US Airways Doesn't Like To Be Criticized

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[Mean People]
Let's say you're sitting in your seat on U.S. Airways and the flight attendant goes into the obligatory safety speech prior to takeoff. Only this one does the whole thing so fast you can hardly understand what is said. The guy next to you comments about the hasty demonstration, and the next thing you know you're in police custody and being investigated by the FBI... wait, what?


First of all my apologies to the passengers of the 7 a.m. US Airways Flight 1926 from MCO (Orlando) to DCA, who were all delayed for a couple of hours.

Let me assure you that neither the stranger sitting beside me in first class, nor myself, EVER said that ANY crew member was on drugs.

This is what happened…

-The flight attendant did the safety announcement at LIGHTENING speed, and like it was some joke, in the middle started to draw out the words like a little child, then she immediately continued at lightening speed, not even allowing the flight attendants to properly demonstrate what she was explaining.

-I thought it was odd, not professional, and rude to the passengers – but hey, what is a passenger to expect these days

-A few minutes later I heard my seat mate ask another flight attendant (we later found out that she was the head attendant) for the name of the fast speaker, because he wanted to use her as a real life example in a speech on ‘attitudes’ the next day. He started off his conversation making the comment, "That was the fastest safety presentation I have heard in 3.5 million miles of traveling, was she on speed or something?"

-The head attendant talked calmly too him a couple minutes, looking embarrassed that a co-worker had performed that way, and left saying she would bring this up w/ the other attendant.

-The head attendant came back while we were taxiing on the runway to tell my seat mate to watch the words he uses in the future, because if an accusation is made that a flight attendant is on drugs, she has to tell the captain, who has to take the plane back and the entire crew gets drug tested.

-The man quickly clarified that he never said that she was on drugs, and for the first time I spoke up, emphasizing that he NEVER did accuse nor imply that anyone was on drugs, I repeated his analogy, dissecting it to show no accusation was made, and further pointed out that in my opinion nothing in his tone nor mannerism even implied this – I also took the opportunity to say the safety announcement was just plain wrong.

-The head attendant looked more perturbed, and said she was going to report this to the captain. My seat mate and I looked at each other, and then told her one more time that no accusation was made, nor implied about drug use. I sensed at this point that she had a desire to show her power in the situation.

-15 minutes later my seatmate and I were detained by the Orlando PD, waiting for the FBI & Homeland Security who were investigating us for ‘interfering with the duties of the flight crew.’ Now 3 flight attendants, and other passengers were saying that BOTH of us had made accusations of drug use. Before this was over the U.S. Attorney General was called to make the decision whether to prosecute us.

-Come to find out my seat mate is a motivational speaker like Tony Robbins, has published 4 books on attitude, and a very enjoyable person to spend several hours in detention with. Neither of us complained once about the half a day odyssey we were put through, and although shocked, we took it in stride.

-No charges were brought against us, we caught the next non-stop to DC, and the following valuable lessons were learned:

*The flight attendant should have read the safety announcement in the ‘normal’ style.
*My seatmate should have used the word ‘caffeine’ instead of ‘speed’
*I do not regret defending my seatmate, but I should have used a lower voice so other passengers would not have even heard occasional words, and as the FBI & Homeland Security informed us, any complaints should be made in writing after landing
*The head flight attendant should have accepted the insistence of 2 frequent flyer and well heeled passengers, that no drug use was being accused nor implied, and let the flight go on without incident

Bottom line fellow flyers: Add drugs to the list of words though shall not use on aircraft, and think twice about commenting on quality of service while on board – in the post 9/11 world flight crews wield a lot of power over your lives, and they know it.

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random kid who saw this!
Posted by sarah on 2010-04-30 18:59:24
im going to dc very soonso thanks for writing this i will not say "drugs" on my flights. thanks!
 

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