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“We’re flying on the ruins again”, “why doesn’t the seat recline”, “they didn’t transfer to another place”, “they brought only a sandwich and tea” … We are used to complaining about airlines and crew on social networks, but few people think that sometimes you should look at yourself first. We publish a frank appeal from one of the crew members of the charter airline.
I constantly see stories on social networks about what a “terrible” plane carried passengers from one point of the globe to another. And back is even worse. People complain about literally everything: the planes are old, when they were serviced, it is not known, the upholstery on the seat does not look new, the chair does not recline (or does not recline completely, or does not lock in a certain angle of inclination), the table does not unfold, the handle for fixing the table is too tight , the table is broken at all, the armrest is not removed, the food was brought tasteless or not brought at all, the crew refused to persuade other passengers to change places with you, the air conditioner does not work or is not powerful enough …
The list of claims is endless, and some of them I can understand. But with all understanding, there are several things that I would like to convey to especially active complainers. Because, as experience shows, it is these people who are most often responsible for what they themselves then complain about.
«The plane is old, everything is falling apart»
Passengers are often dissatisfied with the fact that the planes are old. Of course, they are not the newest, but all aircraft undergo full maintenance, and the terms of this maintenance are strictly observed. Literally everything is taken out of the plane, leaving only the hull. Some parts are repaired, some have to be replaced with new ones. After maintenance, the plane looks perfect. Everything works, shines and sparkles. But our passengers quickly understand beauty. For example, on a flight from Moscow to Thailand, a passenger decided to mentally prepare for a vacation. Having consumed large amounts of alcohol, he suddenly realizes that his ego is so fastidious that he wants to sit not in an armchair, but on a folding table. And with all his ego, the passenger sits down on this table. Guess what happens after about a couple of seconds? And after a couple of seconds, the same passenger begins to shout obscenely to the entire cabin that the plane is old, and the table in it is broken, you can’t sit down for a moment.
“If it doesn’t work, then something is broken. If they didn’t fix it, it means it’s completely broken. This means that the plane is old and it is dangerous to fly on it. ”
It seems to many that replacing a table is a simple and quick matter. But even here there are nuances. Firstly, the plane leaves for the return flight almost immediately, and they simply do not have time to change the table physically. And the passenger of the return flight is forced to fly without a table through the fault of his «predecessor». Secondly, all nuts, bolts and other little things in the aircraft are certified, which increases the cost of repairs many times over. We can’t just take the first nail that comes along and fix the table. For such repairs, the plane needs to get to the base airport. And this does not happen right away.
I could tell a million such stories — about tables, and about armrests, and about broken compartments for hand luggage … but believe me, they will all be extremely the same: a drunk passenger flying in front of you simply decided not to follow the rules of conduct on board. Or he was sober, but thought: “What’s wrong, well, it’s broken, they’ll fix it! I paid for the ticket! Or, more often than not, they just didn’t think at all.
Another common complaint is a non-functioning toilet. One is working, the other is closed. What are passengers thinking about? Correct: “If it doesn’t work, then something is broken. If they didn’t fix it, it means it’s completely broken. Since everything breaks down here so that it cannot be repaired, it means that the plane is old and it is dangerous to fly on it. In fact, this most often means that one of the passengers on the previous flight ignored the crew’s warnings that it was impossible to throw personal hygiene items into the toilet. The toilet is simply clogged, but it is simply impossible to fix the entire system (believe me, it is not as simple as it seems) while the plane is being prepared for the next flight. Airlines are trying to develop so-called «basic» airports in order to make such repairs faster, but this requires a lot of resources.
«It’s all the crew’s fault»
We strictly adhere to the technical requirements: if a tiny part has a working time of 199 hours and 31 minutes, then exactly after this period the part will be replaced. Now, if passengers had the same attitude to the usual rules of conduct and safety during the flight … but no. The simplest and most reasonable request to fasten your seat belts often provokes a storm of resistance. Is anyone thinking about turbulence at this moment? Or about air pockets? Of course not. Everyone thinks that the back does not recline. From the reclined back, it’s more convenient to fly headlong into the ceiling, right?
Do you know that crew members are responsible for your safety on board? And if you are asked to buckle up, probably, this is not out of harm and not just like that? And some — especially distinguished by a developed instinct of self-preservation — after being asked to fasten their seat belts, they begin to rush to the toilet. That’s right, this is very reasonable: if you hit your head (or neck, or something else) on the ceiling there, no one will see this and you will not be ashamed. Only then no one will be able to help you, because no one saw it in time.
