personal data: I am a white male Dutch-speaking Belgian citizen, 51 years old, medical doctor, professionally active in social security, married for 26 years, father of 2 bright children, not known with any problems with or convictions for drunkenness or aggressive behavior or in general, without any psychiatric disease in the past or the present.
For at least 15 years, I haven’t spoken French or English on a daily basis.
Facts
The safety instructions on the 747 are visually communicated through individual passenger screens by means of an animated picture.
I consider it always important to see them because every plane has its own intricacies, and it was the first time I flew with British Airways and on a 747.
There was absolutely nothing on my screen and several times I tried to get the attention of the crew member in my isle, Mr. Akin, who was standing about 10 feet away.
Although he noticed me, he refused to respond, and kept looking in a different direction.
I was not able to see the safety instructions. Looking around me, I became aware I was not alone: from row 30 on many people had no instructions.
Later on, we accidentally overheard staff members and understood that they knew about the problem. The crew rebooted the system several times, without result: nobody beyond row 30 could watch any movie or listen to any radio station anymore. The equipment (run with Windows-software) was clearly malfunctioning.
Incident
I boarded well hydrated and was served a sparkling water and 15 cc of white wine. When the first serving of beverages was removed, Mr. Akin asked if he could serve us in any way. I replied that I had absolutely nothing on my screen and that I disliked the obviously malfunctioning equipment, run by what I called "Microsoft Bullshit".
Interpretation
Instead of being interested in my frustration, this person suddenly turned against me, accusing me of insulting him by swearing. I protested that I did not do such thing intentionally, and that swearing is by definition “to utter an oath or to utter profanity”, which I absolutely did not. In my understanding of the word and as an active Christian, swearing always implies God, and I did not say anything like that either.
He immediately stopped serving us and got to his superior, who told me again I was swearing, and I told him the same again: that I did not say something against God (or is Bill Gates God?) and I certainly did not intend to insult the person or swear knowingly against some crew member, and that as a foreigner, I did not understand why such a reaction was necessary.
Instead of leaving it that way, they involved the Flight Manager, Mrs. Nikki Hollis.
Mrs. Nikki Hollis
This lady rapidly and efficiently made things worse, even upsetting my wife and son: she used the same arguments, and I used mine. I told her I felt discriminated by race, nationality, culture and/or language, and because as a Flemish-speaking citizen, I could and should not now that what I said was considered or interpreted as swearing and/or an insult to the crew member.
The word "Bullshit" or "Shit" is rather commonly used in Flanders, mostly pointing to a messy situation, action or product.
It seemed to me that she intentionally did not try to understand us, so I told her that if she continued accusing me of something I or we did not consider as wrongdoing, I would write a complaint, because her reaction was interpreted by me and by my family as absolutely obnoxious and out of boundaries. And I clearly explained her the essentials of what happened: the fact that I complained of failing equipment and thus safety.
Abuse of authority
The reaction of Nikki Hollis seemed at the least impressively mean and furious: if I was to file a complaint to her management, she would report to the pilot that I was drunk and aggressive. And that was it, take it or leave it.
I was – with 15 cc of white wine - not drunk at all. Since I know my limits and no breath test has been taken, I felt and still feel falsely accused.
I also was not at all aggressive, I did not show any signs of aggressiveness at all, not shouting nor yelling, not naming nor cursing, not pointing nor making a fist, or whatever; I hold on to my arguments, and that was it.
It is my job to talk with people, to listen to their arguments, to judge if their claim for an allowance is acceptable and then arguing in writing and making up an official document. I'm not known for weak arguments, neither am I known for aggression. I'm rather assertive though.
I pointed out to Mrs. Hollis the difference between aggressive and assertive behavior, I repeated it several times, but with absolutely no result at all: she doesn't know or did not want to know the difference, I and we think.
My wife pointed out to me that "drunkenness and aggressive behavior" on a long-distance flight could imply a drop-off-stop, and that all costs would be mine. Of course that made me stop arguing and talking.
Punishment
My son and wife received a glass of red wine, but I did not, because of my so called drunkenness, and for the next 7 hours, I didn't receive any attention or beverage, I left the plane completely dehydrated except for the cup of coffee with the 'breakfast'.
But worse of all, my son says that a cross was put behind my name on the passengers list. We all know that passenger lists are handed over to the US Homeland Security. I can’t and will not accept that a false accusation and/or misunderstanding can cost me the freedom and joy of traveling.
Impressions
At least, I felt - and still feel - cornered and framed for the fact that I primarily tried to point out that the communication system was faltering, and that passengers were denied the essential safety instructions.
By framing me, I feel the staff was able to first divert the attention from a malfunctioning communication system to a so called “drunk and aggressive" passenger, and second to show loudly and clearly that anyone who dared to protest in the same way would undergo the same treatment and/or punishment.
By framing me, I'm very afraid I’m on a list now where I absolutely do not belong. I immediately contacted Homeland Security, because I felt and still feel extremely frustrated and insulted.
Post-traumatic side effects
I arrived at home with cardiovascular complaints (elevated blood pressure and heart rhythm disorders I never experienced before) and a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. There is a undeniable objective direct relationship between cause and effect, the latter being very unpleasant and discomforting.
Plan of action and request for indemnities
1/ Mr. Akin
- knowingly denied essential safety instructions to some passengers of his isle
- willfully and intentionally misunderstood and/or misinterpreted and/or discriminated foreign passengers
is therefore unable and unapt for his job on international flights.
2/ Mrs. Hollis
- knowingly denied essential safety instructions to some passengers
- willfully and intentionally misunderstood and/or misinterpreted and/or discriminated foreign passengers
- gladly and swiftly used “revenge” in order to gain control over an incident, thus abusing her authority
- knowingly lied to her pilot, management and even worse, to the American Authorities, in spoken and/or written word, by calling a sober, alert and argumentative passenger “drunk and aggressive”, thus willingly and intentionally slandering,
is therefore unable and unapt for the job: she should be given different responsibilities.
3/ My family and I expect Mrs. Hollis to apologize in writing
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