Why are passengers rude to pilots?

[rickair7777]

Deserves to be posted again.

If you feel slighted when a passenger asks you a question and doesn't offer thanks, just make sure to say "You're Welcome" regardless and go about your business.

All of us are airline employees, representing our regional carrier and the mainline partner. Yes there might be alot of stupid/rude pax out there, but there is an equal percentage of stupid/rude pilots. Just because a passenger isn't 100% courteous to you doesn't mean you should stop being that way to them.

What ever happened to simple professionalism in this industry? Oh yeah, the "its not my job" syndrome and "I'm not paid enough to _________, you get what you paid for" disease.

I am actually in the "you-get-what-you-pay-for" camp. The only public service obligation I feel I have is to safety. On-time performance, effeciency, courtesy, and helpfulness can all be purchased from me by my employer with decent treatment and wages.


As for extremely rude passengers, I will give them one non-hostile response and then walk away if they persist in rudeness. I will and have refused to fly rude passengers. All you have to do is say "I feel intimidated/threatened by the pax" to the CP and that will be that. I usually like to get security involved to cover my @ss...as long as you have a witness (CSR, flight crew, or even other pax) the culprit will not have a leg to stand on.

 

[ArcticFlier]

What ever happened to simple professionalism in this industry?

What ever happened to the Golden Rule? Do unto others as you would have others do unto you? You get what you charge in this industry, and given what we charge.........well you get the idea. It's too bad many have forgotten that, but it's not an excuse to be rude to the customer. Two wrongs don't make a right.


AF

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I am actually in the "you-get-what-you-pay-for" camp. The only public service obligation I feel I have is to safety. On-time performance, effeciency, courtesy, and helpfulness can all be purchased from me by my employer with decent treatment and wages.

Character for sale?

It is pretty clear in your logic that character is absent. Thus if you were to acutally bargain for decent treatment and wages in exchange for character, in time you will once again be wanting to re-discuss terms.

Character and intergrity is a persons gift to himself. Not something that is bartered for....

In addition, I seriously doubt your airline treated decently and had good wages and then changed...after you signed on. No, your employer was the same when you applied. It is you that has changed: changed from an interviewing wannabe ready to "do whatever it takes" to your current personality based self.

 

[rickair7777]

Character for sale?

It is pretty clear in your logic that character is absent. Thus if you were to acutally bargain for decent treatment and wages in exchange for character, in time you will once again be wanting to re-discuss terms.

Character and intergrity is a persons gift to himself. Not something that is bartered for....

In addition, I seriously doubt your airline treated decently and had good wages and then changed...after you signed on. No, your employer was the same when you applied. It is you that has changed: changed from an interviewing wannabe ready to "do whatever it takes" to your current personality based self.

You have no idea of the meaning of integrity or character...my understanding of those terms was solidified in the middle east.

We are discussing BUSINESS, not ethics. Good customer service is a commodity that provides economic benefit to the employer, and costs money to acquire. Motivated, personable people are more effective at customer service, and therefore have more market value than fat, lazy slobs with bad attitudes. You get what you pay for...

I once worked for a company that reaped great profits by taking advantage of my can-do attitude and willingness to go the extra mile and insulate that company's customers from their endless incompetence. Got tired of being a human shield because it was the "right thing to do". I finally stopped giving...which really doesn't suit my personality, so I quit.

My current employer is great, treats me well, and I feel great about putting forth 110%.

 

[slomo]

Ok folks, everyone take a deep breath, relax. Forget customer service, professionalism and all that and let's try and re-focus on why we got into this sordid business in the first place.

Let my avatar remind you.


I didn't think it'd be such a hit. I just thought it was mildly amusing.

 

[pdub20s]

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.

What do you guys think Chuck Norris would have done ?

 

[Mike man]

I was in checking the weather at a gate computer, with no gate agent around, a few months ago. A passenger walked up, a man in his early 30's, and said "excuse me, can I ask you a question?" I said "I'd be happy to but I might not know the answer." He extended his hand with a wad of garbage in it and said "here". I gave this man a look of distain and told him there must be a garbage can around here some where and he should find it.

He was on my flight, so when we got to our destination I called for a meet and assist for a blind passenger, he refused the assist.

 

[BeachBummer]

I got a lady who came up to me while commuting to work with "I sure hope you know how to fly that thing, my husband was in the navy for 23 years". I replied I'm sure i'd do fine, but i'm not flying that plane. What do you do maam? She said she was a 2nd grade school teacher. I said "well, thats excellend, but never would I come into your classroom and ask you if you knew how to teach... do you my mom is a teacher too"! just about then the husband dragged her off with a surprising look on her face.

 

[flyer172r]

Wow..... all this would've not happened if the you or the CA made a few PA's.

People don't mind change, they just don't like being changed.


I've been on flights where the pax were getting screwed over by the sytem... yet updated PA's were made..they were told the truth and they got off the flight smiling....

I wish that was always the case. Did a flight from IAD to EWR, thought it was going to be a half hour ground stop, turned into a 3 hour ground stop, and every time the EDCT time got pushed back the captain made a PA announcement describing exactly what happened, and yet when we got there a passenger decided to wait for me on the jetbridge so he could ream me out for making him miss his connection. I tried to explain what went on but he just called me a liar and continued yelling at me until finally my captain tapped me on the shoulder and I walked away before I started getting into it. I guess you really can't please all the people all the time.

 

[GEORGE DUBYA]

What I like to do when I am interrupted by a passenger is to drop down against one of the concrete pillars that hold up the terminal and begin to clean my self like a cat. Once my uniform pants come off they usually go away.