var json_comments = new Array("
\"user-pic\"
rpm773
February 23, 2009 8:00 PM
Moderate | Flag for review

Well, I certainly can't claim to have never referred to UAL and its employees as idiots.

In fact I've probably done so on multiple, if not every, occasion.

Reply
2 replies
\"user-pic\"
tomgreen58
February 24, 2009 1:11 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

As a pilot for United, I am certainly very sorry that you feel that way. Someone, sometime must have really upset you and for that I am truly sorry.

I have to say that I work tirelessly to ensure the safety of my passengers and the timeliness of their arrival. Also, my fellow employees try to do the same despite the trials and tribulations of the airline industry. I have to admit that we do have people with bad attitudes. They usually do not last long in their jobs.

One insensitive employee can ruin all the good will that the rest of us try so hard to achieve.

I know how difficult travel in this day and age can be since I travel often. However, do not give up on us. There are so many United employees just waiting to shine.

Sincerely,

Tom Green
B777 Captain
Washington Dulles

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Colage
February 23, 2009 8:00 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Not to defend United here, because they definately should have offered an apology, but everywhere I've worked, from Customer Service to professional firms, have spoken rather poorly about their customers.

If it's any consolation, they probably choice things to say about the first-class people too.

Reply
3 replies
\"user-pic\"
Dawnrazor
February 24, 2009 4:43 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Colage: Yeah, I imagine the \"idiot\" comment is pretty tame compared with what they say when referring to first class passengers!


In the scheme of things, this is not a big deal at all. I honestly think that folks working jobs primarily involving \"customer service\" in one form or another are great unsung heroes. I worked customer service at a retailer briefly while in college, and let's just say it took a LONG time to regain some faith in humanity. I don't envy people working these jobs at all, and I really try to go out of my way to make their life easier when dealing with them (the payoff is that I've never had problems getting things accomplished when having problems with service or products-my experience is that even the most jaded customer service personnel will bend over backwards if they are just shown some basic human kindness and courtesy). If they need to make snide comments behind customers' backs in order to blow off a little steam and make it through the day, I don't begrudge them a bit. Of course it is prudent to take steps to ensure that said customers are not privy to such comments!

Reply
\"user-pic\"
lpranal
February 24, 2009 4:03 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Colage: of course, it's also possible that there were in fact a bunch of drunken idiots that they were talking in particular about in coach.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
BeFrugalNotCheap
February 23, 2009 9:24 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Colage: Hah, one can only IMAGINE what they have to say about some of the people in coach. lol.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
philmin
February 23, 2009 8:05 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say at least one person working at every major company in the United States has called one of their customers an idiot. Occasionally, we hear it out loud. What response does he want from United, exactly?

Reply
6 replies
\"user-pic\"
JerseyCurl
February 24, 2009 3:02 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@philmin: Because they didn't have to be so blatant about it? I realize they didn't know they were being overheard, but still. It's a lapse in judgment that I'd just as soon not ponder when I'm in a vulnerable position, like on an airplane where my life is in the hands of airline crews and pilots.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
trujunglist
February 23, 2009 10:44 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@philmin:

Why would you call someone an idiot unless they're truly fucking retarded? I mean, yeah, I've called a lot of the clients I work for idiots, but that is because they're genuinely stupid, not just because I was pissed off that I had to work for them. The correct phrase in that case is low-balling asshole.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Russell Miller
February 23, 2009 8:08 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@philmin:

Rule number 1 of customer relations: You know you hate us. We know you hate us. But we expect you to at least *pretend* you respect us.

If you break this rule, at least *pretend* to apologize sincerely, so we can keep pretending to think you like us.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
joe18521
February 23, 2009 9:38 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Russell Miller:

They probably wanted to apologize but had no idea how to. \"Ladies and gentlemen, we deeply regret calling you idiots. You are all perfectly intelligent human beings...\"?

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
February 23, 2009 8:52 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Russell Miller: \"But we expect you to at least *pretend* you respect us.\"

Yep.

After working at a newspaper, I am totally incapable of sending in letters to the editor, because I know EXACTLY what the editorial staff has to say about those people! And it ain't polite. But you don't say it when there are people in the office who don't work there!

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Shadowman615
February 23, 2009 9:14 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Eyebrows McGee: That makes me wonder what Ben, Meg, Chris, and co. are saying about us right now!

