any consequences for crew who behave badly…and the answer is a resounding YES!

In fact, recent events involving a pilot who seemed to go berserk on the flight he was working resulted in his being charged with a felony, and the courts applied the same federal law regarding interference of a flight crew to dole out the punishment.[1] That pilot is currently on suspension and will probably lose his license to fly and his job at the airline.

Other crew members have been slapped with penalties, fines and arrest due to their unacceptable and unprofessional behavior, and many of them have lost their careers at the airlines as well.[2][3]

As serious and as bizarre as these events have been, they still don’t represent the vast majority of airline professionals who come to work every day, and endure a myriad of odd, strange, unruly and uncalled for actions from passenger and co-worker alike. As a seasoned airline employee, it has rarely been an easy job, but those of us who do it know this ahead of time, and we deal with the cards we are dealt every single day, on every single flight. But as proud as we are as a collective of our safety record and our service abilities, we are still human beings, with feelings, frustrations and faults…just like you.

The airlines are a favorite target of ire and disgust among many people, even my own family and friends. Over the years, I have endured the embarrassment and squirmy discomfort when people I know tell me their horror stories. I empathize and I try to put on a good face about it. It is clear that there are many things within the industry that could be better, more efficient and far more traveler-friendly. Sadly, until the day that some board at some airline decides to put me in charge, there is little I can do about those things.

One thing I do give my fellow airline employees credit for is their amazing ability to bend with the wind, and roll with the punches, especially after many carriers have flown through the turbulence of bankruptcy, consolidation, and acts of terrorism. Airline people are some of the most creative and visionary people I know, especially among the huge burden of remaining within the scope of their jobs, and the encumbrance of corporate and government bureaucracy and regulation.  And as the major airlines look for more ways to stretch a dollar and save a penny, it’s usually at the expense of the front-line airline employee…either through a removal of tools or services, or a change in rules that disallows us to fix what once was simple for us to resolve.

I understand that everyone has a bad day…has a problem in their life to solve…has personal tragedies and misfortunes come their way. Some find it hard to filter them out enough to leave them behind. I get that. I admit that it’s hard to come to work sometimes and be cheerful, welcoming and accommodating. I, too, am human. But I make no excuses for myself or others…just a simple and truthful observation about the men and women of the airline profession.

As long as the airlines staff the ticket counters, airplane cabins and cockpits with human beings, there will be shortcomings for the public to endure. But make no mistake:  I am proud to work with these great people every day…even the cranky ones!

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The Savvy Passenger would love to answer your questions about airline travel, from the vantage point of an airline insider! Send your questions, queries and comments directly to TheSavvyPassenger@gmail.com

He’ll do his best to answer you in an upcoming column. All personal information is strictly private and will not be shared with the general public, unless requested. Feel free to comment on specific articles right here at the bottom of the page! Safe travels, everyone…

[1] CBS News, March 28, 2012, “JetBlue pilot charged with interfering with crew,” CBS Interactive Inc., http://cbsn.ws/JRLVJq

[2] FOX News, April 4, 2012, “Delta flight attendant pulled from buffalo to Atlanta flight,” Associated Press, http://fxn.ws/HXAsgf

[3] The Daily Caller, April 12, 2012, “Former flight attendant sued for releasing confidential passenger information,” Alexa Fee, http://thedc.com/HR3zgl

Tips to Staying Healthy During the Busy Holiday Travel Season

As crazy as the Holiday Travel period can be, one of the common pitfalls of crowded airports and airplanes is the spread of cold and flu viruses.  The fact is that flu season usually peaks in January, just after the Holidays, and many experts believe it’s due to the heightened exposure to fellow travelers in close quarters with one another.

Most airplanes have HEPA filtration units in their air circulation systems on board aircraft, but the way many folks are now packed in like sardines in steel tubes at 30,000 feet for hours at a time, the likelihood that you will pick up an airborne illness or other bug is vastly increased.  So what can you do to lessen your body’s chances of becoming infected?

Stress

One of the biggest contributors to infection and the susceptibility to illness is succumbing to external sources that trigger internal stress.  Scientific studies have consistently proven that allowing stress to internalize actually suppresses the immune system, allowing for increases in infection.[1]

A simple way to help reduce your stress levels during holiday travel is to understand what can go wrong during your travels and accept that you may be faced with that somewhere along your journey.  People forget that, as winter sets in during late November and throughout December in the northern hemisphere, airline travel is severely hampered.  What many travelers tend to forget is that the airlines and their employees have no control over these external forces.  Yet time and again, the public has a tendency to express their increased frustrations on the men and women whose job it is to do their best to accommodate them.

It may sound simplistic, but remembering the words of Reinhold Niebuhr’s ‘Serenity Prayer’ may actually help you to cope: “grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”  I have seen people have a complete meltdown in front of customer service agents simply because their departure gate had changed, let alone the flight being delayed or cancelled.  It is best to practice patience and let go of the internal frustrations.  Expressing them and projecting them on airline personnel tends to exacerbate the situation.  Try taking a step back, take in a deep breath, and relax.  And most importantly, let the airline people do the job they are paid to do.  Adding additional pressure and stress on them will not get you much mileage – both figuratively AND literally.

Hygiene

They say that the best defense is a good offense.  This can also apply to protecting yourself and being proactive in lessening your chances of infection.

There is a delicate balance between exposing yourself to bugs in order to build up ones’ immune system and protecting yourself from incubating it in your body.  Many researchers believe that the recent popularity of anti-bacterial products may be doing more harm than good when it comes to fighting off illnesses.  The risk of “cross-resistance” is making the use of standard antibiotics almost useless.[2]  While the common cold and flu are viruses, researchers believe there may be a connection in the weakening of the human immune system to overuse of these products.

Most physicians believe that the best way to minimize your exposure to these pathogens is simple, everyday hygiene, beginning with frequent hand washing with standard soap and water.[3]  The Mayo Clinic suggests that hand-washing should be done whenever you sneeze or cough into your hands, handle or prepare food, use the toilet or change a diaper, or handling garbage.

On airplanes, it is important to realize that most surfaces on the plane have been exposed to other people, including individuals who may be infected with illnesses.  There is also a good bet that those surfaces have not had a chance to be properly cleaned in-between uses.  I recommend that you bring a small supply of sanitation wipes in your carry-ons in order to wipe down surfaces like try tables, especially if you plan on eating food using that table.  Remember that bacteria and viruses can survive on exposed open surfaces for hours or days after contamination, so being armed with the proper tools can greatly reduce your exposure to these bugs.

Many flight attendants will tell you that one of the more common hygienic mistakes people make aboard an airplane is using the lavatory with stocking or bare feet, especially small children.  Take a few moments and put your shoes on, or get your children’s feet shod with footwear to protect them and you from exposure to pathogens that are bound to be found in abundance on a lavatory floor!

Travelling While Sick

In today’s modern times, it is virtually impossible to avoid travelling on a flight without someone on board who isn’t suffering from an illness.  With the high cost of changing a ticket if your travel plans are interrupted by sickness, most people will choose to fly anyhow—illness be damned.

There are a few things that you can do if you find yourself in this situation to lessen the effect you may have on fellow travelers (and on your wallet).

