Stillwater NewsPress

Breaking News

Living

Related Photos

  • Laura Wilson

    mug.jpg
August 16, 2010

Don't call a guy a hero for losing his cool at work

By Laura Wilson family@stwnewspress.com

STILLWATER, Okla. — I’m puzzled by the attitude that the JetBlue flight attendant is a hero for cursing at passengers and releasing a plane’s emergency chute when he quit.

I understand the desire to do what he did. Who hasn’t had a bad day at work and fantasized about telling off the customers who want something they just can’t have? Customers are not always nice. They’re often not considerate of the people trying to help them. Sometimes, you want to be just as rude back.

I worked in a retail store when I was in college. We had one customer who always came into the store about 10 minutes before closing, spent 30 minutes wondering around and then left without buying anything. When we saw her, we knew what would happen, but we showed her clothes and let her try things on because that was our job.

I understand being frustrated with difficult airline passengers, too. If you’ve flown, you’ve seen these people. They have more than their share of carry-on luggage. They want to store it in your space. They leave their seats reclined during dinner service so you can’t put your tray down and won’t put the seats up when the plane is landing.

There are passengers like that on every flight. If you have not seen one, take a look at your behavior because it might be you.

Of course, other passengers on the flight attendant’s flight have come out with stories that contradict his, so his claim of being attacked may not hold water. But even when customers or passengers are difficult, even when they curse at you or hurt you, there are appropriate ways to handle the situation.

Flight attendants have protocols for dealing with unruly passengers. I’m pretty sure that cursing out the entire plane is not one of them.

This guy is not a hero. He’s just a guy who had a hissy fit on the job.

Laura Wilson can be e-mailed at family@stwnewspress.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Living
Buy & Share Photos
NewsPress e-Edition
NewsPress Specials
AP Video
Obama Pledges Urgent Aid for Tornado Victims Raw: Aerials Show Path of Oklahoma Destruction Raw: Widespread Destruction in Moore, Okla. Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul Voters Could Elect LA's First Female Mayor Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings
Stocks
NDN Video
RAW: Massive tornado strikes Oklahoma Okla. tornado survivor finds dog buried alive under rubble Pickler's Dance Moves Cause A Stir Obama to tornado survivors: The country stands beside you Reporter Cries Over Devastation Sneak Peek: 'Modern Family' Says Good Bye Trailer: 'The Last Stand' Available on Blu-ray Disc, DVD, Digital Download IWitness Look at Moore, OK Tornado RAW: Moore, OK tornado touches down near school Robert Pattinson Moves Out RAW: Russian dash cam catches car 20 feet in the air Oklahoma tornado survivor: "Everything is gone" Khloe Lashes Out at Kim Kardashian's Critics Couple Argues As Woman's Lover Crawls Out Window RAW: Brad Paisley Forgets Lyrics To His Own Song Justin Bieber Gets Booed RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado New 'Anchorman 2' Trailer, Drake Joins List of Rumored Cameos Eva Longoria's Wardrobe Malfunction Heat Star Dwyane Wade Surprises Coral Gables Teen At Prom