8 ms·

I was on a flight a year or two ago where, upon landing, a woman turned her phone on and received a call informing her that her brother had passed away. She was

I was on a flight a year or two ago where, upon landing, a woman turned her phone on and received a call informing her that her brother had passed away. She was understandably quite distraught as we taxied to the gate, and the lead flight attendant even made an announcement asking everyone to please remain seated so that she could exit the plane first. Nobody listened.

eitland 7y ago
I witnessed what seemed like a severe case of hypoglycemia in a passenger a few rows from me while stuck in a plane. The idea that someone might die because people cannot just listen is somewhat scary.
- nradov 7y ago
  People did die on Aeroflot Flight 1492 because they didn't listen to instructions to leave their luggage behind. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/mcgee/2019/05/07/aeroflot-crash-were-lives-lost-cost-carry-ons/1128409001/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/mcgee/2019/0...
  - nostromo 7y ago
    There's a lot of doubt about those early reports being accurate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_1492#Evacuation_with_luggage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_1492#Evacuatio...
- Symbiote 7y ago
  I saw (just the seat in front) someone taken ill. The crew left the seatbelt sign on, and paramedics in uniform boarding meant everyone got the message.
jbigelow76 7y ago
...the lead flight attendant even made an announcement asking everyone to please remain seated so that she could exit the plane first. Nobody listened. I find myself with a case of both sider-ism on this. One the one hand (the hand that really should win out), we should all be able to act as decent empathetic people with the instruction following capabilities of a 7 year old when the situation dictates. But on the other hand, when you treat (and pack) your customers like a bunch of damn cattle, don't be surprised when they act like a bunch of damn cattle.
- pb7 7y ago
  > But on the other hand, when you treat (and pack) your customers like a bunch of damn cattle, don't be surprised when they act like a bunch of damn cattle. I never understood this. What exactly would you have airlines do? They don’t operate on massive margins. Ticket prices are the lowest or nearly the lowest they have ever been. You should blame the cheapness of the general populace for encouraging the squeezing of every last penny in ticket prices that results in the explosion of the 28” legroom budget airline market. You’re not entitled to air travel. Don’t like the (lack of) space? Pay for business or first class where the airline actually makes a profit. In the meantime, you better damn well listen to the flight crew’s instructions.
- oarabbus_ 7y ago
  Sure, the legroom is considerably lacking in economy class. But aside from that (a small price to pay for a trip that would otherwise take days to months, no?) what makes you call being on a flight being like "damn cattle"? >But on the other hand, when you treat (and pack) your customers like a bunch of damn cattle, don't be surprised when they act like a bunch of damn cattle.
  - asdff 7y ago
    I don't get the gripe with leg room, unless you are oddly shaped. I'm 6' and I don't care about leg room or leaning back, because in every flight you can just push your bag under your seat and stretch your legs fully under the seat ahead of you. I find a 5 hour flight more comfortable than 3 hour sporting event on an aluminum bleacher.
    - asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
      I am 6'5" and I feel that if I can fly without complaining about leg room, all you oompa loompas should be able to as well. ;) I really feel for the folks 6'7" and over tho. I have just about an inch of slack when I sit down on a Delta flight, so I imagine beyond that would be pretty uncomfortable. Also, I resolved not to fly on Air Asia any more because they seem to leave a lot less room even than our Western LCC flights.
bryanlarsen 7y ago
A couple of times on Air Canada the attendants asked everybody to let those with close connections leave first, and people listened. I suppose there might have been a couple of jerks who ignored the announcement but nobody could tell. I think that's the difference. Once one person behaves poorly, others interpret that as permission to also be a jerk so it's "fair".
- sjg007 7y ago
  It worked because it was Air Canada.
syndacks 7y ago
To be fair, I've seen up to an entire plane cooperate for much less serious reasons than the one you mentioned. On budget airlines. In America. IMO _how_ you treat the "cattle" (as a commenter in this thread referred) is the deciding factor. Some flight crews have a solid leader or two who can really command the respect/fear of the passengers' collective psyche. Like that strict but good teacher you may have had in middle school who ran a tight ship. Some flight crews are meek and/or too drained give a flying f*.
wutbrodo 7y ago
This is one of those stories that's seemingly low-stakes compared to everything going on in the world, but that I find unusually affecting. It's a perfect illustration in microcosm of how fundamentally despicable most people are. Out of curiosity, what airports was the flight between?
- jaywalk 7y ago
  DTW to PWM
im3w1l 7y ago
It's not necessarily that they didn't care. When there is a natural action and people have a habit of taking it, then they may just forget the instruction and do what they have always done. Yes in 30s.
reportgunner 7y ago
How could the passengers have known which woman is the one they should let pass ?
- jaywalk 7y ago
  She was up near the front, and they pointed her out.

