The flight attendant who slid off a landed plane via inflatable slide at JFK after telling a disrespectful passenger to f—off is out on bail but was surprised to find he was something of a folk hero.
“I think something about this resonated with people. The outpouring of support is very much appreciated,” said Jet Blue light attendant Steven Slater.
Joanna Molloy suggests in her New York Daily News column that "it’s part of the frustration all over the country as employees take pay cuts and have to do double the workload as they take on the responsibilities of their laid-off co-workers."
As for the pressure felt by flight attendants, The New York Times writes:
"It has been a long time since flight attendant was a glamorous job title. The hours are long. Passengers with feelings of entitlement bump up against new no-frills policies. Babies scream. Security precautions grate but must be enforced. Airlines demand lightning-quick turnarounds, so attendants herd passengers and collect trash with the grim speed of an Indy pit crew. Everyone, it seems, is in a bad mood."
His next move: “a hot bath and a good meal.”
By David Wilkening
