Posted on 08/12/2010 1:55:45 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
Disgruntled flight attendant Steven Slater might not be the working class hero we've declared him, or so say witnesses to the ordeal.
Passengers on board Monday's JetBlue flight where Slater made his infamous emergency exit say that it was Slater who instigated the fight with a passenger, cursing at her after she asked where her bag was stowed, The Wall Street Journal reported today
One passenger explained that while exiting the plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport, she overheard a young woman asking Slater where she could find her luggage before the interaction took a nasty turn. "I didn't think she was rude in the least," she said. "It really blew my mind. It was so inappropriate."
Another passenger told The Wall Street Journal that Slater was rude to after she asked for something to mop up spilled coffee she found on her seat, saying that Slater "rolled his eyes at me and said, 'What?' in a real rude manner." When the passenger pointed out the coffee to Slater, she says he snapped at her: "No! Maybe when we get in the air! I need to take care of myself first, honey!" She said he was referring to the gash on his forehead. "It wasn't normal and he shouldn't have been acting that way," she said. "I felt so uncomfortable on that flight."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsfeed.time.com ...
That may be changing. Saw one news report that airlines are now recruiting retired police officers and firefighter to be flight attendants. Seems like an excellent idea.
I heard it the other way around, that the passengers were supportive of the attendant and that the lady was being rude. Time sure is using a lot of anonymous sources in this article too.
And what is the deal with the girl who sounded mad that he would rather tend to his head than mop up some spilled coffee?
LOL! I love Richard! Had him on one of my flights from Los Angeles to Philadelphia...what a hoot! Wore his red stiped shorts onboard...a very nice, very kind, and generous person!
Didn’t the original ‘Aids virus’ arrive US-(from Europe/Africa) via a flight attendant back in the 80’s?
“Didnt the original Aids virus arrive US-(from Europe/Africa) via a flight attendant back in the 80s?”
I’ve never heard of that, although they mention travelers in this article. Some interesting theories...
http://www.avert.org/origin-aids-hiv.htm
Like you, I read a whole different version. The version I read told that a passenger had carried on two bags and one was too large to fit in the overhead compartment. He told her she would have to check the bag and she got upset and cursed him, while also slamming the compartment door onto his forehead.
I worked in customer service for many years and have put up with a lot of rude behavior that was unjustified, all while having to grin and bear it. So, I give the guy kudos! There you have it. One who supports him! ;-)
The Wall Street Journal tonight is reporting that some saw him arrive with the gash on his head and no one in the cabin saw the “accident” that he says caused it. There were some accounts of him being dazed, perhaps intoxicated. He was seen yelling at the woman even after she walked off.
Now he says he wants his job back!
Jet Blue says they are upset that people and the media are taking deploying the chute so lightly. They said the deployment is at super high speed and will kill anyone in the path.
I agree. Slater should pay for damages and serve time for his hissy fit.
The problem is, the Wall Street Journal article lists 3 people (and names them). Only one of them claims to have seen the altercation, and she did not explain what happened in the altercation, just that the lady had not been rude.
Time took that article, and rewrote it without naming anyone and without doing any research into why the guy had a cut on his face before the plane took off. So we get a 3rd hand account, with no named sources, from Time magazine, and we are supposed to believe that?
This guy was a big hero until we learned he was gay. Then, he became a drama queen.
“This guy was a big hero until we learned he was gay. Then, he became a drama queen.”
Abosolutely!
I am not surprised but annoyed at the gay-bashing, as Slater's homosexuality is irrelevant to the real problem he caused. The clientele of Free Republic has changed dramatically since I signed up in 2004. Back then, they would get called out for some of those comments.
Amazingly, Slater reportedly wants to go back to work with Jet Blue. More on the investigation here: JetBlue Memo Rebukes Steven Slater for Chute-Riding Exit
He looks disturbed to me every time I see him on the news.
And don't forget, the original stewardesses for commercial flights were all nurses. They had to be. It is good to have persons who believe in "safety first" in these positions.
See the post #58. The time frame fits, as AIDS was officially ID’d in 1982-83 by a Dr. at UCLA Medical Center.
I can’t wait to ping you to the newest article. Hold on there. He actually looks better when he’s sober. I’m pretty sure he has a drinking problem. Everything pointed to that, in my mind, from the first reports.
He must of had a bad hair day with his boyfriend.
Seriously??!! What an idiot. You can't just make a scene like that, walk out, and expect your job back.
Given the way judges treat his kind of people so special nowadays, maybe his confidence is warranted.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.