This week I read about a plane that suffered bird strike, which damaged part of a wing and had to divert to a closer airport.
Nothing particularly unusual about that.
What really got me thinking was the passenger noticed the damage and was worried about its extent. He felt the need to ask social media whether or not he should talk to a crew member about his concern.
He wrote:
One of the plane’s 165 passengers posted a photo of the shredded wing on Reddit mid-flight, asking, “What’s happening here?”
“Sitting right on the wing and the noise after reaching altitude was much louder than normal,” the Reddit user wrote. “I opened the window [shade] to see the wing looking like this. How panicked should I be? Do I need to tell a flight crew member?”
Really?
How bad have things got that a person finds it difficult to make the simplest of decisions?
Let’s think about the decision tree here.
- If the wing damage is not an issue the flight attendant will reassure him. No adverse consequence of raising it.
- If the plane is in imminent danger, then speed is of the essence. Don’t hang around asking strangers give advice over the internet.
Is this a reflection on the state of our education system?
Where is the ability to think critically?
Is there any hope for the human race?