JetBlue flight attendant Steve Slater flips out: Discuss rage in the workplace

Q.On Steven Slater

Prompted by Steven Slater’s dramatic exit from his airline career yesterday, I am here to answer your questions and entertain your comments regarding workplace rage. Is “workplace rage” even an appropriate description of what occurred in this case? Are there times when it is okay to “lose it” at work?

Let’s hear what you think.

Lily

– August 10, 2010 12:59 PM

Q. Workplace rage

I’m not surprised that this guy flipped out. I think the airline industry has been tightening its grip on both its employees and its customers for so long that something was bound to happen. Tensions are running high in this industry, and I hope the industry takes this as a cautionary tale about how people on both sides can only take so much.

– August 10, 2010 11:56 AM

A.Lily Garcia

I think you will find that many people agree with you. I am challenged to think of other industries in which the pressure on employees and customers could produce such a volatile mixture.

Q.Adults?

It just seems like there is a general acceptance by society that it is ok for adults to act like bratty children. We saw this behavior last summer during health care legislation town halls where adults were acting like kids in elementary school - talking over people and never yielding to another person who was trying to make a point. As a civilized society we need to not accept this kind of behavior because it can escalate into situations where rage turns to violence.

– August 10, 2010 12:29 PM

A.Lily Garcia :

The airline did note that Ms. Slater could have seriously injured or killed a person on the tarmac who was not warned about the deployment of the emergency slide.

– August 10, 2010 1:03 PM

Q.Washington, DC

While loudly closing bins, a flight attendant elbowed me on the top of the head and then instead of apologizing said,”Oh, I do that once a flight.” When I tried to complain to United, they said sorry but that’s United Express.

– August 10, 2010 12:40 PM

A.Lily Garcia :

If you threatened to press assault charges -- not that I am suggesting you do that -- I’m willing to bet you would get a more satisfactory response.

– August 10, 2010 1:04 PM

Q.Rage in the workplace expert

If you do a longer article about rage in the workplace, please consult Prof. Robert Bies, at Georgetown’s Business School. He’s an expert in this topic. I heard him lecture recently and he has some interesting things to say on the issue.

– August 10, 2010 12:50 PM

A.Lily Garcia :

Could you share some of the points you recall Prof. Bies making?

– August 10, 2010 1:05 PM

Q.Washington, D.C.

I was recently on a tour where the tour guide kept making remarks that I was fat, saying we’re doing a walking tour to lose calories, for instance. How do I not flip out at that? He had a microphone, I didn’t, but I did lose it.

– August 10, 2010 12:16 PM

A.Lily Garcia :

How deplorable. I hope you complained to the management!

– August 10, 2010 1:05 PM

Q.Yes but...

I’m sympathetic towards the flight attendant. They put up with a LOT. It’s clear he became angry and should not have left the plane. However, the passenger was behaving horribly. The passenger got out of his seat before the plane had come to a stop and before having been cleared to do so by the flight attendants. When told to sit back down, he continued to remove his bag from the overhead compartment, and when the flight attendant told him to stop, the passenger did NOT stop...and his luggage hit the flight attendant in the head. Really, at what point does the passenger face charges? I thought after 9/11 they were cracking down on passengers who violated these rules. Apparently the flight attendants are just supposed to sit there and do nothing when passengers blatantly flout regulations. Aside from causing real problems for flight attendants, this puts all other passengers at risk. As a passenger, had I been hit in the head with a suitcase being inappropriately removed, I’d press charges.