Coming home from my sister’s memorial service, I had to take a couple airline flights. On the first one today, I ran into what I thought was only urban myth – – the humorous flight crew.
happy to serve
I say ‘urban myth’ because of the internet jokes which occasionally hit my e-mailbox. Given the push for professionalism in the workplace, especially when you have lives in your care, I sort of doubted that the jokes were true. I’m speaking specifically of the flight attendant or captain speaking tongue-in-cheek to the passengers when giving the mandatory safety speeches or welcome speeches. You may have seen some in your e-mailbox.
For example:
Captain: “Welcome to XYZ Airline which has some of the finest flight attendants in the sky…unfortunately, we don’t have any of those on this flight…”
or, another I saw in an e-mail…after a supposedly rough landing:
Flight Attendant: “Please remain seated while Captain Kangaroo bounces what’s left of the airplane to the terminal building. At that time, you can unfasten your seat belts and work your way out of the smoking remnants of the aircraft.”
…and many more…
They just all seemed too flippant. Too irreverent. Too unprofessional.
But not on Southwest Airlines. They seem to encourage it.
Today, I heard a couple that really made me smile. So, for you I am now that person — “I heard this from a friend who was there, so it has to be true…”. I admit that none of these are gut-splitting howlers, but they did give me a chuckle, which was needed —
1) “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a full flight today. I realize that means some of you have to sit in seats that don’t lean back. Therefore, we ask that you just lean forward to make up for it.”
2) (After the safety briefing about seatbelts and oxygen masks) “For those of you paid attention, thanks very much. For those of you who didn’t – – ‘good luck’!”
3) “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to point out the flight attendant in the middle of the cabin. She was nominated as Flight Attendant of the Year for our airline!”
<passengers give her a round of applause>
“…now, I don’t know why you’re clapping…she didn’t win.”
4) (As we stopped at the arrival gate) “Flight attendants, prepare doors for arrival. Everyone else…Get Out!”
5) “As you depart the aircraft, please check the monitors for your connecting Southwest flights. If your connections are on another airline, what the hell were you thinking?!”
I asked the perpetrator of 4 of the 5 if she had a professional writer.
and there are quite a few professional writers out there
She claimed they were spontaneous. Perhaps she was looking to get on the website of Southwest Airline jokes.
Me? I enjoy having as much fun on the job as I can, so it’s good to see others doing so as well.
If she only looked like this...
And my hat is off to Southwest Airlines allowing stuff like today…and this…
The Wilds of Ohio 