To begin with, most airlines offer “travel insurance” for just such issues.  The cost of buying this insurance is far less expensive than being charged for change or cancellation fees associated with illness.  Having this insurance will allow you to re-book your travel plans without further cost to you should you need to cancel or re-book your itinerary due to unforeseen illness.  Remember that this insurance is only available at the time of booking, and cannot be purchased after your tickets have been issued.  Check with your specific air carrier for additional information, rules and restrictions.

Try to get a flu shot early in the season.  Most vaccines are available for the current flu season around September, while the height of the flu season generally happens around January.  It is a common misnomer that these vaccines actually cause one to get the flu.  Don’t be misled.  It is highly recommended that children under 5 and adults over 50 get these vaccines every year as the flu can actually complicate other illnesses like asthma and high blood pressure.[4]

If you are caught off-guard and simply must travel while sick, take along a few items that will help you suffer less, and help contain your infection.  If you have a cold, I highly recommend a decongestant (Alka Seltzer™ Plus Cold effervescent tablets are the best) to keep your sinuses and estuation tubes as clear as possible.  I find that a combination of this and a mucus reducer (like Muscinex™) is the best regimen for keeping these pathways open and avoid the discomfort that airplane pressurization can cause.  I want to point out here that I am not a physician, so consult with a trained medical expert before prescribing this method personally.

If you do suffer from a cold or flu, it would be wise to bring along a face mask to wear while onboard the plane.  Not only will this help reduce the spread of your illness, it will give your fellow passengers peace of mind that you thought enough to do so, and will lessen their irritation that they might pick up what you have.  You can get these at any drug store or pharmacy.  It would be wise to bring along a supply of tissue…even though most airplanes are equipped with facial tissue, you may be caught in your seat with the seat belt sign on and unable to get to that supply.  Also, as a flight attendant, on behalf of my fellow attendants, I respectfully request that if you are going to dispose of your used facial tissues, please place them in the air sickness bag first BEFORE handing it to an unsuspecting crew member! They will thank you for that immensely!

Keep in mind that on board the plane, the only thing that flight attendants can provide you is a simple dose of aspirin or acetaminophen.  This may not be enough to cure what ails you so come to the airport prepared.  Also, remember that if you are a true believer in NyQuil™ liquid cold medication or any liquid elixir, you may not be allowed through security with it if the container holds more than 3.2 fluid ounces.

There is no way to avoid the spread of airborne illnesses, but being proactive in your fight against them will help you enjoy your holidays more and allow you to travel more worry-free.

As a seasoned air traveler, if you have any additional tips or suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments section of this entry!

Happy holidays, everyone…and safe, germ-free travels to you all!

[1] Schneiderman N, et al. Stress and Health: Psychological, Behavioral, and Biological Determinants. Annual Reviews in Clinical Psychology. 2005; 1:607.- http://bit.ly/uB9NbD

[2] Discovery Fit & Health: Skin-Care: Cleansing, “Should antibacterial soap be outlawed?,” Josh Clark,  http://bit.ly/tByBpq

[3] MayoClinic.com: Healthy Lifestyle-Adult Health: “Hand Washing-Do’s and Don’ts,” http://bit.ly/vGVUDh

[4] The Centers for Disease Control,  CDC.gov, “Key Facts about Seasonal Flu Vaccine,” September 21, 2011: http://1.usa.gov/t6NvaU

2011 has been a turbulent year in the airline industry, especially overseas.  Just in the past couple of months, Air France and Qantas have been hit by labor disruptions.  For the unprepared, this could spell disaster on top of disaster if you aren’t keenly aware of what your rights are when it comes to rebooking or getting reimbursed for your paid tickets.

Here are some helpful points to consider…

Every airline has what they call their “Contract of Carriage,” which is the basic contract that every passenger agrees to abide by when they purchase their ticket.  “What contract?” you may ask?  Well, believe it or not, just as with most anything these days, we are subject to the rules, regulations and restrictions that a business will abide by, should all hell break loose.  We usually don’t give it a second thought because most of us can’t be bothered with the details.  It’s like that long list of legalese that we skip through and click “Accept” automatically when you install a piece of software on your computer: you have the chance to read it, understand it and decide whether or not you are willing you “accept” the terms of the agreement or not.  Most of us (me included) never take the time to understand these contracts, and just impatiently tap the “Accept” button on the screen and move on with our lives.

It is the same when purchasing airline tickets.

Most airlines these days will consider a job action against the carrier as a Force Majeure event, thereby releasing themselves from any further responsibility to handle a customer’s need to rebook or be reimbursed for the loss of their ticket.  Having said that, as a high-profile consumer business, most carriers will try to work things out with you, try to get you rebooked, or refund the price of your ticket to you – but understand that they are under NO OBLIGATION to do so!  They will most likely do it in order to avoid any further “bad press” since they will likely lose future business for a time long after the strike is over.

During the strike, things will be quite dicey, to say the least.  Phone reservation agents and ticket counter customer service personnel will be stretched to beyond capacity, and no doubt hold times on the phone and extraordinarily long lines at the airport will be the norm.  Personally, as a high-mileage frequent flier, I would strongly urge people to reestablish a personal relationship with a trusted travel agent (yes they do still exist!) because they have connections that the average traveler simply doesn’t have and they are in the business of handling all sorts of issues, including getting you rebooked or restored financially if a strike were to occur.

For those who choose to do things for themselves, your options are somewhat limited.  It’s important to read all press releases that the air carrier publishes regarding the situation.  Get subscribed to their Twitter feeds, “Like” their Facebook pages, and if you are a frequent mileage member of the airlines, know the contact information (toll-free numbers, email addresses, etc.) to stay up-to-date about what to do when your travel plans are disrupted by the strike.

While the air carriers in the U.S. are now subject to the Passengers Bill of Rights Act, foreign carriers have no such restrictions and trying to be reimbursed or re-accommodated on one of these airlines can be very tricky.  Utilize the same tools as you would with a U.S. airline.  Plus, many foreign carriers have travel offices in the major U.S. cities so make sure not to forget this option.

There may also be a small silver lining to an airline that has been through a labor dispute.  Immediately following the end of a strike, an airline may drastically reduce their airfares in order to get back the business they lost.  Chances are that you may find some stellar travel deals on a recently grounded carrier.  As always, use caution and stay informed regarding the airline’s financial stability.  Most foreign carriers receive some sort of governmental subsidy, especially if it’s the only airline representing that country.  National carriers are less likely to flounder than a “free enterprise” airline, so keep this in mind.

Lastly, understand that an airline that is experiencing a labor action against it has very few obligations to help you out while it tries to iron out its troubles with their unions.  Check with other airlines that may honor your paid ticket or give you credit for your ticket towards a ticket on their carrier.  Sometimes, airlines have back-room agreements with competitors to handle each other’s passengers in times of trouble, but these are rarely made public knowledge.  It never hurts to ask or try to rebook.  Give it a shot, if you find yourself in this sticky mess.

Above all, take a moment to read your airline’s “Contract of Carriage” carefully.  Many times, it will spell out what you can and cannot do or expect the airline to do for you in these situations.  The more knowledge that you arm yourself with, the more “mileage” you may get when the airline is floundering!

I was witness to an increasingly unfortunate situation as I commuted home the other day – one that hits closer to home than most people may realize.

