I came across this blog post on Gadling, via Twitter. The author, George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog, writes about passengers and crewmembers being polite to one another up in the air. He writes about the famed orange juice incident on American Airlines and a few personal situations he’s found himself in. He also comments:
When asked, “Can I get you something to drink sir (or ma’am)” by a flight attendant (or by a waiter for that matter), it is not acceptable to bark out “Coke” without looking up from your Sudoku. It’s not acceptable in the air, and frankly, it’s not acceptable on the ground, either. But especially not in the air. Flight attendants are trained to save your life if there’s an incident.
He goes on to say,
and it is not acceptable when handed your beverage to skip the “thank you.”
I agree! A lot of travelers have been complaining about delays, cancellations and missing/timed out flight attendants on Twitter after this past weekends snow storm on the East coast. We take a lot of heat and disrespect from the traveling public but I still manage to be polite, and as nice I can be under the circumstances.
As I mentioned on the UPGRD.com podcast, I reward passengers who are polite. On my flights, if you’re the first person to say “please” and/or “thank you” – I’m going to offer you a free drink. You would be VERY surprised to learn that sometimes I go 4 hours into a flight or days into my trip before someone actually says it.
One of the comments on Geroge’s post particularly infuriated me
SpadesHead: Let me get this straight, you want me to thank her, after being treated rudely by every single employee of her airline until now? After her airline is adding fee after hidden fee? I’ll tell you what, I’ll start saying “thank you” after they do. Listen after you conversation at the ticket counter, do they say “thank you”, no, usually not. How about security? “Thank you.” No.
To you, Mr. SpadesHead, I want you to keep one thing in mind. We are all different people and our own person. Just because the company I work for implemented additional fees for checked bags, food, etc., and the agent at the ticket counter didn’t say “please” or “thank you” doesn’t mean I’m not going to or I agree with what they did. I deserve the same amount of respect you would pay to any stranger you meet on the street. I just so happen to be your flight attendant today, and could, potentially, save your life.
Would you say “thank you” to that?
George, thank you for writing you did. Flight Attendants across the world, I’m sure, thank you as well.
I don’t know why flying has to be a battle of negativity. Flying used to be a luxury and something everyone dreamed to do, now, it’s dreaded because of the supposed lack of customer service and humanity.
I for one like my job, enjoy what I do, and that shows in my work and my interactions with my passengers.
Being polite will get you everywhere.
Episode 10:
It’s really not that difficult to say “please” or “thank you”. I sat next to a woman that couldn’t do it earlier this year. She was miffed to find that when the FAs were passing out meals that she was the last one to get hers. More than miffed, really. All because she couldn’t/wouldn’t/refused to act like a human being.
Nothing like charming the FAs and reaping the rewards, although it is sad that they have to reward good behaviour like it is kindergarten!
It is sad.. but its sadder (is that a word) that I can go FLIGHTS and WEEKS before ever getting someone who voluntarily says “please” or “thank you”
Please and Thank you are lost phrases in a world where everyone is rushing to get somewhere when there really is no where to get to. I guess when passengers realize that you get what you give they will chill out and put some humanity and empathy back into their way of being.