Reply
\"user-pic\"
philmin
February 23, 2009 8:13 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Russell Miller:


Dont get me wrong, I wouldnt like it if someone in a customer service role uttered \"idiot\" I happened to hear it, but I dont think this is good use of consumerists escalation techniques. If you were truly wronged as a consumer, escalate the issue until it is resolved. If some random employee was rude for about 2 seconds, please dont find this as a reason to \"email corporate\", leave that for the real consumer issues.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Russell Miller
February 23, 2009 8:15 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@philmin:

So what would you have suggested he do? Demand an apology right there, where the flight attendants would have probably deemed him a risk and called the FBI to meet him on the ground? Who else is he going to talk to once he's off the plane?

Reply
\"user-pic\"
philmin
February 23, 2009 8:18 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Russell Miller:


I would do nothing. If I was really upset by this utterance, which I can't imagine most people would be, I might act all upset and demand an apology on the spot, which would of course be silly.


I'm just questioning what the goal is exactly by escalating this issue. Is it simply for the generic apology, or would they like the flight attendant fired? Does the author of this story really believe this specific issue is related in some way to United as opposed to any other company, and therefore corporate needs to be involved to remedy the problem company wide?

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Cyberxion101
February 23, 2009 9:19 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@philmin: So basically what you're getting at is that you feel that this isn't woth escalating simply because the issue isn't severe enough. Is that correct?


Is that ever good policy? I mean he probably shouldn't seek the attendant's head for this, but it's not a bad idea to let the airline know about it before it sparks a huge incident.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Tolgak
February 23, 2009 8:08 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

In other news: United Airlines petitions the TSA to ban personal radio scanners on the grounds that they \"pose an increased security risk\" to flight.

Reply
2 replies
\"user-pic\"
Myownheroine
February 24, 2009 2:34 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Tolgak:


Actually, UA offers this ability to listen-called Channel 9-as entertainment. It's the only carrier I know to do so, and the crew have the option not to do it, and many don't.
However, a number of passengers like to listen to it.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Liam Kinkaid
February 23, 2009 8:11 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Tolgak: The in-flight \"entertainment\" system is now a personal radio scanner? Who knew!

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
I_have_something_to_say
February 23, 2009 8:08 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Hell I've got some choice words for some of my customers. Just the other day a buyer called me all pissed off because he couldn't buy the product we distribute direct from the manufacturer after we spent hours helping their engineers design it in.

Buyers are their own special breed of ignorant sometimes.

Reply
","","","","
\"user-pic\"
jake7294
February 23, 2009 8:14 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Where's Comcast Frank on this one?

Reply
2 replies
\"user-pic\"
quizmasterchris
February 24, 2009 12:14 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@jake7294: More important, where is Bonnie?

LOL *grin* IDIOTS OMG LOL ;)

Reply
\"user-pic\"
ComcastBonnie
February 24, 2009 4:52 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

OMGWTFBBQROFL

You had to go there... :P

Reply
","","
\"user-pic\"
LastVigilante
February 23, 2009 8:15 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I don't fly often, but how does one listen to \"the cockpit channel\" while flying?

Reply
13 replies
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 24, 2009 12:51 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

The only airlines that offers this to my knowledge is United Airlines. It is referred to as \"Channel 9\". So when you fly United tune your audio on the seat arm to channel 9 and you will enjoy the communications between ATC (Air Traffic Control) and the cockpit. I would also like to add that the use of channel 9 on United flights is solely up to the Captains discretion.

Tom Green, pilot, United Airlines

Reply
\"user-pic\"
RedwoodFlyer
February 24, 2009 12:21 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@LastVigilante: By flying a United flight that doesn't have hardcore union crybabies up front and tuning to channel 9.... the union has a list of things pilots should do to \"protest\" their 6 figure salaries (A320 CA and up), and one of them is to piss off loyal pax by cutting off channel 9.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Skunky
February 23, 2009 8:50 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@LastVigilante: I always listen to it when it's available, like other have already stated, it's nice to hear the babble between the plane and ATC. Also, as someone who has only ever been outside of the west coast TWICE, hearing tower names gives me an idea of where the hell I am during a cross-country flight.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
lulfas
February 23, 2009 9:13 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Skunky:

