Okay, so I debated writing something about Mabou and the news in all the media all day. And since you all know I will write about anything, I thought I would throw my two cents out, not that even that is worth anything!
Do I know the MacNeils? Yes, do I know them well enough to judge them, and the situation they are in? Absolutely not! All I know of the situation is what I have read in the media. And let me tell you, the media is not always reliable or truthful, and it is really good at only telling half the story. I have read nothing balanced. I have read that something happened on the plane they were on, perhaps they were smoking, I don't know, as I was not there, and have not talked to the MacNeils myself. Anyhow, the plane was diverted to Bermuda and they were detained for not following lawful commands, and smoking on a plane. Granted, not the best decision they have ever made, and I am sure they will be the first to admit it.
But come on! Stand up and take a bow if you have never, ever made a stupid mistake! Mabou is use to media attention mostly for our musical talents, the likes of John Allan Cameron, and of course the Rankin family have given us great pride over the years. So we may not like the negative press. But one incident by one family does not a family, or community make! I would be more humiliated if our tiny village turned their backs on the MacNeils than whatever they did on one flight. They did not abuse their children, they did not commit a murder, they did not abandon an animal, so let's get a little grip. It is unfortunate that other's travel plans were disrupted, but in the grand scheme of life, they could have done so much worse.
I am sure Father Angus will have a little something to say, with a joke added in on Sunday, and I will leave their penance to him. Because as Father Angus knows, I am no saint, so I have no stones to throw.
Am I from Mabou? Yep! Do I know the MacNeils? Yes, damn straight, and they are good people and I know when I was living in Mabou and called David to say I was out of gas, he would have come to lend a hand, and if I met Darlene at the store, she always asked how I was doing, and had a smile on her face. I hope they do not pay for this mistake for the rest of their lives, as no one is deserving of that. If you see them, say hello from me, and tell them Mabou loves them. And thanks to Steve Rankin for the beautiful picture, go check out his Facebook page, at Steve Rankin Photography!
WELL SAID VERNA !!!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree.
ReplyDeleteI have worked in aviation for a number of years and this incident is potentially quite serious. Lost in the clamor of "they were smoking" is key piece of information. The MacNeils refused to tell the flight attendants where they disposed of their cigarette butts.
ReplyDeleteThis becomes more than a group satisfying their nicotine addiction or befouling the air of other passengers. A smoldering cigarette butt can, and has, caused huge issues on airplanes. What if the butt was discarded in the lavatory waste bin, where sheets of dry tissue rest? A plastic bag in the seat back? Or dozens of other places where a smoldering butt could turn into an onboard fire and a very clear and present danger to the aircraft.
It is because the MacNeils failed to reveal the location of their smoking refuse that the pilot had almost no choice but to land the aircraft at the nearest airport until such a time as the risk of an onboard fire is fully mitigated.
The other issue is that the aircraft landed early, before burning off the expected amount of fuel. This resulted in the plane landing over weight and beyond the recommended landing envelope for the craft. Thus the aircraft would not be allowed to fly until it was inspected by an AME.
I’m all for giving this family the benefit of the doubt. But we’re not talking about kids caught sneaking a puff in the boys room. This is about flight safety. As well, unlike a school bathroom, there were dozens of witnesses to their actions.
Take a look at this incident: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varig_Flight_820 A discarded cigarette butt on an airplane caused a major incident and lives lost..
Try checking this website when you get a chance too.
Deletehttp://www.airlines-inform.com/airline_reviews/Sunwing_Airlines/
OK, come on....id say they have been smoking for awhile....odds are they know how to put a cig out without burning something down, i've been smoking for 20 years and have never burn anything.....im saying what they did was right.....but i think some people over reacted.
ReplyDeleteIn aviation, they don't play the odds. Once a flight incident occurs, the industry moves quickly to prevent it from happening again. In fact, a read of the Canadian Aviation Regulations and Canadian Aviation Service Standards reads like a laundry list of corrected mistakes from indicents past.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you're a responsible and kind smoker, Anonymous, but the fact remains that discarded cigarettes on aircraft have caused incidents and lives lost. And all the crew was trying to do is verify that the butts were discarded safely. And all the McNeils' had to do was tell the crew where they disposed of the refuse.
When it comes to flight safety, the pilots actions are not only reasonable, but protocol.
Smoking on an aircraft is a violation of federal law. We are all informed about this each and every time we fly. These people are adults, and should know better. They disobeyed the very clearly stated rules, and then did not co-operate when asked to correct their actions. They may be a nice family, but they broke the law and need to face the consequences of their actions. Such rules exist for a reason - for the safety of everyone on board. Improperly extinguished cigarettes and ashes can and have been proven to cause fires.
ReplyDeleteI ask you this, and answer honestly - had this happened to group of strangers that you didn't know, and who lived in another part of the country, would you be as likely to speak up and defend them? And if these same strangers' actions had disrupted your vacation plans, would you be so quick to brush it off as "it could be so much worse"?
