“MOV, we need to talk. Call me back.”
How many times had I hoped he’d call me? And yet, there he was, irritating flight attendants across America and getting kicked off planes again… now he calls? A little bit late for that.
I hit the return call button. Then I hung up. What did he want me to say?
I thought back to all the times I had kicked passengers off in my 10-year career at United Airlines. Thousands. Dozens. Well, just twice I guess. I had a woman removed from a flight after she threw her suitcase at me and told me she didn't have to listen to me (about stowing her bag in the overhead bin). I was not going to be trapped with her for four hours at 35,000 feet with no bodyguard. Nope. Off you go.
The other one was a drunk guy in Phoenix. I felt bad for him, he was returning home from a bachelor party, yet he could barely walk on board let alone speak a coherent sentence. The pilot took one look at him and backed my decision to have him removed until he could sober up for another flight.
So, based on those two isolated incidents, obviously Alec thought I was qualified to give my invaluable opinion of American Airlines kicking him off.
I hit re-dial. I knew exactly what I would say; I rehearsed it in my head over and over:
“Alec, listen up. The FAA has strict rules in place regarding the use of electronic devices such as i-Pads during taxi and take-off. These devices can interfere with cockpit communications. Furthermore, it is not okay to go hide out in the lavatory and scream obscenities at the flight attendants through the bathroom door while the seatbelt sign is on. Seriously, what did you expect might happen with actions like that? You are gonna get kicked off. Face facts. You cannot pull that Hollywood Diva behavior and think you’ll get away with it. Honestly, you are just lucky no one called the cops on you for disrupting or interfering with an airline employee’s duties. You think flight attendants are so star-stuck that we would just bow down and let you get away with murder?”
His voicemail clicked on right about the time I perfected my little speech.
“Hello, this is Alec. I can’t get to the phone, so please leave a message.” BEEP!
“Hey, uh, Mr. Baldwin! It’s me, MOV, you called me? Uh, I just wanted to let you know that situation never would’ve happened on United. And by the way, can you please send me another autographed glossy 8 x 11 headshot of you? The sun has really faded out the last one you sent.”
MOV
But did he send the 'graph?
ReplyDeleteYou should totally RAGE on his ass if he didn't.
-Motaki, Aspiring Falconer
Didn't he promist to leave the country if Bush was elected president years ago?
ReplyDeleteI know I may not be popular for this, but I seem to have a rather visceral dislike of Mr. Baldwin. His current actions did nothing to assuage my feelings. (Sincere apologies to his fans.)
ReplyDeleteI like sir Alec's characters,, but maybe not so much ion real life?
ReplyDeleteI remember a flight years ago, U.S. domestic, with an asian FA. Could not understand a word this woman said. Well we had Mr. Phone and he was chatting. She yelled at him over the PA for about 5 or minutes and you knew what she wanted but again could not understand a word she said. Finally the captain came on the PA and the guy shut off his phone. Never saw anyone thrown off tho, that could be interesting as long as it was not me.
ReplyDeletetaki-- still waiting....
ReplyDeleteHW--I distinctly remember that!
couse-- he does sound like a bit of a jerk (his looks cannot make up for everything....)
andrea--agreed!
nola--it is interesting to throw someone off the plane. Both times I did it, the other passengers clapped (not making this up) and several handed me their business cards and said, "If your supervisor says you are in trouble, have them call me and I will 100% back you up and let them know what happened!"
best,
MOV