As I waited in the gate area of my flight home, the gate agent made the announcement that boarding would begin shortly, as soon as the less able passengers who were ticketed on this flight were accommodated onboard and situated. On this particular flight, there were nine wheelchairs waiting for boarding, one that was an electric wheelchair, which clearly meant that a little more time would be necessary to board this individual using the airline’s aisle chair on the plane.

While waiting in the boarding area, and quietly listening in on various conversations going on around me, I overheard a couple near me vocally protesting the extra accommodation by the airline and they were clearly upset that the extra time needed would cause them to arrive late to catch a connecting flight down the line. As they continued, a few people within earshot chimed in as well, all offering their own opinions about how the disabled and physically challenged passengers should be handled, one even going so far as to suggest that they should be restricted to certain aircraft types or even find themselves another method of travel. I was silently shocked at this conversation and began to wonder if these people were just unsympathetic idiots, or if this opinion was beginning to find traction among airline passengers in general.

Clearly, most of us are tolerant of the special needs of those less fortunate in physical abilities – in virtually every aspect of our daily interactions. We gladly make way for them, and are glad to be of service when they ask. While there are some cultural anomalies in this world that look down upon the disabled and handicapped, in the United States we seem to have evolved far enough to warrant added patience and we find ourselves wanting to help those who require a bit more human touch than most. But as I observed here, there was definitely a different feeling brewing in this gate area.

In 1986, the United States Congress passed the “Air Carrier Access Act” which spelled out specific requirements the airlines must follow regarding the handling of disabled passengers, which in many ways mirrors the “Americans with Disabilities Act” to protect these passengers from blatant negligence or unintentional neglect from the airline carriers. Over the years, there have been many changes to this law, many of which went into effect in May 2009. You can find a complete list of these changes, along with the requirements for special accommodation by the airlines at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Civil Rights” page regarding passengers with disabilities.[1]

A recent survey by the Scope Foundation, a charity that supports disabled people and their families, revealed that over 47% of disabled people faced some sort of discrimination while traveling. Of that number, 15% claimed they faced “high-level” abuse.  And the Commission on Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), who later this fall, will be publishing a report on violence towards those with disabilities while traveling, says that travel is one of the “hot spots for violence and harassment targeted at disabled people.”[2]

The airlines have had their share of mishaps regarding physically and mentally challenged travelers, and have paid huge penalties for not being proactive enough.  In Feb. 2011, Delta Airlines was slapped with a $2 million fine by the DOT for violating 14CFR, especially after it had been investigated four years earlier for similar violations and no improvements had been determined.[3] The DOT also fined Atlantic Southeast Airlines $200,000 in June 2011 for similar violations.[4]

Thankfully, with the assistance of watchdog groups such as Scope and CEHR, airlines have been forced to devote some of their resources to make sure this sector of the public is not only seen, but also treated with respect and dignity when they travel.  As much as it excites me that progress has been made in this area, it’s frustrating to see the backlash (especially first hand) from the public at large when it comes to the handicapped.

With more people flying than ever before, and airlines facing huge push-back from travelers who feel they are being gouged with additional fees, but seemingly very little improvement in the airline travel experience, it’s not surprising that people in general have begun to transfer their frustrations on any small thing that causes them even a minute’s worth of delay. The problem seems to be growing, but is there a solution? Can we, as a society, condone a growing outrage towards those who have additional physical and mental challenges who need the additional time and resources of airline personnel to travel?

I said at the beginning of this topic that this hits close to home for me. My sister has been a paraplegic since she was three years old. Today, at 26, she is happily married with three children, and is quite able to get around (especially with three kids!). While she was growing up, she would crawl around on the floor using her arms to propel her from place to place. She may have been physically disabled, but she never quite seemed physically limited.

Hearing these people in the boarding area of my flight publicly voicing these kinds of ignorant remarks makes my blood boil, but traveling in an airline uniform limits my ability to speak my mind. Believe me; had I been an ordinary passenger in that boarding area, they would not have gotten off so easily!

Most customer service oriented positions, especially in the airline industry, require training in sensitivity and the proper protocol for dealing with passengers with disabilities.  While not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it tends to improve the quality of service that the disabled need just to get from one place to another. Even if I weren’t in the position I hold, I would still never think to discriminate, especially against those less physically or mentally able than I.  I don’t park in handicapped spaces in parking lots, and I go out of my way to open doors, or assist when I see someone struggling, handicapped or not.

It’s pretty sad to think that the public in general is increasingly less tolerant and I hope that by shedding light on this subject, that trend may be reversed.

[1] U.S. Department of Transportation, Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement, Rules Guidance & Enforcement Orders, 14CFR Part 382 “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel,” http://1.usa.gov/q5UwLf

[2] The Telegraph, UK News, “Disabled passengers face ‘rising level of abuse on public transport,’” Jun. 11, 2011, http://tgr.ph/r1r318

[3] ABCNews.com, Money, “DOT Fines Delta $2M for Disability Violations,” Associated Press, Feb. 17, 2011, http://abcn.ws/otQcdI

[4] U.S. Department of Transportation, Releases and Speeches, “Atlantic Southeast Airlines Fined for Violating Rules Protecting Air Travelers with Disabilities,” July 11, 2011, http://1.usa.gov/rk114G

One of the things that’s so great about my job is that, no matter where I am or what I am doing, I always seem to learn something new about our industry.

With so many rules and regulations already, and constant changes, it’s tough to keep track of it all…all one need do is look at the Operations Manual that I am required to carry with me when working and you can see for yourself how daunting that task can be.

Yesterday, I was privy to one of those “Ah, I didn’t know that” moments, albeit it might have been a disaster for the passenger had some of the circumstances been different.

There was a couple who approached the boarding area for their flight with twin newborns…we are talking 6-DAY OLD newborns. They were tiny and pink and one of them was quite vocal in that clear high-pitched cry that only a newborn can produce.  The Customer Service Agent who was assisting them fawned over them, like a proud grandmother.  During her conversation with them, she inquired about their age.  After learning they were less than a week old, she kindly handed the boarding cards to the parents and sent them on their way.  You could see they were excited to be getting the infants to their new home.  It was a precious sight.

The moment was soon diminished when a Customer Service Supervisor approached the parents in the gate area a few minutes later and declared, “I’ve been advised that your babies are less than seven days old.  I’m very sorry but I cannot allow you to travel with these infants today!”  The couple looked shocked and then angry, while the passengers around them produced in unison a hushed gasp. The supervisor proceeded to explain that since the babies were less than 7 days old, airline policy required a physician’s release and declaration of the babies’ health in order for them to travel unhindered.

As luck would have it, one of the parents was a licensed physician, and after producing his medical card and producing a statement of health for each child, the supervisor approved their travel. But what would have happened had neither parent been a doctor? The supervisor did try to find a way to get the matter resolved, offering to accept a fax from the children’s doctor if one could be sent in to the airport prior to departure. Being that it was Sunday, that may have proved next to impossible, had they not worked it out as they had.

Traveling with newborns is a challenge for a number of reasons. One of the most obvious is the exposure an infant this young has to the harsh environment of an airplane interior. A newborn’s immune system isn’t fully developed just after birth and it takes time for their body to adjust to the exposure of bacteria and viruses in the open air, especially in public places. Add to that the recycled air inside the airplane during flight, and then top it off with the pressurization of the fuselage that simulates conditions of altitude of between 5,000 and 7,000 feet at a gradual rate of pressurization. While we adults and most children can handle this pressure without complications, newborns are most vulnerable because their bodies haven’t learned how to equalize the pressure in their ears and sinus cavities. Also, newborns may still have large quantities of liquid in their sinus cavities after the transition from fetus to independence after birth.

