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Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

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Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#201

Post by 4ad »

Terretta wrote: post #164

No other comments in this thread make this point, so I'll bring it up. While the passenger should not have been booted off, he was absolutely in the wrong but only based on what he told the crew . Here is the photo policy: http://cdn-img1.upgrd.com/featured/united-photo-limits.png It says photography is strictly prohibited of aircraft equipment, and if not of aircraft equipment, prohibited unless of "personal events"…

There's a difference between doing the wrong thing right, and doing the right thing. If people wouldn't forget that rules should be encoded for their own benefit instead of being dictated by some people above as some holy scripture we wouldn't have TSA and all this airport security nonsense to talk about.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#202

Post by mootothemax »

jimzvz wrote: post #140
mootothemax wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You were not kicked off for taking pictures. You were kicked off for acting odd. Exactly. It's a long-haul flight, you might have a grudge against the flight attendant, you've already behaved slightly oddly - thinking it appropriate to say "I hope you didn't think I was a terrorist" is odd - and there are so many ways the flight could become a nightmare for all concerned, all thanks to you remaining on the plane. May…

> The author's disappointment aside, it sounds like a success to me. I can't imagine any criteria under which the handling of this situation could be considered a "success" and it scares me that individuals, not directly involved, could see it as such.

I can't imagine any criteria under which the handling of this situation could be considered a "success"

Not even the bit I wrote in the previous sentence? To clarify: "the author went off the plane calmly and without making a scene".

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#203

Post by mootothemax »

emn13 wrote: post #199
mootothemax wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The terrorists have won a great victory if acting slightly odd is enough to terrify an airline company into kicking a passenger off a plane. This isn't about terrorism. It's about a flight attendant taking exception to a passenger, and owing to what he later said and how he behaved, believing that he could develop into a problem on a long-haul flight. Was it a good call? Probably not, given the author's flight histor…

You mean the "havoc" of taking pictures onboard? In violation of a policy that should have been criminal to draft in the first place? Such terrible havoc that will annoy... no one. Not even the FA if she just ignores it.

You mean the "havoc" of taking pictures onboard?

I do not; that would be asinine.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#204

Post by mootothemax »

jimzvz wrote: post #162
mootothemax wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The terrorists have won a great victory if acting slightly odd is enough to terrify an airline company into kicking a passenger off a plane. This isn't about terrorism. It's about a flight attendant taking exception to a passenger, and owing to what he later said and how he behaved, believing that he could develop into a problem on a long-haul flight. Was it a good call? Probably not, given the author's flight histor…

If flight attendants got everybody that they didn't like kicked off flights, it would seem[1] that there would be barely anyone flying. If I pay for a service and it isn't delivered there better be a damn good reason. A lie about me doing something that I wasn't or me stating that I am not a terrorist are not good reasons. [1] http://longhaulflightattendants.tumblr.com/

If flight attendants got everybody that they didn't like kicked off flights, it would seem[1] that there would be barely anyone flying.

Speak for yourself. But this is neither here nor there, as you well know. The issue is: have you announced your likelihood to become a problem later in the flight? If so, why should you remain?

I think in this case it was a harsh call, but ultimately an understandable one. Heck, who's to say the same flight crew hadn't earlier had to deal with an undeniably genuine problem passenger, and hence were being over-cautious? We're all human.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#205

Post by 4ad »

jfoster wrote: post #173

Tips for air travel: 1. Don't bring up terrorism or bombs. 2. If a disagreement with anyone arises and is settled, don't bring it up again. 3. Be polite and humble, particularly whilst on the actual plane. 4. Do not accuse anyone of lying. It's confrontational and leads to conflict. Instead assume miscommunication, apologize & clarify. 5. Don't accuse anyone of threatening you. It's confrontational and leads to confl…

So basically forget all about your civil rights or basic human decency, and accept the fact that you are only a peon that other people can abuse.

With such a mentality it's no wonder TSA still exists.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#206

Post by scotty79 »

icambron wrote: post #133
andrewfelix wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely agree. The guy acted arrogant and entitled and attempted to argue with the Captain. There was a very simple solution to this situation; Suck it up, swallow your pride and apologise, whether you were in the wrong or not. If he had been humble about it, he very likely would have been able to stay on the flight.