Not sure how widespread it is, but when I flew Delta to Florida for Christmas, they had the touchscreen systems in the backs of the chair that had access to the GPS with all the other info (Temps, winds, etc) on it. Check it out, it's neat :)

Reply
\"user-pic\"
ekthesy
February 23, 2009 8:38 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@LastVigilante:

I do it all the time. It alleviates the feeling that I'm trapped in a metal tube at 30,000 feet with only the Bernoulli Principle holding me up. You get to hear the crew talking with the ground control, so there's at least a semblance of a feeling that you're being taken care of down on terra firma.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
balthisar
February 23, 2009 8:43 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@ekthesy: If it's any consolation, it's not Bernoulli's principle that's holding you up, but Newton's. Common misconception.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Shaftoe
February 23, 2009 8:27 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@LastVigilante:
You can choose from a number of chanels on the seat arm for different styles of music, the movie and the cockpit chatter with the tower and Air Traffic Control.
I gained a new appreciation for Dave Brubeck as he seems to have his own channel on United domestic flights.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Bungus Aurelius
February 23, 2009 8:26 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@LastVigilante: United has \"Channel 9\" on most of its entertainment systems and which, at the captain's discretion, may be tuned to ATC communications. I'm a big fan of it myself.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Parapraxis
February 23, 2009 9:27 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Bungus Aurelius:

I personally like listening to the channel that plays the BBC Radio's adaptation of Snoop Dogg's movie \"Soul Plane\"

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Applekid
February 23, 2009 8:53 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Bungus Aurelius: I'm surprised that still happens. I haven't flown in years but I can't imagine any lawyers happy about the potential liability by giving the ability to passengers to listen to cockpit communications.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Bungus Aurelius
February 23, 2009 9:09 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Applekid: There are some pretty impassioned debates about exactly that over at Flyertalk, especially once some United pilots chimed in on both sides. People in favor of being able to listen find it interesting and/or relaxing, as a few people have said above. Unfortunately, all of the pilots seemed to have horror stories of passengers who heard (or mis-heard) something and wanted to question the pilot on his/her ability to fly. Thus, it's completely at pilot discretion whether they turn it on or not.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Bungus Aurelius
February 23, 2009 8:28 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Bungus Aurelius: Forgot to add: at times the switches may be set incorrectly so it transmits internal communications, like in this case.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 23, 2009 8:25 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

United offers Channel 9 on their inflight audio entertainment system, which (provided the pilot turns it on,which lately many of them don't) usually lets you here the dialogue between the pilot and air traffic control. Fun for flight geeks, but it sounds like somebody hooked it up wrong in this case.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
silver-bolt
February 23, 2009 8:24 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@LastVigilante: Apparently its an option on the inflight radio system. Same system that lets you choose the movie channel to hear the inflight movie.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Canino
February 23, 2009 8:15 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I guess if I was a skywaitress, I would think the customers were idiots also.

Reply
3 replies
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 28, 2009 5:00 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Canino: Please remember that it was the \"skywaitresses\" that got the people off of both the Continental flight that caught fire flt 1404 and the USAir flight that made sure that everyone was evacuated and noone perished. But people tend to forget that that is the MAIN purpose of the occupation as the \"skywaitress\"

Reply
\"user-pic\"
TheSpatulaOfLove
February 24, 2009 12:02 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Canino:

That's EXACTLY how I would have referred to the staff as they handed this idiot his drink.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
RedwoodFlyer
February 24, 2009 12:24 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@TheSpatulaOfLove: I'll one up you: I'd find a way to blast this song:

[www.songmeanings.net]

on the interphone!

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Skybolt
February 23, 2009 8:17 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

If people couldn't curse and ridicule their customers, they would explode with rage and leave pieces of their brain over a ten mile radius. But people should be careful who can hear, because for some reason customers need the illusion that they are just the Most Important People In the World.

Reply
2 replies
\"user-pic\"
LadySiren is murdering her kids with HFCS and processed cheese
February 23, 2009 8:32 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Skybolt:

I don't think customers expect to be treated like they're the most important people in the world. However, when you're paying (and paying and paying) to fly, check a bag, get a drink...is it really too much to ask that you not be called an \"idiot\" by airline employees? Granted, she might've been referring to a specific passenger who was acting like an idiot, but it's probably not a good thing to broadcast that message out over channel.