Many physicians recommend that newborns don’t travel by air until they are 4 to 6 weeks old, especially if the baby has breathing complications, which can be exacerbated in a low-oxygen environment like a pressurized airplane cabin. Supplemental oxygen for the baby may be necessary (and must be ordered in advance by the physician through the airline prior to travel)[1].

Most every major airline has limited restrictions for flying with newborns less than 10 days old. Every airline has their own policy; even though the majority doesn’t charge additional fees to fly with your baby (he/she must be held, unless you purchase a ticket in order to accommodate the baby’s carrier) each carrier has specific rule regarding newborns flying under 10 days old, and almost every carrier requires a physician’s release and a certificate of health in order to allow them access to the plane. Check with your specific airline for details[2].

The most important thing to remember about handling this new person’s venture into the world of air travel is to make them as comfortable and safe as possible in this strange, new environment. Be mindful of their exposure to other passengers and monitor their comfort levels on takeoff and landing to ensure they aren’t being caused discomfort from the change in cabin pressure.

Make sure you talk to your doctor if you have additional questions on topics that weren’t discussed here[3] [4]. Before you know it, he or she will become a seasoned world traveler in no time!

[1] MayoClinic.com, Health Information, Toddlers and Infants, “Air Travel with Infant: Is it Safe?” Jay L. Hoecker, M.D., http://bit.ly/rloB6v

[2] Babycenter.com, For You, “Flying with small children: Checklist of questions to ask your airline,” http://bit.ly/pvvcnt

[3]  iVillage.com, Pregnancy and Parenting, “Babies: Is it safe to travel by plane with a newborn?” Robert W. Steele, MD, January 1, 2010 http://bit.ly/mXYjZr

[4] BabiesToday.com, Pregnancy Today, Newborn Health, “Keeping Newborns Healthy When Traveling: On An Airplane with a Newborn,” Alex Powell, http://bit.ly/o381du

Ok, what **IS** in the water these days!?  In the air?  In people’s daydreams?

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about two high profile cases involving celebrities misbehaving on airplanes.  Now it seems that the general public is trying to get into the act…

This morning, it was reported that a passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight from SLC to LAS threatened to slit another passenger’s throat with a knife over an argument regarding the armrest.  When other passengers noticed that the culprit reached into his bag several times, and removed something as it was cupped in his hands, the flight attendants were notified and the SLC Police moved in, removed him from the flight, and after a search of the contents of his bag, discovered a 3 1/2 inch folding knife.  He then proceeded to threaten the FBI agent who had joined the investigation![1]

Last week, on a flight from Majorca to Newcastle, UK, a 26-year old passenger suddenly felt the urge to attempt at opening one of the emergency exits at 36,000 feet, causing the emergency lights to come on, flight attendants to begin shouting their emergency commands and creating a panic among the passengers aboard.  He had to be restrained with eight seat belt extensions before they diverted the flight to London’s Gatwick Airport.[2]

And, of course, there were several tense situations on September 11, 2011, with suspicious incidents being reported at several airports, including the removal of three passengers in handcuffs from a Frontier Airlines flight from San Diego to Detroit (a flight that was met by fighter jets and escorted until they landed safely) and the remaining 116 passengers being detained and questioned by the FBI.[3]

These are just the incidents that actually made the news.  I have heard from several colleagues that they were involved in other cases where passenger misbehavior or suspicious activity was reported, and authorities called to the airplane for further investigation.

As with my earlier entry about other crazy stunts being pulled on flights, it should come as no surprise that in-flight crews, pilots and customer service agents are still on “high-alert” as it were, from the recent 9/11 anniversary.  Still, whether or not that is relevant, the fact still remains that some people still don’t understand that a “higher standard” of behavior is still expected when traveling by air.  Most crews can discern between rudeness and suspicious, but for the most part, they cannot afford to take chances in allowing any incident to develop into something bigger or more serious, especially when hurling through the atmosphere at nearly the speed of sound.

At times, the general public forgets that dissatisfaction is better communicated through letters or phone calls to the airline, rather than escalating it in the air.  There are unintended consequences that might have to be faced should a tirade from a fed up traveler evolve into a higher level of emotion.  Believe me; it doesn’t take much to move from “frustrated” to “taking justice into one’s own hands.”

In a somewhat ‘tongue-in-cheek’ blog entry, world-renowned travel critic, Peter Greenberg conveyed five sure-fire ways to get kicked off a flight, including dropping ‘F-bombs’ towards your flight attendant, to trying to assault a Presidential candidate![4]  While some of it may seem humorous, this doesn’t even scratch the surface of other surefire methods of instant removal.

Several years ago, while working as a Purser from Los Angeles to New York City, I had the misfortune of dealing with a truly strange situation.

A female passenger approached me in the forward galley to inform me that a seemingly inebriated male passenger was making unwanted advances towards her.  While she conveyed the story to me, she was very quiet, barely whispering the details to me when she told me that when she finally told him to ‘get lost,’ her retorted by bragging to her that she needn’t worry since he had a ‘bomb’ in his bag!  Definite red flag!  For certain, a ‘yellow card’ penalty of the first degree!

We immediately contact airport security.  Our General Security Manager (GSM) arrived planeside and informed us that all passengers and their belongings, including all checked bags and cargo in the belly of the plane were going to be removed and rescreened.  Two FBI agents appeared at the airplane door, and we directed them to the culprit.

As he was being questioned by the agents onboard, while being handcuffed right there in front of the remaining passengers on board, he exclaimed that he had told the woman that he had a “BONG” in his bag.  The agents weren’t buying it.  He was escorted off, along with his traveling companion, who just happened to be his boss and the CEO of the company the suspect worked for.  I wonder if he was eligible for unemployment insurance under those circumstances???

The bottom-line is that there really IS an unwritten rule regarding behavior on board airplanes.  While the general quality of the public’s set of manners continues to deteriorate, at some point the limits have to be established.  Although Congress recently enacted the Airline Passengers’ Bill-of-Rights, that is certainly not a free pass for bad behavior on a plane.

It really boils down to patience, both from the passengers and the airline personnel that deals with the public.  But should you find yourself in a showdown on words and personalities with an airline employee, be very careful.  The majority of the time, you will end up with the ‘short straw’ in that contest, and the ramifications of removal from a flight may be too high a price for you to pay.

[1] KSL-TV News, KSL.com, Utah-Local News: “Airline passenger carried knife, threatened others, police say,” Dennis Romboy, September 21, 2011,  http://bit.ly/ohOOLY

[2] FoxNews.com, Europe-World: “Passenger Tries to Open Plane Door at 36,000 feet,” NewsCore, September 15, 2011, http://fxn.ws/ndy3fU

[3] The Detroit News, DetNews.com, Metro and State: “3 Passengers hauled off Frontier flight at Metro Airport,” Calvin Men & Mark Hicks, September 12, 2011, http://bit.ly/mRAXSz

[4] PeterGreenberg.com, “5 Ways To Get Kicked Off Flights,” June 17, 2011, http://bit.ly/njLe1o

It may seem like an antiquated topic, but there are still travelers out there who believe the best way to travel by air is with a paper ticket.

