The friendly Sky’s

Now I am sure many of you have your horror stories about airlines and airports. I know that I can share a story or two with you. I was recently made aware the passengers are not the only ones to suffer from the many things that can occur on air planes or the airports. Flight attendants share in the inconvenience and hassle that we as passengers share. Here a story that got me to have a little more sympathy for flight attendants. Flight attendant Jackie Hamilton was stunned in March when a passenger allegedly spoke a racial epithet and spit on her shoe when getting off a United Express plane in Albany, N.Y.

Hamilton, an African-American from St. Louis who filed a complaint with police, says she's flown more than 500 flights and never encountered such an offensive outburst from a passenger. Hamilton said "I was in shock for a minute. "I remember the hatred in her voice." Passengers today complain of poor treatment at the hands of airlines trying to cut costs, but Hamilton and other front-line airline workers say abuse is a two-way street. They say tension between airline employees and passengers is rising, and passengers are ruder and more volatile than in the past. Packed planes, flight delays, security hassles and other factors already have made flying more unpleasant, and many airline employees are working harder for less pay than a few years ago. Angry confrontations between passengers and employees can delay flights, force emergency landings or pose safety risks in flight. Hamiltons expierence is something that troubled my spirit.