jimntx
Veteran
You get the same answer, I give the passengers who insist on asking why. "Because the FAA said so. There's no point in debating the subject with me. They didn't discuss the rule with me when they made it. They just told me that I could earn a $2500 personal fine if I don't enforce the rule. If you want to know why, or debate the in-flight exceptions, may I suggest that you direct your questions and comments to www.faa.gov."
I say all of this with a smile (almost a laugh) but a firm tone of voice. It usually works.
However, I did have a bulkhead (first row of coach) problem one day that had to be escalated slightly. I was flying #1 (F/C, make all the PAs). During boarding I repeat the announcement at least twice that passengers seated in the first row of either cabin (S80s) could not put any items on the floor. The #4 f/a came forward near the end of boarding and said, "Jim, I've spoken to the woman in 7F (window seat, first row, M/C) twice and she just ignores me. I said, "Bag in the floor?" #4: "What else." I went back and looked. She had a tote bag in the floor that you could have set up light housekeeping from.
Me: Ma'am, the bag needs to be in the overhead bin for takeoff.
Her: Oh, no. It's fine right where it is.
Me: No, ma'am, it's not. It has to be in the o/h bin for taxi, take-off, and landing.
Her: You're not putting my bag in the o/h bin.
Me: No, ma'am. I'm not. You are. I'm not permitted to handle your luggage. (Corporate policy at AMR.)
Her: (Getting belligerent) You don't seem to understand. That bag has my purse in it. It is NOT going in the o/h bin.
Me: (said with smile) Well, then. Ma'am, we have a problem.
Her: (very sarcastic) Oh, and what would that be.
Me: (still with a smile)Well, you see, the FAA says this a/c is not going to move as long as that bag is sitting in the floor. And, I have a full flight today; so, I have no other place to move you and your bag. So, as I see it, we have two options. Either the bag goes in the o/h bin or you and the bag are going to have to get off the airplane.
I then got completely silent, still smiling at her, and made it clear that the next move was up to her. That as far as I was concerned, the discussion was over. She got up, put the bag in the o/h bin.
I couldn't resist closing with (still smiling), "Oh one more thing, ma'am. There is also a Federal Air Regulation that states that passengers must comply with any direct instruction from a working crew member. So, for the rest of the time we're together, when my f/as (see below for why I used the phrase, my f/as) ask you to do something, I trust that you will comply with no further discussion. Thank you so very much."
Of course, I have the advantage of being male and older than dirt (61). When I started this glamorous career in 2000 at the age of 55, I learned quickly that because of my age and because I am male, a lot of passengers assume I'm the one in charge--especially when I was working in F/C. (At DFW where I was first based, I was ALWAYS the junior member of the crew--they hadn't had new hires at DFW since 1989.) It's just another tool, I tell other f/as to use it. I suggest that if a passenger is giving them a hard time to just say, "Sir/Ma'am, if you don't cooperate I'll have to get the old poop back here, and he hasn't had his prunes today; so, he's really crabby."