Also, that flight attendant might want to remember that the passengers are helping to ensure she still has a job.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Alexander Saites
February 23, 2009 10:58 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@LadySiren: I worked as a waiter for two years, which I think would be just a step removed from flight attendant. On the whole, customers are idiots. Not necessarily anyone personally, but it just seems all customers have the same questions, jokes, etc. It just gets old after a while, and it seems like every customer is doing the same things.

As a result, they seem like they're just repeating each other. They seem like total idiots. I don't think the flight attendant was wrong for referring to customers as idiots on a private channel. However, she should have been more cautious to make sure that it was a private channel, as no one wants to be referred to as an idiot.

Once she was made aware of the situation, she should have apologized. At the same time, however, I don't think most people would be personally offended by this, nor should they be. If a person were referred to specifically as an idiot, that would be wrong. But generalizing about customers in this way is not uncommon, and I would say it's not wrong.

Reply
","","
\"user-pic\"
MyPetFly
February 23, 2009 8:20 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I wonder if the idiots in the executive suites can hear what's going on?

Reply
","","","","","","","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 23, 2009 8:34 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I've got to side with the stewardess here...if you're still flying UAL, coach, buisness, or first, you are an idiot.And I really don't appreciate Nicholas feigning surprise and outrage. Anyone who's flown United and experienced their horrible anti-customer policies should know they think you're an idiot. So what if they actually verbalized it this time?

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 23, 2009 8:37 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Have you ever really paid attention to how many people mistreat or condescend to those that wait on them? I've seen enough rudeness and bad manners exhibited by customers towards wait staff, receptionists, clerks, and, yes, flight attendants, to make me very thankful that my parents and grandparents drilled it into me that patience and manners are something we really can't have too much of. Perhaps the people in coach really were idiots on this particular day. Would it really surprise you?

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Silversmok3
February 23, 2009 8:37 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Out of curiousity,how did the OP know the attendant was referring to him unless he did something to merit the response....


Somethings missing from this dialogue.

Reply
2 replies
\"user-pic\"
Cyberxion101
February 23, 2009 9:24 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Silversmok3: No, nothing is missing. He never said that he believed they were referring to him. Not even once.


See, his problem is that when caught calling their customers idiots, something that was bad enough in itself, and that the employees in question didn't make an effort to apologize for their error in judgment and instead acted as if it had never happened.


;)

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
cmdrsass
February 23, 2009 8:37 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Travelers in coach expect limo service at city bus prices. I'm sure that wears on flight attendants.

Reply
5 replies
\"user-pic\"
magnoliasouth
February 24, 2009 1:11 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@cmdrsass: I seriously hope you don't work in this industry. Where do you get off saying such nonsense?

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Cyberxion101
February 23, 2009 10:16 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@I_am_Awesome: Hmn. I tend to treat 'em like human-beings instead of lumping 'em all together 'cause some asshole gave me bad customer service somewhere else. But maybe that's just me.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Major-General
February 23, 2009 9:48 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@cmdrsass: Some of us actually just expect to get from point A to B, with our luggage. Regarding United, we would also like to leave on the day we scheduled our flight.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Shadowman615
February 23, 2009 9:20 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@cmdrsass: Maybe some of them do, but I think many of us just want to get to where we're going without being hassled. But that's really only a pipe dream with air travel these days.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 23, 2009 8:37 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Have you ever really paid attention to how many people mistreat or condescend to those that wait on them? I've seen enough rudeness and bad manners exhibited by customers towards wait staff, receptionists, clerks, and, yes, flight attendants, to make me very thankful that my parents and grandparents drilled it into me that patience and manners are something we really can't have too much of. Perhaps the people in coach really were idiots on this particular day. Would it really surprise you?

Reply
","","
\"user-pic\"
vladthepaler
February 23, 2009 8:42 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

The flght attendant didn't apologize because she knows that non-idiots fly Southwest.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
I_am_Awesome
February 23, 2009 8:42 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

This may shock you, but everyone you deal with in every service industry thinks you're an idiot, just like you think they're idiots.

Reply
","","
\"user-pic\"
duckfat
February 23, 2009 8:48 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Without corroborating evidence to the contrary there is a good chance that maybe you and everyone else in coach on that particular day was in fact, an idiot.

