Post worthy
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Buttercup

Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 10:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Here is something that I thought was "post worthy" It might be a little long, but I think it is worth reading :)

Posted on Fri, Jun. 21, 2002

'This is your captain speaking'
BY JEFF ZELENY
Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO - - On a recent United Airlines flight from Chicago to Washington, D.C., Capt. David Miller stepped from the cockpit to speak to his passengers, who included Tribune reporter Jeff Zeleny. Here is what the captain said:

"I am the captain for your flight to Washington, D.C. I am back in the cabin to talk to you before we leave, rather than from the cockpit. I think under the events of the last year or so, it's more (effective) for me to make my announcement from this vantage point rather than from the front.

"I know most of you are busy reading those safety information cards right now. (Laughter) I would ask you to put those aside while I cover some things for the flight that I think are important.

"First of all, everyone is welcome on this flight. You have been through the security system outside. I feel your pain. I have to go through it myself a lot. I know what it's like - inconsistencies, long lines, maybe you weren't treated as courteously as you deserved to be. You probably had to wait awhile.

"We recognize that. We thank you for your patience with that. Keep in mind, those folks are under a lot of scrutiny out there. They are under a lot of pressure. They are trying to do a good job. It's an important job right now, so we will cut them a little slack if you weren't treated quite the way you were deserved to be treated through that process.

"Second of all, I would like to let you know that I have six children. My wife says she has seven. Use your imagination on that. I did have a first-class passenger look at me and say, 'You have 13 kids?' His wife had to explain it to him. (Laughter)

"I have a personal interest in getting you where you are going, just as much as getting there. But you are intelligent folks. You know that this is not the same type of operation it was before Sept. 11. Especially going into Washington. We have some special procedures that are mandated by the FAA that I need to emphasize today.

"First of all, when you are in that seat with that seatbelt sign on, please don't leave your seat at any time. I will get that seatbelt sign off as soon as possible after we leave, because the last 30 minutes of the flight I have to have it on, by FAA directive. If you leave your seat at that time, I have to divert the aircraft to another airport, so it's a serious matter. If it is reported to me that you are out of the seat, I will have no choice in the situation.

"The next thing I would like to emphasize to you is that I lost a friend of mine, a United captain, in the terrorist attack on Sept. 11. Maybe some of you have been touched by those events, either directly or indirectly. Or maybe you have flown a lot and you might be apprehensive about flying. That's understandable - it's human nature.

"Keep in mind: Sometimes under those circumstances you might be tempted to let off a little emotional energy by making a joke or saying something you think is humorous. Be careful what you say. When you say something that is the least bit provocative and a flight attendant hears it or a passenger hears it and it's reported to me, I will have no choice. I will have to land the airplane at the nearest suitable field, and you'll probably be handcuffed, arrested and taken off the airplane.

"I know that sounds pretty heavy-handed, but I don't want anybody to be under any misconceptions as to how we will handle that kind of thing because we have to take those issues seriously.

"This aircraft is equipped with a safety door, a security door, it has a steel bar on the door. Down at the bottom of that door is a metal strip that runs across the floor. That's a demilitarized zone. A part of your body crosses that line, it's mine. You are not going to get it back in the same condition that it crossed that line in. If you keep all of your body parts over here, I'll keep mine up there, and we will all be good neighbors that way.

"As I am looking back through the aircraft, I don't see any empty seats. First class is full. I guess we're going to make some money on this flight.

"We recognize that you are here because you trust us.

"We are not going to take your safety for granted. We are also not going to take your business for granted. I am not sure that we have done a very good job of this in the past, so one of the reasons I wanted to come back and talk to you personally was to let you know that we may be employees of United Airlines, but we work for you.

"You are the most important reasons we are here. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have a job. And I couldn't afford 13 kids. I recognize that personally. Please accept a personal thank you, from me to you, for being customers of United Airlines."

Personally I would have stood up and applauded this captain had I been on his flight.

Buttercup

Wink

Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 10:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Great article Butter.

Sunshinemiss

Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 11:01 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Very nice speech. I applaud the additional safety/security requirements, and it was nice to see him give the "heads-up" to anyone who might not be aware of them, or how seriously they are taken these days.

That being said, if I were him I would have left off the parts about A) making money on the flight and B) not taking our business for granted. He is welcome to express his opinion, but he cannot speak for the entire airline, and as a whole they (both United and the airline industry) are moving away from the customer service apect of flying. Less food, less leg room, higher costs, no longer giving courtesies to travel agents yet still raising their rates. Not to mention the entire large-size issue in a related thread here.

So while i do appreciate what he said, I myself would have taken it with a biiiiiig grain of salt.

Lostinthefog

Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 11:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Flying has become an awful ordeal. When I fly, I want to take off on time and land on time.

I do not feel it is necessary for an airline captain to give a lecture or pep talk before takeoff.

I do not believe for one minute that a professional pilot is going to give the speech quoted above before every single flight.

I think that the above speech is a figment of the reporter's imagination. He probably thought it would make inspirational journalism in troubling times.

