A Ukrainian mother has been blacklisted after taking a stroll and sitting down on the wing of a Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800. (www.gatechecked.com) 更多...
When I was a greenhorn FO, I used to tell a lame joke when welcoming the pax. "There are two smoking lounges on this aircraft. Feel free at any time during the flight to step out onto the wing and light up." One day a grizzled old captain said, "You should stop telling that story, son. In the first place everybody has already heard it. In the second place, one of these days some stupid SOB will try it."
I hope she didn't do that at cruising altitude. But seriously: I can't understand that she was able to do that without being challenged by other pax or cabin crew !
This wing stroll happened on a Boeing 737-800, which does not have slides for the over-wing exits. The plane sits low enough that evacuees are supposed to slide down the extended trailing edge flaps.
In my 54 years of airline travel have never been told not to open the emergency exits, nor have I seen a sign on the doors indicating when and who is allowed to operate them. I have not been shown any document informing me of a "code of conduct" or any laws I must follow as a passenger. So did she even know that what rule she was breaking?
Just because something is obvious common sense doesn't mean that it will prevail.
Having sat in a taxi way oven for hours at the time I can't help but wonder what the cabin temperature and 02 levels were. Not trying to justify nor excuse...but some of the expectations are bizarre.
I understand how she felt, I have been in a stifling hot plane on a sunbaked tarmac for what felt like an eternity, but if people were de-planing, why didn't she just de-plane with her kids? And it seems to me the wing of a jet plane in the sun is going to be pretty bloody hot, too.
A bit 'Looney Toons' or maybe just claustrophobic? They had recently arrived at the gate. Were the a/c packs operating? Ukrainian charter flight...they were probably packed in there like sardines. While that doesn't justify a little stroll out on the left wing, I have to give her a little leeway without knowing more.
If she has claustrophobia then it is not her fault that she has medical condition. And if the crew did not specifically state that no one is to open the emergency exit, then it may be the airline's fault for not reading this to her. Etc.
I read it but it's sarcastic comment on the state of US medical and legal system that we often don't take responsibility for our actions and warped reasoning leads to blaming someone else for our poor choices:/