In fact, I would take the word of trained customer service professionals over a random internet poster on this matter. :)

Reply
1 replies
\"user-pic\"
Cyberxion101
February 23, 2009 10:18 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@duckfat: Why?


By the way, in all my years in customer service, I've come to find that there is no such thing as a trained professional in that field. Not even I can claim that lofty title, as I'm still going on a whole lot of misinformation and half-assed training methods. :P

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Reid Antonacchio
February 23, 2009 8:48 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Actually Both are correct:


[www.grc.nasa.gov]

Reply
1 replies
\"user-pic\"
Reid Antonacchio
February 23, 2009 8:49 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@balthisar: that was supposed to be

Reply
","","","","","
\"user-pic\"
jake.valentine
February 23, 2009 8:57 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

If this is true, why would anybody be surprised?!? Anyone who has had the chance to fly an Asian flag carrier like ANA, Singapore, or Cathay Pacific has experienced what it is like to fly with professional flight attendants. After you experience good customer service on a well run airline, the US flag carriers just seem so ghetto. I wish it wasn't so.........

Reply
1 replies
\"user-pic\"
John Naas
February 23, 2009 10:12 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@jake.valentine:


I've never flown on an Asian airline, but British Airways and KLM both gave me stellar service in coach on long international flights. Most of the domestic carriers I've flown on have been one hassle after another.


The flight attendant should have apologized. Just because she thinks everyone in coach is an idiot doesn't give her the right to say it. If she can't handle it, then it's time to start looking for a new job.

Reply
","","","
\"user-pic\"
Corporate_guy
February 23, 2009 9:10 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

That was an ABC conversation. Get over it. Everyone complains about their jobs.

Reply
1 replies
\"user-pic\"
MMD
February 23, 2009 10:28 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Corporate_guy: But does everyone complain in such a way that they can be heard by their customers? That's the issue here.

Reply
","","","
\"user-pic\"
MyPetFly
February 23, 2009 9:15 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Half the equation to good customer service is to be a good customer, which I try to do all the time. In fact, I probably go a little too far in trying to help out the vendor. Not to the point of doing all of their job, but heck, I don't see a problem with wiping up a mess I made on a restaurant table or making a joke with someone to give them 30 seconds of relief.

An apology was certainly in order to the whole cabin, but I can understand why people in service professions can develop an attitude.

Reply
","","","","","
\"user-pic\"
Andrew Freedman
February 23, 2009 9:24 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

INT: United Airlines Flight 941 from Chicago to Denver.
A flight attendant, obviously nervous and upset, stands in front of the coach cabin. She pulls the microphone off the wall and speaks.

ATTENDANT: As a representative of both the crew as a whole and as a part of United Airlines, we want to apologize for calling you all idiots. It was rude and inconsiderate.

NICHOLAS: Damn right it was.

EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANE: Wait? What? They called us idiots? Those jerks! I'm never flying United again!

End scene.

In other words, so few people knew what they said, that the crew would be shooting itself in the foot by announcing it to everyone. Granted, it was a stupid thing to say on their part (if you can't say something nice, don't say it over a headset), but they'd have stirred up more anger if they told everyone about it.
Though now that it's hit Consumerist, I wouldn't be surprised if an apology came along.

Reply
2 replies
\"user-pic\"
JoshRogan
February 23, 2009 10:28 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@SolidSpider:Simple solution: they should have apologized over the station-to-station system that they were using. That would have ensured that anyone who may have possibly heard the comment received an apology.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
Shrew2u
February 23, 2009 11:36 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@JoshRogan: I like that solution - an apology that targets those who actually had a chance to be offended by the comment.

That said, \"no harm - no foul, no blood - no ambulance,\" as Chick Hearn used to say. The exec email pipeline should be used for things that can and should be resolved. The stews involved have probably self-corrected, in that they'll check whether they are being broadcast before using the comm. As for the opinions of certain service personnel for their customers or certain consumers for service personnel - that's just the way things go, sometimes. Worth a chuckle, but not much else.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Saboth
February 23, 2009 9:26 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

What's the problem here? Every time I've flown coach (which is 100% of the time), it is definately full of idiots.

Reply
2 replies
\"user-pic\"
JiminyChristmas
February 24, 2009 1:37 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Saboth: My thought exactly! It's not slander if it's the truth.

