Gailen David

{{Infobox person

| name = Gailen David

| image =

| nationality = American

| occupation = TV presenter, producer, writer

| television =

| known_for = Take Off! with The Savvy Stews, The Jet Set

| website = {{Official|http://gailendavid.com|gailendavid.com}}

}}

Gailen David is an American former flight attendant, labor activist and entrepreneur. He is best known for Take Off! with The Savvy Stews, The Jet Set and his appearance in the film, Miami Shakedown.{{Citation|title=Jetiquette - CNN Video|url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/living/2014/09/04/jetiquette.cnn|access-date=2021-05-20}}{{Cite web|title=Fruit Loops And Crying Travelers: The Trials Of Flight Attendants|url=http://www.npr.org/2015/04/26/402353794/fruit-loops-and-crying-travelers-the-trials-of-flight-attendants|access-date=2017-03-03|website=NPR.org}}{{Cite news|last=Zafar|first=Aylin|date=2012-03-18|title=Flight Attendant Behind Parody Videos Fired|language=en-US|work=Time|url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/18/american-airlines-flight-attendant-fired-for-parody-videos/|access-date=2021-05-20|issn=0040-781X}}{{cite news |title=How to Have a Good Flight |url=https://www.nytimes.com/guides/travel/how-to-fly |work=www.nytimes.com |language=en-us}}{{Cite news|date=2010-04-08|title=Smoking On A Plane: A Flight Attendant's View|language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125736590|access-date=2022-02-21}}

Background

David began his career in 1977, at the age of 10, when he began working as an amateur travel agent. By the age of 19, he began applying for flight attendant jobs and became an attendant in American Airlines in 1988.{{Cite web |title=Customer-service convert spreads the 'Jetiquette' gospel |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Customer-service-convert-spreads-the-Jetiquette-gospel |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=www.travelweekly.com |language=en}}

In 1998, after several inflight conflicts with passengers, he took an extended leave of absence. After 10 months, he returned with a positive attitude and began his second virtual career as a motivational speaker making presentations at workshops about how he became a good purser using a video clips series entitled Why I Fly — Gailen's Story. A video version was on YouTube before being yanked by American Airlines citing copyright issues.{{Cite web|title=Rocky's road: Whiz kid makes dream a reality|url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Rocky-s-road--Whiz-kid-makes-dream-a-reality|access-date=2021-05-20|website=www.travelweekly.com|language=en}}

In 2007, David coined Jetiquette as a campaign to advocate for a friendlier travel experience. Originally delivered at American Airlines, the campaign evolved into a training program and a book.{{Cite web |title=This flight attendant sees to your 'jetiquette' needs |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=3870884&page=1 |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=ABC News |language=en}}

In 2012, David was fired from his job after 24 years as a flight attendant at American Airlines after he posted a series of management-parody videos entitled, Aluminum Lady, which criticized the unfair treatment of workers during American's bankruptcy.{{Cite web|date=2012-04-12|title=American Airlines sues fired flight attendant over online postings|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2012/04/12/american-airlines-sues-fired-flight-attendant-over-online-postings/|access-date=2021-05-20|website=Dallas News|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=CNN.com - Transcripts|url=https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/es/date/2012-03-16/segment/05|access-date=2021-05-20|website=CNN}}{{Cite web|date=2013-01-21|title=Videos Starring Cross-dressing Flight Attendant Blasting American Go Viral|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/videos-starring-cross-dressing-flight-attendant-blasting-american-go-viral/|access-date=2021-05-20|website=Texas Monthly|language=en}}{{cite news |title=Flugbegleiter machen ihrem Job-Frust Luft |url=https://www.spiegel.de/karriere/flugbegleiter-machen-ihrem-job-frust-luft-a-909674.html |work=Der Spiegel |language=de}} In April 2012, American sued him in Tarrant County state district court in Texas, accusing him of releasing passengers' private travel information, after he publicly revealed the airline's executives moving first class passengers to coach to make room for themselves and traveling companions and board members delaying flights for their convenience. American eventually dropped the lawsuit. Following a wrongful termination grievance filed by the flight attendant's union, David agreed to receive a settlement instead of rehiring.{{Cite news|last=Gordon|first=Scott|date=April 11, 2012|title=American Airlines Sues Former Flight Attendant|work=NBC DFW|url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/american-airlines-sues-former-flight-attendant/1947078|access-date=May 22, 2021}}{{Cite web|last=Bhasin|first=Kim|title=This Flight Attendant Put Up Mocking Videos About His Employer, And American Airlines Is NOT Amused|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/this-flight-attendant-put-up-mocking-videos-about-american-airlines-and-his-employer-is-not-amused-2012-2|access-date=2021-05-20|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2012-02-14|title=WATCH: Flight Attendant Mocks American In YouTube Skits|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/gailen-david-american-air_n_1275707.html|access-date=2017-03-04|website=The Huffington Post}}{{Cite web |date=2012-09-05 |title=Fired AA Employee Appears in Court |url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/fired-aa-flight-attendant-to-be-in-fort-worth-court/1929936/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth |language=en-US}}

