Cathay Pacific: Want Free Stuff? Throw An Airport Tantrum
from the adverse-selection dept
About a month ago, somebody posted a video on YouTube of a woman flipping out at the Hong Kong airport after missing her flight. Apparently the person that recorded the woman's tantrum was an employee of the airline Cathay Pacific, and the airline has now disciplined the worker and thrown a bunch of free stuff at the woman. On one hand, it's easy to see why the company could feel the need to apologize, since the woman suffered some pretty extreme notoriety, thanks to the video's 5 million views. But on the other, couldn't this action tacitly encourage this sort of tantrum and disruptive behavior by rewarding it with free travel? Had a person who wasn't an airline employee recorded the outburst, perhaps the outcome would have been a bit different, but Cathay Pacific seems to have given the green light to people to flip out in hopes of getting some free stuff. This wouldn't be the first time such a video has had an effect in Hong Kong: the well-known "Bus Uncle" video from a few years ago caused people there to examine stress and public behavior in its society.
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Filed Under: tantrum, video
Companies: cathay pacific
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I throw tantrums here all the time.
Never saw the video, but heard about it. This follow-up is astounding, but it's also something a business needs to do given its "reputation" was partially assaulted by this idiotic woman.
Too bad they didn't jettison her ass at 30,000 ft.
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Re: I throw tantrums here all the time.
Maybe that's why they gave her free travel... perhaps on a private plane...?
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Re:
This kind of entitlement attitude should not be rewarded:
-- I was filmed acting very immaturely and could not control myself or communicate appropriately to resolve the issue
-- I do not know how to express my needs and feelings
==> because I have caused a scene here I should be given free stuff to make up for my suffering
This is simply absurd. What she should be given is a free trip out the front of the airport door, carried there by the security guards.
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Security video
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Re: Security video
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Subtitles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSHziqJWYcM&feature=related
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to follow up w/ details
ultimately, the third individual came around just as they made the last call. there were still people boarding the plane, but they were refused entrance. their luggage had already been checked in. so they were forced to miss their flight and a subsequent business meeting that was scheduled the next day or so. at least that's what i've heard.
legally speaking, recording is fine, but publishing is a different matter. moreover, from an post 9011 FAA policy standpoint, it is against the law to have airplane luggage loaded onto a flight w/out the passenger on board.
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Re: to follow up w/ details
The translations I have found (that aren't jokes or bad memes) support the original Aussie AP release information found here: http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=551891
So the woman's bags were already offloaded and she was only delayed by a couple hours (due to her being late enough to warrant them taking her bags off the plane).
Read more, post less...
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Shouldn't surprise anyone
Companies regularly give in to whiny, self-indulgent twats like her for the stupidest reasons, usually making the poor folks who are behind the counter look foolish in the process, even if all they did was follow company rules.
EtG
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No doubt a firmly worded memo was circulated and whoever was responsible disciplined/dismissed. There maybe some fools that are willing to embarrass themselves on a global scale in the hope of a free ticket, but it will be a long time before an employee is stupid enough to record it.
You can count on some fellow traveler to spread the goodness instead.
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