Is passenger “entitlement” the fault of Baby Boomers?
Wall Street Journal contributor Ron Alsop, in his article “The Trophy Kids Go To Work,” describes a generation of young people raised by mollycoddling Baby Boomer helicopter parents and the challenge today’s employers face trying to manage workers with a new sense of entitlement.
Millennials, as today’s generation is called, are accustomed to praise, even for underperformance, and don’t seem to grasp even the simplest concept of responsibility for, as an example, being on-time for that 3:15pm departure to Boston. “What do you mean you didn’t hold the flight for me?” An excerpt from Mr. Alsop’s article illustrates:
When Gretchen Neels, a Boston-based consultant, was coaching a group of college students for job interviews, she asked them how they believe employers view them. She gave them a clue, telling them that the word she was looking for begins with the letter “e.” One young man shouted out, “excellent.” Other students chimed in with “enthusiastic” and “energetic.” Not even close. The correct answer, she said, is “entitled.” “Huh?” the students responded, surprised and even hurt to think that managers are offended by their highfalutin opinions of themselves.
On a personal note, all of the children on my son’s baseball team got a trophy at the end of this season, even the kid who couldn’t hit a bull in the behind with a bass fiddle and who couldn’t catch a cold, let alone a pop fly. How will that translate to his expectations for the rest of his life? Will he grow up anticipating praise, whether or not he deserves it? Thankfully, my son asked me, “Dad, why are we getting a trophy? We didn’t win.” Score one for healthy parenting.
Airline management is suffering from Baby Boomer parenting syndrome as well, creating an entire passenger base of Airline Millennials. So eager to accommodate the whim of the frequent traveler, management has conditioned customers to expect such things as automatic upgrades, primo seat locations, space on already full flights, free airport lounge access, dedicated knowledgeable telephone agents and so forth.
When any of these perks is taken away or altered, customers start to bang on their high chairs, wanting their entitlements returned immediately.
At the airport, the prospect of a middle seat causes the Airline Millennial great indignation. When the 10:00 A.M. flight to San Francisco cancels, and the next available one isn’t until 3:00 P.M., the airline’s unwillingness to bump another customer from the full 11:00 A.M. flight results in overt biliousness that oozes off of the Airline Millennial for hours or days.
It can be like dealing with Veruca Salt and her immediate request for a golden egg-laying goose.
I’ll grant you that frequent fliers earn their status. They don’t get into the elite ranks without logging beaucoup miles. But when does enough become enough and where does the line get drawn? And how does the airline respond to the envious proletariat who see entitlements being doled out and suddenly begin shouting “me too?”
I suspect, in the end, the airlines that aren’t making customers feel stripped of all their rights and privileges will come out on top — especially if they’ve worked over time to limit passenger entitlement expectations, like Southwest has.
In the meantime, it’s interesting to watch this generation of airline-spawned Millennials adapt to today’s no-frills, à la carte reality — kicking and screaming all the way.
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11 Responses to “Is passenger “entitlement” the fault of Baby Boomers?”
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To be frank, the linked article was a steaming pile of garbage. If I took the same article, and turned it around to talk about all those stick-in-the mud old folks who expect slaves instead of employees and expect underlings to be seen an not heard, it would be just as offensive, and just as wrong.
There have always been slacker employees, no matter the generation. There have always been overly ambitions, over-entitled morons.
Such tripe may sell books by making other people feel better about themselves, but I can’t imagine it is in any way useful information.
SirWired
It may seem obvious that employees should show up on time, limit lunchtime to an hour and turn off cellphones during meetings. But those basics aren’t necessarily apparent to many millennials.
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BINGO. Great article, David. I’ve been saying this for years, Millennials dont think the rules apply to them when flying. Cant tell you how many Ipods are hidden or face down, but still on when the Electronic sign comes on. Computers still running. It’s like you have to TELL THEM three or four times before it sinks in.
