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My friendly letter to Southwest Airlines


zeronyne

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My name is Sxx Rxxx, and my Southwest number is xxxxxxxxx. As you can see if you check my flight history, I have flown Southwest exclusively when I have had the opportunity for years. I have always received exemplary service until tonight. In fact, I am so incensed that I am actually writing this on the flight.

 

I am on Flight 2898 on March 2, 2008. I have flown to Orlando from Chicago about 3 times a month since November. I have often sat in the exit row. Tonight, I am sitting in 11D. As is customary, I expected the flight attendant to address the special conditions and responsibilities of sitting in the exit row. What I did not expect was her first question.

 

She asked me first if I spoke English. She did not ask the gentleman who was sitting in 11A or the gentleman sitting in 12F the same question. I am puzzled as to why that might be. I happen to be of Asian descent, and the other two gentlemen appeared to be Caucasian. None of us had spoken a word, and I could clearly hear flight attendant addressing them.

 

Is it Southwest

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I love you, 0-9, but your complain is... well... just a part of all the general silliness -to name it in a nice, polite way- regarding the US citizens regarding racism and ethnic segregation.

 

It was just a poorly-trained flight attendant. Maybe a little bit stupid, too. That is all.

 

And you know, I am a {censored}ing latino-looking spanish speaker. I may not be "american" (another part of that silliness given I am Mexican and that means I am also American, NORTH AMERICAN, that is) but do not pay that much attention to those details. I am fine with who I am and I am OK with someone making sure I am qualified to be sitting at an Exit row.

 

Just let me know what did you win with this, so maybe I can make serious money and win free travels for the rest of my life every time a girl like that asks me if I do speak English or if I feel offended for my skin color and hot-tamale look.

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I'm a little thrown off balance by this too. People are afraid to say anything anymore for fear they're going to offend them.

What if you didn't speak a word of English and she was scared {censored}less to ask you?

I've sat through a few sensitivity training session and they're basically bull{censored}. In sum, if you're a white guy, walk on eggshells around women and minorities. Is that really the kind of world we want to live in?

 

Sorry, but I guess I'm not understanding this very well.

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Well, Gus, this is definitely a point where we disagree.

 

Just because it's no big deal, that doesn't mean it should go unmentioned. Just because you can shrug off ignorance, it doesn't make it right. Just because ethnic profiling and stereotyping is fairly accepted globally, it doesn't make it right.

 

But reread my letter if you think I'm out of line. I am asking for an official response. Last year, I spent tens of thousands of dollars on air travel. I spent the equivalent on hotels and rental cars. I simply expect professionalism, just as I provide it to my customers.

 

If you aren't curious about the reason why this poor girl asked me this question (and didn't ask it of the other two people seated in the exit row), I understand. I, however, am very curious about corporate policy on this matter. I've seen enough Indians and Hispanics hassled or simply treated differently at the airport to just let it go.

 

I'm not looking for a free ticket...I have plenty, along with about a gazillion free drink coupons. I just want a response. I just thought some peeps here would be interested in the outcome.

 

And Gus, you know I respect your opinions always.

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On Delta, all people sitting in the exit row (aka "poor Man's Business Class") are not only asked if they speak English, but are required to answer "yes" or otherwise acknowledge in English. I don't think the problem is that you were singled out and asked if you spoke English, I think the problem is that the other people WEREN'T asked.

 

After the attendant says "Thank you," I usually say "De nada." :)

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What if you didn't speak a word of English and she was scared {censored}less to ask you? Sorry, but I guess I'm not understanding this very well.

 

 

But that is not what happened. What happened was that she assumed that i may not speak English while she assumed that the other two gentlemen did. I want to know the thought process that brought these conclusions about.

 

And if that's all you got out of sensitivity training - that white people are being persecuted into walking on eggshells - then either the training program is deeply flawed or you were reading between the lines and applying your own template. If you are defining "walking on eggshells" as having to think before speaking in the workplace, then you're probably right. It's not always about being politically correct, you know. Sometimes, it's about common courtesy and realizing that there are environments where just letting it all out is not the best course of action even if you don't intend malice.

 

But you and Gus seem to think this is no big deal, so I'm guessing that everyone else will come to the same conclusion here.

 

I mean this without a hint of irony or sarcasm: I'm sorry I brought this up.

 

I'm considering again buying a TAC Scorpion. Any opinions?

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Well I think it's a big deal, but probably not for the same reasons you do. The whole point of an exit row is that it becomes the nerve center for saving people in case of danger. It is important to make sure that every person in the exit row can a) speak English, and b) be able to disengage and lift the door, which can weigh 35-50 lbs. or more. It's the job of the flight attendant to verify both aspects. The first is usually settled by asking people if they speak English. The second is harder to verify -- you may look healthy and young, but have a back or arm injury, for example.

 

I'm glad you were asked if you spoke English. I just find it distressing she didn't do her job of verifying that everyone sitting in the exit row was qualified to sit in the exit row. That is a big deal. Singling you out was an example of racial profiling. Not asking the others is an example of putting the lives of the people on that plane in jeopardy. With all due respect to the fact that racial profiling sucks, the latter is a far more important issue.

 

Incidentally, if a fire ever breaks out on a plane, here's a tip: Keep you head about 2' off the floor. Smoke rises, but the toxic chemicals fall to the floor. You want to find the "sweet spot" between the two. For more life-saving tips, go to www.craigandertonflieswaytoomanymiles.com :)

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I've sat through a few sensitivity training session and they're basically bull{censored}.

