Most unhelpful airline attendants ever!

[willow08]

DH and I just got back from a "child-free weekend" in New York. We had a really great time, though I could write a whole post on some of the behavior there (like calling anybody who stopped to look at the Rockefellar tree a bunch of "f-ing rubes" and telling us to go back to Iowa. I'm from Kentucky, thank you.) but I thought I'd start with the the least helpful air stewards I have ever seen.

So we're flying home and one of the last people to board the plane is a frazzled looking mom with a 18-month-old little boy. She was all by herself. She obviously had a terrible cold and the kid was coughing like crazy, big hacking coughs that you could tell were one second away from bringing something up. She was trying to carry both of their carry ons and him. No one made a move to help her, all the attendants did was remind her that the plane was taking off in three minutes and she had to get settled.

People are glaring at her as she passes, as if "How dare your baby cough and cry, you're disturbing me!" Just as she's about to sit down (across the aisle from us), the baby throws up down the front of her shirt. The lady who was assigned to sit next to her jumps up and says she can't sit there. The attendants start yelling that the plane is taxiing and she HAS TO SIT DOWN. Without making any move to help her clean up or get the baby comfortable. I start grabbing airsick bags. DH whips out the giant pack of wet wipes we always travel with. (Yep, we roll like that) I grab a blanket stuck between the seats ahead of us. We had Mom and kid reasonably clean and comfy in about two minutes, with the attendants now screaming at us to SIT DOWN.

The Mom said the kid was fine until about 20 minutes before take-off, but he had gotten upset at the change in routine. Even though the kid threw up several more times, the airline staff made no attempt to help her or offer her anything to make her or the baby more comfortable. In fact, one attendant chastised us for standing after she had told Mom to sit down and told us it could be considered violation of some air safety law. DH had had just about enough at this point said that he agreed that we had stood up after being told not to. He apologized if we caused any problems, then told her to go ahead and charge us if she thought that was best. And that we would writing the airline a nice long letter explaining exactly what happened on the plane and how unhelpful, apathetic and rude the staff had been on this flight.

I understand that the airline attendants have a very difficult job. I can't imagine having to deal with all the travel, the physical demands, the different passenger personalities. I know this Mom made us a little bit late for takeoff, but she needed assistance. She was just grateful to have people offer her any help and talk to her and tell her every parent goes through something like this. And not glare and act like she was some sort of leper.

(Rant complete.)

[MsEva]

That mom was very lucky to have you and your husband on that flight - bless you both 

The FAs might have been more helpful, but their main job is to make sure that everyone complies with FAA and airline laws to keep all the passengers safe. Comfort is secondary. They cannot control takeoff times. Planes are in a big queue and when it's a plane's turn to taxi, any type of deviance can really mess things up with ripple effects that go way beyond that airport.

The FAs have rules that they must follow and to not follow them could cost them their jobs. Making sure that all passengers are belted in and ready for takeoff is a biggie. I'm glad you were able to help that woman, but she (and you) should have just sat with the mess until it was safe to move around the cabin. Safety trumps comfort every time.

[willow08]

Good point, Ms. Eva. That's something we should have considered more carefully.

However, there was no reason for the attendants to completely ignore this lady's issues for the next two and a half hours. That's what ticked me off more than anything.

[MsEva]

One of my dear friends is a FA. I hear the stories from the other POV. However, even she admits that many of her coworkers could be a lot more helpful. She's one of the awesome ones

[willow08]

I'm a big fan of the show "Airline" and when we fly, we are frequently appalled at how badly people behave toward airline staff. I would believe any story she told me!

[veryfluffy]

First, it is unfortunate that this woman over-stretched herself and was not able to handle the luggage and child that she was flying with. But it is not the job of the flight attendants to assist people with their luggage. It is also not their job to clean up sick children, or to make sure that everyone is comfortable. Perhaps in the good old days, when airline travel was an expensive luxury, but not now. And just because this woman was travelling with an infant, did not entitled her to any extra assistance. If she chose to fly, then she should ensure she can manage the trip and what it entails.

Second, I think the person who was most inconsiderate in this story was the woman herself. If other passengers were looking on in distaste because her child was coughing and vomiting, it wasn't because they were being disturbed, it was because in the close confines and recycled air, what she was doing was potentially spreading her germs to every other person on that plane.

