Personalized Checklist
I am not sure what the Aviation Administration would say about Chuck’s “time efficient” checklist. I know in the 121 world, he will not get away with making his checklist this stream-lined, lol. Sometimes I wonder if passengers actually pay attention if the pilot does a walk-around before takeoff or not, and/or if they know or care.
Just because you are wearing a uniform, doesn’t necessarily mean you know what you are doing at all times. I find it really interesting in my new role, walking around with a clean uniform, how much people rely on you always having the right answers and information. I am not quite craving the attention as much as Chuck does, but I try to help out as much as I can when asked, even if sometimes they give you very little information to work with.
The other day, I was walking down the terminal thinking about how to get to my next gate when this lady ran up to me and yelled in a half-panic “How do I get back!?!” Slightly startled I responded “I…I don’t quite know how to answer your question because I don’t know where you started.” “I missed my flight and I need to get back!” she said. We eventually got it worked out and had her pointed in the right direction. But I do wonder sometimes what happened to the people I gave directions to. I do well in the air but I’m often quite lost on the ground. Of course, “bigger-than-life-Chuck” always has this great confidence that he knows what he is doing at all times (until Julio takes him down a notch, of course).
Have you ever had someone give you directions with great confidence that turned out to be completely wrong?
Mike
Funny enough, I was once told with great confidence by a gate agent she couldn’t change a positive space ticket and my airline would have to. A short walk to customer service changed it with no problem in about 10 seconds.
I can’t recall why I was positive space and not a jump seat on that particular flight. It was probably right after my interview.
When being given directions, the kiss of death is “you can not miss it”. The directions are always wrong if that phrase is included.
Sometimes, “can’t miss it” actually works. I was in central Utah several years ago when a fellow traveler asked me how to get to Indianapolis. I said “Go East on I-70 and you can’t miss it.”