Hey People,
As one of those people from the other side of the flight deck door who don't have to deal with these idiots often let me put in my one and a half pence worth.
As you say there is a balance to be struck...and you guys are better trained than I am in dealing with this kind of hostility.
Early in my career I tried to rationalise what my respone should be if the (at that time single) cabin crew member (Jetstream) decided to get me involved.
The problem I have with this is that if you let bad behaviour go...you are condoning it. Other pax see it ...and some will believe they can get away with it on their next flight.
My simplistic answer was that if they swear at you (directly or indirectly...under their breath or otherwise) they had stepped over the line.
The first line of defence (as someone said) is at the gate. I specifically ask the ground staff have there been any problem pax...if so I go and have a chat and if unhappy offload them then (when there is time to get their bags off)
If we were on stand I would get them just outside the aircraft and go on a zero tolerance rant. Demand an apology be made directly to the crew member concerned...if not..or if the crew member was not happy with it then offload.
Taxy out I would go to an intermediate hold bay put the brake on and take them to the back of the aircraft ...same deal. In both cases I found a very quick transformation in attitude.
Would also make a PA to the pax apologising for the delay and explaining the situation....cannot tolerate blah blah...in an attempt to further humiliate the offender...again if they kick off...they are kicked off.
Problem child once in the air make a PA saying if the pax in seat whatever repeated the offence he would be met by the police at destination (and make sure he was) and point out that he will have a couple of hours taken out of his day in the police station. I have always been happy with how helpful the airport police are in terms of dealing with these people.
I am not stupid ...and I know many cabin crew do not need my help....or decide that they are able to rise above it etc...but IMHO if we are to reverse this trend then positive action needs to be taken (by one of us).
In the case you mention there would be an outside chance that the reason this person wanted a nervous pee...and was Mr Angry could be that he had some ill intent towards the aircraft. Unlikely yes...impossible???
I am not saying that either of the following are a good however some may not be too upset to hear...
1. When I had a guy fighting his mate during a flight the Spanish Police met the aircraft and we found out from the incoming pax that both of them had taken a heavy beating outside the back of the police van. The Spanish have a reputation for this.
2. Again not saying its a good idea...but one of our non conventional skippers used to listen to the PAs during taxy in and out. If he heard "remain seated" or similar he would jump on the brakes. Make some announcement apologising for the sudden stop but a rabbit had just run out in front of the aircraft. If we had ingested it into the engines aircraft tech etc. I never heard about any of the flying pax hitting an innocent seated law abiding one.
In case you hadn't guessed I am on a night stop with nothing else to do apart from sit in front of the PC. Ho hum
