Airline SC's

[greensinestro]

This was something I remembered on a trip I took out to Phoenix, Arizona. I was meeting my dad out there, and it was a flight from West Palm Beach, and we had to change planes in Atlanta, Georgia. After Atlanta, this is when the fun began.

First off, they had an in-flight movie called "Mission To Mars". I had never seen this film, but thought, why not? It was going to be about four hours until we got to Phoenix, and I was already tired of reading my book. Half way into this film (which I thought was terrible), the movie had sound problems, and they kept having to stop and restart it. Because of this, the captain offered to refund passengers their money, even though the film did play to the end. It turned out, most were getting refunds because they hated the movie. I didn't like it, but I treated it like I would at any movie theater. Going to the movies is all about risk, and they're not going to refund my money simply because I thought it was a terrible film.

The next part is really what personally happened to me. While I was trying to watch this film, the asshat with a video camera was walking through the aisles filming everything, right in front of the view of those who were watching the movie, including me. I waited a moment or two to say something, but this muscular man in front of me turned and said to me, "Hey! Can you see the movie?" to which I shook my head. Muscular Man got up and must have said something really threatening, because Video Camera man went back to his seat, and never got back up again, not even to go to the bathroom!

Lastly, people were complaining left and right about the temperature in the plane, and how they had run out of blankets! It was the middle of summer, and I was in shorts and a T-shirt, and was very comfortable. I saw a little boy on there, about ten years old, in flips flops, shorts, and tank top shirt, and he wasn't freezing either while reading his comic books.

I had not flown on an airplane since 1982, and this was 2000. I had never been aware that this type of behavior occurs on airplanes, until later on when I saw 20/20 or some other news magazine about unruly airline passengers. And before others out there say it, I have tried to watch that show on A&E called "Airline" and never really could get in to it. I think it's more entertaining to be at the scene and witness it there.

[rerant]

I've never been on an airplane, but I thought in-flight movies were free.
But then again I thought all things on planes were free. Sort of that your ticket paid for all these neat little ammenities like movies and the excessive amount of booze it would take for me not to run through the aisles screaming, "LEMME OFF LEMME OFF LEMME OFF LEMME OFF!"

[PepperElf]

on some airlines they charge you for the headphones.
and some of those headphones are the weird air-type so you can't just plug your own set into the jack box.

[Skandranon]

Charging for the movies depends on the airline and the length of the flight. I've been on flights where they charged for the headphones, and I've been on a 16 hour flight to Singapore where each seat had its own tv with 20 channels running nonstop, all for free.

I do know most airlines charge for any alcohol, however.

[greensinestro]

Charging for the movies depends on the airline and the length of the flight. I've been on flights where they charged for the headphones, and I've been on a 16 hour flight to Singapore where each seat had its own tv with 20 channels running nonstop, all for free.

I do know most airlines charge for any alcohol, however.

I was going to say that myself. This flight was on Delta Airlines, and it was on a Boeing 767, which at the time was one of the largest planes around. The cost of the movie was $5, which even in 2000, was cheaper than going to the movies. Most of the SC's on this flight took full advantage of the technical problems with the film, and got their $5 refunded because they hated the film. I know the local Muvico or Blockbusters would not give in to something like that.

[wagegoth]

It depends on the airline and the class you fly.

[Peppergirl]

Welcome to my world.

I loved the show Airline, and alot of it was because I could relate to what they were going through.

[Toujin]

I think the reason everyone was complaining about it being too cold was because they had the air-conditioning vents above their seats running at full blast, but didn't notice.

[marasbaras]

I was one of those complaining customers once:

We were sitting in Copenhagen. Plane fully loaded. We'd pushed out about 10 feet from the gate.

The captain decides that the plane needs to be de-iced again. OK, I understand why (something about not dying on takeoff) and I fully support this.

The problem came when they decided to shut off the engines to save fuel. So, picture this: fully loaded 747 with the engines off. Oh, why is turning off the engines significant? Because the air blowers turn off, too.

After waiting 45 minutes in the ever boiling cabin, I found a stewardess and complained. She said

S: "Oh, we're just trying to save fuel, sir."
Me: "Yes, at the expense of your paying customers."
S: "Please return to your seat, sir, we'll be done shortly."

People all around me were clearly angry. Not just a little. Very, very visibly agitated. It was HOT. Sweaty. One guy was punching into is other hand. Children were crying. It was just bad.

So, again, I find someone ...

Me:
S: "Please, turn on the engines." And again, "We're trying to conserve fuel here, sir."
Me: "Then just push back to the gate and let us get off until you're done."
S: "We can't do that sir, we're already pushed back."
Me: (a bit loudly) "Yes, ten feet and you're still blocking the gate. Either go back to the gate or turn on the fucking engines. Otherwise, you're going to have real problems here. Just look carefully around you."
S: "Sir, I'm going to ..." (looks around, goes ) "I see what you mean, sir."
Me: "Good, thank you." (I wanted to say "What, you stupid cow, you didn't notice before how badly it was?"... instead, I just go back to my seat)

About three minutes later, the engines turn on. I get a few "thank yous" from those seated around me.

It took them another half hour to get the plane finally de-iced. But, at least we weren't cooking alive.

I was probably a SC to my travel agent when I got back. But, I did tell him that I never, EVER wanted to fly Northwest again and he booked me on ... Northwest.

[Peppergirl]

Letting your TA know about the issues you had isn't being an SC. Now, if you yelled and screamed at her about it - then yes, you were one.

Kidding aside, if someone tells me they don't want to fly a certain airline anymore, I document their records to never put them on that carrier again. So if she did that to you after you told her you hate NWA, then you have a right to be mad.

[marasbaras]

Kidding aside, if someone tells me they don't want to fly a certain airline anymore, I document their records to never put them on that carrier again. So if she did that to you after you told her you hate NWA, then you have a right to be mad.

I'd let him know previously that I hated NWA from my experiences with them flying to Japan and the Philippines. That I did not want to fly them.

I didn't yell. But I did say that if he ever booked me on NWA again that he'd be out one client. Much to my pleasure, he never did.

[MadonnaC]

But, I did tell him that I never, EVER wanted to fly Northwest again and he booked me on ... Northwest.

I can fully support you decision not to go on Northwest. After their epic fail transporting myself and my 5 cats across country......

[Cyphr]

madonna can we hear this story?

[king4aday]

I always request to fly northwest because they are one airline I have never had a problem with. I flew Delta once...never again. We ran into turbulance, on the way to Atlanta from Washington DC (changing planes to fly into Minneapolis). I get motion sickness pretty easy so I asked the flight attendent if she had any idea how long it would be until we get out of the turbulance. She informed me that the entire flight would have some form of turbulance because that is how the captain preferred to fly. The whole plane was shaking and sounded like it was going to fall apart. I will never fly delta again. I really have had no other experiences with other airlines because in this area the airports are dominated by northwest for the most part.

[mattm04]

If Airline is on I will watch it. I love watching the SC's bitch at how awful the airline is for delaying the flight because of a bad thunderstorm or some other "Act of God." Yes, it can be frustrating but their is nothing the airline can do to control the weather. Or when they show up at the airport 10 minutes before the flight leaves and whine how awful the airline is.