What? Why do you disagree?

 

Obviously I wasn't there, but pax in the back don't mind, and might actually like it. That sounds like just a bit of levity. I have been in back when the captain / FO himself has said something similar after a hard landing, something like "we wanted to wake you all up for the arrival" and people start laughing. I would not take it seriously.

If a nurse lightly 'disses me in front of people, as long as people laugh and it is not serious, I don't mind. I'm in charge, and my ego is not fragile.

Don't complain unless the FA did other things wrong too or was actually disrespectful or mean-spirited.

 

Tru Dat.

Truck drivers do this too. When there's more than one wheel on the bogie, the good one can hold up the bad one and hide an essentially depressurized tire.

 

I guess that's a positive attitude! I deadhead all the time, and have never heard a flight attendant come across so rude. I guess it was starting out with the long, loud, disgusted sigh that got my blood pressure going up.

 

Oh, I got one.

The other day, going into a wet runway in SNA in a CRJ-200 (no slats, so your Vref speeds are quite a bit higher than you'd expect for such a small jet), right at max landing weight, with lousy gusty crosswinds, my captain planted it on pretty firmly...just as she should have, given the crosswinds and the short, wet runway. It was a firm arrival but by no means a teeth-knocked-loose kind of landing.

Anyhow, as we leave the jetbridge, a female passenger is standing there, and she says to me, in a very snarky tone of voice, "By any chance, are you both former naval aviators?"

It took a few seconds for me to grasp what she was asking. (Actually, I have to admit, what she said was kind of funny. It was the way she said it that got my blood boiling.) My CA gave the lady a look that could have frozen a bucket of Type IV...

 

Turbosina, that irritates me to no end, just thinking about it. I've flown into SNA a number of times, and at FedEx, we just smack it on because it's a short freaking runway. Nobody apologizes, nobody explains, but we don't have obnoxious dumba$$es making cracks about it.

 

Yeah, it was a pretty obnoxious comment. Usually I enjoy interacting with most passengers, aside from the ones who come out with the following comments while boarding. Since RJ cockpits are very close to the main cabin door, we get to hear probably more inane chatter during boarding than you mainline guys.

• "Is this the plane? Oh my GOD it's so SMALL!" (note: deadheading in the back of a DAL 757 I once heard a passenger say this upon boarding. What do they expect, hourly A380 service to Dubuque?

• "Hey, you guys aren't drunk or anything, are you?" (This is inevitably said by a male passenger sticking his head into the cockpit on boarding.)

• "I want to look at the pilots to see if they got enough sleep last night." (True story. Verbatim quote. Female passenger to FA during boarding. It was all I could do not to slump in my seat and start snoring loudly.)

• "Hey guys, I got a bunch of hours on Microsoft Flight Sim, so if you need any help, I'll be in 11A!" (Heard this three times now.)

But by FAR the one that got me the most angry was the following: A couple weeks after the Germanwings crash, I'm in the crew hotel in MEM waiting for the van. Two people with bags are waiting in the lobby for the same van. The husband turns to me and says "Are you a first officer?", to which I reply "Yes." And he says, "Well, I hope you're not depressed today."

Nitwits.

 

I'd be tempted to be ready with some sarcastic remarks. Like...

"As you obviously know, it's not the size that matters."

"Hey, I fly better when I'm drunk."

"Nah, I was planning on getting my nap during the landing."

"I am a little depressed, but at least I brought my gun".

Probably good I'm not flying passengers!

 

Well done, sir. Well done.

I've only given a sarcastic reply to a passenger comment once. I was deadheading in the back, in full uniform, and this woman next to me just wouldn't stop talking. She made some idiotic comment about chemtrails and I responded gently with an explanation of what contrails really are.

She looks at me in disgust. "What are you, a pilot or something?"

Mind you – I was in full uniform.

I couldn't help myself. I responded as politely as I could, "No, I just like to dress like this for fun."

The conversation pretty much petered out after that. I mean...just how clueless can someone be?

 

That is hilarious! Yeah, people can be pretty clueless. My favorite story happened about five years ago, when I was sitting in an exit row with my kids. The flight attendant gave us the exit row briefing, asked if we were willing to help in event of emergency. We all said yes, but I guess I don't look too tough, since the guy in front of me turned around and said, "Don't worry, honey, if something happens, I'll help you out". To which I smiled, and said, "Well, seeing as I've been either a military or airline pilot for over 25 years now, I think I can figure it out." My kids laughed hysterically. Poor guy, he turned bright red and turned around.