This sort of thing keeps me up at night.....

Never should have happened. The pilot might have been clearer though. Had the purpose been known I would hope people would have been more respectful. Nevertheless, no excuse.
 
There are few more articles being posted by different media outlets. I had to re-read this myself. For what I understand, the family was on their way to escort their son home, he was not with them at the time. The pilot being proactive delayed the flight to ensure the family would not miss the opportunity to meet their son. I agree the pilot should have given more detail and the other passengers probably did not understand the full situation.

Push Hard, Press Forward
 
Really? People are so #*&@ selfish, if the airline had any reason at all that they felt compelled to ask passengers to hold tight for a few minutes would that excuse such self centered lack of manners. Just another example of "ME"ism. YUCK
 
forumjunkie said:
Really? People are so #*&@ selfish, if the airline had any reason at all that they felt compelled to ask passengers to hold tight for a few minutes would that excuse such self centered lack of manners. Just another example of "ME"ism. YUCK
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Um, I think we've all had experiences with airlines "feeling" one way and not explaining it to the 200 person captive audience in the back. Let's assume the trust isn't always there.
 
I am a dyed-in-the-wool Twitter hater. If there ever was a justification for a scathing Tweet from the Tweeter in Chief and Tweeter in Chief Elect, this would be it.
 
cb7893 said:
I am a dyed-in-the-wool Twitter hater. If there ever was a justification for a scathing Tweet from the Tweeter in Chief and Tweeter in Chief Elect, this would be it.
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I don't quite understand the relationship between the passengers who booed and the Twitters targets you proposed.
 
Idzak said:
I don't quite understand the relationship between the passengers who booed and the Twitters targets you proposed.
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This isn't a broadside against twitter users. It's a specific expression of disgust for the airplane passengers and a comment about POTUS' and POTUS-E's propensity to comment about insignificant matters via Twitter.

Read today's newspaper--Washington Times or Washington Post. If my sarcastic post still doesn't makes sense, PM me and I'll explain.
 
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cb7893 said:
This isn't a broadside against twitter users. It's a specific expression of disgust for the airplane passengers and a comment about POTUS' and POTUS-E's propensity to comment about insignificant matters via Twitter.

Read today's newspaper--Washington Times or Washington Post. If my sarcastic post still doesn't makes sense, PM me and I'll explain.
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Can we get an symbol for sarcasm?
 
What part of "special military family" did they not understand? Doesn't matter that the pilot didn't spell it out. Get a freaking clue people! If the pilot requests respect for a military family it should be given, period.
 
LineInTheSand said:
Why?
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"Special military family" implies something--the other passengers should have read between the lines. Does the pilot really have to elaborate that they were on their way to meet their dead son's remains? It should be assumed the pilot is not going to ask people to wait if they're just going to visit dear Aunt Sally.
 
madhttr said:
"Special military family" implies something--the other passengers should have read between the lines. Does the pilot really have to elaborate that they were on their way to meet their dead son's remains? It should be assumed the pilot is not going to ask people to wait if they're just going to visit dear Aunt Sally.
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You are giving our fellow citizens too much credit, and perhaps the pilot was overly discreet in order to to avoid embarrassing the family in their grief. Most Americans these days do not have direct contact or experience with the military, and most are probably not familiar with the terms "Gold Star Family" or "Blue Star Family." Their interpretation of "special" could have been "high-ranking, self-important, and privileged."

Besides, who could be more special than me in my first class seat /a/ paid for by my corporate or government employer, or /b/ upgraded from the hoi polloi coach class via shrewd use of frequent flyer miles?
 
EDelahanty said:
You are giving our fellow citizens too much credit, and perhaps the pilot was overly discreet in order to to avoid embarrassing the family in their grief. Most Americans these days do not have direct contact or experience with the military, and most are probably not familiar with the terms "Gold Star Family" or "Blue Star Family." Their interpretation of "special" could have been "high-ranking, self-important, and privileged."

