emb145captain

While this seems to be a real bummer for this pilot, I must comment that there were no witnesses, and therefore there are only two people who know exactly what happened here.

Everybody here so quick to jump to the pilot's defense might reconsider this. I had my issues with agents, but always had witnesses. Yes, I know that is not always possible.

This whole "authority" and "command" thing can be displayed in such a way to look like a primma-donna pilot, which is how most other employees view pilots.

Sounds like two grown ups that should have resolved this a bit more professionally, and without physical confrontation.

He could have just let the bag get stowed, fly the trip, and then make a report. That report would have probably gone up the chain, and the agent would have gotten a talking-to. Instead, the pilot gets arrested. Not smart.

Wasatch Phantom

Reminds me of the Edmund Burke quote:

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Yes Captain Rood could have done nothing, as you advocate, but do you really think his report would have gone "up the chain" and the gate agent disciplined? Or, do you think it his report would have been "filed in the circular" and ignored because that was easier for the middle manager?

As a Captain you need to pick your battles, but if you abdicate the leadership role when it's appropriate, you are contributing to the erosion of Captain's authority. If you aren't willing to lead, or aren't willing "to make the tough call" you should not be a captain.

It's not just about a seniority number....

Carl Spackler

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This! +1

Carl

Scott Stoops

Actually, I believe management installed video cameras in all of the jetways in Denver. I suspect there is also audio, but don't know that for a fact. The video is most likely pointed into the jet, so it wouldn't capture all of the event, but it might have captured some of it.

Scott

emb145captain

Evil? Come on man, this is about flying an airplane, not going into battle!

Seniority number? Huh?

Perhaps your reading comprehension is failing you a bit. I did not say to do nothing, but to do what most professionals that are not paid to wrestle or box would do. That is, file a report, do your job, and move on. That's too bad you have so little faith in following policy, common sense, and good judgement when it could have avoided this whole mess. I know of nobody in this industry who has been arrested for being the victim. Please.

What does any of this have to do with Captain's authority? It is merely a jumpseater's bag! Who gives a rat's ass where it is stowed?

There are plenty of other things the PIC should have been concerned with, like running a checklist, keeping cool, and maintaining a higher level of professionalism relative to his position.

Pilots don't get paid to start fights or try to educate all the other people we work with. At least I don't.

ualjd

Even if this captain took off all of his clothes and rubbed his dirty skivies in the CSRs face, it doesn't change the fact that what the CSR initiated was a very dangerous afront to the basic captain authority when it comes to his airplane and the handling of issues related to his flight. It will be precedent setting, and a rallying moment for the mistreatment of pilots and captains authority from here on.

Lambourne

JD,

To throw the hypothetical at you. If you were assaulted by a CSR what actions would you take? Would you walk away and say that nothing happened? Would you report this to anyone? If you received a physical assault would you engage a police officer?

The Captain is not in hot water over his use of Authority. He is hot water over a purported Physical Assault. I don't believe anywhere in the FOM or the FAR's it allows physical assault as part of Captains Authority.

Whether or not you or I can prove what happened on the jetway. It will be up to the evidence and the courts to decide is an attack occurred. I was told there is a video in the jetway. Simple logic would be that there must be some evidence of a physical altercation, otherwise I think this would have died long ago.

I had an FO that went gonzo at the TSA Checkpoint during the enhanced patdown parties last winter. Flew with him recently and said he is being fined some significant amount of $$ by the TSA for his actions at the checkpoint. They have the video of him at the checkpoint during the entire event.

Do you hit your wife and tell her it is your Captain's Authority to do so?


L

Captain Bligh

The Jumpseater for one. Professional courtesy? (Oh that's right, you'd have to be a professional first to understand)

Just last month I begged a ride offline. I know the agents well after a few years of occasionally riding on their airline. None the less, they are militants on a power trip. They tagged all of the second half of the passenger's bags, mine included. Once on board, more than half of the overheads rode to the destination empty. Not only did my bag go to baggage claim rather than come back up the jetway after block in, the handle was destroyed.

As an offline rider, I have no recourse for getting the bag fixed other than my own wallet. My choice, the cost of commuting? Sure. But don't ever tell me you've got my back... You must be one of Bedford's middle managers?

Group W Bench

I will raise you a Dark Helmet quote "evil will always win 'cause good is dumb"

You mean to tell me that between the j/s'er, FA, & FO...not to mention this brave new world of cell phone cameras, that no one witnessed this? So much for CRM....you guys got to back your Capt's play!

Carl Spackler

First you compare someone who likes the captain in question to someone who likes Charles Manson, and now this analogy?

Do you EVER persuade anyone?

Back to your cubicle you pilot wannabe. APC is for active airline pilots only!

Carl