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ABSOLUTELY. Cajun Navy being a perfect example of the best of America.
There are horrible things that people have to endure - why don't we honor that more, and raise them up as examples of courage like the Cajun Navy was, and other professionals and volunteers who step up and save the day more often? Why do we want to read stories (and we must, or the media certainly wouldn't bother publishing all of them) of people complaining about teeny hardships? Or microphones stuck in kids faces who have been slighted by a teacher and they are encouraged to say "I felt scared", or "I felt sad". Because somehow they got on the wrong bus going home that day and although they were completely safe the whole time, some mother is wagging her finger about how traumatized her child is, and he states he's scared and doesn't want to get on a bus again. And THAT is click bait.
In an interesting coincidence, my husband is facing the very strong liklihood that he will spend tonight in an airport. He's taking a flight that should leave at 10 in an area that has storms, and it's quite likely the fight will be cancelled for weather very late. He's in a bar in the airport enjoying a burger and a beer, and waiting to see what transpires. As are the other passengers apparently.
It doesn't appear they are headed for "cruel and unusual" circumstances.
Why are you the arbiter for what is an acceptable level of trauma, fear or hardship? What is "teeny" to you may not be for someone else. (Ever slept in a wheelchair? It's not easy, but it is painful.) People process things differently. Emotions don't make people weak. This is not the '50s. We don't have to walk uphill through the snow both ways to prove our mettle.
History is great, but isn't nice that physicians no longer crack open the skulls of the mentally ill to let out the spirits? Culture - and knowledge - evolves.
And you really shouldn't throw around legal terms you obviously don't understand.
won·der
ˈwəndər/Submit
verb
1.
desire or be curious to know something.
synonyms: ponder, think about, meditate on, reflect on, muse on, puzzle over, speculate about, conjecture; be curious about
Nope, I don't know the legal requirements, thus the use of the word "wonder"
I was certainly not referring to all the passengers as sugar cubes.
I really meant our culture as a whole seems unable to weather the slightest inconvenience. The under title of the article, "cruel and unusual" certainly took me aback. The media feeds like lice on stories like this, oohhh, look how horribly badly they were treated!! And given no money for their suffering!! Woken up at 4 a.m. even! I know people who get up at 4 am every day. Everyone knows people who do that.
I am a student of history and am amazed at what prior generations could forge ahead through, uncomplaining, and that was seen as a virtue. Or at least not publicly complaining and demanding redress and sympathy. Or worse, indignant outrage.
My guess is the majority of those passengers wouldn't have wanted to be part of a national media story, acting like they'd been through some horrible trial.
Or anyway, with that slant. Maybe would have been good with being filmed setting up a sleeping area in the corner, or gathering for an impromptu group card game waiting for news on the flight status.
Many of us are from a time when customer services was not like this. People in customer service spoke to people, not blow them off and not give answers. And they saved a lot of money by cancelling that flight after midnight vs befote. I feel like we became the proverbial frogs in the pot, just taking it and accepting it as customer service got worse and worse over the last couple of decades to the point the customer is barely a human.
Not everyone can sleep on a cot. I had back surgery two years ago and have me neck problems too. There were people in wheelchairs there. It was more than an inconvenience for many.
won·der
ˈwəndər/Submit
verb
1.
desire or be curious to know something.
synonyms: ponder, think about, meditate on, reflect on, muse on, puzzle over, speculate about, conjecture; be curious about
Nope, I don't know the legal requirements, thus the use of the word "wonder"
Well now you know and need not wonder. Go forth and sin no more.
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(set 2 days ago)
35,588 posts, read 17,927,273 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by angelenogirl
Why are you the arbiter for what is an acceptable level of trauma, fear or hardship? What is "teeny" to you may not be for someone else. (Ever slept in a wheelchair? It's not easy, but it is painful.) People process things differently. Emotions don't make people weak. This is not the '50s. We don't have to walk uphill through the snow both ways to prove our mettle.
History is great, but isn't nice that physicians no longer crack open the skulls of the mentally ill to let out the spirits? Culture - and knowledge - evolves.
I'm not quite sure why the history of the horrific treatment of the mentally ill fits in here, exactly. I am a strong advocate for respectful and humane treatment of all people, and I am well-versed in the history of bizarre "therapies" and abusive institutions.
