Travel Blogger Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures
 

Here the story of a travel blogger who was thrown off a United flight because he took a picture of the seat in front of him

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Last Thursday I was scheduled to fly from Newark to Istanbul on United's direct flight. The 767-300 was outfitted in a two-cabin configuration, staffed by a legacy United crew, and I had been upgraded to business class. It was my first time on this reconfigured aircraft and my first longhaul in the Continental BusinessFirst seat. Naturally, I wanted to provide a review for you.

As I settled into my seat, I pulled out my iPhone to take a few pictures of the seat. When I held the phone at forehead level to take the picture below, a flight attendant came running over and told me that I could not take any pictures of the cabin. She referenced this section of the Hemispheres magazine:

continue here:
Thrown Off a United Airlines Flight for Taking Pictures! - Live and Let's Fly

Crazy response on United's part IMHO but it's just the type of paranoid behaviour that pervades the USA airports and airlines these days.

Not just the USA. I was threatened with police when I took a photo of the electronic exchange rate display in a bank in Guildford, because they said they were 'yesterdays' and refused to honour them.

I was threatened with being thrown off a First Western train for taking photos of the filthy disgusting seat and surrounding litter and filth where I was expected to sit.

And in France I was told I was not allowed to take a photo of a loose drain cover on a public road which had caused €4000 of damage to a car I was driving, and was threatened with violence.

paranoia or wot
try going on Airliners.net | Airplanes - Aviation - Aircraft- Aircraft Photos & News and "trip reports"
On of the best recent articles was a trip report on Iran Air, the travel writer invited in cockpit. Say no more :\

Crazy. I would hate to see how she'd cope on a Saturday night Ibiza! No matter how awful a passenger is you must tell the complete truth and state the facts only. It seems in this case she lied.

As a former FA, the only time I'd take issue to was filming certain procedures - and then it was a polite "sorry, but we don't permit photography in the cabin". Sometimes you'd get a snotty answer but as long as filming stops then I've achieved what I wanted them to do and left it at that. I've never felt the need to take it further.

This industry just attracts idiots unfortunately who go on power trips. When you think of the two other high profile meltdowns that FAs have had in the USA recently I can't help but think something could be improved in terms of recruitment and training.

We have the same pressures and threats that they have in the US but I can't remember any European meltdowns whilst on duty.

This is one of my favourites - perfectly legal to take pics in UK when in public places!

Again Iranian hospitality knows no bounds. Great people Great place s**t politics.

It's something I have (privately) lamented many times over the last decade......Osama and his buddies could never have envisioned the ongoing disruption, the maniacally paranoid jumps to conclusions, the utterly insane assumptions that are made of everyday law abiding citizens......the deprivation of freedom and liberty they managed to unleash on the west, it really really sh!ts me the way they accomplished soooooo much more than they ever set out to do......

All the 911 guys were Saudis......why when I was last in Seattle, at King field, next to (my) RAAF Wedgetail (737) were Saudi variants of the same....(I think,.....I am not the most military astute ppruner by any means!) But still!, Why the Saudis?? They were the 911 guys!!!!, they must have relatives laughing their arses off about the never imagined BS Osama and his fellow Saudi terrorists managed to achieve, way beyond what they expected no doubt!

If the report is true the United Captains failure to even make eye contact is disappointing in the extreme.....almost more so than he carelessly unleashing the 'we'll call police on you if you make it difficult'......that sort of crap would have Osama and his Saudi buddies happy beyond anything they thought they would achieve......and that is Sad & Regrettable.....:sad::(

I have to say that every time I go through the time and money wasting farce called security at an airport, standing there in my socks and with my trousers hanging loose because I've had take my belt off, toiletries in a pathetic plastic bag, the same thought goes through my mind ........ those bastards won!

I must feature in photo albums all over the world the number of times a customer has photographed me in the cabin (certainly I am in a lot of Japanese albums:)). That FA had totally lost her sense of humour on that day. Wonder why they didn't just ask to see the photos that he had taken if they were concerned?

