Like many of you, I’ve been shaking my head at the recent viral videos of passenger encounters with airline and airport personnel. Starting with the violent removal of a doctor from a United flight, videos have emerged—and gone viral—of an American Airlines crew encounter with a tearful mother with infants, and a Delta flight attendant threatening a passenger with jail because he wanted to use a seat he had paid for to transport his infant in an approved child seat. This last incident particularly infuriated me because of my long-time position on the importance of proper child restraints for children under the age of two. Not only was the flight attendant unprofessional, but the claim that infants are required to travel as lap children and are safer that way is particularly galling.
But even before this recent spate of airline-contempt-for-passenger videos, there were other memorable videos for those of us who make our livelihoods in aviation. A number of videos have been posted on YouTube over the years of baggage handlers tossing and kicking passenger bags, in the U.S. and this past March in the UK. Many maintenance workers on the ramp are clearly visible from aircraft cabins and the terminals themselves. Just the other day at a major mid-Atlantic airport, there were far too many examples of unprofessional conduct by maintenance workers to list here. Among them, I noted a maintenance worker shaking a ladder with a worker on it—hard enough that the worker dropped his tool. Judging from the animated response from the worker on the ladder, which I could see but not hear, the worker was not pleased. Whatever the point of shaking the ladder (perhaps trying to get the worker’s attention?), it was inappropriate and unprofessional.
With more than 40 years experience in the aviation industry, The Honorable John Goglia, was the first and only Airframe and Powerplant mechanic to receive a presidential appointment to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He served from August 1995 to June 2004.
As a Board Member, Mr. Goglia distinguished himself in numerous areas of transportation safety. In particular, he was instrumental in raising awareness of airport safety issues, including the importance of airport crash fire and rescue operations and the dangers of wildlife at airports. He played a key role in focusing international attention on the increasing significance of aircraft maintenance in aviation accidents. He pressed, successfully, for greater integration of civilian and military safety information, becoming a featured speaker at national aviation symposiums attended by military leaders and major defense contractors. He is a leading proponent of airplane child safety seats.
Prior to becoming a Board Member, Mr. Goglia held numerous positions in the airline industry. He started as a mechanic for United Airlines and eventually joined Allegheny, which became USAir. Additionally, he was involved for more than 20 years as a union flight safety representative on accident investigation teams. There, he developed a safety program for his union, the International Association of Machinists, and was its representative for NTSB investigations. For twelve years, he operated his own aircraft service company.
Numerous prestigious groups have recognized Mr. Goglia’s contributions to aviation safety. Aviation Week & Space Technology awarded him a coveted 2004 Laurel for his outstanding service as an NTSB Board member. The Society of Automotive Engineers presented him with the Aerospace Chair Award for outstanding leadership in 2003 and the Marvin Whitlock Award for outstanding management accomplishment in 2002.
More In Safety
