Jet Blue Flight Attendant -JFK

[gometros]

As a flight attendant myself, I must say, this man is officially my hero today!

We've ALL, in our minds, thought of and have dreamed of doing the same thing.

I love the added touch of the beer!

As was going to say, having been a frequent flyer, there are probably a lot of FAs who secretly wish they could do what he did. Doesn't make it right, but it does focus attention on how rude some passengers can be. The ones that think they're entitled to do whatever they want because they paid for their ticket piss me off. And I agree with the poster who said the passenger should suffer some repercussions for their actions that precipitated it all. Their selfish act endangered not only the FA, but other passengers as well. There's a reason they tell you to stay seated until the plane comes to a complete stop.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I love this guy! I know I have fantasized about doing something similar but alas I need my paycheck.

 

[klacey1]

I am 100% on the side of the flight attendant, but I'm pretty sure the passenger isn't being charged with assault because she didn't hit him on purpose. She opened the overhead bin to get her carry-on, he told her she couldn't. She said...***** words, he asked her again, she ignored him, pulled her bag out and the bag fell on the FA. He asked for an apology, she repeated her previous ***** phrase, and he proceeded to the PA system.
If I were on the plane, I would have clapped. I worked as a waitress/retail associate in college and have to say that sooo many people are disgustingly rude to people in the service industry.
The emergency exit/beer was extreme, yes, but I imagine he knew he was close to quitting and wanted to go out in style.

 

[Disney Doll]

I think it shows an amazing lack of character and professionalism and a good deal of immaturity to behave in that fashion.

That FA allowed some idiot passenger on a plane to make a ******* out of him and probably cost him his livelihood. That's just stupid. He's not a hero...he's sad and pethetic.

And yes, the passenger should be fined or whatever the punishment is for disobeying the FA.

 

[Darsa]

Well, I have to say I'm on the side of the FA. After dealing with customers for most of my young-adult life, I can honestly say that he was able to do what the rest of us only wish we had the you-know-whats to do. While what he did was obviously not appropriate in the manner of the cursing on the PA, the use of the emergency slide, and the beers; I can only assume that this type of thing was oncoming anyway, and that idiotic passenger just pushed enough to send him over that edge.

 

[bimshire]

He is charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing so I hope he does time in prison. Also, Jet Blue says the emergency escape slide will cost in excess of $25,000 to replace.

Why is he a hero?

 

[AKL_Megs]

He is charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing so I hope he does time in prison. Also, Jet Blue says the emergency escape slide will cost in excess of $25,000 to replace.

Why is he a hero?

You don't work with the public, do you?

 

[BoogasMom]

You don't work with the public, do you?

My thoughts exactly!!!!

 

[FergieTCat]

From CNN:

New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that it "appears" the flight attendant quit his job in a very dramatic way.


Appears??

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, he probably had ample provocation to lose it, and a dramatic exit was not unjustified, but blowing the slide was just idiotic beyond belief. He could easily have killed ramp personnel with that thing.

JB is almost certainly going to bill him for the cost of repacking that slide. Every FA I have ever talked to on the subject has told me that blowing a slide by accident is the single most nightmarish scenario they can imagine, because the airline will make you pay for it, and if the slide hits ground crew on the way down, it could kill.

 

[MineMail]

I read elsewhere that the man's mother is terminally ill and he is the sole caregiver. Guy just lost it for a minute, but he didn't hurt anyone.

Let them bill him for the emergency slide. I'm sure there are 25,000 people who deal with the public regularly that can sympathize and pay $1 towards his fine.

More importantly, the man needs some rest and help. Hopefully, he'll get some respite and vacation after this incident.

 

[onelilspark]

While I don't condone his actions, I certainly understand them!

Passengers must listen to FAs. He might have snapped, but it was most certainly from dealing with passengers like that one all day, every day. Manners, people, manners...

 

[AKL_Megs]

I read elsewhere that the man's mother is terminally ill and he is the sole caregiver. Guy just lost it for a minute, but he didn't hurt anyone.