In 2021, David, in partnership with Stephen Licata, co-founded The First Flight Out, a Pan Am exhibit and travel emporium located in Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood.{{Cite web |last=Quattro |first=Peggy |date=2013-02-12 |title=Grove’s CocoWalk welcomes Pan Am-inspired retail store {{!}} Biscayne Bay Tribune# |url=https://communitynewspapers.com/biscayne-bay/groves-cocowalk-welcomes-pan-am-inspired-retail-store/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-04-29 |title=New line of airline collectibles launches — General Aviation News |url=https://generalaviationnews.com/2021/04/29/new-line-of-airline-collectibles-launches/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=generalaviationnews.com |language=en-US}}

TV career

In September 2014, David began appearing in Take Off! With the Savvy Stews, an American travel-themed television series hosted by The Savvy Stews, and aired on CNN Airport.{{Citation|title=Savvy Stews: Jetiquette|date=2014-09-04|url=http://www.cnn.com/videos/living/2014/09/04/jetiquette.cnn|publisher=CNN.com|accessdate=2017-03-04}}

In February 2016, David co-created The Jet Set,{{Cite web|title=How to Have a Good Flight|url=https://www.nytimes.com/guides/travel/how-to-fly|access-date=2022-02-21|website=www.nytimes.com|language=en-us}} an American TV travel talk show which aired by several stations such as AMGTV, Z Living, ABC, NBC, and CBS.{{Cite web|date=2016-02-22|title=S.I. residents board TV's new 'Jet Set' travel series|url=https://www.silive.com/inside_out_column/2016/02/state_island_residents_join_tvs_new_jet_set_travel_series.html|access-date=2021-05-20|website=silive|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=February 2016|first=Paige Albiniak 23|title="THE JET SET", TV'S FIRST TRAVEL THEMED TALK SHOW, SET TO LAND ON MARCH 5TH|url=https://www.nexttv.com/post-type-the-wire/jet-set-tvs-first-travel-themed-talk-show-set-land-march-5th-154021|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Broadcasting Cable|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-06-17|title=The Jet Set: Travel & Lifestyle Morning TV Promo|url=https://paxandpeace.com/the-jet-set-travel-lifestyle-morning-tv-promo/|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Pax and Peace LLC.|language=en-US}}

= Filmography =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" border="1" \|+List of television shows involving Gailen David ! scope="col" \|Work ! scope="col" \|Date ! scope="col" \|Role
scope="row" \|Miami Shakedown \|1993 \|cameraman
scope="row" \|Take Off! With the Savvy Stews \|2014 \|co-host, executive producer, writer
scope="row" \|The Jet Set \|2016 - 2019 \|co-host, executive producer
scope="row" \|The Tech Show (TV Series) \|2017 \|executive producer

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" border="1"

|+List of television shows involving Gailen David

! scope="col" |Work

! scope="col" |Date

! scope="col" |Role

scope="row" |Miami Shakedown

|1993

|cameraman

scope="row" |Take Off! With the Savvy Stews

|2014

|co-host, executive producer, writer

scope="row" |The Jet Set