Delta Is Going To Flip Out If You Wear A Neck Brace In The Emergency Exit Aisle
Ned wears a neck brace when he flies, not because he's injured or disabled, but because he prefers it to one of those floofy neck pillows. This didn't sit well with a Delta flight attendant who was intent on keeping disabled-looking folks out of the emergency exit aisle. The attendant wouldn't leave Ned alone, even after Ned demonstrated his range of mobility and explained that the brace was from a minor car accident thirty-three years ago. Ned managed to hold onto his seat after a chat with the senior flight attendant, but the original flight attendant later came back, "got in [Ned's] face literally, just inches away" and complained that Ned had "bucked his authority."
Ned writes:
In early January, 2008, I was traveling via Delta Airlines from my home base in Las Vegas to Atlanta, connecting to Washington DC, where I was going to stage a new-book launch at the National Press Club. My seat was in the emergency exit row at my request, because of the extra leg room and after I took my seat, I put on a soft-collar neck brace, which I use in lieu of a pillow to support my head while in flight. Like most airlines, Delta's seats seem to have been designed by Torquemada, and anything that adds to my comfort is a plus.When a flight steward saw this, he informed me that I'd need to change seats, as someone with a handicap could not sit in the exit row. I'm not handicapped this neck brace stems from being rear-ended in '76, and I keep it around for flying and not much else. I explained this to the steward in reasonable terms, even taking it off and demonstrating my neck mobility. However, he was on a mission from God to purge the flight from evil handicapped men in emergency exit row seats, and would not be calmed. That the plane was full and the flight was long both motivated me to want to hang on to my aisle seat. After listening to this "gentleman" for way too long, I asked to speak to the senior flight attendant. Unlike this cretin, she was reasonable I explained to her my situation and choice, demonstrated my mobility and she told me to stay in my seat, but wait until after take-off to put the neck brace back on. She was so reasonable that I was glad to comply.
After take-off in fact, I waited until we could all turn on our electronic devices again I put my neck brace back on. A couple of hours later, during the in-flight movie that I was watching (at $5), the steward came back, manhandling the drink cart. When he saw me with the neck brace on, he went ballistic. He got in my face literally, just inches away, and I thought I'd need an umbrella to avoid the spittle. He was furious that I had bucked his authority.' I tried to explain to him that I'd gotten his boss's permission, and that he should back off, or at least check with her before he broke a blood vessel. That didn't seem to please him, but he finally backed off after threatening me with unspecified dire results. Under my breath, I mumbled "son of a bitch" and meant it but even though he didn't hear it, he figured out that it wasn't flattering, and really went thermonuclear. He demanded to know what I said, and I informed him that it was none of his business.
Well, it took me about 45 minutes to get my blood pressure back down from low earth orbit, but eventually I calmed down and "enjoyed" the rest of the flight. As I was getting off the airplane in Atlanta, this guy avoided my gaze, but with a smirk. Moments later, I found out why when I was accosted by an "official" looking middle-aged woman with an official red blazer, a clipboard and an attitude. She said something like, "I understand there was a problem on the plane " Since I was intent on making my connection (also with Delta) and because I'd just about had it with power-crazed minions who should have been treating me like a customer instead of a problem, I chose an unusual approach.
"Yes," I said, "and I hadn't intended to report it I figured I'd just let it go but since you brought it up, I'd like to file a complaint against that flight attendant who treated me so rudely." I briefly described the nature of my complaint, and kept pressing her to give me the complaint form and get the name of the flight attendant, as I wanted to take this to the top. Suddenly, she got an emergency phone call and had to depart the scene. It clearly hadn't gone the way she'd expected.
Especially since 9/11, there have been a small but annoying cadre of airline people who think they have real power over passengers that they can use the threat of booting someone off the plane (or worse) to enforce things that are way beyond their rights. This isn't the first (or the last) time I've been hassled on airplanes or at gates, and it isn't the worst case, either, but it was the only time when I'd figured out a way of deflecting the problem. I thought others might want to consider the same approach instead of submitting meekly, complain ABOUT them to proper airline authorities, putting them (and the system) on the defensive.
(Photo: bixentro)
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Comments:
And you are going to have the time to remove the neck brace if there's an emergency and you need to open the door in a hurry, right?
It *is* going to impair your ability to look around at things while you are wearing it even if you aren't disabled--that's the point of the device.
@shepd: Agreed. And how is the staff to know whether Ned really *needs* it for medical purposes or not?
@wrjohnston19283: Sorry but given it took him THAT LONG to curse, at that point he could have said it out loud and I would still have sympathy for him.
He was given the ok by the stewards boss, and the steward came back to salvage their ego. At that point they ceased being a "reasonable employee" and deserved to be fired, forget about being called a name. You are wrong.