“E-ticketing” was introduced by ValuJet in 1994. Since then the International Airline Travel Association (IATA) instituted a goal to convert all worldwide airlines to E-ticketing. For the most part, the major worldwide air carriers have all converted over to E-ticketing; according to IATA, the 230 airlines that belong to this Association were to be 100% converted by June 2008. With the exception of many African air carriers who are members of IATA (only 4.2% of the entire African continent uses the Internet and electronic computer technology[1]), E-ticketing represents the lion’s share of issued airline tickets today.

There are still some travelers however that believe that they are better protected with a paper ticket. Of course, this all comes down to the almighty dollar with regards to the airline industry.  According to IATA, the issuance of E-tickets represents over $3 billion in savings annually, and estimates that it costs the airlines over $9 a ticket in additional costs as opposed to a single E-ticket.

While the international standard for paper tickets was developed in the 1930s, IATA realized that in order for the airlines to save huge amounts of money in administrative, materials and technology costs, they began to develop an international standard for issuing E-tickets, which they finalized in 1997. The goal of IATA was to reduce the consumer’s dependence on paper tickets, allowing the airlines to create huge databases, making it easier for each airline to identify its passengers, and re-issue lost tickets. Prior to the E-ticket, paper tickets not only had to meet IATA standards, but the airlines as well as travel agencies had to keep them under lock and key as these could be counterfeited (and have been in the past) just like paper currency.  In 2008, IATA stopped issuing paper ticket stock as the vast majority of member airlines had already converted over to the e-ticketing system.

With the advent of smart phones, the airlines have been able to realize additional savings through the issuance of electronic boarding passes. These E-boarding passes contain complex, hybridized “QR” or “digitized” barcodes that are nearly impossible to replicate. This new technology has allowed the airlines to issue travel itineraries and boarding passes without the need for paper at all. This new streamlined process has also made it easier for travelers to have their travel documents replicated should their paper records become lost or stolen.

Another advantage to E-ticketing is that the airlines can now tie your travel documents with bar-coded tags attached to your checked luggage, allowing for the ease of identification and locating misdirected bags. By tracking bags using this process, lost luggage can be reunited with its owner within hours or days rather than weeks or months.

Like any technological advances, however, there are some downsides.

Photo courtesy of Fox News, Inc.

In recent years, most of the legacy airlines in the United States have experienced one form or another of computer system malfunction: ticketing and reservation systems coming to a screeching halt with computer crashes and the threat of hackers accessing their systems. Previous system glitches have proved to be a little more than just challenging, especially to those who have to reissue lost airline tickets. Specific examples include localized problems, like the one experienced by American Airlines in July 2008 when a software glitch caused several cancellations, a myriad of delays and hundreds of checked bags being stranded in JFK’s Terminal 8.[2]  In June 2007, United Airlines’ computer systems failed for several hours, causing passengers to be stranded in massive flight delays and cancellations.[3]  Although the systems were only down for a few hours, it took the airline several days before their operations returned to normal.  And just this past summer, US Airways experienced a power failure at its computer center, causing systemwide cancellations and delays, and stranding passengers at airports nationwide.[4]

The drawback to having computer systems go down is very basic. Customer Service Agents (CSAs) cannot verify travel itineraries or reservations based on E-ticketing and E-reservations. They also cannot tie checked luggage to a customer’s seat assignment. In the American Airlines case, luggage had to be left behind in order to avoid further delays, and passengers were forced to follow-up on locating their checked bags on their own. While this scenario is rare, it can cause headaches for both airlines and passengers alike. Some travelers point to these examples in making the case for having paper tickets issued. But these aren’t the only hang-ups to E-ticketing.

There are times when the airlines need to accommodate passengers by transferring their reservation to a different air carrier. Unless the two the airlines are tied into the same computer system, or are in the same Airline Alliance (Star Alliance, OneWorld, SkyTeam, etc.)it is nearly impossible for the airline to transfer that reservation to the new airline without a paper ticket.  Since IATA ticket stock is no longer available, it is up to the individual air carriers to determine how they might re-accommodate you on a different carrier.  That reservation you hold is worth $$$ to the airline and transferring you to another airline is simply a loss of revenue to them.  If they serve the community to which you are flying, they will, in all likelihood, rebook you on themselves, rather than send you to a rival carrier.

There have also been examples of customer reservations being completely wiped out due to computer glitches. The airlines insist that redundancies are in place to prevent this from happening, so this kind of issue is rare indeed. Recently however, there have been examples of customers who have purchased their tickets through online vendors (Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline, etc.). When trouble strikes these itineraries, the airlines are typically powerless to do anything about it without intervention from those vendors.

Nowadays, it is important to remember that paper tickets are more costly, time-consuming, and in some cases impossible (depending on the airport you are at) for the airlines to produce and process, which affect their bottom line.  Unless you insist on having a paper ticket issued, you will be automatically issued an E-ticket, and your reservation will be stored in the airline’s computer database, along with any ties to your luggage.  If you require a paper ticket, you can expect to spend additional time and resources in obtaining it, and most airlines have added a surcharge to the issuance of paper tickets, some adding as much at $100 USD to the cost of the fare.

Also, keep in mind that paper tickets are much like paper money…they have a face value and are worth the money you spent on the ticket.  Not all airports can replace paper tickets, especially those issued by a travel agent, so make sure to take great care in keeping these documents safe during your travels.

In today’s modern information world of airline travel, your best option is to shed the need for a paper ticket…you’ll get where you need to be faster, more efficiently, with less hassle and lower costs with an E-ticket.  And make sure to take advantage of the airlines various travel tools for issuing boarding cards and keeping up-to-date on your itinerary.

[1] Balancing act.com – Telecoms, Internet and Broadcast in Africa, Issue #256, “Many African Airlines Will Fail to Meet IATA’s E-Ticketing Deadline”, http://bit.ly/nlhNqb

[2] Fox News, Thursday, July 31, 2008: “American Airlines Cancels, Delays More Flights after Computer Glitch and Luggage Pileup” – Associated Press, http://fxn.ws/pWWZyr

[3]ABC News, U.S. News, Thursday, June 21, 2007:“United Airlines’ Tech Meltdown — It Could Happen Again” — John J. Nance, http://abcn.ws/n8a7KQ

[4] Overhead Bin on MSNBC.com, June 10, 2011: “Computer Glitch Grounds Flights at US Airways” – Joe Myxter, http://on.msnbc.com/pZE469

As the world prepares for the tenth anniversary of what most American’s consider history’s most horrific act of terrorism ever, it’s no wonder that the media circus is ramping-up with pretty much every angle and facet of analysis on what went wrong, what has happened since then and what continues happen in and around the airline industry. Speculation will run rampant and so-called expert ‘talking heads’ and pundits will raise the spectre of renewed rumblings of terrorist activity against the United States and the free enterprise world of commerce, one of the founding pillars of the freedoms that we now enjoy.

Since September 11, 2011, the world of airline travel has remained a focal point of safety and security. Last year, IATA (the International Air Transport Association) reported that over TWO and a HALF BILLION people were transported via airline travel alone. [1] In that time, there have been scattered breeches of security throughout the world, mostly due to ignorance on the part of the traveling public, or the lapse of judgement among a handful of those who are charged with maintaining that barrier of defense at airports worldwide. The human element of the equation in regards to personal safety and protections against acts of terror makes it impossible for 100% accuracy.

