Steven Slater

[Guest RachaelAnn]

I saw this on TV and had to check it out online to get the full story. This is a classic case of unprofessionalism.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/10/national/main6761269.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;8

Rachael

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

Yeah...unprofessional.

Those that work with the public must keep their composure under all conditions and circumstances.

To lose your grip like this, it can cost your career...

If it happened to me, I'd pull my UZI from under my blouse and... AND!

*whew* pant...pant....

Well, THAT's why I don't work with the public....

Donna Jean

[Guest Sam_P]

"The woman was outraged and cursed him out a great deal," Turman said. "At some point, I think he just wanted to avoid conflict with her."

Prosecutors said Slater also addressed the passengers on the intercom.

"Those of you who have shown dignity and respect these last 20 years, thanks for a great ride," he said, according to prosecutors.

If someone is treating you in that manner, whatever your job is at the time, you should not have to stand there and remain polite. Maybe he shouldn't have involved the other pasengers or defied safety procedures (though it makes for hilarious storytelling ), but he doesn't sound like a horrible guy at all. Especially when he took the time to thank the other passengers!

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

I worked in aviation for twenty five years and the cost to replace an emergency slide is not cheap...It's not just rolled back up and stuffed into a bag...

That and Two beers...those airline beers cost!

But, the whole episode cracked me up...

No, I could not of lasted as long as he did with that idiot!

Funny story...I got a big kick out of it...

Donna Jean

[Guest kelise]

This is a classic case of unprofessionalism.

Unprofessional my butt! This guy deserves a trophy! Heck, he deserves a bronze statue in Central Park!

The general public's level of common courtesy and consideration for others has gone to pot. It doesn't matter how much they paid for a plane ticket (or theme park ticket, or restaurant tab, etc) people think that whatever they paid was enough to purchase not only the goods or services the company provides, but the body and souls of those providing it. We (those in the service industry, or heck in most cases even fellow customers) are no longer human in the eyes of these morons. We're treated as their slaves.

In my job I'm forced to witness every ten minutes, dozens of people who, even after being told 27 times by me over the PA (though it shouldn't have to be said, it should be common courtesy) still plant there butts right in the middle of a row, preventing dozens of other people (who paid exactly the same amount to be there) from reaching any seats at all. I have to watch hundreds of people squeeze through (and form a line around the corner) one door while there's another one that obviously goes to the same place right next to it, then yell at me for how long it's takeing to get through, WHILE I'm in the middle of my 3000th announcement to them that they can use both doors! I've even watched people throw $5 worth of change into a fountain (that didn't even have any water in it) then complain about the $8 cheeseburger! I've been run over by 400 lb people in electric carts (which of course was my fault and therefore not worthy of an apology) I've been blamed for the weather. I've been chewed out for not answering someone's question with the proper "tone". I've been yelled at (in English) that the show should be in Spanish so that "we" can understand it.

These are not offshoot instances, these of everyday, every-ten-minute occurances. If I told you some of the most extreme...well

We've seen people try and climb into a 3x4 foot storage cabinet because they think that's where the show will be held, then ask how we expect to fit the rest of the audience in there.

There's absolutely no low point of human stupidity that would surprise me anymore.

Does this shed some light on how after 20-some years of this someone could find it absolutely refreshing to do something like this man did? He hurt no one, and brought attention to the plight of millions.

I would love to shake this man's hand because if my insurance wasn't paying for my surgery I'd do the same dang thing a thousand times over!

[Guest NatalieRene]

Seven years in prison for using a emergency exit, stealing a beer and using profanity in public? Seriously? That seems awfully harsh. I can understand making him pay to replace the emergency exit slide, pay for the beer, and fire him. But a possible sentence of seven years just doesn't fit the crime.

Especially if he was struck in the head earlier. It doesn't say how hard he was hit, but something might have been knocked loose and he could file for workers comp. In fact the article glosses over it as if being hit in the head is nothing. Depending on the injury it may be best to just call it a wash. Maybe the passenger that stuck him should be arrested for assault.

[Carolyn Marie]

As more details come out, including interviews with numerous passengers, it seems like there is a lot more to this story than it first

appeared. Far from being a hero, he now looks to me like an out of control nut job. His ex said that he had been an alcoholic as well.

Thanks, but I'll choose to fly with a different flight attendant, if you don't mind.

Carolyn

[Guest ~Brenda~]

We've seen people try and climb into a 3x4 foot storage cabinet because they think that's where the show will be held, then ask how we expect to fit the rest of the audience in there.