This is a really terrible attitude. Apparently, airplanes are this magical place where you're not supposed to be treated like a human being. By "acting entitled", you seem to mean "acting like he's entitled to fly on the plane he bought a ticket for". And of course he argued with the captain; he was being kicked off the plane for taking a picture! It's not arrogant to expect to be treated well. This thing where every…

That is such a terrible attitude. "I pay - I'm entitled to service".

You are guest on board a plane. They treat you like a guest, but they are busy and concerned people so do not overstay your welcome. That's the social contract around air travel.

And the payment? Treat it as entry fee to a nice party. You have to pay to enter but you have no right to be there if you can't behave.

And getting railed up by someone in power misrepresenting something about you that's unverifiable? Well... OP tells how it turned out. It usually turns out that way.

OP broke the rule (photographed equipment), when gently reminded about the rule, he made no efforts to make up for his violation (he didn't delete photos) and indulged his need to explain why he felt entitled to breaking that rule without clearly stating that he won't do it again but with using word 'terrorist' instead. Then he was asked to leave the plane.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#207

Post by scotty79 »

dagw wrote: post #69
trustfundbaby wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry if I gave the impression of not cooperating, but I can assure you I did not and will not take any more pictures this flight. It would mean a lot to me if I could stay on the plane ----- feels a bit too servile for me, especially if I felt I didn't do anything wrong in the first place.

What's wrong with acting a bit servile once in a while if makes people around you happy and leads to them doing what you want? Being nice and polite to people isn't a sign of weakness.

I guess it's to British for average American taste.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#208

Post by scotty79 »

TheShihan wrote: post #115
mmaldacker wrote: post #64

This guy feels so entitled. The airline has clearly a very strict no photography policy and after being told not to take pictures, he then arrogantly explains that because he's a journalist he allows himself to do whatever he wants (take photographs on an airplane). My bet is the FA got pissed off at him and threw him out of the plane to teach him a lesson.

Have you even read the blog post? He took one picture and stopped after the FA complained. And the picture he made was in accordance to the regulations.

> And the picture he made was in accordance to the regulations.

How so? It's explicitly said that you cannot photograph aircraft equipment.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#209

Post by vidarh »

mootothemax wrote: post #202
jimzvz wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The author's disappointment aside, it sounds like a success to me. I can't imagine any criteria under which the handling of this situation could be considered a "success" and it scares me that individuals, not directly involved, could see it as such.

I can't imagine any criteria under which the handling of this situation could be considered a "success" Not even the bit I wrote in the previous sentence? To clarify: "the author went off the plane calmly and without making a scene ".

... a long time, major customer left pissed off. Nope, not seeing how it can be considered a success. With a reasonable flight attendant there's no reason to consider that there might have been a risk of anything but a calm flight in the first place, so having him leave calmly is not success.

I've never had anything but good experiences with United through a couple of hundred thousand miles of flights (London SFO regularly for a few years - still got about 100k unused miles...).

But if this had happened to me, I wouldn't be flying United the next time.

My choice of United instead of British Airways or Virgin for that period was entirely down to Uniteds much better (for me) frequent flier program (LHR SFO gave me upgrades to business around one leg out 3 or 4 or so on average, while BA and Virgin were impossibly stingy, though the quality of their business class was better), but that would not outweigh a risk of not getting on the plane.

United is not exactly in an economic situation where they can afford pissing off their best customers.

Re: Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures

#210

Post by calinet6 »

emn13 wrote: post #200
UweSchmidt wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The terrorists have won if [something silly happens in America]" Not really. It is political and military pressure on certain countries with high birth rates and weak economies that radicalizes young men - lift the foot from their neck and see them be as indifferent/slightly dismissive towards our lifestyle/religion like we are to theirs. Airport/aircraft security seems to be part of a trend of law enforcement in th…

Perhaps it wasn't their aim; but it's certainly a victory: they caused society to start punishing itself in some quixotic overreaction. The billions of travellers since the attacks are now constantly nervous - not of an attack anymore because the odds of that are so vanishingly small you don't seriously consider it - but of saying or doing something that some over-eager security policy has irrationally branded danger…

If we're to believe certain statements and quotes from the most famous terrorist around that I won't mention, it was exactly their aim.
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