They THINK they’re soooo techo savy, that little issue of all electronics OFF for landing is NOT NECESSARY.
I fight with this age group the most!
Nice article, one with which I generally agree.
One quibble, though–In the Roald Dahl book and in the Tim Burton film of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, the object of Veruca Salt’s desire is a trained, nut-sorting squirrel. In the 1971 film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, she pesters her helicopter dad for a golden-egg laying goose.
–GAM
Frank,
Fliers of just about every age ignore the electronic rules. The younger fliers keep their iPods going while the older fliers tap away on those Blackberries instead.
SirWired
SirWired,
can you provide some materials that proves non-transmission devices (non-wireless) interfere with the electronics of the flightcraft?
-Anonymous
Greg, you are so right about the goose! I made the necessary correction.
Thanks,
David
You may not want music blaring in your ears in the event of a sudden emergency but I’ve been told my multiple pilots that cellphones, ipods etc could not interfere with the operation of the plane - think about it - if they could we’d be patted down and forced to check them by the TSA.
And when I’ve been on private planes there is no mention of electronics being on/off, are smaller jets magically exempt from interference?
By the way it’s usually OLDER fliers I see acting like spoiled idiots.
Fliers of just about every age ignore the electronic rules. The younger fliers keep their iPods going while the older fliers tap away on those Blackberries instead.
SirWired
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Agreed. But, this wasnt an issue, say, 20 yrs ago. People understood the RULES, and for the most part, respected them and me for enforcing them.
Regardless of what you think interferes with an aircraft or not, until the RULE is changed, I’m REQUIRED BY THE FAA and my company to ENFORCE IT.
Which will NOT happen. We need YOU to hear any instructions, verbal instructions shouted to you upon an unexpected emergency landing. Cant hear me shouting, “Release seatbelts or STAY SEATED” when you have AC/DC blaring on your Ipods. Secondly, computers on for landing, mostly require your traytable to be down. Cant happen. That BLOCKS your excess to the aisle in an emergency situation. See, we have reasons to ENFORCE regulations, regardless of what you PERCEIVE safe.
Anymous says:
Can you provide some materials that proves non-transmission devices (non-wireless) interfere with the electronics of the flightcraft?
I can give you one simple, quick answer. Is it so important to listen to your music or type on your Blackberry that you are willing to risk the lives of both you, those around you, and the folks that live in the houses you might crash into?
With all things in the scientific realm, it is impossible to prove a negative. Erring on the side of safety and inconveniencing people for a few moments should be a minor issue.
Here’s a quick example……An ordinary cell phone can be rendered useless when brought near an electrical cabinet with certain brands of AC Vector drives (industrial motor control devices) will lose al signal and simply be disconnected. I have searched and found no studies on the interactions between these two devices, but it happens every time.
Why do I bring this up? An absence of data on a danger does not prove there is no danger. In the electronic world, there are unintended consequences from interactions of various devices.everyday. The FAA would rather keep those consequences to a minimum.
Ron
Granted, it has been a few years ago, but when I worked in the computer industry on wireless communications devices, we had studies that showed that computers and wireless devices DID interfere with the electronics on large commercial airplanes. Some interference was worse in some parts of the plane than others, but there was interference that could alter the signal to the flaps and tail section (some planes use fly-by-wire where the cables run under the seats.) The pilots could also hear that funny noise you notice when you put your cell phone too near your computer or TV speakers. That could interfere with communications by the pilots. We had to ensure that our devices could be turned off. Electronics MIGHT be better today, but until they change the rule, just assume that there are still devices out there that DO interfere with the flight crew. Turn it OFF!
Just reading some of the above posts proves the whole story….this sense of entitlement….”Well I don’t believe them when they say it will interfere with the electronics so I’m just gonna ignore the RULES and do what I feel like”
Whether you agree with the rules or not, they are what they are….RULES….and if you don’t like them or don’t follow them then off the plane you go!