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Was JetBlue Flight Attendant Steve Slater Suffering from Caretaker Fatigue?
Was JetBlue flight atttendant Steve Slater suffering from caretaker fatigue when he undertook the actions that have turned him into a sudden folk hero?
Slater, for those of you who have been living in a media deprivation chamber since Monday, is the flight attendent who soared to Internet fame when, following an altercation with a verbally and physically abusive passenger, he used his airplane’s microphone to engage in a foul mouthed tirade, which ended when he grabbed a brewski and slid down an emergency chute onto the tarmac at a New York City airport.
It has since been revealed that Slater’s mom is suffering from lung cancer and that the flight attendant had been commuting between his New York residence and her home in Southern California to take care of her. He was also a caretaker for his father, a retired airline pilot who died two years ago after a long battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
One of the major symptoms of caretaker or compassion fatigue is emotional outbursts and a high stress level. It sure sounds like Slater qualifies. Longtime family neighbor Ron Franz certainly seems to think so, telling reporters “He cared for his father during a protracted illness and here he is doing it again and trying to juggle that with a stressful job,” adding “I don’t know what his motivation was. I am just saying those are the conditions that may have influenced him.”
On Tuesday, mom Diane Slater, herself a former flight attendant, came forward to issue a statement of support for her son as she was leaving her house for chemotherapy, saying she would have “snapped worse.”
Steve Slater, after spending more than 24 hours in jail, is now free on a $2,500 bond.
So what do you think? We’re all caretakers here. Do you think this is a man who simply snapped under the pressure of taking care of everyone from ill family members to cranky passengers? Or is there no excuse for this sort of behavior?
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[...] Was JetBlue Attendant Steve Slater Suffering from Caretaker Fatigue? [...]
How much money should wealthy people pay in child support? | Strollerderby commented on Aug 17 10 at 2:16 pm[...] Was JetBlue Attendant Steve Slater Suffering from Caretaker Fatigue? [...]
Southwest Flight Attendant who took baby from mom alters story slightly | Strollerderby commented on Aug 20 10 at 12:28 pm[...] Was JetBlue Attendant Steve Slater Suffering from Caretaker Fatigue? [...]
Survey says most flyers would like to see a family-only section on airplanes | Strollerderby commented on Aug 26 10 at 12:22 pm[...] Was JetBlue Attendant Steve Slater Suffering from Caretaker Fatigue? [...]
Men Can Now Sit Next to Unaccompanied Minors on Airplanes | Strollerderby commented on Aug 30 10 at 3:12 pmMistress_Scorpio commented on Aug 11 10 at 12:21 pmI think the guy was suffering from asshole fatigue. Of course, I’ll grant him all the other pressures in his life, but some people use an economy where they already feel pinched to treat people in service providing capacities very poorly.
Cat commented on Aug 11 10 at 1:15 pmBottom line is people need to chill on planes. The passenger should have gotten a slap to for being so rude. I understand the flight attendent had issues, but who doesn’t everyone has stress with this economy.
Lisa commented on Aug 11 10 at 1:54 pmWas the ass who punched him arrested?
JesBelle commented on Aug 11 10 at 6:07 pmMaybe the answer lies in airlines trying to make flying a pleasant experience instead of a fee-ridden, we’ll-leave-you-on-the-tarmac-with-no-food-for-as-long-as-it-takes, we-over-booked-so-you’ll-be-on-another-flight-in-6-hours, hope-you-didn’t-actually-need-that-luggage, enjoy-sitting-next-to-this-unsupervised-kindergartner-his-mom’s-seat-is-8-rows-back experience. Maybe then passengers wouldn’t be stressed to the point where they drive flight attendants insane. Maybe if companies in general would quit instituting policies their customers will hate and then expecting the employees who are on the front-lines of customer relations to make it all better (for less pay), there would be fewer rude clerks, uncaring salespeople, and bad waiters. He’s an internet hero, because 90% of the population would love to tell the paying public where to stick it, pop a brewski, and make a dramatic exit.
Paul commented on Aug 11 10 at 7:41 pmComments To equate the torment and worry of caring for a loving mom and dad with debilitating illnesses with the anxiety of today’s economy is a poor one in my opinion. Not happy about being unemployed myself, but remember back to when my Mom died from cancer and it was just so terribly devestating. Every time the phone rang when she was in the hospital would send debilitating electricity through my system. I was close to a nervous breakdown. Yes, the economy is bad, but I don’t see people on the sidewalk begging for a meal. Better people than I seem to make sure that a decent meal and a place to sleep are made available. It may not have been the life one would have wished for, but one can survive to fight another day. Seeing someone waste away, someone you love, is another issue altogether.
happyjess commented on Aug 12 10 at 3:21 amJesBelle have a cry LOVE….. Boo Hoo it’s not about you.
JesBelle commented on Aug 12 10 at 3:34 pmHuh?
Debra commented on Aug 12 10 at 6:00 pmProbably care taker stress, airline stress and whining passengers, when he world is a mess.
Yes, People are begging for food on the street, going to food pantries, homeless schelters, churches. We are in a depression folks. Please tell Obama
Boadie commented on Aug 13 10 at 12:26 pmI agree with Lisa 100 percent!
Boadie commented on Aug 13 10 at 12:29 pmI’m sorry, I was actually agreeing with JesBelle!
HappyJes, you were responding to Paul, not JesBelle. The name is at the bottom of the comment, not the top. I made the same mistake. :)
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