Today, I’d like to highlight a lack of common sense in action.
I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention to the recent flap involving Southwest Airlines and their treatment of two women passengers. It seems that in two different cases, Southwest Flight Attendants have taken it upon themselves to tell women that they were inappropriately dressed. In one case, the woman was told she could not fly if she didn’t change clothes. In the other, she was offered a blanket to cover up.
You can read more about these two incidents at these two links:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070905/news_1m5braun.html
http://celebrityinsider-photosnews.blogspot.com/2007/09/photos-of-sexy-fliers.html
I saw the pictures of the two women, and saw nothing wrong with their attire – they looked like a lot of young women these days. And this is coming from a guy who’s wife sometimes accuses him of being a prude.
The point of this post is not to condone the young women’s choice of apparel, but to ask a simple question “WHY?” Why would Southwest Airlines take it upon itself to be the arbiter of taste? In one case, that of Kayla Ebbert, why would a representative of Southwest Airlines publicly berate a passenger? Why not find a private place to have the discussion?
In other words, why do something that is likely to blow up in your face, and create a lot of negative publicity for your company?
Southwest has not backed down. If you saw the clip from the Today Show, http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??g=1fa99fcf-7c33-4411-afb7-9ef4bee9809f they did not issues Ms. Ebbert an apology. Instead, they stuck to their guns, claiming that it is their right to enforce a dress code on their flights.
Again, WHY? This isn’t a security issue. This isn’t a flight attendant or passenger safety issue. Why do something that is likely to result in bad publicity and then compound your lack of common sense by remaining defiant?
Southwest’s position seems to be that these two women, Ms. Ebbert and Setara Qassim were dressed in such a way that they could offend other passengers.
The other night, I was on a red eye from Denver to New York. When I looked across the aisle, I saw a woman sleeping with her shoes off and her bare feet up on the tray table – right in front of another passenger's face. Now, that’s offensive.
Several years ago, Cathy got an upgrade to first class. Her seat mate was a young man in a tank top, shorts and flip flops. He hadn’t bathed in a while. His exposed armpits stank. To make it worse, he kept raising his arms above his head and stretching. Now, that’s offensive.
There are several common sense points here. Make sure your customers are safe in your place of business. Never publicly embarrass a customer. Welcome everyone, no matter how they look. Don’t make a bad situation worse by insisting you are right when you are wrong.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense. Check out my other blog: www.SuccessCommonSense.com for common sense advice on becoming the career and life success you are meant to be and to get a copy of my new ebook Star Power: Common Sense Ideas for Career and Life Success.
I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open. Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.
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