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Originally Posted by countrynewsman
Which is why I was glad the United First Officer came back to the cabin before takeoff to visually check the wings after it was de-iced at the gate.
As far as safety is concerned, flying is still the most comfortable for me. It seems that when one little thing happens, it makes the news. Two days ago, an American Eagle flight reported a smoky haze in the cockpit. They landed in Killeen (scheduled airport) safely. The haze cleared before landing. How do I know this? It made the front page of the Killeen Daily Herald! Geez.
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Kudos to that FO, for double-checking the wings. I can assure you, anytime a flight is delayed, due to the crew delaying it, for maintenance, or some other reason, it is for safety. Flight crews have no ulterior motive to delay a flight. Many people do not realize this, but flight crews only get paid, when the airplane is flying. They don't get paid to sit around and wait for ice to melt, or for maintenance. They are just as eager to get the flight out, and completed, as are the passengers. Pilots have to go through much training, and their license/certificates are on the line, everyday that they fly. Safety is #1 priority. Also, you never know what one of the pilots may have experienced in the past. Maybe this Continental pilot had a scary icing issue in the past, and as a result, he now plays it safe, even while other airplanes choose to go, ultimately taking a risk. If you are about to operate a multi-million dollar piece of equipment, that will have your life, and potentially hundreds of others, it would seem responsible to make sure that it can be done safely, with no question marks.
Flying is very safe, and it is unfortunate that the media overplays some incidents. However, all it takes is one thing to be overlooked, or one pilot to take a risk, small, or large, and the newspaper headline want be a happy ending. It may be frustrating, but I never get angry, when I fly, and a flight is delayed due to something can effects the safety of flight, whether it be maintenance, ice, or other issues. I'd rather be on the ground, wishing I was in the air, on my way to my destination, than in the air, wishing I was on the ground.
The airlines may not always handle things the way they should, from a customer service aspect, but delays are often for safety, and I wish people would realize that.