@shepd: Opening an emergency exit door doesn't take a range of motion. It takes opening a door. Last time I opened a door, I certainly didn't have to get a panoramic view of my surroundings to adequately operate it.
The neck brace isn't going to impair his ability to open the exit hatch in an emergency situation as much as the seat belt would. It would probably be easier for him to take off the neck brace than the seat belt.
The flight attendant shouldn't have been on a power trip. That is where the real problem is located.
@shepd: its velcro! Its not like you are talking about something wrapped in 1000 layers of wrapping. You grab the front and PULL.
Thats like saying the person in the emergency seat cant have a tray table down, because it will take them too long to put up. Did you even think before you commented?
However, he was on a mission from God to purge the flight from evil handicapped men in emergency exit row seats, and would not be calmed.To be fair, anyone with a remote handicap probably shouldn't be in an exit row, forced to assist passengers in an emergency. One's normal mobility may not be indicative of their "emergency situation, everyone going crazy" mobility. I can certainly understand the initial request by the steward.
Though the next steward going crazy seems a bit far-fetched as stated. If that actually was the case, I could definitely see a complaint in order. Though passive-aggressive name-calling isn't the best way to reciprocate, either.
I remember a time when you could have the flight attendant kicked off the flight for being a douchebag instead of them having the authority to have you arrested if you didn't do their mini power trip version of "simon says."
@rdm: As he said... he *explained* why he had the neck brace on and demonstrated his neck had full mobility. Trust me, having had a slipped disk, if you have a neck injury that requires a neck brace, you can't twist your head back and forth and not wince.
So, now the staff knows what the deal is. The problem here is that the steward got pissy that his edict wasn't meekly followed by the passenger.
His behavior and the fact that he can't understand why someone who needs a device for the physically disabled shouldn't be in an exit row makes me 100% on Delta's side on this one.
I mean, the fact that he feels he NEEDS the neck brace every time he flies shows that he is disabled- no matter what mobility he thinks he has. What healthy person would even bother hauling something that big around when traveling?!
Handicapped people do not belong in the exit row, period. It takes coordination and upper body strength to remove an airliner door and throw it out the plane to facilitate evacuation. US AIR 1549 anyone??
It shouldn't be the flight attendant's responsibility to determine how much your mobility is impaired by a neck injury. Is the flight attendant supposed to check your MRI to determine if you're okay to perform this task? Is s/he supposed to just take your word for it, in spite of an obvious physical impairment.
Every airline has a blanket policy that you need to physically capable to sit in the exit row. I think it's unfortunate that this policy isn't enforced enough coz passengers feel a sense of entitlement for the extra legroom.
WOW lets blame the OP is off to a roaring start. The phones at the CRS help centers must be slow today.
NO ONE has the right to get in your face to the point of you needing an umbrella to protect yourself from getting spit on you. DID some of you miss this point???
Someone yelling at me because they got overridden by their supervisor needs a class in Anger Management.
Also the OP said that the attendant didn't hear what he said but assumed it was something bad. How does that become passive aggressive name calling. It was the attendant on a power trip to shut the OP down period. When seeing that the attendant called on red coated airline security to further this power trip how can any of you justify the attendants behaviour.Look at the whole story and picture not just one little part!
Also anyone who has worn those soft neck braces knows that they do not make you one bit handicapped.
@rdm:
I have no sympathy for the OP or Delta. I love it when asshole customers meet asshole flight attendants. It makes for interesting reading!
@shepd: I doubt it. I just a piece of foam with velcro on it. I've worn one. You can still turn your head if you need to.
It wouldn't incapacitate anyone more than a conventional neck pillow, or maybe a sleep mask. Even earbuds could limit your alertness and reaction time. I don't think the steward would have asked him to move if he used any of those things. I think it was simply the appearance of being handicapped.
This comment is about wearing a neck brace in emergency row only. A neck brace is suggestive of an injury. Even if you are not injured, I can't blame a flight attendent for questioning it. Even if one is honest in saying that it's worn for comfort, other folks may not be so truthful just to get a more comfortable seat on the plane. i don't blame the airline for that.
@Jim Topoleski: I do not usually agree with a facebook users. But a muttered "sob" is nothing, if he had raised his voice and said something about the stewards mother then i would agree he was out of line.
The flight attendent must realize the OP is not a premier member.
@The_IT_Crone: He never said he "needed" it, he just said he found it more comfortable than a neck pillow. Have you ever tried sleeping in those awful seats? Even a good neck pillow can't keep your head upright. I'd imagine a soft-sided brace (like the one he's describing) would serve that purpose nicely, and if it's the kind with velcro straps on two sides could pack nicer than a pillow.
