Do I celebrate the social skewering the Senator (should) receive for his remark? Or should I cheer him on as he "speaks truth to power"--a.k.a the Air Gestapo. Who among us hasn't wanted to take a swipe at one of these self-important glorified waitstaff, serving as we are constantly reminded "for our safety". Humbug. They are there to bring me a pillow and a cup of water.
Standing by for GHP rounds.....
Muttering something under one's breath is hardly "speaking truth to power." It's just being an ass.
ReplyDeletethe air bartenders have aggrandized themselves significantly. Where once they were young, beautiful and full of life they are now dour, overweight and morose in their service. Last year I made 66 connections for both business and pleasure and found myself saddled with the less than pleasing personalities of the cabin monarchs.
ReplyDeleteFor our own good we have created:
1. the TSA Gestapo (show us your papers, you must have your papers);
2. the Airline Gestapo (don't question us we are here to keep you safe);
3. the baggage fee Gestapo (let's charge them for everything); and,
4. the creation of the sheeple traveler.
The quandary is I love getting there I hate going there.
I agree with the sentiment that the romance of air travel is gone. It probably will be forever. Boeing claims that they can bring it back with the 787, but I am not sure. But the point of the article is Senator Schumer's contempt for a service person trying to do her job. His behavior is contemptible, but not surprising. This story has so many directions to go. But they are all so obvious and this person is hardly worthy of our respect or vote. But he will get re elected, so he really does not care.
ReplyDeleteThe FAA's regulation makes the airlines responsible for governing the use of portable electronic devices on their airplanes, ensuring that carriers err on the side of non-litigious caution.
ReplyDeleteThe ban on cellular phones is fairly easy to understand. Not only do they transmit signals, they might interfere with cellular signals on the ground. For that reason, it isn't just the FAA that limits their use on airplanes. The Federal Communications Commission has recently supported the FAA's decision to keep cell phones turned off during the entire flight, not just during takeoff and landing.
The airlines require the cabin crew to ensure compliance with these rules.
If they failed to comply and an accident ensued, shmucks like Senator Schumer would be grilling them during one of their hearings demanding to know why they did not do so.
My sister is a flight attendant for US Air. I am almost certain she was not the one to whom Sen Scum-er aimed his epithet. No, I haven't spoken with her to confirm my hunch...it's the absence of reporting about the senator suffering a broken nose that leads me to that conclusion.
ReplyDeletePelosi, Reid, Schumer, Boxer, Rangel, etc etc etc etc
Is this really the best we can do as citizens to select the people to run our legislature?
Funny thing about this story is that the bottom line is that he (Schumer) was correct. The door is open, you can use your phone. But then he lost all ground to stand on as soon as he opened his mouth and needlessly insulted a fellow human being. Some strange version of a pyrrhic victory I suppose. Had he shut up, hung up his phone and sent an email to USAir Customer Service he would have received a $250 e-cert and this story would have simply been ammunition to his passenger bill of rights. Instead he showed his true colors. He does not care about the passengers, he only cares about himself.
ReplyDelete