What do you do when your captain doesn't talk?
12-23-2007, 08:01 PM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Student Pilot
Posts: 2,277
As the title suggests. After holding for about 35 minutes yesterday, and deciding it was time to divert, I asked the captain if he was going to tell the people in the back. His response, "why?"
I took it upon myself, made a PA announcement. When we got on the ground the FA was getting a ton of questions, and some people were getting mad. This captain sat there and didn't say anything. Again, I took it upon myself to make an announcement every 10 minutes or so and keep the pax informed of what was going on. Do you guys think it was right to take this upon myself?
What do you do about this? It's not my job to make the announcements unless I'm PNF. However much I don't like working here I can't let that affect the passengers. They bought a ticket from a mainline carrier, don't know (or care) who they're flying on as long as they get there. There's been enough press about situations like this recently and I don't want to contribute to it and realize that without them, I don't have a job. However this captain, in my mind, wasn't doing his job. Should I go to professional standards? Should I keep my mouth shut? I'm not going to the company because that's a losing situation no matter what.
I took it upon myself, made a PA announcement. When we got on the ground the FA was getting a ton of questions, and some people were getting mad. This captain sat there and didn't say anything. Again, I took it upon myself to make an announcement every 10 minutes or so and keep the pax informed of what was going on. Do you guys think it was right to take this upon myself?
What do you do about this? It's not my job to make the announcements unless I'm PNF. However much I don't like working here I can't let that affect the passengers. They bought a ticket from a mainline carrier, don't know (or care) who they're flying on as long as they get there. There's been enough press about situations like this recently and I don't want to contribute to it and realize that without them, I don't have a job. However this captain, in my mind, wasn't doing his job. Should I go to professional standards? Should I keep my mouth shut? I'm not going to the company because that's a losing situation no matter what.
You doggone right. You did what was right & proper. IT'S CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE. WITHOUT THEM, THERE IS NO US. I'm not an airline pilot yet, however this goes for any company doing business with the general public. I've served in a customer service position in one capacity or another for over the last 25 years or so.
There are alot of people out there whose interpersonal skills leaves alot to be desired. Taking the initiative was the right thing to do, b/c it may have eliminated even more questions that the FA may have had to answer and showed or proved to some of the paying customer that this airline really does care.
IMH&PO, you did what was right!!!
atp
12-23-2007, 08:15 PM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: Still Swinging props!
Posts: 297
Good job, and keep up the good work. I always talked to the peeps. If you don't like people, fly frieght. No inflight announcements! I hated sitting up front, looking away from the pax during the boarding announcement. I had to step in the back and look at 'em while blabbing the welcome aboard. Nice to look at the faces, too. And more often than not, there would be a comment from a pax deplaning on how nice it was to see a pilot during the announcement. Usually it was an older pax, remembering days of long gone when the captain would cruise the aisles en route, meeting people and being the "airline embassador" that once was the norm. Hmm. Most of the regional guys aren't old enough to remember any of that!
Good luck,
Ronin
Good luck,
Ronin
12-23-2007, 08:19 PM
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,814
OKC to LAX today I broke down and needed to make the walk-of-shame...Well we had just descended to a lower FL due to some bumpy air, and as I walked back, a pax in first asked me why we pulled back the thrust when we encountered the bumps...I explained that we descended looking for smoother air blahblahblah. All in all, he we talked for a good three or four minutes about upper-air weather.
It was great to actually interact with a pax - especially enroute...I think it made both our days. This maximum security world is only safe because it's a Prison that we all live in...
It was great to actually interact with a pax - especially enroute...I think it made both our days. This maximum security world is only safe because it's a Prison that we all live in...
Last edited by ExperimentalAB; 12-23-2007 at 08:26 PM.
12-23-2007, 08:23 PM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: X
Posts: 343
12-23-2007, 08:24 PM
#16
Freightmama!
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: 757/767 FO
Posts: 2,880
1. What do you do about this? It's not my job to make the announcements unless I'm PNF. However much I don't like working here I can't let that affect the passengers. They bought a ticket from a mainline carrier, don't know (or care) who they're flying on as long as they get there. There's been enough press about situations like this recently and I don't want to contribute to it and realize that without them, I don't have a job. However this captain, in my mind, wasn't doing his job.
2. Should I go to professional standards?
3. Should I keep my mouth shut? I'm not going to the company because that's a losing situation no matter what.
2. NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!! Did I say NO???? There's nothing worse than a little rat.
3. YES YES YES!!! Unless you are going to say something to the captain first, I would keep my mouth shut.
12-23-2007, 08:25 PM
#17
Freightmama!
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: 757/767 FO
Posts: 2,880
Seriously though, he did a good thing.
12-23-2007, 08:28 PM
#19
Freightmama!
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: 757/767 FO
Posts: 2,880
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