Airline pilots fired for taking off ... their clothes

[Fly]

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On 4/26/2003 915 AM Cfm56 wrote:

Elvis is right....the F/A involved was not upset at the incident and actually was a good sport. There was another party involved.

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When are the FAA inspectors that are jump riding gonna get a sense of humor??? Geez...

 

[RowUnderDCA]

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On 4/26/2003 1248 AM mga707 wrote:

Yeah, it ended when the flyboys stopped looking like Dean Martin, and the stews ceased resembling Karen Black...
("Airport" references for you kids out there)


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Yes, but not the same "Airport"

 

[AAStew]

All I can say, the punishment does not fit the crime. They have had some time off now, I hope they get their jobs back.

 

[skyflyr69]

my female neighbors are booking a flight on LUV right now. they want to get their hands on bags of free "nuts".

 

[Elivs Lives]

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On 4/26/2003 6:09:40 PM skyflyr69 wrote:

my female neighbors are booking a flight on LUV right now. they want to get their hands on bags of free "nuts".

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I''m afraid the days of pilots passing out free nuts have come to an abrupt end. I''m also afraid the days of pilots helping with boarding, cleaning the plane, checking bags, fetching strollers, and anything other than being forced to deadhead in the back of the plane have also ended. It seems like now there''s nothing to gain, everything to lose... You can call it PC run amok or two guys using poor judgment; I call it a crying shame.

It was nice while it lasted.

 

[mga707]

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On 4/26/2003 1:18:33 PM RowUnderDCA wrote:

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On 4/26/2003 1248 AM mga707 wrote:

Yeah, it ended when the flyboys stopped looking like Dean Martin, and the stews ceased resembling Karen Black...
("Airport" references for you kids out there)


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Yes, but not the same "Airport"

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Whoops--you''re right. Crosseyed Karen was in one of the sequels. OK, mental block--who did play Captain Dino''s pregnant FA paramour in the original (and by far the best) 1969 "Airport"?

 

[LoneStarMike]

I think the part of Gwen was played by Jacqueline Bissett. (sp?)

Mike

 

[stewbear]

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On 4/26/2003 11:05:44 PM mga707 wrote:

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On 4/26/2003 1:18:33 PM RowUnderDCA wrote:

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On 4/26/2003 1248 AM mga707 wrote:

Yeah, it ended when the flyboys stopped looking like Dean Martin, and the stews ceased resembling Karen Black...
("Airport" references for you kids out there)



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The original Airport... the Chief Stew "Gwen" was played by Jackie Bissett....what a Classy Lady and Beauty. Airport 1975...Karen Black...What a Super Cool Chick...! Airport !1977...Brenda Vacarro...what a Sweetie. Airport 1979.. Susan Blakely....Gorgeous.

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Whoops--you''re right. Crosseyed Karen was in one of the sequels. OK, mental block--who did play Captain Dino''s pregnant FA paramour in the original (and by far the best) 1969 "Airport"?

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[Fly]

You know what really ticks me off? The fact that I''m thinking about naked pilots and then they award me 30 day wop for May....dang! I forgot to take it out. Gonna be a long month.

 

[Dea Certe]

Elvis said:


"I''m afraid the days of pilots passing out free nuts have come to an abrupt end. I''m also afraid the days of pilots helping with boarding, cleaning the plane, checking bags, fetching strollers, and anything other than being forced to deadhead in the back of the plane have also ended. It seems like now there''s nothing to gain, everything to lose... You can call it PC run amok or two guys using poor judgment; I call it a crying shame.

It was nice while it lasted."


Elvis, why can''t the pilots fetch strollers or help with boarding? It makes a good impression on the pax to see the pilots care enough about every aspect of the flight to get out among them. In uniform, of course. The Team effort has always been a big part of the SWA culture as I understand it. The door doesn''t get hermetically sealed until push back. Please don''t tell me SWA management is now confining the pilots to the flight deck just because a couple of guys went "al fresco".

Dea

PS: Did they leave their hats on?

 

[mga707]

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On 4/27/2003 9:54:23 PM Dea Certe wrote:

The door doesn''t get hermetically sealed until push back. Please don''t tell me SWA management is now confining the pilots to the flight deck just because a couple of guys went "al fresco".

