Getting My MBA at 48

Life always changing your expectations

Continuing from my last post,

I wanted to catch the 3:00 p.m. flight, on Monday since I did not have to be to work till 7:00 p.m. Since you can never predict the weather in and around San Francisco, I got up early Monday morning and looked out the window, clouds lots of clouds. Not Good. That means ATC delays at SFO, so I skipped to plan B, catch the flight at noon arriving around 2:00 p.m. find a cozy spot at the Starbucks at the airport and do some studying. Thinking that this isn’t to bad of a plan B, getting some good studying time is well worth the effort of getting to the airport early. Ok, I know that they are only expectations and mine at that, but they are again shot, because people (this time Flight Attendants) don’t know there own work rules.

Sounds strange right, that people don’t know their own work rules, but it happens though it shouldn’t.

So here is what happened to change my study time from 6 hours to almost nothing. I knew the flight was full so taking the jump seat is a good option since can I get on and the gate agents are able to accommodate more revenue and non-revenue passengers. At 1 hour prior we are allowed to sign up for the jump seat, I hand in my form and another Flight Attendant hands in hers to the gate agent. No problem there, the aircraft has 2 extra jump seats so we both can get on.

(Another brief note we have 2 groups of Flight Attendants at our airlines with slightly different rules)

Everything is fine till another Flight Attendant that works for our company comes up to the gate agent an ask for a jump seat form. Now she is checking in at 40 minutes prior where we, the other Flight Attendant and myself checked in at 1 hour prior.

We have a first come first serve rule, so you wouldn’t think there would be any problem. This is of course if  you know your own rules for stand-by flying on your own airline. I had already put my bags on the aircraft and the Flight Attendant who came last starts telling me the gate agent said “It is by seniority not first come first serve, and I have to get off”.

“Really” I say wait a second, go into my bag and produce the rules by which we, both Flight Attendant groups can jump seat. I talk to the working Flight Attendants and the Captain (since he is the Pilot in Command, and is his ship his decision). I then go back and talk to the Flight Attendant that signed up last. First she starts trying to spout off it is by seniority then she is try to say it doesn’t matter since we (her and I) are in the same work group we get to fly on the aircraft and the other one doesn’t get to jump seat because she is in the other group.

First, I tell her she is incorrect on both accounts, and here are the rules so read them. Now, I am the only one going to work, commuting in, the other two are just traveling on there own time. Also both other Flight Attendants have been working at the company over 23 years, you think they would have this rule memorized by now after 23 years or at least carry them when they are traveling. Most think that since they have been in the company so long they know all the rules, and if not they try and force the seniority issue on you (I am entitled because I have been here longer than you)

I told the Captain and the working Flight Attendants that I would get off and wait 3 hours for the next flight and they (the two senior mama) could ride. They were telling me no it is fine you stay, I am not one for confrontation when the flight is going to be delayed because 1 senior mama does not know her own rules about jump seating or even bothers to look over the rules before she travels. So the old military in me, get the flight out, get the passengers to where they are going, work first, customers first and I will wait for the next one.

I got off the plane, called scheduling to inform them of the situation and then waited 3 hours for the next flight.

So now my plan B is now just blimp is some distance past and studying today nonexistent. By the time I got to PHX airport I had just about 1 hour till work started, lots of people around and nowhere quiet to study. The day is now gone and I got no studying completed.

I tell this because so many times in life, life happens. Like the Flight Attendant that does not know here own work rules. Seems to me that is what has been happening out in the business world all to often. Employees not knowing the rules, choosing not to know the rules, or making there own rules using the ME principle.

It also seems to me like such a simple concept, know your work rules at least have a good working knowledge of them and if not at least, like the Ms 23 year Flight Attendant then you should carry them with you (it is only a couple of 8×11 pages of paper)

They say knowledge is power, so what is the ignorance of knowledge called?

There is an old saying about “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

After losing some study time on Monday, I spent most of the day on Tuesday making up the time. Hitting the study questions for chapters 1-10. Today I am going finish up the questions and work on some Skillsoft modules

I really believe now after months of going to an online school and you decide to choose this path. That you must adhered to the United States Marine Corps of “Adapt, Improvise, Overcome.” It it will serve you well as I am learning.

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