Let My People Go

Hunky Husband is a pilot. He is grateful to have ultimate dominion over an aircraft when those doors shut. Once that flying missile lifts its gear, a passenger had better do what he is told, when and how or he deserves everything he has coming to him, right down to the Flex Cuffs if he starts changing seats and asking for seat extenders he doesn't need. But HH draws the line right on the horizon. This JetBlue hell story and others like it only highlight an industry that is all to willing to hide its bottom line behind the post 9-11 Holy phrase, "security precautions".

Bullshitbullshitbullshit.

There is no Federal Aviation Administration regulation that states you must hold humans against their will for any reason on the ground in a sealed aircraft. Those "regulations" are better called "company policy", and as such can be changed, and frankly ignored by passengers when they become onerous. The airline should be honest enough to admit that officially "canceling" a flight costs them a LOT of money. As a passenger, if you are willing to face a jury of your peers and roll the dice that they will side with you, elbow your way to the front and demand they open the damned door or else you are going to use your toddler's projectile vomit as a lethal weapon.

Until the airlines create much needed "emergency holding terminals", a passenger's Bill of Rights already exists. Its called the U.S. Constitution. Americans need to stop acting like penned sheep, grow some balls and take control of their environments.

Honesty may be the best policy, but sometimes mutiny is the only policy.

Comments

[PRCalDude]

I couldn't believe that when I heard it. I'm a pilot. If the tower had left me on the taxiway that long, I would called up the tower and been assertive. The pilot and copilot need a backbone. They should have been fired.

[JANE SAYS: Are you KIDDING? They will probably be PROMATED for "saving money" in the form of not having to refund a bunch of free tickets. NOPE. That was JETBLUE company policy handbook page #1. They are friggin' heroes. Because somewhere on your ticket it says that you give up your rights when you borad their aircraft. That is why to this day, I do not fly commercial. Haven't in twelve years.]

[Miss Carnivorous]

I love flying but hate to be trapped on the ground in a stationary plane!

[Rosie]

My brother's a pilot. I haven't spoken with him about this particular bit of idiocy yet. But I imagine he has a few choice words.

I really feel for him. Being an airline pilot isn't what it used to be. Sure isn't what he signed on for.

[JANE SAYS: Nope. Big bucks and glory is long gone in the friendly skies. Hell, the skies aren't even friendly anymore. If HH wasn't working for Uncle Sugar, he'd never fly commercial. Not in a post 9-11 world. No way.]