Reply
\"user-pic\"
XTC46
February 23, 2009 9:55 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

@Saboth: I agree. In any given population, a certain percentage of the people are going to be highly intelligent, incredibly stupid, smell bad, irritating, and or sick. This guy just overheard them describing the idiots in the group. There mistake was getting caught...idiots.

Reply
","","
\"user-pic\"
ZekeSulastin
February 23, 2009 9:30 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

. . . people on the receiving end of customer service reps of any sort somehow think they are spoken of highly when people think they aren't being monitored?

Look at how they're lambasted by customers in person and on this site and others. Now remember that they are people too, and at least give them credit for putting on the happy face before they interacted with you (assuming they did, of course).

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 23, 2009 9:35 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Is he serious? I guess he has never spoken of any of his customers whether internal or external in a duragatory manner. Get real -and- get over it! As for the comment advocating flying Southworst, they are the culprit for turning what used to be a pleasureable travel experience into the ghetto-line business we call the U.S. Airline industry. Consumers wanted cheap, and they got it. What do you expect? Southwest or Walmart anyone? Welcome to America, 2009.

Reply
","","","","","
\"user-pic\"
Lucky225
February 23, 2009 9:55 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Oh but what were you doing with a scanner in flight? If we allow that kind of stuff the terrorist win!

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
calquist
February 23, 2009 10:00 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

All of the people I have to deal with are idiots so I can only assume it is the same for everyone else in the world.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
TechnoDestructo
February 23, 2009 10:10 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

All the kids in Springfield are SOBs.

Reply
","","","","","","
\"user-pic\"
savdavid
February 23, 2009 10:30 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Well, if you are a flight attendant you are an idiot to have that job. So there!!!

Reply
","","","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 23, 2009 11:05 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

The most admirable part about this is that there was no apology offered to the sniveling creatures. The sniveling creatures are, of course, only those who wanted an apology. Anyone who had the emotional fortitude to overcome being called an idiot as part of a generalized statement is ok.

Were I the pilot, I would have, at best, apologized for exposing passengers to communications that were meant as 'back-stage' (to borrow from E. Goffmann) - not for having offended anyone.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Skater009
February 23, 2009 11:09 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

United is not the only one , I fly so much , I hear the flight personal complain just any other service . How they hate there jobs , ETC. etc. Now folks keep in mind some coach passengers pay first class when they book late , and some first class tickets are sold at close to coach. Also keep in mind most HATE their jobs . so they go to work with a poor mind set . while the management of the airline takes home huge salary for doing basically nothing

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Joe Lachiana
February 23, 2009 11:34 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

They probably were acting like idiots! I wish something like this would happen when I'm on a plane.


Nope.

Reply
","","","
\"user-pic\"
mamalicious
February 24, 2009 12:14 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Well, the poster wasn't mean to hear that. And if that's how the flight attendants let off steam from what must be a very tense and stressful job, then I don't have a problem with it.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
mamalicious
February 24, 2009 12:14 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Wasn't MEANT to hear that.

Reply
","","","","","
\"user-pic\"
coold8
February 24, 2009 1:30 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Meh, activists, college students, and crying babies fly coach, along with hicks, and middle-class business travelers. I am sure that is exactly what is going through the flight attendants mind.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
boricuachick
February 24, 2009 1:31 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

I guess the reason the \"idiots\" in First Class weren't mentioned is that they had most likely already been served their drinks, LOL.

Reply
","","","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 24, 2009 2:29 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Don't think this only happens to the idots in coach. I was recently flying on American over the holidays to Boston and had used milage to upgrade to 1st class. As I was heading to the lav, I heard one flight attendants tell the other \"I'll be glad when the holidays are over so we can get the trailer trash out of 1st class and get the business guys back\". lol

Reply
","","
\"user-pic\"
LeahReindeer
February 24, 2009 1:02 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I love listening to Channel 9. United pilots, if you're reading this, make it available always! Listening to the cockpit communications helps get me through flights with a sense of confidence that'll I'll make it to the destination in one piece. I wish more airlines would have a Channel 9-like service.

-Idiot in coach

Reply
1 replies
\"user-pic\"
tomgreen58
February 24, 2009 2:01 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I always turn channel 9 on for my passengers. However, there are those of us that do not for a variety of reasons.

i am glad you enjoy it.