:lol: I just couldn't stop laughing when I read that :lol:

Geeze.....

Brenda

[Guest RachaelAnn]

As more details come out, including interviews with numerous passengers, it seems like there is a lot more to this story than it first

appeared. Far from being a hero, he now looks to me like an out of control nut job. His ex said that he had been an alcoholic as well.

Thanks, but I'll choose to fly with a different flight attendant, if you don't mind.

Carolyn

I concur. Well put Carolyn.

[Guest RachaelAnn]

Unprofessional my butt! This guy deserves a trophy! Heck, he deserves a bronze statue in Central Park!

The general public's level of common courtesy and consideration for others has gone to pot. It doesn't matter how much they paid for a plane ticket (or theme park ticket, or restaurant tab, etc) people think that whatever they paid was enough to purchase not only the goods or services the company provides, but the body and souls of those providing it. We (those in the service industry, or heck in most cases even fellow customers) are no longer human in the eyes of these morons. We're treated as their slaves.

In my job I'm forced to witness every ten minutes, dozens of people who, even after being told 27 times by me over the PA (though it shouldn't have to be said, it should be common courtesy) still plant there butts right in the middle of a row, preventing dozens of other people (who paid exactly the same amount to be there) from reaching any seats at all. I have to watch hundreds of people squeeze through (and form a line around the corner) one door while there's another one that obviously goes to the same place right next to it, then yell at me for how long it's takeing to get through, WHILE I'm in the middle of my 3000th announcement to them that they can use both doors! I've even watched people throw $5 worth of change into a fountain (that didn't even have any water in it) then complain about the $8 cheeseburger! I've been run over by 400 lb people in electric carts (which of course was my fault and therefore not worthy of an apology) I've been blamed for the weather. I've been chewed out for not answering someone's question with the proper "tone". I've been yelled at (in English) that the show should be in Spanish so that "we" can understand it.

These are not offshoot instances, these of everyday, every-ten-minute occurances. If I told you some of the most extreme...well

We've seen people try and climb into a 3x4 foot storage cabinet because they think that's where the show will be held, then ask how we expect to fit the rest of the audience in there.

There's absolutely no low point of human stupidity that would surprise me anymore.

Does this shed some light on how after 20-some years of this someone could find it absolutely refreshing to do something like this man did? He hurt no one, and brought attention to the plight of millions.

I would love to shake this man's hand because if my insurance wasn't paying for my surgery I'd do the same dang thing a thousand times over!

There's a difference between being mistreated, and being unprofessional.

[Guest (Lightsider)]

There's a difference between being mistreated, and being unprofessional.

The service industry is mistreated by people. Then there are cases where a person who is in the industry freaks out and can't take it any more. I think that much has been said thus far. However both sides are guilty. How so? How many times have you been stuck in some phone tree pushing numbers for 5 minutes just to connect to the "RIGHT" person?

The IRS is another pain. IF they think you owe them money EVEN when you don't they go for blood. They claimed I owed them $800.00 and pursued me for close to a year and a half. In that time it inflated to owing them over 2000.00. Good grief. I finally lost it and said something the next time I called and got a nice visit from some IRS officers a few days later. Nothing bad happened but get this...two weeks later I GOT MY REFUND because the officers kindly asked me to not call for a while and they would look into the matter. BINGO. Now I do not suggest doing what I did...because the wrong wording could land you in jail and at the time my father in law was a superior court judge. Teehee!

See some people are sick of being treated like a number. But on the flip side you have customer ENTITLEMENT then you get some poor schmo who provides a service face to face who gets the back lash.

I think people were much happier in simpler times like a 100 years ago. Sign of the times I guess.

[Guest kelise]

There's a difference between being mistreated, and being unprofessional.

To be professional one must consider what they do a profession. A profession is something one enjoys, because they are treated well, and feel they have an opportunity to advance. Any employment that doesn't fit that criteria is just a job. Yes, sometimes people get stuck in "just jobs" for decades at a time, because leaving that job would mean giving up seniority, health insurance, a schedule that works for them, ability to maintain financial stability, etc, and doing so would mean desperate hardship that's scary enough of a notion that almost makes it worth drudging though a day.

Where I work we are told to treat customers the way we treat guests in our home. If a guest in my home treated me the way I'm treated at work, believe me the last thing my company would want is for me to treat their customers the way I would treat that guest in my home.