Following the United Airlines fiasco, I was reminded of an airline problem of my own.
Back in about 1980 I was invited to teach out in the Caribbean; it was only a two month course, but the break was very welcome.
I flew to Miami, stayed overnight in the dreadful 'International Airport Hotel', and in the morning went to the desk of my connecting flight airline (CA) to pick up my ticket; which I'd been informed would be waiting for me.
After a short search, the very unpleasant man at the desk said that he couldn't find any such ticket, and that I'd have to buy one! He was as unhelpful as anyone could possibly be.
I went away, thought about it for a while, ate a steak sandwich, then returned to see if anyone else was around. A pleasant young lady then came to the desk, and found my ticket instantly. I saw the unhelpful man skulking in the background, so I waved the ticket at him, and mentioned that it didn't take the young lady very long to find it. He gave me a nasty look, and walked off.
When I arrived at my destination I mentioned to my friend (who just happened to be a director of the airline) about the rude and unhelpful man at the Miami desk, and he said he'd have him sacked!
When my stay was over my friend took me to the island's airport and, as I was a bit late, I went directly to check-in.
The man at the desk told me that the plane was full, but that I could buy a first class ticket if I wished to travel on the flight for which I had already paid. My friend (remember, he was a director of the airline) came over and asked if there was a problem. No, no, said the man smiling nicely, and all went through perfectly well!
Back in Miami, whilst waiting for my flight back to London, I saw the pleasant young lady at the desk of the company with whom I'd flown out and back (CA), and I asked her if the unpleasant man was still around.
"He doesn't work here any more" she replied. He'd been sacked.
You were lucky to have friends in high places! sounds like some sort of a scam was going on. How long could the airline run with employees like those?
ReplyDeleteThat's why one of them was sacked. They are the 'human face' of airlines, and need to be as co-operative as possible.
DeleteHe got a job advising Michael O'Leary on how to run an airline.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it WAS Mr O'Leary!
DeleteSadly, it shouldn't be necessary to 'know' someone in authority.
ReplyDeleteQuite right. It shouldn't be, but it helps.
DeleteIt's the old story - it's not what you know sometimes, it's who you know. Worked well for you Cro...
ReplyDeleteAlphie
Never mess with the Cro.
DeleteYour unpleasant young man's training manual has been sold to all the GP surgeries around us in Derbyshire!
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to politeness and general good manners? People nowadays seem to take pride in oafish behaviour.
DeleteMaybe he just didn't like you? It happens...
ReplyDeleteHe'd never seen me before. He was just plain nasty.
DeleteI wonder if the unpleasant man would have been sacked had the complaint been laid by one other than you, you a friend of the director... probably not?
ReplyDeleteSome folk are just not nice and we put up with it...
Anna :o]
I don't even know if his sacking was due to my treatment. He may simply have been sacked because he was hopeless. But I suspect...
DeleteSometimes, the hospitality industry should be more hospitable. On the whole, they usually are.
ReplyDeleteNicely put! I agree 100%.
DeleteHe must've been put there as punishment; in some places here one gets assigned to the front desk, in contact with public, as a form of punishment.
ReplyDeleteGreetings Maria x
What; a punishment for the public, or for him?
DeleteIn this case a punishment for the public, and I wonder to how many people he had been rude to before you. X
DeleteOn a recent flight from the EU country where I live we were 4 passengers short. The missing passengers had been directed onto the wrong plane!!! Take off was delayed while they were brought to our plane.
ReplyDeleteOn another recent flight, same country different airport, we discovered we had one passenger too many. Somebody flying to Istanbul had managed to board our plane which was going to Manchester. Take off delayed while the person was taken off.
Another time landing in the UK we were boarded by 3 police officers who took away a man who had been smoking in the plane's toilets.
Another time boarding in the UK an Arab in front of me was found to have a box of steak knives in his hand luggage.I don't know what happened to him. He said he was a hotel chef in one of the Gulf states.
Another time we were going to land in my host country when our plane suddenly ascended to a great height on full throttle almost like a space shuttle. It turned out there was a stationary plane on the runway. A UN inspection team not long afterwards found more than 40 irregularities and the Air Traffic Control Manager was retired.
O the joys of flying!!!
I remember our youngest son (he must have been about 6 at the time) being 'arrested', because they found a spud gun in his pocket. The naughty boy had tried to bring it to France without our knowing.
DeleteMy nail scissors were seized and then I passed through to the booze duty-free department . . . on offer two bottles of vodka (reduced) etc..
DeleteI'm of the opinion that everyone who runs United should be sacked. Our daughter has had numerous problems with them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a very strange episode it was; someone's head should certainly roll.
DeleteIt's always useful to have friends in high places.
ReplyDeleteThat's my philosophy in life.
DeleteHow very satisfying to see someone fired for poor and surly service. Why is it that so many workers who have no people skills choose a job serving people??
ReplyDeleteI suppose they just don't care, as long as there's some money coming in at the end of each month. Sadly one finds such people everywhere.
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