 

Really? I found them informative.

 

In sum, if you're a white guy, walk on eggshells around women and minorities.

 

That's funny; I'm a white guy and I don't do this.

 

Sorry, but I guess I'm not understanding this very well.

 

Apparently. :)

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After the attendant says "Thank you," I usually say "De nada."
:)

 

This is so funny and reminds me when I travel with Chris Adams through Latin America.

 

Chris is tall, blonde -and big-. But he is Uruguayan! Speaks perfect Spanish.

 

I am a latino, very easy to tell.

 

 

... In every hotel we get into, they speak spanish to me and English to him.

 

Then, he speaks Spanish to them and I do speak English -or portuguese, whatever comes first- asking Chris what they said.

 

It is funny to see their reaction :lol:

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I understand that the attendant is ignorant. Clearly, the Caucasians are just as likely to not speak English as the Asian.

 

I don't understand how it's offensive though. You're offended that she noticed you're Asian? A woman who is ignorant as to the language probabilities of the people on board noticed you were Asian.

 

Ignorant, yes. Malicious? No.

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It's offensive to make assumptions based on physical appearance.

 

 

Of course, but this seems to be more a case of "thick sculled" flight attendant than "overtly offense" or "hateful" attendant. Does anything here point to this women having a negative opinion of Asians? Absolutely not. Does it seem to indicate that she's a little dull? You bet.

 

Why be offended over someone's stupidity, if that stupidity is of the non-malicious variety. Roll your eyes and move on. Sorry...

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What did it teach you that you didn't already know, Jeff?

 

Mostly that people don't ever like being treated differently based on any physical aspect of their appearance. I thought I was aware of this before, but I think that there are specific circumstances (like the one Zeronyne went through) that can be avoided with a little thought beforehand. I'm sure the flight attendant wasn't being malicious... she just wasn't thinking. A little more training would do her some good. :)

 

I think folks from the Midwest often have the most trouble with this, because so much of the population is of one race/religion/background in one area. Here in Los Angeles, we have the highest racial diversity in the nation, so from day one, you're used to seeing all kinds of different people mixed together in the same place.

 

None of it has made me walk on eggshells around anyone, though. I guess most of the stuff about treating people how I'd like to be treated has mostly been second nature to me, so I really never worry about it, and have never had a problem in this regard.

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Yeah, the attendant was probably just not too bright, and not very well trained. It was probably worth zeronyne's bringing this to the company's attention for that reason alone, because hopefully they'll speak to her and she'll learn something and be able to do her job better from then on. And perhaps they'll emphasize the point in their employee training program that everyone needs to verify that they speak English.

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Hmm..After a recent flight to Phoenix, I have just come to the conclusion that flying sucks in general, and my expectations are nothing. A seat, and hope I arrive intact. Everything else is gravy. From the security line to the snotty little male flight attendance, to the thimble full of water, the seat map that was one row off for all 4 planes ( i.e. missed exit row by one) and the 1 hour wait to pull into our gate ( drop the slide, I'll walk)...

 

Flying is just one little PITA after the other...But it is STILL better than driving.

 

Phoenix was beautiful:)

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But you and Gus seem to think this is no big deal, so I'm guessing that everyone else will come to the same conclusion here.

 

 

Why would you assume that?

 

I certainly understand why being singled out bothered you, zeronyne, and I agree that she shouldn't have done that. Craig has a valid point as to why she shouldn't have done that, but so do you. I disagree with Craig however that her omission of the others was more serious. Certainly it was potentially more serious; but considering that your flight didn't have an emergency, there was no harm done to anyone else but you.

 

I don't know why, but I've had a lot more friends who are minorities than most "white" people do; and I've heard many similar stories over the years from them. It must be tough to be repeatedly singled out by one person after another -- through no fault of your own -- and essentially told "you're different" or worse, that you're not wanted here.

 

That happened to me once, when I was pulled over by the police on my way to a rehearsal in an African American neighborhood because "you're the first white person I've seen here in months." The officer then proceeded to call in the serial numbers from each piece of gear in my car to see if any of it was hot and then watched while I unloaded it at the house where our band practiced.

 

It wasn't fun to be on the hot seat because I was white, but few white people ever experience that. Some of my gear was used, and it occurred to me at that moment that there was a slim possibility that it was hot. Thankfully, it wasn't; but being ethnically profiled by the police was an unsettling experience nonetheless. For me that was a once in my lifetime occurrence. I can only imagine how it would wear me down if it happened a few times a year or even a few times a month!

 

I get it; and you have my sympathy, zeronyne.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

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I am sorry, but I am getting a bit bored with all the "PC" stuff these days.

 

There is a fundemental flaw in your reasoning, and I believe you have no reason to to take offense.

 

The question "do you speak english" , is not on of status. Being able to speak english, rather then anyother laugage is not "better" or "worse". She could have asked you, "do you like green?", with the same level of offense.

 

She didn't know if you did - so she asked. WTF was she supost to do. As for the rasial profileing... well yea we all do it. I see a bunch of white guys, I assume they are english, ... I see a bunch of indians - you guessed I assume indian.

 

She felt safe in her assumption that the "white guys" spoke english, but not yourself, so she asked. I bet if you where in japan, the rolls would have been reversed. That is okay.

 

 

I don't know, I am a single white guy. seems like I am always looking over my back to back sure I don't offend a miniority, be it ethnic, or gender or otherwise.

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