Sincerely,

Tom Green
B777 Captain

Reply
","","","","","","","","
\"user-pic\"
malicious-a
February 24, 2009 6:33 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I hope UAL will take this \"Very Seriously.\"

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
erratapage
February 24, 2009 6:56 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Wow... I'm surprised how many people think it's okay to call a customer an idiot. Maybe it's just me, but I suspect everyone's job would be a little more pleasant if we treated other human beings better. Airplanes are horrible places to be trapped. Flying stopped being fun sometime in 1982. I do my best not to make other peoples' jobs harder. I wish others would do the same for me.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Rosasharn
February 24, 2009 6:58 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I'm confused - it sounds like the flight attendants were commenting on a channel that wasn't supposed to be broadcast. Why is everyone commenting on how this is bad customer service?

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
PLATTWORX
February 24, 2009 8:00 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I think UAL not responding to you is worse than what the they said. Gosh, your staff is overheard calling paying customers \"idiots\", you get a letter about it and DO NOTHING??

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 25, 2009 7:48 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

How do we know that this actually happened? Maybe United didn't offer an apology because it isn't true. Maybe this passenger was whining about something and didn't get his way-whether it was just before boarding the airplane or after- and he decided to write this in order to hurt United. I fly a lot, and, on more than one occasion, I've seen a passenger act like a jerk to one airline employee and then lie about what happened to another airline employee, to make himself look like the victim, because he didn't get his way or he was trying to get some type of free compensation. What nonsense.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 12:39 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

While this is a nice urban myth, I am sorry to say that it can't be true. Depending on what kind of aircraft you are on, the interphone system is either open or closed. Open means that anyone picking up an interphone can hear the conversation. Closed means one dials a number to reach a certain door.The interphones, for obvious reasons, are not connected to the radio system that is used between the aircraft and ATC, which is what one would be hearing on Channel 9.Good story, but next time you need a better understanding of how airplanes work.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 2:06 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

My family and I have flown on United several times and the experience is never pleasant. On a flight during the meal service, the flight attendant was coming selling the $5 meal boxes. When she approached me I asked what did she have, instead of telling me what she had available she told me I had to read the inflight magazine on a certain page to find out what she was serving. I was not told I had to do some home work before my flight.

On another flight to Hawaii from Los Angeles, the flight attendants rolled their eyes towards passengers traveling with kids. Then they hand out these agriculture forms to for passengers to fill out that clearly states that it's a felony for not filling out the form. With all the security involved in traveling, who carries a pen on board a plane. My wife ask if she could barrow a pen from the flight attendant (which she had one in her apron pocket) she refused to loan her pen and rudely told my wife she did not have one and to ask other passengers to barrow a pen.

I think United itself is the problem from the president on down. United needs to be aware that customer service is important specially with the cost of air fare these days. United just don't seem to care. I wont be sorry to see United go under because of their poor service. I don't fly United now.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 2:54 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

I have been on both sides, and I truly believe that everyone should understand that a paying customer, no matter what their faults, is first of all a human being worthy of respect. And secondly, the reason that they will receive a paycheck, So, is the person an idiot because they didn't pay for first class (by the way, there are a limited numberof first class seats whether they wanted them or not) or because they chose that airline. As a business owner, I would fire the flight attendant immediately and try to make ammends with the offended customer. What the flight attendant did was unacceptable on a number of levels. Stories like this sadden me.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 5:00 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

As a serious frequent flyer, over 100,000 miles in 08, this is exactly thre reason why United is my last choice in airlines!!!! To those arrogant individuals who think it is no big deal, no wonder businesses tank. Take a lesson from Nordstroms!

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 5:48 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

If it wasn't for the idiots of the world, the sky waitress would not have a job, as for the people in the executive section, if it was not for there companies or the idiots that hire there companies they would also be riding in the idiot section, by the way this is the section the sky waitress and her family set in if she is not working the flight. besides sounds like she the idiot for having a job where she has to wait on the \" idiots\" Good luck to all the middle class idiots out there that spend money and keep the airlines going.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 6:26 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Perhaps they had a group of politicians on board and they were refering to them. Some passengers check their brains in with their luggage. Being in the airline/aviation industry for 19 years, I have seen my fair share of confused passengers.