Great points, as usual Jon! I don't think I said what they did was right at any point in my piece, because they obviously made some bad judgements. Christa, I can honestly say that if it happened to a group of strangers I might not have spoken up, and if you read my piece again, you will find that I did not defend them. But I will not judge them either, it is not my place. And yes, I do think that there is far worse, I have lived it, I know it, there are drunk drivers and pedophiles that suffer FAR less humiliation and public flogging than what the MacNeils have already experienced. They will face the consequences financially I am sure for their mistakes, and I am pretty confident to say that they will not do such a thing again.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, how did they manage to get past airline security with a match or lighter in their carry-on? I was under the impression that even a nail file is not allowed on. I do agree with you Verna that this family has been humiliated enough....there are MUCH worse things that deserve our attention. I think it is human nature to judge actions, especially something that I would think would be common knowledge, not to mention common sense. That being said, I`m not a smoker myself, but I`m sure that waiting until you`ve disembarked to have a cigarette isn`t too much to ask...just my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased that you wrote this piece. I do not know them but figure there has to be more to the story.Still maybe bad judgement but these are people and from what i am hearing good people and want to hear their side then and only then will i make my judgement. I just cannot imagine all of them in the bathroom smoking a cigarette at the same time of course I could be wrong. perhaps somebody was in before the youg fellow and because he was young they blamed him and the parents over reacted in defending him. just saying.
ReplyDeleteThere were 170 or more people on the plane, were any of them interviewed for there comments..all you hear are the news people telling the story but none seem to have talked to any of the people on the plane on what actually happened. There are always two sides to a story.. No one should judge until they get all the facts...
ReplyDeleteIf I was on that plane, I'd be so thankful they were removed from the flight. Mid air disturbance sounds , well, disturbing. Passengers must have been slightly frightened. Not to mention anyone with respiratory issues.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about the disgusting statement about someone who urinated all over the bathroom. Real mature.
It made headlines because it is rather large scale. It's not everyday a plane is diverted, passengers removed, some arrested, others put up in a hotel. Sounds like common manners were lacking. Ya, we all do stupid things, but on that scale!?
Believe me, people are just going to think, 'There's those crazy Cape Bretoner's again, always in the news about something.'
That's what I thought. And I live in Mabou.
Thank you Verna for the first write up I have bothered to read on this issue in the last few days. No one is defending what happened (not even the MacNeil's); enough is enough. It is a poor reflection on society when this maintains so much of it's focus. No one has to worry, they have paid and will continue to pay for this incident for a very long time, it is too bad we cannot say the same for those who commit violent crimes in which it is only the victims who pay for years to come. When others stumble, it does not make us taller, when others faulter, it does not make stonger, when others fail it does not makes us better - the only way we can achieve these is by our own actions, not someone else's.
ReplyDeleteI remember a time not to long past when there were smoking and non smoking sections on planes ..safety issue i think not !!! More of the government telling people what and what not to do and profiting from taxation of the worlds addictions , Do I smoke, no i do not, nor do I know the macneils ,again no and am i from cape breton again No No NO ..I think there is a lot of overreacting going on..Granted they should not have smoked on the plane and under foreign law probably terrified to admit to it.. Now stand by your country man and the lynchmob coming after them!!!
ReplyDeleteHope they have broad shoulders and lots of money! What a terrible
ReplyDeleteexample they set for their two sons, how embarrased is the young
one going to be? The whole fiasco sounds like a bunch of teen-agers plotting a prank. Just what Cape Breton needs, another bad scar, how redneck can you get? Please don't get all righteous about judging, give us a break!
I certainly don't agree with them smoking on an airplane, but I had an idea that may have some validity. Could it be that one or all suffer from some level of anxiety or mental illness that clouded their judgement. We all know the stigma of mental illness would be enough to not offer that as any level of explanation. I do know that to a smoker that suffers with mental illness, a fear of flying may cause enough stress to make some very poor decisions.
ReplyDeleteI was recently asked to turn off my Kobo reader during take off. The reason they said was because I could interfere with the electronics on the plane and bring it down. If that's true why did the 911 terrorists have to take over the cockpit and learn how to fly. All they had to do was turn on their ereaders!! Airlines OVERREACT BIG TIME!!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous!! Areya wit us or mcgent us! Flip flop ! For me Im with the MacNeils. I for one and Im not sayin da were. if I were drinking ,I would need to pee and pee alot, and yes while Im at it I tend to have a smoke. they are human and we humans make mistakes . Move on!
ReplyDeleteI assume, you are FMD , THE AUTHOR, well you should take a backseat and shutup.If it happened anywherelse
Deleteon CB, you would be there like a "wild coyote"..What
ever these people are going through will absoutely be enough embarresemt for them, can you even imagine coming back to your own community. I claim money can
buy you what, Toronto Lawyerts etc.