Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to a letter by Yuri Westmaas captioned `Crude behaviour by CAL flight attendant’ (SN Oct 26). He said it was his first bad experience in several CAL flights. I think this is perhaps an off the cuff experience (if accurately described) or a bad day for that one attendant. This is not typical behaviour of CAL flight attendants. As a CAL frequent flyer member, I found them very helpful and accommodating, attending to passengers’ needs. The crew enforces standard internationally agreed upon safety rules on the use of electronic devices as the plane is about to leave the terminal and in flight. In the post 9/11 period, safety rules are strictly enforced and passengers could face the court for defying crew instructions. I never encountered the kind of experience described by Mr. Westmaas in the many flights I flew on Caribbean Airlines this year and the last several years. I did experience on occasions an attendant gently reminding me to switch off my I-phone while I was browsing and the aircraft was moving (pushing back). That is part of their job – akin to police officers in a society. It is not impolite or condescending when a crew member asks a passenger to switch off a mobile device. I was never offended when asked to turn off the phone.
Westmaas found the attendant’s behaviour seriously offensive enough to file a complaint with CAL customer relations. A lack of a response a month later is inexcusable. Westmaas should resend it to be certain it was received.
For the record, the flight crew on any aircraft is responsible for safety of all passengers as soon as they are on board. All passengers, regardless of age, must follow crew direction. Adults must ensure those under their care follow the rules and directives of the crew. Age is not an excuse. Off course, flight attendants must be courteous and civil.
Safety is critical and the captain makes it crystal that the crew is there to look after the safety of the passengers. All passengers must follow crew directives. Did Westmaas notice that in flight if the ride is bumpy, the crew comes around ensuring that seat belts are buckled – that has to do with safety. I did hundreds of flights on CAL over the last two decades and hundreds more on other carriers. I never had the experience of CAL crew being rude or crude. Enforcing on board aviation safety rules does not make one crude or discourteous. There are about 140 passengers on board. If each one is to defy safety rules, and a crew member were to ask every passenger to switch off the phone, it is only human that he or she would (could) lose patience and speak in a harsh tone at some point. Not sure that is the case here! But if so, does that make one crude? And how about if a passenger does not follow instruction, does that make him crude? The fact is once instructed to turn off the phone, the passenger should have carried out the instruction and not be offended if spoken to by a flight attendant and warned of having the phone taken away in flight. I witnessed crew confiscating phones and returning them after the flight took off because they were speaking as the aircraft was moving.
It is important that all passengers follow the directives of flight attendants. They are on board not only to serve meals and drinks, etc., but also to look after the safety of all on board. Passengers must respect them and not be offended when the crew carries out safety checks. No crew member should be rude or crude. But when it comes to safety, if a passenger defies instruction, “crudeness” from an attendant is understandable.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