Anti-terror tactics that have been employed over the past ten years continue to evolve and many hard-working people spend countless hours and billions of dollars in resources to keep that high-level of security at our airports and on our aircraft daily. Yet for all the ingenuity and strategies that have and continue to be engaged and developed, the traveling public seems to take these efforts in stride. The security checkpoints and airport facilities of the United States have been on a high state of alert since the weeks following 9/11, and there has been no adjustment of that alert status, up or down, from their current levels to date. As is typical of all things “human,” when something becomes routine and tolerated to the point that little changes, we tend to ignore the signs and tell ourselves that nothing is wrong. We marginalize the discomfort and sometimes even cast disdain towards those whose job it is to keep those alert levels high and enforce the rules at the slightest infraction.

As one of those safety professionals aboard our aircraft, it is my duty to maintain order and remain vigilant, even though it may seem that my primary duties are more inline with serving beverages or seeing to the comfort of my passengers. On every flight, I witness how the majority of today’s airline travelers pay little or no attention to the safety demo at the beginning of the flight. They rarely take out the Safety Information Card and perform, what we in the business like to refer to as “the silent review” — simply taking a moment to orient oneself to their relative position in the plane, determine how far from the nearest exit they are, or how the emergency exit is opened and/or operated. Yet there are those among the media who continue to denigrate and marginalize our effectiveness or our methods to stay focused on protecting the public aboard our aircraft daily.

Earlier today, The Atlantic published an article, written by a Journalism student at Northwestern University, that was highly critical of those methods and those who are charged with enforcement of protecting the cockpit door in-flight. Entitled “How to Hijack an Airplane in 3 Seconds” by Abraham Tekippe [2], the piece comes off as an alarmist rant about the in-flight crew’s inability to protect the cockpit, were the door to be opened during a flight. Citing that would-be terrorists would seat themselves in the first few rows of the aircraft in order to over-power and over-take an open cockpit door in-flight due to the pilots’ need to use lavatory facilities or be served meals from the galley, Tekippe uses two reports of passenger complaints filed with the TSA (one in 2007 and one in 2010) to make his case (he fails to reference his source material or where he gained access to these complaints). He also blames the FAA’s lack of secondary barrier requirements by the airlines to defend the cockpit door, stating that the FAA’s reluctance to mandate these barriers is due to their restrictive cost factors (he alleges that each barrier costs between $5,000-$10,000 per aircraft, yet again citing no references).

He also blames the industry for minimizing the need for such access deterrents, and states that IATA believes that secondary barriers provide no enhancement to securing the cockpit door in-flight. In my own research on this topic, however, IATA seems to be concentrating their security efforts on keeping those who would bring down aircraft in the air off the planes completely, by enhancing and improving the secure checkpoints throughout the industry. Ken Dunlap, Global Director of Security and Travel Facilitation for IATA, contends that “passengers should be screened to a degree commensurate with what is known about them. The threat has become more dynamic. It’s not just bad objects that need detecting now.” [3]

While Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) are still in play around the system (the exact number of FAMs is classified), it would be nearly impossible to employ them on every single flight that launches daily in the US alone, let alone the world. For many travelers, just knowing that the possibility that Air Marshals could be on board their flight is enough to give them just the slightest peace-of-mind. The Federal Government and the Airline Industry have a complicated task on their hands, trying to balance the appropriate level of security with over-restrictive in-flight rules and regulations that make questionable their violation of personal civil rights . Somewhere in the middle of it all, the crew must maintain vigilance on every flight they work to ensure that everyone aboard arrives at their destination with the minimum amount of physical discomfort and emotional distress as can be achieved.

There are going to be those out there that are hyper-critical of the airlines’ role in this topic. I can assure readers of this column that most airlines consider in-flight safety and security to be their most important and crucial component. My co-workers strive to maintain that goal and take their roles as safety directors on-board quite seriously. Most of us realize that the constant barrage ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ aboard a flight is exhaustive to the average traveler. And for us, we are witness to the traveling public’s ever growing apathy toward these rules and regulations. It’s pointless to argue with the crew when it comes to these FARs (Federal Air Regulations) because it’s our responsibility to inform and enforce them.

In a few weeks, the world will remember what happened in the skies above Manhattan ten years ago. The question of security in airline travel will be discussed ‘ad nauseum.’ While discussing the topic of the possibility of a future terrorist attack is inevitable on almost any news source who chooses to cover it, one wonders if it will give travelers pause enough to understand the need for compliance with FARs when traveling? Who knows…but we will all be subject to the coverage of the event, and it will be up to us to take heed of those messages…or to ignore them.

_____________________________________________
[1]Air Transport Association, Data & Analysis, “Annual Report: World Airlines,” June 29, 2011: http://tinyurl.com/3r8bvkh

[2]The Atlantic, “How to Hijack an Airplane in 3 Seconds,” Abraham Tekippe, Aug. 16, 2011: http://tinyurl.com/3bb7cd4

[3]IATA: “Security – Tunnel of Technology,” ‘Airlines International: Dec. 2010,’ http://tinyurl.com/3j9jlmx

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For Pete’s sake!  How many times do we airline folk have to tell the public about carry-on bags?  Apparently once more…

Earlier today, the Huffington Post published a blog entry from Alexandra Swafford Das[1], a 75-year old “retired artist, gilder and muralist” about a nightmare experience she encountered earlier this year while traveling on U.S. Airways.  In an over-dramatized rant, Ms. Das declares that due to the negligence of the airline, she states that this “simple trip home from visiting my children literally could have ended my life…” and that by publishing her exploits about this experience she hopes “that this will cause them [the U.S. Airline companies] to change the way they do business so no one else suffers the same indignities.”

In a nutshell, Ms. Das arrived at the airport with a piece of luggage that she intended to take aboard her flight that was obviously too heavy for her to manage.  Her fracas with the counter agent as they forced her to lift her bag onto the luggage scale caused her to collapse at the counter and be hauled off to the hospital for four days to recover, before she reattempted her voyage.

After much hassle with reservations to re-book the flight without a penalty, she returned to the airport (with the same bag, mind you) and was dismayed that the “stewardess” was unwilling to lift the bag in the overhead bin for her, exclaiming that she “was 75-years-old with a pacemaker, kidney cancer, and other medical problems.”  While the flight attendant reluctantly did finally stow the bag for her, she was informed that in the future she should bring a travel companion or ask an able-bodied passenger for assistance.  She explains that her seatmates, a couple from Australia, were appalled at “such a rude stewardess, whose job was to assist passengers, as well as other duties.”

Later on, she declares that she wrote to the airline and got nothing more than a measly apology and pretty much nothing else.

So, what went wrong here?

To begin with, let’s be very clear about the actual handling of passenger luggage: while there are a few airlines whose policy it is for both agents and flight attendants to lift and maneuver passenger luggage, the vast majority are NOT authorized to do so.  This is a very cloudy subject among the various airlines, but for the most part this subject falls outside the scope of the attendants and agents job parameters.  As such, should the employee become injured or disabled while doing so would subject them to disqualification of disability benefits.  This may sound outrageous, and to many of us airline personnel, it is.  But so long as the laws of this country remain in place as written, this is the major reason passengers find push back from agents and attendants about lifting and stowing their bags.

