Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18835 posts, RR: 54 Posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 2377 times:
When I was boarding my FR flight from STN to HHN (on a 738) last month, there was a man at the forward door welcoming passengers. I did, at first, think he was a member of the cabin crew, but he was, as I later found out, in fact the captain.
I heard him saying to the passenger behind me 'we're going to have to de-ice... we're going to be delayed', before he went into the cockpit and didn't return.
Upon disembarking in HHN, I looked up and saw him sitting in the left-hand seat.
How usual is it for a pilot to do this on a normal scheduled flight? I have never experienced it before.
Incidentally, the weather at STN was really bad - there was a heavy snow storm. Still, it was nice to see all the snow falling.
*Awaits the 'FR was just cost-cutting' jokes.*
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
WindowSeat From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 1307 posts, RR: 59 Reply 1, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 2342 times:
What ho, james?
I haven't seen any captains actually welcoming passengers on board, but I've seen pilots greeting passengers when leaving the aircraft. Only if it was a smooth landing
cheers
I'm all in favour of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with keyboards.
QIguy24 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 2293 times:
Hey! That sounds great and safe that FR are using stewards as pilots as well.. It feels sooo much safer to fly FR now...
I just wanted to be the first to say something about that.... I have seen SAS pilots do the same. That really makes you feel more welcome in the plane..
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 2266 times:
He was probably just getting his breath back after loading all the bags / vacuuming the aisle / pumping up the tyres / washing the windscreen /making the sandwiches / sweeping the runway, all in the name of reduced costs an M. O'Leary's bank balance.
Jblake1 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 290 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 2173 times:
So funny this was posted today... Last night on my way home from LAN on my flight from DTW to SDF the captain of my NW DC9 welcomed passengers aboard. He was very friendly and even provided us with updates on the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately Kentucky lost last night...
Rick767 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2000, 2662 posts, RR: 52 Reply 11, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 2046 times:
Either myself of the Captain sometimes welcome passengers onto the aircraft during boarding, or say farewell on deplaning, as long as all the flight preparations have been done and we are effectively ready to "strap in and go".
Some pilots like to do this more than others, I know several Captains who never do this.
Truthfully, there sometimes just isn't time.
I used to love the smell of Jet-A in the morning...
Flyingbronco05 From United States of America, joined May 2002, 3838 posts, RR: 3 Reply 16, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1744 times:
My dad is known to do this too.
A few months ago, the captain on an American Eagle flight from ORD-LIT did this too.
DeltaGuy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 17, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1714 times:
I see it all the time on Delta...
Oftentimes the cockpit crew will show up from their previous flight VERY early, with pax boarding not for an hour...well, after you grab some Starbucks and some chow, they just go down and set up the a/c...and sit until the pax are all loaded. I've stood in many cockpits where the pilots were literally twiddling their thumbs (and playing tic-tac-toe), waiting to push. So the pilots sometimes have pleanty of time.
Or, it was probably not the Captain's leg, to the F/O was in the flight deck hard at work on that FMS I think it's good customer relations, especially when the Capt. stands in the fwd galley area, uses the F/A handset, and makes a pre-pushback PA, standing right in front of the pax...my dad used to do that all the time, makes a great impression on nervous fliers!- not to mention I was always like .
Jaspike From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2008, 1 posts, RR: 2 Reply 19, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1682 times:
After some delays with MyTravel Lite because of a staff shortage in August, the captain welcomed everyone on the aircraft. He then spoke for a few minutes to all the passengers talking about low cost airlines in general, about cutting costs, staffing and so on, before walking around the cabin saying hello to everyone. Seemed like a nice guy Old and friendly
AnsettB727 From Australia, joined Mar 2004, 210 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days ago) and read 1516 times:
I'd never seen this until I flew in the States. AA seem to do it quite often, usually with a Starbuck's in one hand on red-eyes! It's a nice idea...maybe better without the coffee, though!
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8746 posts, RR: 52 Reply 22, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days ago) and read 1490 times:
I have seen this twice. Once on UA on an A320 DEN-IND. The pilot welcomed passengers aboard while standing in the first class galley and then passed out his business card to passengers in first class, and also said that we would likely be a little late due to some de-icing needed in DEN and unfavorable winds. It was a nice touch!
Also I have had this happen on LH. I was on an LH A343 FRA-PDX and the captain was talking to passengers boarding in first and business class. He also came by and gave a personal greeting to each and every first class passenger. It was a pleasant experience, and established trust with the flight crew.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
Flymia From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 6297 posts, RR: 6 Reply 23, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days ago) and read 1422 times:
Hey never happened to me when boarding the airplane but always when leaving. When i fly commercial no matter 777 or Beech 1900D I will try to greet the pax on both boarding and deplaning. It really makes the Pax feel better.
"It was just four of us on the flight deck, trying to do our job" (Captain Al Haynes)
BR715-A1-30 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (9 years 2 months 3 days ago) and read 1399 times:
On one of my FL flights, The Captain was standing at the door greeting passengers. He said that he used to fly DC9s for EA and NW, and finally flew FL DC9s before being transferred to the 717. He said ever since he started flying for EA, he would always stand and greet passengers, and said that he has never skipped standing there except once when they were having flight deck problems. After everyone had boarded, he went and shook everyone's hands and introduced himself. Truly the most admirable captain I've ever met. He is now retired from FL. He resides in Macon, GA with his wife.
25 Warszawa: I've seen it now and then here in the USA. When i flew DTW-CLE on Continental Express ERJ-145, the pilots did not greet you, but had the cockpit door
26 ERfly: Wow!! It must be nice to have time to do that before departure. In the regional airline world, we do not have that luxury. 10-15 minute turns are hect
27 SFOFF: When I worked Shuttle by United at SFO there would be a couple Captains that would help collect boarding passes. One time during a delay (can't rememb
28 XFSUgimpLB41X: After my landings I try to always make sure to say bye to the passengers and thank them for flying with us if i have time.... Very rarely to I have ti
29 Txiki1uk: Well, a few years ago I was on an Easyjet Flight from madrid to London, and the CEO was not only on the flight, greeted the passengers, went down the
30 Flyingbronco05: When i fly commercial no matter 777 or Beech 1900D I will try to greet the pax on both boarding and deplaning. It really makes the Pax feel better. Wh
31 QIguy24: Flyingbronco05 I think he means that he is a pilot. And when he flies any of those aircrafts he greets people.. But It would look good if he was a pax
32 Startvalve: I used to see it a lot more when I flew pre 9-11. Almost always on Delta the Capt was standing there when we got on and off. Now in the era of everyon
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