Dea
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Don''t think they are--just did a DAL "two-step" via ABQ two weekends ago and recall a flight crew person at the door for the "meet & greet" on at least two--probably three--of the four legs.
...and I got to ride on a -200! ;-)

 

[spanky]

I think what Elvis is eluding to is...the employees don''t like the "heavy handed" approach management appears to be taking lately with discipline matters. Management seems to be acting like management at other airlines. The employees in turn are sending them a message. Act like management from other airlines and we''ll act like employees from other airlines. Hopefully this will only be temporary. The best part about working here was having the freedom to do your job. It''s obvious the "buff pilots" carried things way too far in the spirit of craziness that this place is known for, but now everyone is wondering where the line in the sand is? If you cross it, do you lose your job? This is a place where the walls of its Headquarters is adorned with pilots interviewing in boxer shorts and racing around the halls on tricycles wearing nothing butt a baby bonnet and diapers! Unfortunately, we''re in a mode of cover your ass, lay low, and hope someone doesn''t write you up. Hopefully, this will only be temporary...

 

[KCFlyer]

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On 4/28/2003 12:55:21 PM spanky wrote:

I think what Elvis is eluding to is...the employees don''t like the "heavy handed" approach management appears to be taking lately with discipline matters. Management seems to be acting like management at other airlines. The employees in turn are sending them a message. Act like management from other airlines and we''ll act like employees from other airlines. Hopefully this will only be temporary. The best part about working here was having the freedom to do your job. It''s obvious the "buff pilots" carried things way too far in the spirit of craziness that this place is known for, but now everyone is wondering where the line in the sand is? If you cross it, do you lose your job? This is a place where the walls of its Headquarters is adorned with pilots interviewing in boxer shorts and racing around the halls on tricycles wearing nothing butt a baby bonnet and diapers! Unfortunately, we''re in a mode of cover your ass, lay low, and hope someone doesn''t write you up. Hopefully, this will only be temporary...

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Maybe so. I don''t know all the specifics of the incident. From what I hear, it wasn''t the FA who reported them. But in todays environment, a sexual harassment lawsuit could prove pretty costly, so the company really has no choice but a "zero tolerance" policy. I suppose the key will be - IF it was the FA''s boyfriend and not the FA who reported the incident, she''ll need to make a decision - does she keep quiet about it to maintain her relationship with the boyfriend, or does she come to the aid of the pilots and tell managment that she was not offended by the event and urge that they be reinstated.

 

[spanky]

I see your point Elvis. Lately, I feel like I''ve been working in a grade school. I couple of times, FA''s wanted the employee numbers of jump seating pilots with the intent to write them up for Mickey Mouse crap. A lot of the new ones won''t even talk to you. I went to introduce myself to one on a plane change and she stuffed her ID badge in my face and said that was all I needed to know about her! Needless to say, I didn''t help them clean the plane on turns. I don''t know who''s been in charge of hiring, but they need to seriously look at their criteria. The senior Dallas Momma''s still bust their ass on the 30 minute HOU-AUS legs with a smile on their face and treat you like gold, or at least a long lost relative. If a 50 year old woman can bust her butt, these new 20 somethings can do the same instead of stating, "if it''s even a little bit bumpy, we''re not serving!". These are the people the company needs to be getting rid of!

 

[Elivs Lives]

My point is, while the I think the company has handled this episode uncharacteristically poorly, I''m more disappointed in the breach of trust between employee groups. Most often, people get canned for good reasons. I personally feel that this punishment was the easy way out for the company. But the fact that it even went to the company in the first place bothers me more than anything. In my eyes, the trust and camaraderie between flight attendants and pilots has been severely damaged and might not ever recover. It''s been hard enough to maintain good rapport since the "Get Smart" dead bolt doors and codewords. This is likely to seal the deal in poor crew communications. That''s what bothers me. And we did it to ourselves. One of the mantras around SWA has been, "we can be as great as we want to be, so long as we don''t screw it up." I''m afraid we just took the first step down that slippery slope. I''m hopeful that Spanky is right and that this too shall pass. But for now, I''m AJ squared away, by-the-book, no funny PAs and certainly no witty banter between FA''s and passengers. I''ll just practice keeping my nose clean and studying my Flight Ops Manual (especially the part about stabilized approaches, you know the part they put in after we parked one at the Burbank Exxon on Hollywood Blvd? It''s a good thing those guys weren''t in the buff for that approach, else they might''ve lost their jobs!)

I really hope I''m doing the Henny Penny thing and I''m wrong about this.

Keep your shirt on,