Flight Attendant Misbehavior 2

Part 4 - Captain to captain

Suzanne sighed deeply. Things were not going to plan on the evening departure to Johannesburg. A fault in the galley ovens was being attended to by the engineers which was causing chaos as dozens of passengers tried to board through the space where they were working.

Her colleague in the flight deck, a senior captain, was becoming more and more frustrated. It was normal on a long flight like this to carry two captains and Suzanne, sitting in the right hand seat as the #2 on this flight, tried to reassure him that they could still make an on time departure. He didn't want to listen and, unbuckling his seatbelt, went back to the cabin to see for himself what was going on.

"Claire," he barked, "what's the hold up? We need to get these passengers seated in the next ten minutes or we're going to miss our slot." The senior flight attendant, in charge of the cabin crew, looked up from where she was trying to guide passengers around the busy engineers. She straightened her uniform, glanced at the captain and nodded.

"Yes, sir. We're doing our best. The engineers say they're almost finished." Claire's voice was firm, but she could feel her cheeks reddening under the captain's scrutiny. He had been her mentor since she first started flying with the airline, and even now as the senior flight attendant, she sometimes forgot that he could still reduce her to a quivering mess with a few choice words.

"Claire," the captain said, "I want you to know that I'm not happy with the way things are going. You need to make sure that everything runs smoothly from now on." Claire nodded, unable to meet his gaze. She knew he was right, but the pressure of ensuring the safety and comfort of the passengers while managing a crew of twenty-five could sometimes be overwhelming.

"You remember what happens when you let me down, don't you?" the captain asked, his voice low but carrying a warning nonetheless. Claire swallowed hard, feeling the familiar knot forming in her stomach. She had been on the receiving end of the captain's discipline before, and as much as she enjoyed his special attention it was also something she dreaded.

"Yes, sir," she replied quietly. "I'll make sure everything goes smoothly from now on." She forced herself to stand straighter, to appear more confident than she felt. The captain regarded her for a moment longer before turning back to the flight deck.

Three hours later, as the plane cruised smoothly over the Sahara, Suzanne began to hope that the pre-departure drama had been forgotten. The senior captain, however, wasn't going to let the matter drop.

"I think I'm going to have to deal with Claire in Johannesburg," he said, "that chaos was unacceptable." Suzanne nodded, remaining quiet. "You do know about the methods some of us more senior pilots use, don't you?" he asked, in a matter of fact tone. Suzanne blushed, knowing exactly what he meant. "Yes, but I feel bad for Claire. I mean, it's only a few months since the HR investigation. She's still getting used to having her own wings clipped if you know what I mean."

The senior captain sighed. "I know she is, but she's always been able to take a spanking just as well as she dishes them out. Not everyone knows that. She'll be expecting it from me."

Suzanne felt a tug of guilt. Nobody had mentioned it at the time, but her delay in calling the engineers earlier was the real cause of the problem. Now it looked like Claire was going to be punished for her mistake.

"Before you decide what to do with Claire," Suzanne said, "there's something I need to tell you." The senior captain raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. "I didn't call the engineers right away when the crew told me about the faulty oven," she confessed. "I was busy with other checks and I just forgot. I'm really sorry."

The captain considered her words for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you for being honest. It does seem unfair for Claire to suffer the consequences of your error." He paused, turning to look directly at the younger woman in the co-pilot's seat. "But somebody needs to own this."