Travel Blogger Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures
Aren't we all a bit precious? If someone is so irrational as to think me important or attractive enough to photograph then fill yer boots, mate.
Old joke:
Guy taking photo of Aus Aboriginal:
Abo: No, no!
Guy: Oh, you think I'll steal your soul?
Abo: No, mate, you've still got the lens cap on!
Boom boom!
Old joke:
Guy taking photo of Aus Aboriginal:
Abo: No, no!
Guy: Oh, you think I'll steal your soul?
Abo: No, mate, you've still got the lens cap on!
Boom boom!
The issue of photographs is a tricky one, in my outfit the pax love to take our picture (something to do with the uniform I am sure!) however *some* of them have no idea the difference between 'souvenir' pictures and becoming some kind of paparazzi peeper with the cell phone under a paper....
I have no issue with someone taking a photo or two.... I do take issue with some random guy hiding a phone in his pocket and clicking forty pictures of me doing the service... why..? It just comes across as, to quote another poster, creepy.
I think any reasonable person would agree that a crewmember has the right to ask someone to stop taking their picture, if it makes them uncomfortable. They are not hired as photographic models, they are hired to take care of safety and service. 'Service' does not include carte blanche for pax to fill their albums with 'candid' pics of crew... It;s different to someone one the street, a crew member cannot escape someone who is relentlessly taking their pic.. and yes, I have had someone following me around the cabin taking my picture after they had been asked not to... to the point it became very weird and the senior had to have a talk to him.
I have had pax taking photos of the crew in galleys and coming out of crew rest to the point of getting in the way and impeding the service... of course we are going to ask them not to do it. However, whenever I have asked someone not to take my picture, I simply say "not right now" and invite them to stop by on their way off the plane to have a pic with the crew in full uniform rather than service attire.
The whole problem could be avoided with a polite, "Excuse me, may I have a picture with/of you/your crew?" which for me, happens in 95% of cases and is no problem at all. It's the 5% who ruin it for everyone else.
As for the travel blogger, what idiot uses the T word in this day and age, whether we think it silly or not, it WILL get hackles up in certain parts of the world.
Another point- IF the F/A genuinely believed that he DID continue to take photos, then she was not really lying, merely incorrect. If you believe it to be true then it is not a lie. We cannot know if another pax incorrectly pointed out this guy as the one who kept taking pics, instead of the other guy. I think both sides were to blame for the situation...
I have no issue with someone taking a photo or two.... I do take issue with some random guy hiding a phone in his pocket and clicking forty pictures of me doing the service... why..? It just comes across as, to quote another poster, creepy.
I think any reasonable person would agree that a crewmember has the right to ask someone to stop taking their picture, if it makes them uncomfortable. They are not hired as photographic models, they are hired to take care of safety and service. 'Service' does not include carte blanche for pax to fill their albums with 'candid' pics of crew... It;s different to someone one the street, a crew member cannot escape someone who is relentlessly taking their pic.. and yes, I have had someone following me around the cabin taking my picture after they had been asked not to... to the point it became very weird and the senior had to have a talk to him.
I have had pax taking photos of the crew in galleys and coming out of crew rest to the point of getting in the way and impeding the service... of course we are going to ask them not to do it. However, whenever I have asked someone not to take my picture, I simply say "not right now" and invite them to stop by on their way off the plane to have a pic with the crew in full uniform rather than service attire.
The whole problem could be avoided with a polite, "Excuse me, may I have a picture with/of you/your crew?" which for me, happens in 95% of cases and is no problem at all. It's the 5% who ruin it for everyone else.
As for the travel blogger, what idiot uses the T word in this day and age, whether we think it silly or not, it WILL get hackles up in certain parts of the world.
Another point- IF the F/A genuinely believed that he DID continue to take photos, then she was not really lying, merely incorrect. If you believe it to be true then it is not a lie. We cannot know if another pax incorrectly pointed out this guy as the one who kept taking pics, instead of the other guy. I think both sides were to blame for the situation...
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Ottergirl
Are you blond
Are you blond
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Why ask if Ottergirl is blonde? I'm not sure of the inference there but either way you don't need to be blonde to be a stunner and blondes have brains as well.
Anyway, the most interesting thing Ottergirl said was that she was an "ambassador for the carrier" and "where's the harm?". Sounds like that particular airline has a really good Stewardess/Flight Attendent/Crew member* who has the right professional but relaxed attitude that is a real asset these days. I can think of many US airline cabin crew that I have to suffer regularly who could afford to lighten up and learn from Ottergirl !
( * whatever the current PC term is these days.)
Anyway, the most interesting thing Ottergirl said was that she was an "ambassador for the carrier" and "where's the harm?". Sounds like that particular airline has a really good Stewardess/Flight Attendent/Crew member* who has the right professional but relaxed attitude that is a real asset these days. I can think of many US airline cabin crew that I have to suffer regularly who could afford to lighten up and learn from Ottergirl !