But anyway. Back to the topic of airline and airport policies, which is a whole completely different topic.
You can't make your business decisions by the litmus test - will this or will this not be difficult for mentally ill people? Will this be completely seamless for people in wheelchairs?
Or you wouldn't fly at all.
And the best you can do, and I stated this clearly upthread, is make special accommodations for people with greater need.
And the way you'd do that, is allow passengers (maybe a specific class of passengers - those with very small children, and those in wheelchairs and those who possess handicapped stickers on their cars, for example) the option of cancelling their flight without penalty and booking another if there is a delay in the scheduled flight.
I'm not quite sure why the history of the horrific treatment of the mentally ill fits in here, exactly. I am a strong advocate for respectful and humane treatment of all people, and I am well-versed in the history of bizarre "therapies" and abusive institutions.
But anyway. Back to the topic of airline and airport policies, which is a whole completely different topic.
You can't make your business decisions by the litmus test - will this or will this not be difficult for mentally ill people? Will this be completely seamless for people in wheelchairs?
Or you wouldn't fly at all.
And the best you can do, and I stated this clearly upthread, is make special accommodations for people with greater need.
And the way you'd do that, is allow passengers (maybe a specific class of passengers - those with very small children, and those in wheelchairs and those who possess handicapped stickers on their cars, for example) the option of cancelling their flight without penalty and booking another if there is a delay in the scheduled flight.
Done.
I agree. I personally would have been real upset had I made the hour drive to the airport and the how ever long to get thru Philly airport to be given the run around. I can barely stand due to a failed lumbar fusion. We're supposed to carry a permit in our wallet for the placard or handicap license plates so if someone has it with them (and they should) they should be given accommodations.
Yes. Airport security would get involved. They'd just throw you to the floor and handcuff you, then drag you off to a holding cell somewhere. On the plus side, at least you'd have a cot to sleep on.
If they want to escalate, it's their responsibility, not mine. Most likely they would go away and not bother me. Obviously you have never worked in law enforcement.
While I agree that it was not United that took the blankets and cots, it IS United's fault that they were on cots to begin with. United should have cancelled the flight sooner, rebooked as many passengers as possible on other airlines (this could have been done long before the flight was cancelled), given vouchers BEFORE everything closed, and found hotel rooms. As far as the lounge being locked, it's a 24 hour business. Therefore there should be people available to do such things as unlock the lounge 24 hours a day.
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"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
(set 2 days ago)
35,588 posts, read 17,927,273 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CarnivalGal
While I agree that it was not United that took the blankets and cots, it IS United's fault that they were on cots to begin with. United should have cancelled the flight sooner, rebooked as many passengers as possible on other airlines (this could have been done long before the flight was cancelled), given vouchers BEFORE everything closed, and found hotel rooms. As far as the lounge being locked, it's a 24 hour business. Therefore there should be people available to do such things as unlock the lounge 24 hours a day.
I don't see how you can make a statement like that unless you know specifically what the mechanical failure was, and whether they fully reasonably thought they could fix it in a timely manner.
The flight was to take off around 8:30. You're pushing up against a time frame there that even if you cancelled it at 9, it's likely most of the people wouldn't be able to get a flight out of there. And my guess is, most of them would vote to keep trying to fix it if it's reasonable to do so in the next 4 hours or so.
The sad irony of this story is that when United merged with Continental it was hoped that Continental's great customer service would rub off on United. Instead it is bringing down the spirits of the Continental flight crews and other employees.
Still (and many people don't realize it), certain flights are all United crews and others are all Continental crews.
Without even being able to distinguish the emblems that they wear, you know by the service that you have been lucky enough to get a Continental crew. Just ask them.
Why they are still segregated I am not sure. It might have to do with certain routes/hubs. Frankly I went out of my way to fly Continental for a long time because of their great service, food, comfortable planes (i.e. leg room, as I am 6'7"), etc.
Plus they were great to me years ago when I missed a flight and they put me on the next one out, an upgraded plane in a better seat, and didn't charge me anything for it. I would have been happy to pay something because it was not their fault I missed my flight. Instead they profited in the long run with a majority of my air travel with them.
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+1 about their service.
I got stuck in traffic and missed my flight . No questions asked they pushed me into the next flight with no fee or questions.
And this was at the end of Christmas holidays. ( And before United took over)
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