As a 30 year plus veteran f/a I just have to post! I put down my latest project to go out and fly and make some real money today. Of course all the talk was about the Jetblue F/A.
Why was it so hard for the passenger to offer and apology for hitting the flight attendant in the head with her suitcase? It is all he wanted. Hedid have a big shinner in the middle of his forhead.
Some back ground here: When I was hired the airlines tended to hire the classic codependent personalities. We were told the "passenger is always right." We would smile even when threatened, verbally and emotionally abused, hit,and sworn at. Thats why it was so easy for Sept 91's fatalities. We would do anything to please. We have all been retrained and they even offer self defense classes each year now.
I can tell you luggage is our biggest problem these days, if you don't stand back and take covor you get hit during boarding. I have bruises all over when I come home. I have seen people go down the eisle with bags over the shoulder hitting everone in the face, and they don't even know it! People fight over the luggage and who owns the overhead bin.
I have personally had to remove my self from a trip because a women was threatning me because I was trying to worn everyone the bins were full and they would have to check their luggage at the door. I didn't go postal,but I did loose it. I screamed for help as the passenger had me trapped. Then I ran to the cockpit and cryed! I can only imagine perhaps this Jetblue F/A was probley trapped in the eisle when he got hit in the face. Its an awfull feeling when you can't get away and get help. We do try to let another F/A take over in these cases to defuse the fights. In alot of cases when a flight Attendent looses it they only had 6 hours of sleep on a layover and are working a 12 or 14 hour day. It can be trying and add to that 30years or so of taking it and taking it. We all know how ruff it is on the passenger too. What everone goes through just to make a flight!
We all want it to be fun. Some of us come to work and have fun and escape some of the pressures at home. All and all I do see more random acts of kindness on the plane then I do anger and bad behavior.
I am always affraid I will loose it some day. There was a joke going around when I got hire that a flight attendant had lost it and crawling around on the floor looking under the seats. When asked what she was doing, she said "I am looking for the glamour in the job!"
I hope this f/a gets offered some anger managment or a twelve step program another chance at his job. If he was always a loose cannen then maybe retirement is best. Just remember where ever you go to practice what we all learned as a child: keep your hands to yourself, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all, and always treat others as you would want to be treated. If you think your flight Attendant is going to loose it just ask whats wrong, can I help? If you think you are going to loose it, be honest and fiqure out what you really want and need now and tell the flight attendant so she or he can resolve the problem for you! We do care and we like to make things better!