( * whatever the current PC term is these days.)
airsmiles, in some cultures where the people are predominantly black-/ dark-haired being blonde is seen as a blessing or unusual so they love to take pics with those people even more than other foreigners. Quite common in some parts of Asia and definitely the Gulf. Nothing to do with 'looks'.
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Thanks for that 'Givemewings'. Does that really apply in this case though?
In some cultures e.g. south pacific there is a culture of appreciating people of very overweight stature. I can't remember the last flight I saw someone take a photo of any male/female crew member who wasn't what the papers believe is the classic good looks. I'm trying to be very careful and PC here.
Sadly, I suspect most of the photos are taken of pretty female crew members by tanked up male passengers on their way to a stag weekend or holiday. In these circumstances such female crew members have every right to deny photos should they wish.
In some cultures e.g. south pacific there is a culture of appreciating people of very overweight stature. I can't remember the last flight I saw someone take a photo of any male/female crew member who wasn't what the papers believe is the classic good looks. I'm trying to be very careful and PC here.
Sadly, I suspect most of the photos are taken of pretty female crew members by tanked up male passengers on their way to a stag weekend or holiday. In these circumstances such female crew members have every right to deny photos should they wish.
I think you misunderstood me, I mentioned the culture thing since Ottergirl commented on probably being in a lot of Japanese albums- this because of the cultural thing I mentioned, and also that "cabin attendantu" are held in a higher stature in Japanese society than their western counterparts (yes for some it is also a fetish thing but for the majority they just love the uniforms and nice-looking crew)
I personally experienced having more pictures taken by Japanese & Chinese passengers, certainly they are by no means alone but many of them are tourists and its acceptable generally in that society to take lots of pictures. Others, not so much. Perhaps they want photos but feel weird about asking or think it might be considered rude?
Definitely I have had more pictures taken with/of me since flying in the Gulf, Europe and Asia than I ever did in Australia (although plenty of Aussie pax love to have pics as well)
To be honest (in my exp) most stag weekend pax are too tipsy and having fun to take pics with/of us, more often they are too busy photographing themselves!! :P
Most often (for me) it is groups or families, from past experience I avoid taking photos with a man not in a group- since one of my friends saw her own picture on a random FB account with the caption "my girlfriend" and a guy she'd only served dinner to! :/ If a guy on his own wants a pic its fine but I usually will get a few others in as well to make it a group photo. Ok some might say I am being judgemental or biased but I prefer it that way, its my personal rule and makes me feel more comfortable. I do however have to occasionally discourage the "arm around the waist" type photos as I do not feel comfortable with those.... other crew might be okay with it and it's a personal decision.
Some carriers have policies, others don't.
Sorry for the drift!
I personally experienced having more pictures taken by Japanese & Chinese passengers, certainly they are by no means alone but many of them are tourists and its acceptable generally in that society to take lots of pictures. Others, not so much. Perhaps they want photos but feel weird about asking or think it might be considered rude?
Definitely I have had more pictures taken with/of me since flying in the Gulf, Europe and Asia than I ever did in Australia (although plenty of Aussie pax love to have pics as well)
To be honest (in my exp) most stag weekend pax are too tipsy and having fun to take pics with/of us, more often they are too busy photographing themselves!! :P
Most often (for me) it is groups or families, from past experience I avoid taking photos with a man not in a group- since one of my friends saw her own picture on a random FB account with the caption "my girlfriend" and a guy she'd only served dinner to! :/ If a guy on his own wants a pic its fine but I usually will get a few others in as well to make it a group photo. Ok some might say I am being judgemental or biased but I prefer it that way, its my personal rule and makes me feel more comfortable. I do however have to occasionally discourage the "arm around the waist" type photos as I do not feel comfortable with those.... other crew might be okay with it and it's a personal decision.
Some carriers have policies, others don't.
Sorry for the drift!
Oh, to add, it's almost funny when a group are taking a pic with me, if I am the only crewmember around, but if a blonde girl suddenly walks by they abandon me and go take pics with her.... haha... so, in a pinch any F/A will do but for some blonde trumps all 
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In nearly 40 years of flying I can only recall a couple of instances of being photographed in the cabin. 
That said if an aircrew colleague walked into head office and started taking various passers by on their camera I think that might cause comment.
So maybe context, locality and use to which any image is put should define the boundaries. In a closed environment like an aircraft cabin politeness should be first and the shutter second.
Hark! Is that Henri Cartier-Bresson getting up to full rpm?
SGC
That said if an aircrew colleague walked into head office and started taking various passers by on their camera I think that might cause comment.
So maybe context, locality and use to which any image is put should define the boundaries. In a closed environment like an aircraft cabin politeness should be first and the shutter second.
Hark! Is that Henri Cartier-Bresson getting up to full rpm?
SGC