I hate these kind of things. I read them on various boards. I get them in e-mails that have been forwarded a thousand times before reaching me. They are all over the Internet. Some people find them clever or inspirational. I am sorry, but I don't.

Tess

Saturday, June 22, 2002 - 11:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I haven't flown in the past 8 years, but if I were on the flight I would have felt very comfortable with that captain.

Buttercup

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 11:57 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Lostinthefog, nowhere in the article did it say that professional pilots will give that speech before every single flight. This was reported from one single flight.

As far as it being a figment of the reporter's imagination, I highly doubt that.

For one, I believe it is against journalists' ethical codes (or whatever it is that they call them) to fabricate stories with fictional names and claim them to be true. I remember a journalist in San Jose, CA did that last year, was caught and immediately fired.

Second, I highly doubt that a reputable news paper such as the Chicago Tribune would post articles from less than reputable journalist, especially when it involves a highly recognized name such as United Airlines. The liability would be too large if it was a fabrication.

I could be wrong about all this, and will be happy to stand corrected if that is the case :)

I, for one, is one who always get a smile on my face when I recognize the spirit of human kindness and caring in people. The reason I posted the article was to enlighten some other people as well, though I realize that there will always be some who will try to find the negative regardless.

In my opinion, positive thinking fosters positive thinking. Negative thinking....well, it fosters negative thinking. I like to stay on the positive side :)

Buttercup

Gail

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 12:20 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I thought it was a good article - I have only flown once since 9/11 and that was when I went to Florida in April. I showed up 2 hours early, the line for my airlines (I think Continental) was something like 100 people long so I decided I would just carry my luggage on to the plane. Even so - the line for security was probably 500 people long - it took over 90 minutes to get through - when I checked in at the gate, they gave me a hard time for being late. I also got searched twice - once at the xray area and once at the gate. (note, cowboy boots and a brace on your hand must be on the list of suspicious articles to check) The people at the check in counter acted like I held up the entire plane (though it was still 20 minutes til takeoff time). When I got on the plane - it was nearly empty - most of the people were still in that crazy line.

We were nearly an hour late in taking off - that was partly all the people in lines and partly because of the bad storms in Houston where we had to land.

I would have loved it if the pilot had come out and made that speech to me and my fellow passengers!! Alot of people get pretty upset at all the inconveniences. I myself hate that your friends and family can't walk you to the gate or meet you when you get off your plane. Sometimes, having an employee of the airlines letting you know they feel your pain is enough to make it feel a little better.

Sia

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 01:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Buttercup posted,

"Personally I would have stood up and applauded this captain had I been on his flight."

Sure, Butter, me too--but only if the seatbelt sign was OFF!!!

I think it was great that the captain addressed the passengers and explained the new rules so carefully. Everyone who listens to television news has heard that the airlines have become stricter in enforcing policies like not standing/moving about the plane when the seatbelt sign is on, but some people just have to hear it personally from someone with some authority before it actually sinks in.

Buttercup

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 02:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
LOL on the seatbelt point, Sia!

Here is a reply to the above article. It was posted in the Chicago Tribune today.

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (LETTER)

Caring pilots
Susan Witz

June 23, 2002

Wilmette -- I wanted to thank reporter Jeff Zeleny for relaying United Airlines Capt. David Miller's speech, as printed in "Friendly skies; Relax, this is your captain speaking" (Perspective, June 16). Sure, a lot of it was common sense (few of us would consider making inappropriate jokes about security on a flight!), but Miller's mix of humor, understanding and deadly seriousness hit all the right notes.

Sometimes I wonder if I should ever fly again, considering all the fighting in Congress about security, etc., and the airlines making statements that we have too much security.

I fear we will relive Sept. 11. But Miller's words made me feel that there are intelligent, thoughtful people in the most important place--the cockpit.

Copyright © 2002, Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-0206230211jun23.story

Car54

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 03:14 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I have been flying to Pittsburg a lot to work on a new computer system we are installing. To avoid the hassles at Logan in Boston, we have been flying out of Providence.

I really dreaded the first trip, but the systems at both the Providence and Pittsburgh airports were exceptional (especially Providence). There were lines, but the security staff were alert, polite, and vigilant. I was chosen once to have a closer inspection where they go through your bags, inspect your shoes, etc.

I can't imagine doing what these people do every day... and staying pleasant, alert, and polite.

We flew US Air..the planes were packed tight...very uncomfortable, but it is only a bit over an hour and it went by fast. The flight crew were very polite and efficient.

Aussiedeb

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 04:41 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for posting that article. I thought the speech the captain gave was excellent. I have flown United within the US and to Australia and back and I found them great.

However I am still yet to fly since 9/11.. its called No Money lol but am hoping I might escape later this year for a few weeks :)

Egbok

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 06:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Butter, thanks for posting this article and the follow-up article. I found both enjoyable and like you, I would have stood up and applauded the captain when he had finished his enlightening speech.

You continue to grace us with such enriching posts and for that, I thank you.

Firebird05

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 06:39 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
1 Thanks for the article Buttercup. It certainly would have made me feel much better.

Juju2bigdog

Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 07:40 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Good articles, Butter.