Besides, who could be more special than me in my first class seat /a/ paid for by my corporate or government employer, or /b/ upgraded from the hoi polloi coach class via shrewd use of frequent flyer miles?
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Sadly, I think you're right.
 
In the general public "special military family could mean anything."

My special military old shipmate just got a full size car rental upgrade.

My special reserve military friend got a free seat upgrade on an airline.

Special military folks hop the line at the airport and at train stations.

We used to have free subway rides in NYC.

Special military families get cool seats at Nationals games.

Special military families get sweet deals at Lowes or Disney or Golden Corral.

I don't think there's much of a precedent to strictly define "special military family" or to trust exactly what "the cockpit" describes as a reason for a delay. In fact, the lack of transparency became such a big issue not so long ago that Congress acted.
 
This story is all over the media...CNN, Fox, DailyMail, etc. etc. Father has been interviewed.

Here is my point... not one of those 1st class customers has spoken out and said...I feel horrible that I booed them, and would like to apologize because the pilot did not convey the reason well enough to us.

Just food for thought. If I was that passenger sitting in 1st class, and booed them because I did not understand why, than I would have reached out to the family via the airline to apologize. I have yet to hear from anyone in 1st class that said, my bad, the pilot didn't tell us. There have been coach class members that have come out saying it was known and people were giving their condolences.

Bullet and I just came back from a vacation. You know what? People flying these days are down right rude and inconsiderate starting from the minute you go through TSA. They don't follow anything, and nobody enforces it.
~ Carry on luggage is now insane...why they have those DOES YOUR BAG FIT containers I don't know since you never see anyone use it, nor do you see any airline employee force them to use it before bringing it aboard the plane.
~ ~ Saw a passenger actually come on with a backpack so full, and a carry on that neither could fit under the seat. Overhead was full, so he put on the floor between his legs, and the flight attendant allowed it instead of him making him check it in.
~ Saw passengers fight in line, cursing each other when they said we are boarding #2 group ... cutting the line in their eyes....laughed because, Guess what people...the plane will not leave without you when you are in line, and your seat is guaranteed. All that is going to happen is your butt will be sitting in your assigned seat just that much longer.
~ Saw passengers that decided their luggage mattered more than someone elses and had the right to move it from one overhead container to another.

I truly hate flying these days, and it is not because of TSA when I have to take off my shoes, belt, jewelry. It is because people are cheap and inconsiderate.
~ We pay the $25 bucks to check our luggage. OMG so what? I won't get to my car for 5-10 minutes more. We take carry ons with us, and when they say the plane is full, but will gladly check our carry on for free, we are the 1st to go to the counter.

I have been flying for 40+ yrs. I remember the old days where you dressed like you were going to work or church, not just rolled out of bed. Where manners mattered. Where getting on a plane was the start of something fun, or returning home with new memories. That is way gone.
~ Yes, the airlines are also to blame, but let's be honest...they are a business, and we as customers created this devil.

Flame on, I am ready for it! Just my rant of why I think people flying couldn't care less whether they were a Gold Star family or not even if they knew what Gold Star meant.
 
you can flame me to, but, I question the "boos", or was it just grumbling and comments as the family passed? But, notwithstanding, the flight was late, likely a good number on the plane had similar connection problems, or, business meetings that were now late, etc. This is just to say that its likely a good number of people on the plane had time constraints as well. Just throwing it out there, when the pilot does not say why this family needs to get off first, he does nothing to get them off faster. Have you ever been on a flight where they ask "if you have a tight connection, get off, if not please wait". Never happens, because everyone's time is valuable to them. So, I can understand why there was grumbling, when everyone on the plane is late as well. But, the difference here is if the pilot would have said something like gold star, or picking up their son who gave his life, etc. it would have been different. I have been on a flight with a deceased soldier and the pilot informed us of it, and asked that he be moved off first. The mood/atmosphere was not like what is described, and, everyone stayed onboard until the soldier was "deplaned". So, just saying. I think the pilot would have prevented any of this with a little explanation.
 
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