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Squawks & Headlines ✈ American Airlines flight attendants' argument causes 4-hour delay at JFK

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American Airlines flight attendants' argument causes 4-hour delay at JFK

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An American Airlines flight departing from New York's JFK Internatioanl Airport was delayed nearly four hours Wednesday after two flight attendants got into a verbal altercation, forcing the pilots to return the plane to the gate. (overheadbin.nbcnews.com) More...

isardriver
News junkieHonor RollAmateur PhotographerPromoterAnnouncerNewbie

preacher1
preacher1 5
Catfight.lol!
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rick737
richard weiss 3
If we had a kitty pool full of jello to help them settle the argument, we could have sold it on pay per view
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khaiduk
Kevin Haiduk 1
Who would want to watch two old bats go after it? OK I guess, not as many but some would.
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preacher1
preacher1 1
Well now, they might not have been old.lol
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im4point
Chris Murray 5
False headline. It was American Eagle, not American Airlines.
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andytyler
Andy Tyler 2
considering American Eagle is owned by American Airlines, there is basically no difference lol
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preacher1
preacher1 2
same difference
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akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 2
Two tier solutions . Put both on ground duty . And make them share one-room apartment !!
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mwenkman
mark wenkman 2
Why would anybody book a flight on American ??.
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grinch59
Gene Nowak 2
It once was a great airline, the only one I would fly from ORD to DCA.
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johned12
Paul Campbell 2
Why indeed ?
One passenger said it perfectly - a total lack of professionalism.
This is what American has come to now.
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evansb
Brian Evans -1
I am surprised that it doesn't happen (or reported) more. Interpersonal conflict is common in any work environment, and in a stressful highly-charged environment like today's airliner cabin, it seems completely unsurprising.
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andytyler
Andy Tyler 1
casual fliers would, they don't know any better
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preacher1
preacher1 1
Well, let's see, if I go to KFSM, I have AA and DAL. If I go on up the road to KXNA, I can get those 2 and US Air and I think UAL. If I go the other way to KLIT, I can get those plus SWA; Whoopee!!!!!!!
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THRUSTT
THRUSTT 1
U need to get yourself a Cessna 195 with some of that retirement loot!!!
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preacher1
preacher1 1
I'm too tight. I'd rather fly on other people's money and get paid for it too.LOL
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pdixonj
Pren Junior 1
There's really nothing shocking to me about this. A professional attitude is something you're "paid" to have, not something you're born with. They're simply being forced to act civil and cordial because it's their job, not because they want to. But we're all human...you take two people, forced to work with each other from anywhere between one to five days straight on a small metal tube that sees them dealing with hundreds of other individual attitudes (pax, pilots, gate agents, cabin service, caterers) that they have to maintain professionalism with, good or bad, and eventually they're true human selves is bound to come out...and it always does.

Every f/a at every airline struggles with the same thing...maintaining that "thick skin", keeping that personal "no-fly list" that EVERY f/a has up-to-date, trying to find some personal space on a airplane that (unless it's a widebody) has none, not letting the stress of job/financial uncertainty weigh you down, etc. Conflicts among crewmembers ALWAYS arise, but they're usually kept in the galley (or over the interphone if it's with the pilots). My opinion...these two just had enough of each other, and at that point, raw humanity comes raging out. It's unfortunate that they have to face the consequences for it, but it is what it is.
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colinbrown1
Colin Brown 1
So, if they were passengers they would have been charged by the TSA, etc. correct? But becuase they were flight attendants they get a pass?
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THRUSTT
THRUSTT 1
Well the public wants a $20 airfare, that's what you get, $2.00/hr. ignorant and illiterate people in a position of power!!!
Anyone know what the gender of the fools were???
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WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
Somebody won't have to worry about the looming layoffs. Lol
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grinch59
Gene Nowak 1
Is this a new method to delay a flight?
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Continental72
Fletcher Reister 1
It is in any profession/job. I had the misfortune of dealing with a girl who obviously did not like her job at WalMart in the pharmacy and she was just the cashier and when she got huffy with me over a minor question I asked about a medication; I said plainly and calmly - "If you don't want to be here, then quit now and brighten everyone's mood." Then I called for the manager right there in front of her and he and I had a nice little chat right there in the pharmacy and I was apologized too. Well, the story goes on but to make it short, the girl no longer works there; apparently she pissed off too many people. Granted; this is not completely relevant to this story but in the same category - Customer Service ;-)
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Donovan16
Don Thomson 4
No difference in ANY other service industry. I retired from emergency and critical care (a veterinarian) - and things certainly could get 'hot and heavy' -- but I NEVER let those things spill out into the public area. And NEVER to the point that it backed up the waiting room for hours.

