Why are passengers rude to pilots?

[suupah]

The other day in the terminal, a couple of other pilots and I were just talking during a break and were approached by three different people demanding to know where something was. Not one of them thought it important to say excuse me, or thank you. They just walk up interrupt your conversation, demand to know where to get their bags, then walk away shaking their heads and without even a thank you. One lady came up and grabbed the coat tale of the pilot to get his attention.

Anyone know why passengers treat pilots like this? From now on I will not even acknowledge a passenger if they speak to me this way.

 

[Beechnut]

They are mad and you are a focus of their anger towards the airline.

Plus it is easy to be rude to a spikey haired, back pack carrying 22 year old FO that can't be bothered to wear the uniform correctly.

Ha ha! FIRST!!!

S.

 

[flyer172r]

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."

 

[Prop2Jet]

I just say " Well hello,,,, Hey knock knock.... and they usually say.. ughhh fine 'who's their' to my reply they are to surprised to hear FCK OFF!"
hahhah

People suck that's why they created a God to forgive them!

 

[~~~^~~~]

IMHO - Be a Professional Pilot, when interrupted by a rude passenger, do the best you can to help them with a smile and a kind word. We might not know where their flight leaves from, but we probably know where the information can be found.

Often passengers are running late due to no fault of their own and their stress is a normal reaction - after all we will leave them at the gate if they don't connect in time. If I can help someone with my ALPA pin and bag tags in plain view, I hope that passenger goes away with a better impression of airline pilots and of our association.

I once heard a senior US Attorney (two levels from the President of the US) relate a story how as a child she got lost at CVG and a Delta Pilot helped her find her way back to her father. This made enough of an impression on her that she still talks about it 28 years later and candidly, she holds Delta pilots on a pedestal as a result to this day.

After all, take a deep breath, forget all the Reguest for Proposal garbage for a second and enjoy smiling back at the kids that smile at you. They go back and draw pictures that they want to be airline pilots some day. Our percentages against Firemen have fallen in recent years and darned it, this is a better job that going into a burning meth lab, or an apartment complex engulfed in flames at 02:30 in the morning.

Even the backpacker pilots with the ear buds have the newest Ipod'o'Treo with WiFi. Show off that internet connection. Starbucs has free wireless and every airline (except for AirTran ) has a site where you can get current flight & gate info. These are our customers who pay for those jets we get to scoot around in. Go ahead and hate airline management for the stupid schedules and lousy service that get these people so jacked up to begin with, but don't hate the customer.

 

[uncle]

IMHO - Be a Professional Pilot, when interrupted by a rude passenger, do the best you can to help them with a smile and a kind word. We might not know where their flight leaves from, but we probably know where the information can be found.


Very well said. My guess for the pax's walking away without a thank you...the response from the pilots didn't warrant one.

 

[bvt1151]

I'd say a passenger is rude to a pilot about the same number of times a pilot is rude to a passenger.

 

[CA1900]

IMHO - Be a Professional Pilot ... enjoy smiling back at the kids that smile at you. They go back and draw pictures that they want to be airline pilots some day.

Given the state of this industry, wouldn't that be child abuse? Better to get that idea out of their heads now...

 

[John Pennekamp]

The other day in the terminal, a couple of other pilots and I were just talking during a break and were approached by three different people demanding to know where something was. Not one of them thought it important to say excuse me, or thank you. They just walk up interrupt your conversation, demand to know where to get their bags, then walk away shaking their heads and without even a thank you. One lady came up and grabbed the coat tale of the pilot to get his attention.

Anyone know why passengers treat pilots like this? From now on I will not even acknowledge a passenger if they speak to me this way.

Passengers treat us like this because the modern media and airline management has successfully miseducated the public that we are nothing but overpaid bus drivers with God complexes. The good old days when pilots were respected and looked up to are over. Polls repeatedly show that the passengers have lost respect for what we do, in that they think anybody could fly the plane (you know, the computer really flies, we just sit there and collect our $300,000 per year).

I've had more times than I can count where I was in a conversation with somebody, or running to get food on my 30 minute break, while saying hi to my wife or kids on the cell phone, and some passenger just barged in to ask me something that was written on a sign above my head. Now, I just look at them and say "Excuse me, I'll be with you in a moment" and continue. They usually get the message that they are being impolite, or even better, walk away.

While I see what fins is saying, it's often impossible to do that the way we are scheduled these days. I simply can't afford to spend my whole 1 hour break (the only one I've got that day, mind you) talking to fifteen people who want to complain that their flight is late (on another airline), or ask where baggage claim/concourse A/the train/Wendys/Airtran/etc is.

 

[Terry Hunter]

CNN now reporting....
An aviation "expert" says Pilots feel slighted by lack of manners, tact, and old fashion "politeness".

I'm with Fins, do your best to offer assistance. Accept the fact that wearing a uniform comes with the stamp on your forehead of "Ask me anything to do with your travel today". Heck it even sticks on there when you are out of uniform sometimes (what will your family ask you about on Thanksgiving this year???)

And in closing, remember that travel for people is stressful - airports are the #1 public place for heart attacks (hence the AED installation revolution). Don't take it so personally when they forget being courteous for your help.