I am not sure what airports do to people mentally, but the simplie things seem so complex. I dislike the passengers that crowd around the back of the line while waiting to board, makes it difficult to determine where the line starts. Or why does everyone jump up when the arriving at the gate? Nobody is leaving the plane til the door opens. I am glad I switched to cargo flights. Flight Attendants are underpaid and must put up with a lot. Try being in their shoes for once, nobody will understand until they have worked at an airline.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 8:20 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Customers PAY for a product or service and ultimately pay for the checks that employees receive. Customers should be treated with respect unless they pose are repeatedly abusibe or pose a safety hazzard. Today, I patronized a local auto parts store and the two employees were very helful and pleasant. They went way beyond just selling me a product. I obtained their names and returned home to let their supervisors know what a great job they did. I'll bet these two employees get close to minimum wage without the benefits that airline employees receive. The United employee should be ashamed and be disciplined.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 5:41 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Wow, considering that more than 3/4 quarters of the plane is filled with coach.. The only reason the crew would ever fly first class is when there is an empty seat. On their salaries they could never afford 1st class. Perhaps they should reserve their idiotic comments. They are nothing but a bunch of servants that is why they lash out at coach and they know it. I hate United only fly them when absolutely desperate. The worst airline and the rudest servants :)

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 7:02 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I can't believe how many people think so badly about their customers. I was a banker during my entire career and I alwasys appreciated my customers. Without our customers we are nothing. I always tried to live my the old rule, \"the customer is always right\". You people should be glad you have a good job. No wonder it is so terrible flying these days with your attitudes.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 7:16 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

Switched.

Nothing compares to being harassed and having a steward get in your face trying to intimidate you and your family.

Provocation - I looked like someone he had had a run in with. wouldn't believe we were just familiar looking because we (wife,5 year old and newborn) had been frequently taking the same flight for almost a decade. No other attendant would intervene. Not wanting to be taken off in handcuffs I endured.

Switched to Delta, never used United again - 17 yrs.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
February 26, 2009 7:59 PM
Moderate |Flag for review

I am wondering who the real idiots are if the pilot was talking on a channel that was not meant to be broadcast to the entire plane. Let's also not forget that the pilot actually works for the idiots.I am not sure which is worst - to be an idiot or stupid enough to work for one.

Reply
","
\"user-pic\"
flightcrewmember
February 28, 2009 2:20 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

great responses from all sides. unfortunately, all I can say about this issue is that ALL OF YOU should take a look at this, and in every single response i can read the same approach; When \"one\" person does something bad (like and individual calling you or a group of people an Idiot)everyone in that profession gets thrown in the same basket and labeled;(in this case all United Airlines Flight Attendants) but when one individual does something extraordinary or plain nice, only that person is the one that shines above all and it's recognized. WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR SOCIETY? We should seriously take a look at this because it's one of the most damaging behaviors used today.
I would suggest to all of you who still fly (any airline) would look at that customer service person, either a CSR or Flight Crew and make sure you're treating them with all due respect they should be treated as human beings no matter of what you see in the general categorization of that profession, (remember that they're doing their job as they are told; It's not to bug you individually but they have to comply with rules imposed to them)and I guarantee you that they'll treat you with respect, nicely and they'll take care of you in all the means possible. As you all are people with problems and have to deal with issues in life everyday including these matters, put yourself in their shoes having to deal with all of you at once who are boarding a plane and demand/complaint/nag/or simple disregard all the instructions imposed to you by the Federal Aviation Association (not by that flight attendant in particular).
Take a look at yourselves, a large majority of adults flying today behave like teenagers. We call them the \"ME Generation\" because they think there's no one else in the plane but them and their rules overrule all the rules.
PEOPLE, observe next time you fly.

Reply
","","
\"user-pic\"
Anonymous
March 3, 2009 1:32 AM
Moderate |Flag for review

Face it, the days of almost ANY business treating its customers as if they are valued are OVER. And in the \"hospitality\" industries (Ha!) such as public transportation, hotels, rental cars, etc., the customers are nothing more than a blithering sea of idiocy to be nickled-and-dimed and otherwise bled try through outragreous add-on fees. Seriously, when's the last time YOU felt like either a \"valued customer\", or \"guest\"?

Reply
");