TimePilot From Switzerland, joined Sep 2005, 295 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 4716 times:
I was talking to a science teacher at school here the other day, and he said some folks used to call into the TV stations and complain when the weather forecasts were wrong (such is Japan.)
That got me to thinking, do people ever call up airlines (or go to the desks, whatever) and complain if they've had a bumpy landing or flight? Pilots: have you had anyone after a flight come up and complain? Flight attendants: have you had anyone complain to you?
I've heard of people complaining about uncomfortable seats at movie theaters and getting free tickets, so I'm wondering about the airlines. A plane ticket is anywhere from what, $80 up? A movie ticket is only around $10 ... somehow I doubt an airline will give you free tickets if you complain about their seats
ZBBYLW From Canada, joined Nov 2006, 1923 posts, RR: 7 Reply 1, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 4714 times:
I would certainly hope not. The weather is something that an airline has to live with. Having alot of terbulance in flight is part of the game when you fly in an airplane. As for the landings, i would hope not as well. Mainly because there are many variables in a landing such as windspeed, aircraft (some it is hard to do a decent job landing, MU-2s come to mind) and other various weather situations. As far as I am concerned you payed the money if it was an unavoidable cersomstance, and you arrive at your destination. The airline has fullfiled their part of the contract.
PureKiwi From New Zealand, joined Feb 2006, 183 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 4699 times:
I've seen passengers complain several times landing at WLG, some of those X-wind landings can be pretty scary and when they use the reversers on 737's it looks like part of the engine cowling fell off.
ZKSUJ From New Zealand, joined May 2004, 6937 posts, RR: 10 Reply 3, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 4693 times:
I've heard of people complaining. I even heard a story of some Jap tourists yelling at an ANZ ATR 72 pilot after the flight to queenstown was turbulent and bumpy.
Its not the pilots fault, there is only so much you can do to control the rate of descent/sink on the flare before touchdown. And as for the weather, who the heck would you blame and why.
TimePilot From Switzerland, joined Sep 2005, 295 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 4682 times:
I think you mean "Japanese" tourists
Customer is king here in Japan, so lots of Japanese will complain about things that people from other countries wouldn't even bother with. Trains being late, the weather, etc.
Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8298 posts, RR: 11 Reply 5, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 4655 times:
What was that story about the really hard landing, then when the passengers were getting off the Captain was standing at the flight deck door and an old lady asked him "Sonny, did we land or were we shot down?"
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
KalsinBay From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 3 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 4650 times:
Thepilot From Canada, joined Jan 2010, 5 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 4644 times:
Recently in ORD, we touched down rather rough and as we were walking past the flight deck, the guy in front of me said, "I would have helped if you put it down a little smoother." He said it with quite a scowl. Go figure.
Bwohlgemuth From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 90 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 4628 times:
How about for a damn good reason...
Flying DEN-ORD, my United flight had a do a missed approach since the plane in front of us took too long to get off the runway.
Nkops From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2544 posts, RR: 6 Reply 9, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 4620 times:
I've heard people complain as we were deplaning them about bumpy flights, but I think most pax understand why, especially when they land and it's really windy and raining. I can only remember one time when a pax was mad and thought the crew did it on purpose...
Bridogger6 From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 710 posts, RR: 11 Reply 10, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 4603 times:
I had a passenger come all the way down to the ticket counter after me once about a bumpy flight. He said the pilots must have been drunk and clearly did not know what they were doing because this passenger had never feared for his life so much. He'd also been in the military and had some crazy landings and said that nothing compared to his horrible landing into Phoenix. The real thing he was mad about (US almost supposedly killing him was a sidenote) was his misconnection due to storms in the area. HM... wonder why it was bumpy. That's really quite typical when you fly into Phoenix during the summer, thunderstorms or not, it's going to be quite bumpy. Phoenecians (sp?) are used to it.
I also once had a customer come up, he wasn't even flying he just wanted someone to listen to his story. His wife and daughter were flying to some small east coast city on an RJ of some sort and there was bad weather and the wife and daughter apparently though they were going to die (it was later revealed that they were nervous flyers to begin with). Anyway, just listening made the gentleman very happy. He actually e-mails me every now and then to this day... yes, we exchanged e-mails we had a good long chat.. haha...
But yeah, people won't usually bring up the bumpiness of flights with CSA's unless they're there to complain about something else. If a flight was really bumpy you'll just kind of catch passengers talking about it with their friends and family as they deplane. It's not too commonly complained about as a MAIN issue.
FlySSC From France, joined Aug 2003, 7313 posts, RR: 61 Reply 11, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 4 days ago) and read 4560 times:
Just a few months ago, right after take off from ORD (A340), a F/A came to me and said : "There is one furious Passenger in the seat XXX". She wants to talk to the Purser RIGHT NOW" !
She was seating in the first rows of Y just before the wings.
So I went .... and she said : " This is unbelievable !!! God ! what is that noise ? Make it stop right now ! " She was talking about the engines ...
I just said : "I can go and talk to the Captain but I know him well and I am affraid he won't agree because that's the engine noise, Madame, and to be honnest, if I was you, I would rather pray for them not to stop before we land in Paris ...".
Blackbird07 From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 77 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 4545 times:
I've been on a number of nasty flights where passengers get horribly snarky with the pilots after the landing. I think it's rude. They safely toted your bums around and they aren't God, afterall. Can't exactly push a nasty cumulo-nimbus out of the way on a whim or make the rain stop.
If the flight was particularly "bad", I congratulate the pilots on a job well done. Flying my little Cirrus around in windy weather was bothersome enough, I've not a clue what it would be like to fly a giant beast with 100+ souls aboard in less than favourable weather.
I tend to have bad luck and catch rough flights more often than not, or fly rough routes, so I've heard my share of crew-chewing-out.
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward..."
TimePilot From Switzerland, joined Sep 2005, 295 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 4519 times:
I've seen some shifty approaches into ORD on JAL (with heavy winds and all that), and I really have to hand it to the pilots. If I was at the controls, we'd all have had to be fitting for wings & a halo.
Next time if a PX complains, just tell them: "Hey- anytime YOU come up here and land this thing, you're more than welcome."
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