Originally Posted by
WingNut60
I am truly sorry for being so unreasonable, but I was actually referring to what happens when you have been diverted AND de-planed. And now you're waiting for someone to tell you what happens next.
I understand that in some cases it may be impractical for a passenger to disembark from an aircraft that is simply being held over for weather at destination to clear but I'm guessing that in a high proportion of diversion incidents, it is necessary to de-plane the passengers anyway.
Such as when one of the first class seats catches on fire.
It also applies, however, to when you have not yet been allowed to board the aircraft in the first case, for whatever reason.
When it's still half way between you and somewhere very distant, for instance.
In fact, it applies in many circumstances where the carrier decides that they'd like to run your life for you.
Me? I like to control my own options.
Mr Unreasonable
I learned early on, that military flying as captain is one thing and flying passengers is a new dimension.
In the airline,I started off as a copilot again and concentrated on flying the ship, with the odd glance left to see why the old man was so interested in cabin temperature, whether the pax were asleep and who had connections, whether we were in time, etc.
When I made the jump into the left seat I understood that these guys and girls who pay our salaries, many of whom fly longer hours and then have a meeting, are relying on me. It was my little branch of the firm.
If you can try to make some contact with the customers and be honest, even though you can’t always promise too much, that is a comfort to the folk strapped into your aluminium tube, who have no say in the matter. If they can see/hear that there is someone up front who cares what happens they will at least have no complaints.
As pax, I fly on many airlines and have experienced all sorts of PA. from faint crackly disinterested info to very good informative stuff - quite often on budget airlines by the way.
Instead of telling people like Wingnut that they are a pain in the ass, a little timely information on board will do a lot to prevent misunderstandings later on.
And - er - he might even fly with you again.