Interesting point Ottergirl. Would most cabin crew (I daren't say Stewardess even though I think it a compliment) mind having their photo taken or would you consider it poor form?

Ottergirl
Are you blond, as that would maybe explain the number of photos by Japanese passengers. My experiance with people from the land of the rising sun, and blond Western women is, er intresting to say the least :oh:.

Regards
Mr Mac

Taking photos of crew
 

Hi, airsmiles! As a crew member, I personally would not want customers on board to photograph me... You ask if most crew would mind having their photo taken - I think they would, especially if not asked first. Funny that only a couple of weeks ago I noticed a man pointing his camera in my direction while I was standing in the cabin during boarding at Heathrow. I said nothing at first, but as he did it again I approached him and asked along the lines "Excuse me Sir, but I noticed you pointing your camera in my direction a couple of times...are you taking pictures of the cabin or of myself?" . Both him and his friend started giggling and then he showed me his camera, and there was a photo of me! I politely asked him to delete the picture, he apologized and that was the end of it - no need to cause a scene or big drama.

DutchStar,

Are you working for a UK airline? If so after a review of the legislation I believe that you have no legal right to stop anyone photographing you.

An aircraft is a private place upon which entry has been gained in accordance with the conditions of carriage (unless the airline has explicitly banned photography in these conditions of carriage) then the laws of the rest of the UK would be in force, that you can photograph people and places without their consent.

Potentially one could argue that, for example filming the flight deck door entry procedures could be an offence under S58 of Terrorism Act 2000.

The best advice in the UK at least, is to allow people to take photographs as apart from a small handful of locations, it is perfectly legal even if you don't like the fact you are being photographed.

The law is one thing, respect is another. When I'm returning to the UK after a long week or three travelling the world in business, I must admit I love to see welcoming smile of a BA or Virgin stewardess. However, I'm with Dutchstar and think taking a photo would be disrespectful and bordering on the creepy. A smile is all it takes thanks.

I agree Airsmiles, but before a cabin crew member can order a passenger to do something.. That order must me lawful.

I certainly as the Captain would not offload a passenger for taking a photograph of the crew (even if unflattering)

Fireflybob, agree that's a good clip.
The police should charge the security numptys with wasting police time.

Immensely satisfying to see the Jobsworths being thwarted. The police, on the other hand, who were courteous, well briefed, and knew the law, just about managed to conceal their irritation with the "security" guys, earpieces and all.

The chief constable's guidance letter - reproduced at the beginning of the clip - is evidence that we still live in a largely civilized society.

@ PT6A,
Yes, I do work for a UK airline. You are right that we can´t legally stop people taking our photo onboard the aircraft. When I had those 2 guys a couple of weeks ago, I asked them what were taking pictures of and he was the one who showed me his camera without being asked and even apologized. I approached him with a smile and spoke politely and I feel they were not expecting me to have noticed they were taking a picture of me and were a bit embarased. Anyway, I asked and luckily they deleted it. Obviously I am aware that throughout the 16 years I´ve been flying people might have taken my photo without me realizing it...

DutchStar,

The problem comes if the two gentlemen in your story had refused to of stopped taking pictures... You are then left without a leg to stand on....

Best advice is leave them to it, not doing any harm taking photographs.

A terrorist has nothing to gain from filming the flight deck security procedures anyway...

1, they are self explanatory

2, a couple of minutes on google will find you the airlines operating manuals anyway!

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! :p

Basil....

You owe me a new keyboard! My tea just went all over it from laughing!

Nice one!

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...

No and it's not me they want a photo of/with; it's the uniform! I offer to take their cameras so I can photo them in a group and, quite often, they want to include one of us in the group - gives it context I guess. Same with parties of students or school children, where's the harm? We are paid to be Ambassadors for our carrier but, on the otherhand, if someone was following one of my crew around the cabin, taking their photo repeatedly then thats just plain weird and would beg further questions especially with social media being part of our lives.

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.)

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'.

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.

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!

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 ;)

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

Another thing to remember is that "deleting" a photo doesn't
actually remove that photo from the memory and that it can
easily be restored later.