Unbelievable! Air Traffic Controllers disciplined...for being polite!

[regnaD kciN]

The latest "Revenge of the Groundhogs" eye-opener from the self-proclaimed “higher skill set” comes to us from Salt Lake City, Utah. After reading this one, do the air traffic control profession a favor, will you? Forward a link to this blog to every aviation web site and bulletin board in the universe. Add a simple tag line…something like, “If you think air traffic controllers have turned into surly, mean sociopaths without the manners or social graces of your average picket fence, go to the Main Bang and read all about it.”

You see…air traffic controllers are getting in trouble…getting counseled…getting bad marks put in their record…and in all likelihood losing out on pay raise opportunities…because they had the kindness and decency to say, “please,” “thank you,” and “have a good day.”

Read these four real live nastygrams, forwarded to me by one of my intrepid management spies, and then get back here...

More here. Only in an FAA led by Bush appointees... :banghead:

[Kagemusha]

1. Honestly the managers have a point. Granted they're being pricks about it

but no, it is not proper practice to use excessive politeness over the radio. The skies are crowded and taking time to say those things means taking time away from something else. There's just no need for the "being pricks about it" part, IMHO. Being simply businesslike is just more proper.

[Kingshakabobo]

2. I understand doing away with "thank you so much"..........but "good day sir"?????

"Good day sir" has been around since Orville and Wilbur.....it's an efficient AND polite way of saying something to the effect of "over and out."

These guys speak so fast that a few syllables tossed in here and there isn't going to kill anyone. "Thank you so much" is rather unprofessional though.