Again, not every airline has these policies in place (apparently those airlines choose to pay the additional costs associated with injuries related to baggage handling by agents and attendants) but again, the majority do not.  Where does that put those who may have physical limitations, as did Ms. Das?  Well, in truth, the attendant on her flight had it right: either travel with an able companion, or find an able-bodied passenger to assist.  I have never, in all my years of flying, been unable to find someone, male or female, who wasn’t willing to assist.

As a matter of record, I have assisted passengers with bags, especially my more frail and elderly guests.  I have been warned, however, that doing so would be at my own risk.  I am usually very adept at determining whether a bag is too heavy or not, and most times, they are fine.  But can you imagine if we were required to lift bags all day long, for 10-14 hours each day, how worn out we could get?

It’s like a thorn in my side when the reality of my job duties conflicts with the passengers’ expectations of what they think they should be.  It’s not my intention to be disagreeable to anyone on my flights, but there are rules, regulations and restrictions that we, as your in-flight crew, just can’t violate—to do so could jeopardize our health or our careers or both!

The simple, sure-fire measurement is if you can’t lift your bag over your head, it’s too heavy to stow in an overhead bin on the plane, so plan on checking it.  Most airlines do NOT charge to check your bag at the jetway of the plane!  So if you know it’s too heavy, ask the gate agent to check it at the door to your final destination—that way, you won’t have to hassle with it throughout the airport and can spend more time enjoying your flight, rather than jockeying for position with all the others onboard.

If you need tips on how best to pack when traveling, the folks at RealSimple have devised a simplified method to try—check it out at http://tinyurl.com/343c8uz.

I sympathize with Ms. Das–I really do.  Airline travel has become anything but exciting and glamorous these days and people in general are all in a hurry to get where they need to be…no matter how they manage to get there or who they move out of the way to do it.  All I can tell Ms. Das is that her experience is most assuredly the exception, and not the rule.  There are too many people in the airline industry that appreciate the jobs they have and they strive to make each new day better for themselves and for people like yourself.  No one is blatantly trying to cause injury or harm.  And believe me, kindness and understanding are both two-way streets, in this day and age.

The airlines carried over 2.5 billion passengers last year[2]—for all the annoyances, irritations, limitations and frustrations that people have towards the airline industry, there is still a lot they do right.  Safety and security are paramount with all my airline brothers and sisters and they continue to excel in those two things every day.

I can count on two hands the number of truly unsatisfied passengers I have had to deal with in my entire career…like I always say; people are either slightly annoyed or mildly satisfied with their travel experiences.  But that doesn’t stop the majority of us who take pride in our work every single time we step on board that airplane to do everything within our power to make each person feel that the experience was truly worth it.

We love to fly…and most of the time…it shows!

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[1]The Huffington Post (Online Edition), Life & Style-’HuffPost Travel,’ Aug. 8, 2011, “An Airline Travel Nightmare,” Alexandra Swafford Das: http://tinyurl.com/43pfyjz

[2]Air Transport Association, Data & Analysis, “Annual Report: World Airlines,” June 29, 2011: http://tinyurl.com/3r8bvkh

It’s funny to me how we flight attendants are perceived…

On the one hand, there is this notion that the life of a flight attendant is glamorous, glitzy and adventurous…on the other, we are looked upon as nothing more than the wait staff in the air, slinging peanuts and soft drinks.  The difference between these two pictures is vast, but the reality is found somewhere in the middle.

When I first began my service as an in-flight safety professional, we were trained on graciousness, how to serve elegant meals to first-class, international passengers; we learned how to fold linens and dress food carts and use a spoon and fork to serve rolls and other food offerings.  We were told that our most frequent flyers, these valuable individuals, made up the lion’s share of the airlines’ business so we were to do everything within our power to see to their comfort and satisfaction.

Fast forward past the terror attacks of 9/11…our lives as human beings (not only just Americans) changed dramatically, especially regarding air travel.  Suddenly, the emphasis changed and what was once essential in the name of service and comfort, took a back seat to safety, security and strict adherence to both.  And the most interesting change through all of this was that these responsibilities all fell onto the collective shoulders of the flight attendant community.

No one asked us if we’d like to take on these added duties; to most, it seemed the most logical and the most inexpensive route to take.  And sadly, many of these hard-working, talented folks took cuts in salary and benefits, while exponentially increasing their responsibilities and their roles as safety professionals.

Don’t misunderstand: the Flight Attendants role has always been about safety first…it’s a requirement of our jobs and one that we take very seriously.  We spend months in initial training learning about safety equipment and how to use it; how to deal with airplane ditching and eminent crashes; how to open emergency exits and direct people off the planes during an emergency; how to utilize life rafts and homing beacons and survival gear…it all comes with the job.  But typically, these issues are rarely ever used and I am certain that many people would avoid getting on an airplane altogether if all they ever thought about was what would happen if an emergency did arise!  Thankfully, this kind of information is more important to know and not ever use, than to have a dire need for it and not know how to execute it.  That’s why the Flight Attendant is there in the first place…someone’s got to do it!

The issue that seems to come up more often than not is the public’s view that we are JUST flight attendants…which truly comes across as “You’re just a stupid bimbo, what to YOU know?” or “It’s a flight attendant job, not brain surgery,” or a myriad of other demeaning statements and attitudes.

The "Girls" of 'Pan Am' - photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Television and ABC, ©2011

Which takes me back to the perception of the traveling public.

Most Flight Attendants are very intelligent, creative and LOVE their jobs.  Unlike a nine-to-five, 40-hour a week office job, we are in a new place everyday.  We meet new people everyday (most whom we will never meet again) and we have the privilege of assisting those people getting to those new places everyday.  Some of those people are flying for the first time; others are seasoned professionals whose lives are spent in the metal tube along side of us — perhaps even more so than most of us, simply to earn a living.

We are exposed to every conceivable aspect of human behavior imaginable, and most of us take it in stride and let it roll off our backs.  We are also exposed to bacteria, viruses and a myriad of all sorts of contaminants, yet we stay focused on making sure everyone has a seat and stays compliant with safety regulations.  Are there snarky flight attendants?  Of course there are!  There are flight attendants who hate their jobs (hard to imagine, but it’s true…there ARE some) and there are some flight attendants who are there simply because they know nothing else and would have very limited options available to them if their profession was to suddenly be dissolved.

But most of us are happy doing what we do, and do it without the need for praise or adulation.  We go about our job helping people get from Point A to Point B and MOST of the time, without incident or difficulty.  We give our time and energy to our passengers because that is what we are paid to do, and because we choose to do it, in exchange for a warm smile, a satisfied customer and the ability to see the world, all balled up into one VERY unique career experience.

I can tell you personally, from being on the receiving end of Flight Attendant service that unless you have walked a million miles in their shoes (believe me, it doesn’t take too many years of service to achieve that milestone) you can’t possibly know what life as one is truly like.  So when I read in the news or see on television or the movies how we are portrayed, I can usually tell when a flight attendant has been consulted on the issues.  Sadly, it usually turns out that they haven’t been.

