Misbehavior: Flight Attendant's or Impatient Passenger's?

There are currently 1100 and counting articles on Google's newsbot covering the story about Steven Slater. In case you haven't yet heard, the JetBlue flight attendant, after being hit with yet another passenger's rudeness, this time literally, called it quits and slid away from the drama. As a Pittsburg-to-NYC flight was taxiing at JFK, a passenger disregarded multiple requests by Slater to remain seated until they reached the gate. A heated argument ensued and, then, as the passenger proceeded to remove luggage from the overhead compartment, Slater was slugged in the head. The passenger refused to apologize, prompting Slater to take his rage out on the PA system, grab some brew, and go home via the emergency exit's inflatable slide. Aside from the luggage bump on Slater's head, no one else was hurt.

The passenger has yet to be exposed and, likely, ousted, as many are rallying for Slater, who has become the overnight poster child for folks in service.

First off, a flight attendant's job is not just to serve drinks & [if you're lucky] nosh, but to also protect those on board. And while the seat-belt sign can be seemingly unnecessary at times, it is used for a very valid purpose and not just as a means to annoy.

Second, though Slater's means of departure was probably not ideal, equally or more so, was the passenger's behavior.

Why is it that people who are being served often think and, more importantly, act like they have the right to treat others with total disregard? Being served somehow has this magical power that transforms adults into big children, possibly worse since they should know better.

Unfortunately, though, the root of the problem is probably somewhere deeply embedded and just presents itself when the person takes on customer role, in which case, children— of all ages— should be reminded of proper behavior. This story can serve as such. And if that doesn't work, sentencing obnoxious customers to serving time in, say, a restaurant or aircraft just might do the trick.


Happy Healthy Juicy R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Be Nice!