Cathay Pacific: Want Free Stuff? Throw An Airport Tantrum

from the adverse-selection dept

Fri, Mar 6th 2009 6:48am — Carlo Longino

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.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: tantrum, video
Companies: cathay pacific

13 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

R. Miles, 6 Mar 2009 @ 7:34am

I throw tantrums here all the time.
Where the hell is my free stuff, Techdirt?

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.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
AlexC, 6 Mar 2009 @ 7:43am

No matter how disruptive and rude customers are, filming them is a big no-no. They rewarded her hoping she won't try to sue their asses off, not based on the merit of her complaint.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
:Lobo Santo, 6 Mar 2009 @ 7:44am

Re: I throw tantrums here all the time.
"Too bad they didn't jettison her ass at 30,000 ft."

Maybe that's why they gave her free travel... perhaps on a private plane...?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Dewey, 6 Mar 2009 @ 8:07am

Security video
If the company had mounted the camera above the service desk for security purposes I think they'd be like many other companies. There's not a problem with that is there? Why does it matter that a company rep was using a handheld? I would think that the videotape would have protected the security guard or company official that was trying to deal with her if she had injured herself and then later claimed the employee did it. The fact that it ended up on YouTube is really the problem -- not that the video was made. At least I hope that's the case.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 6 Mar 2009 @ 8:07am

then i seen this on headline news .....great, the airlines give her stuff and apologize for a employee and by doing so that put it on national news, you got to love the irony.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 6 Mar 2009 @ 8:25am

Subtitles
Subtitled version of the bus uncle video for those rusty on their Cantonese.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSHziqJWYcM&feature=related
[ link to this | view in thread ]
ehrichweiss, 6 Mar 2009 @ 8:43am

Re: Security video
Because security video isn't supposed to be released to the general public for a variety of reasons; to avoid being sued is one of them. They only release security video to the public when someone has obviously done something wrong and they need help in identifying and/or locating them.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
You never know, 6 Mar 2009 @ 12:03pm

Didn't some lady get beat and eventually died from throwing a tantrum in an airport a few years age? I think I will walk thank you....
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 6 Mar 2009 @ 2:00pm

to follow up w/ details
factual background// i know someone who knows the family and what actually happened was they had checked into the business class lounge. so they had the boarding passes already. they arrived at the gate before boarding calls came out. elderly gentleman in their party became ill from something served at the lounge. the ground staff instructed the rest of party to wait for him, assured them they would be seated, and refused to allow them to board w/out him.

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.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 6 Mar 2009 @ 2:20pm

Re:
Was this a public space? Yes? Ok, then she has no right not to be filmed there.

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.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Easily Amused, 6 Mar 2009 @ 2:27pm

Re: to follow up w/ details
I'm sorry but that explanation doesn't fit at all with the video context. I would also refrain from using the term "factual background" when referring to information gleaned from a friend of a friend of the family that was involved in an incident in a foreign country.

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...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Eric the Grey, 6 Mar 2009 @ 3:18pm

Shouldn't surprise anyone
Shouldn't surprise anyone who works retail...

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
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Allen (profile), 7 Mar 2009 @ 7:07pm

I cant believe the number of commenters that seem to think that there was nothing wrong in an employee filming and releasing this. Cathay saved themselves a bundle in court costs.

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.
[ link to this | view in thread ]