Some people see travel today like it was the wild, wild west…every man (or woman or child) for himself.  It’s no wonder, with all the changes in airline policy, increasing fees and regulations and, when added to the frustrations of air traffic control delays, unpredictable weather and inevitable mechanical failures, it’s easy to see why sometimes, we Flight Attendants wear the “White Hat” and other times we don the “Black Hat.”  It’s really all in the name of trying to keep the peace in an otherwise chaotic environment.

Well, no matter which hat we are wearing at the time…someone has to be the Sheriff!

CURRENT TRAVELS
[travelmap-map height=400]

As a person who has worked in the service industry all of my life, there have been very rare instances that I have ever been accused of providing “POOR” customer service. I have taken pride in providing a “world class” level of customer service for most of my career (I cannot claim to have done this all the time – I AM human after all!).

So I am always fascinated when someone accuses me of less than stellar service, especially when there are people standing around me, witnessing the accusation with as much puzzlement as I have. And such was the case of the woman who boarded one of my flights recently.

I should preface my comments here for the benefit of those who may read this without a working knowledge of what the rules are as a flight attendant and what our limitations may be. Now, just as there are a myriad of airlines in the world, each airline have their own set of rules, regulations and procedures that can be as varied and different as the grains of sand on the beach. In the US, at least, all airlines are bound by a set of Federal Air Regulations (FARs) which cannot be altered except by the government itself. Besides them, it’s each airline for itself in how it approaches various issues that are not so much federally mandated “safety” issues, but are nonetheless still “safety related.”

In this case, the passenger boarded a completely full flight to Chicago, being one of the last to come aboard, toting an over-regulation sized roller-board suitcase (the manufacture of this particular style of suitcase is quite well known for being, shall we say, a very upscale brand name which produces very FEW items that can actually fit in an airplane overhead bin correctly and will usually take up much more space than an actual “regulation” sized carry on).

As purser on this flight, one of my responsibilities on this flight is to greet our passengers at the boarding door, direct them to the proper side of the aircraft for boarding and monitor all activity at this position without leaving the area unattended. I am bound by an actual FAR and unless I find someone on the working crew to cover this position, I cannot leave the area until the boarding door has been closed. This can be somewhat challenging at times, especially on a full flight as I try to monitor bin space, answer questions about downline connections, ensure that the crew has the proper supplies onboard, and deal with issues such as Federal Air Marshals, pilot briefings and customer service demands to close up the flight for an on-time departure.

Despite all the activity that presents itself in a delicate dance of chaos, most often this is accomplished without incident and the flight departs.

Which brings me back to our female passenger. She arrived as one of the last passengers to come aboard the aircraft. By this time, much of the storage space is used up, although miraculously, there is still some available space randomly located throughout the cabin. This passenger’s up-scale, over-sized roller-board bag will probably not fit, but rather than checking the bag at the gate, it’s to the customer’s advantage to try to find a spot before being forced with this option.

As she boards, she asks if there is any chance her bag can still be stored. Looking down the aisle from my vantage point, I can still see openings in the overhead bins and suggest to her that it still looks good.

A few minutes pass. I have made my obligatory announcements regarding those who cannot find proper stowage to bring their items to the jetway so that a waiting Customer Service Agent (CSR) can tag their luggage for proper routing to their final destination. Moments pass and from the other side of the cabin emerges this passenger, bag in tow, and as she passes me, she utters “You just can’t find good help these days!” and storms off to get her bag tagged with the proper forms.

Normally, the passing comment would simply fall away and we’d have forgotten it within a few moments. Such was not the case with her. Upon returning to the boarding door, she approaches me and begins to rail on me about how horrible our service is, how glib I had been in encouraging her to stow her bag, how unhelpful the crew was in being unwilling to lift her bag for her into the overhead space, and so forth, accusing me of having a condescending and curt attitude over the public address system, as well as to her in person.

I responded as calmly and politely as I could, but she cut me off repeatedly, now accusing me of patronizing her and that she would have my job.  At this point, seeing the CSR approach the boarding door, I asked the agent to explain to her what I had been trying to tell her all along.  The CSR was having none of it.  She plainly said, “Ma’am, either check your bags and get on the flight, or get off the plane and take your chances as a stand-by on the next flight.”

Without hesitation, the passenger looks at me and points her finger in my face and says, “You are going to regret having me on your flight today!”  Well, like it or not, those words are really considered a veiled threat, whether or not she had any intentions behind the words, and in my position as a safety professional, I have to weigh her words against the safety and convenience of the remaining 200+ passengers on the plane who are waiting to depart.

So, upon hearing these words to me, I informed the CSR that she would not be traveling with us on that flight and to escort her off the jetway.  Apparently those words called her bluff.  Immediately her tone and demeanor changed.  She began to cry and through her tears began to explain that she was on her way to the funeral of her best friend who had just passed away from breast cancer.

Under most circumstances, I would have stood my ground, however when she produced the obituary and handed it to the CSR, I yielded.  I calmed her down, explained to her how her words were interpreted (which the CSR concurred were threatening), and told her that if she was to get on the flight, there would be no further argument about her bag — it would be checked — and she would take her assigned seat with no further comment to the crew or other passengers.  She tearfully agreed and we let her fly with us that day.  She was a model passenger and thanked me when we arrived for letting her on board.  It’s amazing how stress will cause illogical behavior.

As a service industry employee, it’s tough out there.  People truly believe that we are required to take on the abusiveness and abrasiveness of the traveling public, simply because they purchased a ticket.  It doesn’t surprise me then, when one of us just reaches their limit and goes “postal.”  Take yesterday’s incident on jetBlue in New York.

The flight attendant had to deal with an abusive passenger during and after the flight.  The passenger was uncooperative when told to stay seated while the seat belt sign was on.  When they were leaving the plane, the passenger struck the flight attendant in the head while removing their bag from the overhead bin and refused to acknowledge or apologize.  The flight attendant (a veteran employee who had a long career at several airlines) lost his temper and his senses at that point, cursing out the passenger over the P.A. system, grabbing a couple of beers out of the galley and proceeded to open an armed exit door which deployed the emergency slide, then jumped down the slide and went home.

While this example is extreme, it occurred to me that his actions were not sparked by this one incident.  As a veteran flight attendant, I can relate — it was YEARS of public abuse, YEARS of the public ignoring the flight attendants, of disrespecting our position as the safety professionals on the flight; it was YEARS of the public treating service industry people with contempt and malice, and sadly, getting away with it.  And add to that any personal issues that the HUMAN BEING flight attendant might be dealing with in their personal lives (apparently his mother is dying of cancer and he has been dealing with alcoholism).

The FAA says that passengers can be fined and/or jailed for not complying with the seat belt sign or the directives of the in-flight crew, but in my 14+ year career, I’ve never seen it happen nor have I heard of it happening.

I cannot condone the flight attendant’s actions because it, in and of itself, violated several Federal Air Regulations, but I empathize completely.  And as of now, it seems the public and media are on his side.  But will this amount to anything other than an appearance on Saturday Night Live or Oprah?  Will anything change, or, like most things that need real change, will the public forget and move on to the next headline?

Great customer service is the goal I make for each flight.  But at what cost?  At some point, doesn’t the public have any limitations or do we just condone bad behavior and blame the service professional should anything be less than catering to every whim the public deems they are entitled to with the purchase of their ticket?

Images from “View from the Top” courtesy of Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.