@The_IT_Crone: They are the size of a soft neck pillow. Read the article? It's a SOFT neck brace. It's basically a pillow that has Velcro on it. If it was one of the hard ones, then sure, but it's not.
This is one of numerous reasons why I hate flying. I don't know why anyone would willingly subject him or herself to all this crap that goes on.
@The_IT_Crone: It's not about a device for the physically disabled, it's about using some commonly available materials to solve a problem. In fact, I think I'll try bringing one of those around, since most of the time I fly, I end up sleeping in an odd position and screw up my neck for the next few weeks.
The flight attendant handled this badly. If anything, he himself should have consulted his boss before taking his anger out on the passenger. It sounds like a case of somebody with a Napoleon complex.
The OP explained himself to the senior flight attendant, so that should have been the end of it.
However, I suspect the OP's insistence at wearing the brace for the entirety of the flight was in itself an act of passive-aggressive douchebaggery. He should have just taken it off if he really didn't need it.
There are two sides to every story, so I think I would have had to have actually witnessed this before I could figure out who to side with.
@Oregon:
Also the OP said that the attendant didn't hear what he said but assumed it was something bad. How does that become passive aggressive name calling.Because it was "something bad" that he mumbled after the steward backed off. I would call that the very definition of passive-aggressive.
Still, if they guy was literally yelling and spitting in his face, then that would indeed be grounds for some sort of punishment. This site, though, has taught me that people often embellish on the story to invoke sympathy, reinforce their point, and create a distinct bias against the business. I can't imagine that this literally happened.
@β GrΡrΡrΡrΡrΡ sings the doom song now!: It'd be the same as the flight attendant demanding you stop using a pillow. Or if you could please not fall asleep on your flight, thank you.
For those that are saying that the neck brace won't impact his range of motion, what exactly do you think the purpose of a neck brace is?
I'm a frequent flyer (for business) and agree with Delta 100%. People will lie to sit in the exit rows, so I would tend not to believe him myself. I once reported someone who didn't speak English well. She lied to the flight attendant that she could understand everything when it was obvious that she got things translated after the attendant had walked away the first time.
99% of the time, you're not going to have to do anything. But if that 1% happens on a flight I'm on, then I'd rather everyone be obviously able-bodied and in full command of the language.
I wonder if an incident from January 2008 is still relevant.
@supercereal: Yeah, but he doesn't have even a remote handicap. He has a 30 year old neckbrace he never threw out. I have a wrist brace from 10 years ago when I had some tendinitis, but my arm is perfectly fine now. Also, the next steward didn't go crazy. It was the first steward returning, and becoming even more upset because the writer hadn't obeyed him the first time.
This happened in January 2008. Wondering why it's being posted a year and a half later.
Sounds to me like the flight attendant was being an unreasonable jerk every chance he could after Ned wouldn't buckle to him, including arranging for the blazer/clipboard/attitude person to be waiting for him when he got off the plane. Glad Ned turned it around.
I don't see how a soft neck brace would impair someone's ability to get moving in an emergency any longer than a lap full of paperwork or a deep sleep would.
I say the name calling was in order and done properly.
a mumbled sob or mf'er or what ever has more than once diffused the situation because you can't get loud -cop, irs, stewardess- without consequences
@shepd: Agreed. OP is in the wrong here. You have to be physically able to help people out of the aircraft in an emergency, and if you need to wear a neck brace, even just for comfort, no one is going to count on you to help.
@smileboot: Still using an "sob" phrase directed at a flight attendant is not exactly something you should do mid-flight. He had the support of the head attendant and could have filed a complaint upon arrival, but instead *almost* took a path of retaliation (aka unruly passenger).
Inexcusable and unacceptable behavior by the flight attendant however.
Then take off the neck brace. Sorry Ned, if you want to wear the accoutrements of an injured person, then you can't sit in a seat where I'm at least partially depending on you to open the emergency door for me -- even though we all know if it comes to that everybody is going down anyway. No sympathy from me. Get out of the seat and sit somewhere else if your personal comfort with a neck brace is so important to you. I don't trust you to do your job. Thanks to the flight attendants for doing their jobs and trying to protect the safety and wellbeing of all the passengers, and not just Ned, who clearly likes the attention -- positive or negative -- when confronted about the neck brace. What if a dude likes sitting in wheel chair, can he sit in the exit row?
To play devil's advocate here, imagine being on a flight and you see a guy with a neck brace sitting next to your emergency exit? I know that I wouldn't be cool with it. Or being the flight steward and having other passengers asking you what in the world a guy with a neck brace is doing in an emergency aisle, after you told him not to wear it. This guy might have gotten the buy off from one flight attendant but what about the rest of the plane?