eitland 7y ago

I witnessed what seemed like a severe case of hypoglycemia in a passenger a few rows from me while stuck in a plane. The idea that someone might die because people cannot just listen is somewhat scary.

nradov 7y ago
People did die on Aeroflot Flight 1492 because they didn't listen to instructions to leave their luggage behind. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/mcgee/2019/05/07/aeroflot-crash-were-lives-lost-cost-carry-ons/1128409001/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/mcgee/2019/0...
- nostromo 7y ago
  There's a lot of doubt about those early reports being accurate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_1492#Evacuation_with_luggage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_1492#Evacuatio...
Symbiote 7y ago
I saw (just the seat in front) someone taken ill. The crew left the seatbelt sign on, and paramedics in uniform boarding meant everyone got the message.

jbigelow76 7y ago

...the lead flight attendant even made an announcement asking everyone to please remain seated so that she could exit the plane first. Nobody listened. I find myself with a case of both sider-ism on this. One the one hand (the hand that really should win out), we should all be able to act as decent empathetic people with the instruction following capabilities of a 7 year old when the situation dictates. But on the other hand, when you treat (and pack) your customers like a bunch of damn cattle, don't be surprised when they act like a bunch of damn cattle.

pb7 7y ago
> But on the other hand, when you treat (and pack) your customers like a bunch of damn cattle, don't be surprised when they act like a bunch of damn cattle. I never understood this. What exactly would you have airlines do? They don’t operate on massive margins. Ticket prices are the lowest or nearly the lowest they have ever been. You should blame the cheapness of the general populace for encouraging the squeezing of every last penny in ticket prices that results in the explosion of the 28” legroom budget airline market. You’re not entitled to air travel. Don’t like the (lack of) space? Pay for business or first class where the airline actually makes a profit. In the meantime, you better damn well listen to the flight crew’s instructions.
oarabbus_ 7y ago
Sure, the legroom is considerably lacking in economy class. But aside from that (a small price to pay for a trip that would otherwise take days to months, no?) what makes you call being on a flight being like "damn cattle"? >But on the other hand, when you treat (and pack) your customers like a bunch of damn cattle, don't be surprised when they act like a bunch of damn cattle.
- asdff 7y ago
  I don't get the gripe with leg room, unless you are oddly shaped. I'm 6' and I don't care about leg room or leaning back, because in every flight you can just push your bag under your seat and stretch your legs fully under the seat ahead of you. I find a 5 hour flight more comfortable than 3 hour sporting event on an aluminum bleacher.
  - asdfasgasdgasdg 7y ago
    I am 6'5" and I feel that if I can fly without complaining about leg room, all you oompa loompas should be able to as well. ;) I really feel for the folks 6'7" and over tho. I have just about an inch of slack when I sit down on a Delta flight, so I imagine beyond that would be pretty uncomfortable. Also, I resolved not to fly on Air Asia any more because they seem to leave a lot less room even than our Western LCC flights.

bryanlarsen 7y ago

A couple of times on Air Canada the attendants asked everybody to let those with close connections leave first, and people listened. I suppose there might have been a couple of jerks who ignored the announcement but nobody could tell. I think that's the difference. Once one person behaves poorly, others interpret that as permission to also be a jerk so it's "fair".

sjg007 7y ago
It worked because it was Air Canada.

syndacks 7y ago

To be fair, I've seen up to an entire plane cooperate for much less serious reasons than the one you mentioned. On budget airlines. In America. IMO _how_ you treat the "cattle" (as a commenter in this thread referred) is the deciding factor. Some flight crews have a solid leader or two who can really command the respect/fear of the passengers' collective psyche. Like that strict but good teacher you may have had in middle school who ran a tight ship. Some flight crews are meek and/or too drained give a flying f*.

wutbrodo 7y ago

This is one of those stories that's seemingly low-stakes compared to everything going on in the world, but that I find unusually affecting. It's a perfect illustration in microcosm of how fundamentally despicable most people are. Out of curiosity, what airports was the flight between?

jaywalk 7y ago
DTW to PWM

im3w1l 7y ago

It's not necessarily that they didn't care. When there is a natural action and people have a habit of taking it, then they may just forget the instruction and do what they have always done. Yes in 30s.

reportgunner 7y ago

How could the passengers have known which woman is the one they should let pass ?

jaywalk 7y ago
She was up near the front, and they pointed her out.