Poop in first class

and a crazed woman at the gates were episodes that I missed when I arrived at work today. I hear, if not witness, delirious, demented and sometimes wacky occurrences in my profession. An agent was recanting the story of a passenger in first class on an inbound flight and how he totally missed the toilet and had bequeathed a present to the cabin crew by defecating on the floor of the lavatory. By the way, no charges were filed and the passenger walked. His excuse was that he was a germaphobe and didn't want to touch the seat cover to the toilet and tried to prop himself above the receptacle only to relieve himself on the floor.
The next story involved our outbound flight and a young woman who acted like an immature 2 year old who was in complete hysterics when she missed her outbound flight for New York. She reacted by throwing herself on the floor, crying and cussing up a storm. When she didn't get her way with the agents at the gate, she returned to the security checkpoint to cool off, all the while still in a state of utter destruction. She never returned and may have caught another flight. My fellow co-workers and I conduct ourselves with the utmost professionalism while remaining calm, listening and performing the best to our abilities. Unlike our predecessors, United, American, Delta and others, we have been given high marks in our customer service skills and friendliness. I have worked for many years with my company and I genuinely love what I do. I think of my co-workers as my second family. Travelling is a perk that is the best in the industry which I have indulged myself and my family in travelling the globe. My trade is a specialized field which you "either have it or you don't". Meaning that you have to be a people person, social, personable, leader, comedian, problem solver, team player and a good listener. There are a host of other attributes which I acquired on the job with the help of other wonderful agents and Supervisors. At one time, the airlines was a profession that was highly coveted and hard to break into. Now, in the wake of possible mergers, talk and the high price of jet fuel, it seems the reasonable choice of venue. No one wants to merge with the possibility of losing their jobs after many years of hard work and a world of travel still out there to see. In this day and age, the unknown is right around the corner waiting to shake my hand.

Mystery Shopping

is a side occupation that I engage in, enjoy and get paid for my detailed reports based on my customer service interactions. A friend of mine, from the airport, suggested the idea and that I would be an excellent candidate. There are no fees of any type involved nor were there any drawn out questionnaires or applications. The only requirement that most of these companies ask is that you have a Paypal account to deposit your payment from services rendered. I started off small with one company and my "mystery shop" involved coffee shops. After completing a few of the shops, writing reviews and getting paid, I was hooked. I was referred to other companies that offered shops from oil changes, restaurants, gas stations, entertainment centers, convenience stores, sports venues, bars, movie houses, hotels, car rentals and flower deliveries. I figured that most of these domains were centered around my life and what I do on a daily basis, why not mystery shop! Friends and family were frequently taken out to lunches and dinners, children went bowling and miniature golf centers. I planned a route to each venue to make sure that I would maximize my day. At night, I would write my reports and fax or email my receipts to the companies and wait a few weeks to be reimbursed on top of my payments and sometimes bonuses into my Paypal account. Since I was basically an independent contractor with these companies, I could literally write off many of my expenses if I were set up as a small business. The companies do not take out any taxes from your payments and you do have to file these as part of your taxes even tho a W-2 is not issued unless you make more than $660.00 for that company. It is a nice source of second income and you can make your own hours.