Claims that the crew refused to transfer passengers with children to other places are very popular. But think for a second: do we have the right to «kick» other passengers out of their seats, just because you feel like it? Passengers who took care in advance to go through online check-in and book the seats that are most convenient for them? The answer is very simple: no, we don’t. We can ask them. And you can ask them. But no one is obliged to change with you and force other people to change with you.
Crew members are often to blame for everything. For example, they don’t smile. Or they smile, but somehow insincere, forcedly
The same applies to food complaints. XXI Century! Internet, high technologies. In most cases, the menu can be viewed in advance. You can order in advance the dish that meets your preferences: meat, vegetarian … But why, if instead you can stay hungry for several hours and then write an angry post with the words: “I don’t eat the meat of dead animals, but only ham sandwiches were given , so I arrived at my destination in a pre-fainting state”?
I respect any principles and preferences, no matter what they are based on — on religion or other beliefs. But I absolutely do not understand why people are trying their best to shift their responsibility and their choice to those who have nothing to do with this choice — including the choice not to order food and not to book places in advance. For example, on crew members.
Crew members in general are often to blame for everything. For example, they don’t smile. Or they smile, but somehow insincerely, forcedly. Of course, the crew is taught that all problems should be left «overboard», that we should be professionals. And we try. But we are also human beings. And if in the previous flight one of the passengers decided to wreck the bad mood on the crew members, then by the beginning of the next flight one may simply not have time to recover morally. And now the crew is already meeting you with those very “insincere” smiles …
“The flight was delayed, then they circled for a long time on landing …”
Another popular complaint is flight delays. When a flight is delayed, most people start thinking about disaster movies and imagine how they are going to fly on a malfunctioning plane that has been hastily patched up. Because — well, how could there be any other reasons for the delay? Imagine they can.
For example, some of the passengers were not allowed on board (this often happens with those who have a ban on traveling abroad), but he has already checked in. And his luggage is already on the plane. The process of searching for a suitcase, or even several, begins. And now the airport staff are looking for one among three hundred bags. By tags. Is it fast? Of course no.
We arrive at the destination airport with a delay, even if the pilots increase their speed in order to reduce the «gap» from the schedule. And there, on the next flight, a drunken and very violent passenger appears. While law enforcement is looking into it, and airport officials are looking for luggage again, the delay increases. We arrive at the third airport with an even greater delay, and there is a thunderstorm front, it is impossible to land the plane. And we are circling, waiting. The chain of delays is growing, sometimes even up to a day. And as a result, we get dissatisfied passengers who break down on the crew.
In general, of course, the passengers in their mass are extremely intelligent and erudite people. They know everything and everything. For example, they know for sure that if the weather is sunny and clear, then there is no reason to go around before landing. And a strong side wind that can blow the plane off the landing strip is all fiction. The passenger is more visible.
People who have read negativity on the Internet in advance enter the plane and automatically begin to look for something to complain about.
The need for additional landings is also, of course, a whim of the crew. After all, we really like to land the plane in an unplanned place without the urgent need. Just to torment the passengers. And the point is not at all that, due to a strong headwind, it was necessary to increase the power of the engines, which increased fuel consumption. This does not mean that the plane will not reach its destination. Will make it. But there are certain rules, for example, the minimum amount of fuel before landing. What if something goes wrong? Wind, thunderstorm, something else? There may not be enough fuel for maneuvers and additional laps.
And so the crew is sometimes forced to make a decision on additional landing of the aircraft and its refueling. I perfectly understand the dissatisfaction of passengers, especially those who are afraid of flying — for them this is a double stress. An extra landing, an extra takeoff, and they specifically chose a direct flight to avoid this … I understand and sympathize. But our task is to deliver passengers from point A to point B safe and sound. And do not hope for «maybe it will blow over» if there is not enough fuel left.
And finally, I would like to say about satisfied passengers. A lot of them. In fact, the majority. They just don’t post about it on social media. They say sincere thanks to the crew as they leave the plane. They smile. They are positively tuned in advance and therefore they perceive even some troubles calmly — they understand that anything happens.
And people who have read negativity on the Internet in advance enter the plane and automatically begin to look for something to complain about. Well, whoever seeks will always find. And then they also write in social networks, others read them, and with the same attitude they go flying … a vicious circle. I sincerely wish all passengers good flights, good aircraft and joyful crew on every flight. And most importantly, good and positive-minded passengers around. Especially in the mirror.