Why are passengers rude to pilots?

[PCL_128]

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.

This post should be required reading for every new hire pilot in the industry. Bravo, sir!

 

[737 Pylt]

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.

Fins:

Outstanding post.....One of the best I've ever read from you!

737

 

[Papps]

You are the hired help, quit beioching on flightinfo and grow up you pus$
(edited to make fun of you less)

 

[Sir Innocenti]

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.

A Frickin' men!!!! That is exactly it! We have MTV, the Paris Hilton's, reticent parents and the media to thank for this!!!!!

 

[erj-145mech]

Crap, I've been walking around airports now for 3 years, not a single question. I either look dumb, or mean. I'll go with mean. I just walk around with a look on my face that spells to the adverage pax, 'ask me a question and I'll smack you one!' Question free now for 3 years.

Because you're IAH based, and don't make eye contact or acknowledge other crew memebers in the terminal? You hold your cell next to your head and pretend to carry a conversation, so that you don't have to interact with others?

 

[flyer172r]

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!

Did my post say anything about pay scales? Didn't think so. I have no problem with passengers asking intelligent questions about the industry or becoming a pilot, and have had nice conversations on the subject on several occasions. My big problem is asking questions about stuff they could easily find out for themselves just by looking up. Like the guy in IAD who told me where he came in from and where he could get his bag. First of all, telling me a flight number does absolutely nothing for me. Second of all, he was facing the sign that led to baggage claim!

My other big problem is people making cracks about my age. Yes, I realize that when I put on my hat I look like I'm 12 years old, but that doesn't give some stranger the right to say I don't look old enough to be a pilot. Why don't they just come out and say that they don't think I'm capable of doing my job. Rude is one thing, but being outright insulting is inexcusable.

Disclaimer: I don't have spiky hair, don't carry an Ipod, and I don't wear a backpack.

 

[PunchTheClown]

For what these people pay? ******************** them! I do what is outlined in my company manual. no more no less. The traveling public deserves to get treated like this. They pay peanuts and then want filet mignon, all the while wearing their cut off jeans and stinky flip flops. I say raise the prices so high that only decent people can afford to fly. Get the trailer trash out of here. No manners and even less common sense.

 

[FlySacto]

Fifty percent of people are below average. I recognize that most of these people are way stressed out and I think airports/airplanes knock 25 IQ points off even the average person. We have just become immune to the effect being there day-in, day-out. The only time I've experienced what I thought was rude was met with an embarrassed smile when I said "your welcome" as they walked away. My standard disclaimer when asked for directions is; "I can get you 1000 miles to the airport here but I'm trying to find where the bathroom is myself!" I remember one woman giving me a hug and calling me an angel when I walked her to her customer service. I also remember the smoking hot girl from Georgia who gave me her phone number after I walked her across the terminals after she asked for directions Relax and enjoy the job when you can. We're part of environment. Today in SFO we were walking through the terminal and some little kid said loudly to his mom "Look...Pilots". I waved, they smiled, and I had a good day.

BTW: SLOMO, please increase your post count!

 

[Captain X]

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.

It's not just passengers towards pilots -- it's human nature these days. We need to put up headstones for the words of our language which have died: PLEASE & THANK YOU.

 

[Captain X]

Because you're IAH based, BLAH, BLAH,BLAH, BLAH.....