Let them bill him for the emergency slide. I'm sure there are 25,000 people who deal with the public regularly that can sympathize and pay $1 towards his fine.

More importantly, the man needs some rest and help. Hopefully, he'll get some respite and vacation after this incident.

I'd give him $5!!!

But really, it's a hard job. 14 hour days, 4 days a week, every week, every month. It wears you down. And while 99.9% of people listen to instructions, there is always that .1% who are above that...

It's extremely stressful, because when these people DON'T listen, we MUST correct them. If we don't, and the FAA finds out, WE could be fined, out of our own pocket, upwards of $10,000, JUST because you can't listen and sit down, turn off your cell phone, etc. We have to be constantly on our toes. It's a stressful job. Add regular LIFE stress and being 3000 miles away from home, and it makes it that much harder.

 

[Heidict]

He is charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing so I hope he does time in prison. Also, Jet Blue says the emergency escape slide will cost in excess of $25,000 to replace.

Why is he a hero?

Yeah, lets make sure we kick some murder, drunk driver, child molester or drug dealer out of jail so that Mr Slater does time.

I think he will get a slap on the wrist and have to pay Jet Blue for cost of repacking the slide.


Of course, there are 2 sides (make that 3) to every story. I have been hearing that she did not "accidentally" hit him with her luggage. They are saying that he attempted to push the overhead bin closed, asking her to please have a seat. She cussed him out and forced the overhead bin door out off his hands, slamming it up and hitting him in the head in the process.


Personally, having worked with the public for many years, I can understand where he was coming from. A bit excessive yeah, but talk about going out with style!

Someone has started a facebook page for him. Wonder if they will start a defense fund?

 

[MineMail]

Someone has started a facebook page for him. Wonder if they will start a defense fund?

Unless his lawyer announces it, I'd be wary of any "defense fund" -- could be a scam.

Definitely made a statement, heading out like that.

The NY Times quotes his lawyer as saying Mr. Slater checked outside to be sure the slide deployment wouldn't affect any crews on the ground. Smart man!

 

[C.Ann]

Try pricing flights though- makes JFK look a little more appealing.

I say if you are going to quit do it up right. Sounds like he made a big exit.

From a quick blip I heard on the news today, it was his intent to quit Jet Blue anyhow.. This seemed like the perfect opportunity and as you say, "he made a big exit"..

 

[JessicaR]

Someone has started a facebook page for him. Wonder if they will start a defense fund?

They have indeed.

 

[babyrich]

I am in for a buck!!!

The way he went about it was wrong; but I can sympathize with him. People treat others who are in the service industry horribly. Not all people, but 1 rude person is too many. There is no need for it. Being a jerk is not included in the price of a ticket. At least I never saw that in the fine print.

 

[FergieTCat]

I am in for a buck!!!

The way he went about it was wrong; but I can sympathize with him. People treat others who are in the service industry horribly. Not all people, but 1 rude person is too many. There is no need for it. Being a jerk is not included in the price of a ticket. At least I never saw that in the fine print.

I sent $5. I hope it's legit. At least the guy collectiong the money looks like he has a thriving photography business.

 

[MIGrandma]

At least he didn't shoot and kill innocent people because he was a "disgruntled" (I use this term because that's what the media usually calls an employee who shoots co-workers) flight attendant. He didn't hurt anyone by his actions, and I'm in the camp of applauding him for finally sticking up for himself after putting up with crap like that from passengers. He probably has a lot to deal with in caring for his terminally ill mother and what happened to cause him to do what he did was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Enough is enough.

And people who have never worked in the service industry just don't "get it." As a former waitress I was on the end of being treated like crap many times, and saw other customers treating other servers that way as well. We're supposed to just "take it." "The customer is always right." Not true.

I do hope the passenger who caused it and wouldn't sit down when told to, gets a hefty fine. A night in jail might not be a bad idea either.