I just don't believe professionalism is something one does for money, its a matter of personal pride and conduct.
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WALLACE24
WALLACE24 4
Over the years I have had to fire several employees for letting their temper get away in front of customers. That was basically an automatic dismissal. Any internal disagreements are to be taken up in privated or with manager. End of story. End of job.
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preacher1
preacher1 2
You and me both. You know, people can say what they want about WalMart, but that CUSTOMER SERVICE and SMILEY FACE is part of their corporate culture. Disagreements and Employee griping go to the back room, out of sight and hearing to the customer. Those that don't just mysteriously disappear.
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WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
I have to admire the way they can take pretty low paid employess and get the customer service thing across to them.
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WALLACE24
WALLACE24 3
It's in the fine print. FA's can bitch slap each other. Pax cannot.
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Donovan16
Don Thomson 3
Those two would be given the early-exit if I ran the Zoo... Whatever happened to common sense and customer service?

How do you spell P-R-O-F-E-S-S-I-O-N-A-L-I-S-M ? Obviously THEY don't know either !
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joelwiley
joel wiley 2
Don, I think they use the term 'service' with the same meaning as in animal husbandry.
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Donovan16
Don Thomson 1
<ROFL> Damn, I KNEW those TSA scanners where really squeeze-chutes in disguise!

Thanks for the laugh !
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preacher1
preacher1 1
You are being awfully nice.lol
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HunterTS4
Toby Sharp 1
....they never had it to begin with Don
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Donovan16
Don Thomson 1
Mama Mia !!!
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preacher1
preacher1 2
One of the pax cooments in the story said they were both female and that i the onl reference. Like I said, CATFIGHT. The original story did say it started over the fact that one wouldn't turn her cell phone off, while the other was making the pax announcement to do so, and that she said something to the effect of"AND THAT MEANS THE OTHER FLIGHT ATTENDANT".
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Donovan16
Don Thomson 2
My guess, is they will have a VERY short leash, or a PASS out the door. This won't just be quietly ignored.

The USAM 9-63.110 "Interference with Flight Crew Members and Attendants" states "ANY person" and does not provide for exclusion for Attendants (or Pilots for that matter -- remember JetBlue Pilot Clayton Osbon, who suddenly lost it) Carries a possible 20 yr sentence.

The AA flight never left the tarmac, but had closed its doors and pushed back. The crew 'were on the clock'. And had to return to the terminal per the report.

I'll almost GUARANTEE they get MUCH more than a "we'll look the other way,if you kiss and make up."
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preacher1
preacher1 3
It is not there now after the update but in the original story, it started because one would not turn off her cell phone while the other was making the announcement for everbody to do so. If that be the case, depending on how it progressed, one of these may be in the right. Of course, to me there would have had to be a lot more said or just 2 women together that didn't get along for it to go as far as it did.
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evansb
Brian Evans 1
Job-place interpersonal conflict is common. I am surprised it doesn't happen (or reported) more. In today's airliner cabin filled with stressed passengers and aircrew it is hardly surprising. To focus on the carrier is completely misguided, and so 1980s. You think this doesn't happen in a bank, a restaurant, or even an air traffic control centre? Don't delude yourself. It is just that an incident like this delays passengers and makes the news. When the produce guy gets pissed off at the meat cutter, who cares?
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TFinken
Thorben Dr Finken 3
This is not about stress at the workplace this is about (1) professionalism and (2) customer service. It's completely unacceptable that passengers have to suffer a 4 hour delay just because two (supposed to be) professionals get into a dispute about whatever. These two ladies should be fired immediately.
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Donovan16
Don Thomson 1
Point well taken. But then again, it would be one helluva' brawl to back up VON's deli line for four hours, and necessitate the produce truck to return to the central distribution point.... <chortle>

Come to think of it, Maybe there's a Federal Law for THAT, too... <chuckle>
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