[willow08]

OK, I agree that the attendant are not responsible for luggage, nor should they have whisked junior away and given him a bath. But they could have at least offered the mom some paper towels or a bottle or water or something to allow her to clean up the mess. If the attendants are not responsible for the comfort of the passengers (to some reasonable degree) why bother with niceties like beverage service or pillows? Why not just catapult peanuts and soda cans at us at the beginning of the flight and wish us the best of luck. OK, a little sarcastic there, but it's a funny image.

Also, you probably have a point about recirculating germs to the rest of the passengers, but at this point in my life, I just sort of expect to be assaulted with other people's microbes, especially while traveling.

[ShadesOfGrey]

I dont think anyone thinks she was "entitled" to extra asisstance.  I think the OP was just lamenting the lack of helpfulness (a quick paper towel/a sympathetic look if nothing else).  I dont know about everyone else, but I am quite grateful when my BF (or someone else) lifts or moves heavy or awkward things for me, or offers to carry part of a large load.  I dont think I am entitled to this help, but I do appreciate it. 

[freakyfemme]

Why not just catapult peanuts and soda cans at us at the beginning of the flight and wish us the best of luck. OK, a little sarcastic there, but it's a funny image.

Hell, why not just catapult the *passengers* from Point A to Point B, and wish THEM the best of luck?

[willow08]

I thought of that too, but thought perhaps that would be too sarcastic, given the seriousness of the airline attendants' jobs. Thanks for doing it for me!

[freakyfemme]

I thought of that too, but thought perhaps that would be too sarcastic, given the seriousness of the airline attendants' jobs. Thanks for doing it for me!

Too sarcastic for Freakyfemme?!?!?  NEVER!!!!!  Muahahahaha.......

[IndianInlaw]

Oh gosh, I have SOOOO been that mom.

Bless your heart for helping.  

[ZipTheWonder]

I'm not altogether sure what the job description for a flight attendant is with respect to ill passengers, but it is certainly more than complete disregard.  I doubt we would be supportive of a flight attendant who refuses to use a defibrillator in a medical emergency or won't provide a motion sickness bag to someone who is intoxicated because "it's not her job."  And, how would the FA's feel if everyone on the plane had an "it's not MY job" attitude about opening the window exits in an emergency - I am damsher that's not a passenger's job.

It is possible to be both safe and decent simultaneously.  Those two things are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

[freakyfemme]

I'm not altogether sure what the job description for a flight attendant is with respect to ill passengers, but it is certainly more than complete disregard.  I doubt we would be supportive of a flight attendant who refuses to use a defibrillator in a medical emergency or won't provide a motion sickness bag to someone who is intoxicated because "it's not her job."  And, how would the FA's feel if everyone on the plane had an "it's not MY job" attitude about opening the window exits in an emergency - I am damsher that's not a passenger's job.

It is possible to be both safe and decent simultaneously.  Those two things are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Positively POD!!!    Zip, you're absolutely right.  I thought flight attendants had to be trained in first aid, not just in case of dire medical emergencies that happen once in a blue moon, but also in case of less dire but equally unpleasant things, like vomiting children.

[Twik]

As a frequent flier myself, I'm a little torn by this story.

Yes, even travelling on my own I find I never have enough hands for everything, and there's never quite enough room for my stuff. Travelling with one adult, two small children, one of whom is vomiting on you as you hold them, would be a nightmare.

HOWEVER - the FA is correct in saying it is the LAW that everyone must be in their seats  while the plane is taxiing, and it's a significant matter of safety (planes have been known to collide on the tarmac, in which case all the helpful people in the aisle will be flying sans aid of the airline). If the FAs can't get people to sit, they would have to alert the pilot, and the takeoff would be aborted. Then your plane would have to get out of line, your flight would be significantly delayed, and possibly many other flights would also be affected. I would imagine the other passengers would be even less happy to be stuck on the ground with a sick baby for two or three extra hours.

Also, I believe that many airlines now prohibit their flight crews from helping passengers with luggage. Apparently too many FAs hurt trying to hoist suitcases that should never have been carry-on in the first place, and too many passengers complaining that they somehow damaged things while trying to help.