If he wants to do this in the future, I suggest that he disguises his neck brace with some cheerful pattern cover like those neck pillows so that it doesn't look so medical.
@blainer: It's not like a bolted down neck brace for someone who snapped their spinal cord. It's a soft pillow neck brace that supports his head, it could be ripped off in a second. Why would he need a full range of motion to open a door anyway?
File a complaint.
You'll probably get between 5,000-10,000 miles deposited in your account.
@William Brinkman: PS - Just lose the neckbrace. Only a high-functioning autistic would fail to understand why wearing this may make other people uncomfortable.
@JuliB: But he wasn't lying. He demonstrated he wasn't injured in anyway and could move his neck in a full motion.
The article isn't about the first time the attendant approached him, it's about the second and third time when the flight attendant just didn't like getting proven wrong.
Wow, I don't know what's sadder - thinking you're better than everyone else and wanting to wear a freaking NECK BRACE in the exit row aisle, or worse, having the gall to whine about it on Consumerist.
The exit row is not designed for you to have extra legroom - it's designed to be wide enough for people to get out of the plane quickly. How exactly is that purpose served by seating someone in the row who can't even move their head around quickly?
If you have good head mobility without the neck brace and want the extra legroom associated with the privilege of sitting in the exit row, I suggest you toughen up and accept the trade-off. The stewardesses are there firstly for the safety of the passengers, and secondly for your comfort.
Believe me, I've had my share of bad experiences on flights, but this time you were the one providing the bad experience for yourself. If you want to wear a neck brace, sit in a normal row. If you want to sit in the row that requires you to accept the responsibility to act quickly in an emergency, take it off. End of story.
People, Please.
This whole scene around airplane transportation is so out of control. I get the same feeling at an airport NOW that I did when at a Greyhound terminal. Just a bad scene. Air travel is like a bus in the sky.
Who remembers the 1970's? My parents would dress us up in our nice clothes, we'd be on our best behaviour. The flight crew couldn't do enough for us.
What the hell happened?
@Shoelace: I gotta play the devil's advocate for a minute here. He says the neck brace is from being rear-ended 30yrs ago and he uses it for flying.
If he's wearing it because it's a great portable pillow, yes, it shouldn't impair him at all.
But if he's wearing it because the jostling during flight makes his neck feel bad 30 years later than I don't feel he should be in an exit aisle. Suppose major turbulence before a crash - something even the brace couldn't shield him from - leave him unable to move. He's be a sack of wet dough keeping people from using the exit.
That said, the stew was a miserable, tin-pot dictator.
@William Brinkman: really? you realize the neck brace he is talking about is a foam bar you wrap around your neck? Its not a hard brace.
Ok, the flight attendant was an a-hole, but you shouldn't be sitting in an emergency aisle. I don't want to wait for you to remove your brace to open the door when my seat is on fire.
"This plaster leg cast I have on is sort of like a security blanket for me. I always wear it when I fly. Don't worry, I can remove it if we take a dive into the Atlantic and quickly deploy the emergency slides"
Do we now have to put flight attendants into the position of judging if someone is really handicapped or not?
You're selfish and out of line, and are just wasting everyone's time. Ditch the brace and sit in the emergency aisle, or wear your brace and sit with the rest of the passengers in a regular seat. You can't have both.
for all the "blame the OP", please google image "soft collar neck brace". Its basically the same as a neck pillow, except more supportive, and you can wear it all day.
I too would be concerned, but if he has range of motion, then fine. I'd be more worried about the aisle person freaking out in a crash than being injured. All you have to do is pull a handle.
AFAIC, this guy was totally within his rights and should have filed a complaint. Screw that flight attendant.He was acting like a cop. His boss ok'd it, end of story. Thank goodness he/she was a reasonable person.
BTW nice way to handle the red blazer. I would have pursued it all the way just so the attendent could have had a nice backfire at the end of the day.
As an airline employee, I can tell you that a flight attendant does have the right to reseat passengers who do not meet exit-row seating requirements (as there are federal safety regulations in place).
If you choose to wear a neck-brace, that's up to you. However, if a flight attendant is following regulations, you will be asked to move if you're currently in an exit-row. This is because the brace you choose to wear could impair your ability to safely perform the duties associated with exit-row seating in the event of an emergency.
I agree that the flight attendant may not have handled your situation with the appropriate politeness, but he was indeed justified in requesting a move.
You lost my sympathy with the muttering of "son of a bitch" - you don't want customer service to treat you badly - don't treat them badly and give them even more of a reason to. I understand that he was being unreasonable about the neck brace - don't give him ANOTHER reason to make your flight miserable.