A Lack Of Planning On Your Part…, Part 5
This story reminds me of a similar event that happened to me. I’m a flight attendant for a particularly well-known Irish airline. One of our crew members faints during the flight and is so clearly incapacitated that she is shivering all the way back to the UK. This is, in other words, a full-fledged emergency.
The flight deck is informed, and provision is made for paramedics to see our unwell crew member once we have parked. Because we are down a crew member, we now have to follow a very specific drill for passenger disembarkation. The cabin is divided into sections. Whoever is nearest to the front door can disembark. I am the barrier for passengers to not disembark until the weight and balance is safe to do so.
As I’m in the cabin, directing passengers when I’m cleared to let them leave, a passenger pipes up.
Passenger: “Excuse me. My train is leaving here in ten minutes. I want to know what is going to happen with that?”
Sure, British trains aren’t all what they used to be. But it’s 9:30 pm. Trains to London from this airport leave every half an hour.
Me: “How do you mean, ma’am?”
Passenger: “Well, I’m going to miss my train! How am I supposed to get to London?”
Me: “You can always get a coach or bus, or there’s another train in half an hour.”
Passenger: “Uh-huh, and are you going to pay for my delay?”
Me: “Why would I pay, madam?”
Passenger: “Well, you’re holding me up! My train—”
Me: “Personally, madam, I could not give a rat’s a** about your train. My colleague is experiencing a very clear medical issue, so that’s where my focus is right now. You’re more than welcome to seek alternative means to get to London, but the fact that you even decided to book your connection with less than twenty minutes to go from touchdown to get on board your train sounds like a logistical error on your part.”
She gave me a Surprised Pikachu face in return. I know, I probably should have been a little more empathetic, but for all I know, my colleague could have been dying. She did, however, make a full recovery; her incapacitation was brought on by a carbon monoxide leak at her apartment.
Related:
Deductibles Are Not Indestructibles
A Lack Of Planning On Your Part…, Part 4
A Lack Of Planning On Your Part…, Part 3
A Lack Of Planning On Your Part…, Part 2
A Lack Of Planning On Your Part…
