--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing you have to understand about…" description: "\"“The thing you have to understand about that crash,” Ratwatte said, “is that New York air traffic controllers are famous for being rude, aggressive, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/malcolm-gladwell-348_air-traffic-control_the-thing-you-have-to-understand-about-t_1303229.png" --- # The thing you have to understand about that crash,”… ![“The thing you have to understand about that crash,” Ratwatte said, “is that New York air traffic controllers are famous for being rude, aggressive, and bullying. They are also” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/malcolm-gladwell-348_air-traffic-control_the-thing-you-have-to-understand-about-t_1303229.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/malcolm-gladwell-348_air-traffic-control_the-thing-you-have-to-understand-about-t_1303229.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/malcolm-gladwell-348_air-traffic-control_the-thing-you-have-to-understand-about-t_1303229.png) > ““The thing you have to understand about that crash,” Ratwatte said, “is that New York air traffic controllers are famous for being rude, aggressive, and bullying. They are also”” [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. New York air traffic controllers are known for rude, aggressive, and bullying behavior. **In simple terms:** Controllers often act harshly. Key Takeaway Expect and manage aggressive communication. Themes workplace culture communication stress Mood critical analytical Type professional observational When to use this quote - airport operations - team leadership - conflict resolution - customer service Key Concepts aggression authority dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does aggression affect safety? - Can training reduce hostility? A Different Perspective Not all controllers fit this stereotype. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Air traffic control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-traffic-control/) [Air traffic controller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-traffic-controller/) [Traffic control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traffic-control/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know: Why aren't people fascinated by air traffic controllers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-fuller/i-don-t-know-why-aren-t-people-fascinated-by-air-traffic-controllers/) [Kurt Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-fuller/) > [Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-alther/any-mother-could-perform-the-jobs-of-several-air-traffic-controllers/) [Lisa Alther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-alther/) > [I fly an aeroplane, and I think a lot about how much I do not want ever to run into an optimistic air traffic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-fly-an-aeroplane-and-i-think-a-lot-about-how-much-i-do-not-want/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [Pushing Tin,' I went to air traffic control school in Toronto for that. Passed with flying colors, by the way. If I ever become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/pushing-tin-i-went-to-air-traffic-control-school-in-toronto-for-that/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Another air traffic controller fell asleep on the job, but he had a good excuse. He was watching President Obama’s deficit speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/another-air-traffic-controller-fell-asleep-on-the-job-but-he-had-a/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith weren't polite. They were against the grain. And that's what we want our music to be: rude, aggressive... like real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/led-zeppelin-aerosmith-weren-t-polite-they-were-against-the-grain-and/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [A shortage of airports runways and gates along outmoded air traffic control systems have made U.S. air travel the most congested in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lahood/a-shortage-of-airports-runways-and-gates-along-outmoded-air-traffic/) [Ray LaHood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lahood/) > [“Air traffic control is going to have a steamy old fit on your dime, boy. They can get in line behind the police, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-tayler/air-traffic-control-is-going-to-have-a-steamy-old-fit-on-your-dime/) [Howard Tayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-tayler/) > [Usually, there is no equivalent of air traffic control at sea. Some busy areas operate 'traffic separation schemes,' but mostly, ships are treated like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-george/usually-there-is-no-equivalent-of-air-traffic-control-at-sea-some/) [Rose George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-george/) > [The safety of the flying public should not be for sale. Handing air traffic control over to a private entity partly governed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nelson/the-safety-of-the-flying-public-should-not-be-for-sale-handing-air/) [Bill Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nelson/) > [“In early March 2015 the Government Accountability Office issued a report warning that the air traffic control system is vulnerable to cyberattack.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/in-early-march-2015-the-government-accountability-office-issued-a/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [The reality is that we do not have an air traffic control system that is smart enough and technologically capable enough to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-may/the-reality-is-that-we-do-not-have-an-air-traffic-control-system-that/) [James May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-may/) > [I think the hardest thing that, historically, the industry may have relied upon is that we can't control weather, we can't control air traffic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-munoz/i-think-the-hardest-thing-that-historically-the-industry-may-have/) [Oscar Munoz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-munoz/) > [ I'm confident because of the - what we \[USA government\] call the strategic agreement we're now working on with them, we will be deeply… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-m-confident-because-of-the-what-we-usa-government-call-the/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [There is also the fact that NORAD-Northeast was conducting war game exercises that morning, a fact that has been very little talked about and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/there-is-also-the-fact-that-norad-northeast-was-conducting-war-game/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) ## More by Malcolm Gladwell > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. And this drives me crazy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-i-go-to-my-health-club-and-it-s-in-the-basement-you-have-to-take/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“The scholars who research happiness suggest that more money stops making people happier at a family income of around seventy-five thousand dollars a year.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-scholars-who-research-happiness-suggest-that-more-money-stops/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [We need to be clear when we venerate entrepreneurs what we are venerating.They are not moral leaders. If they were moral leaders, they wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-need-to-be-clear-when-we-venerate-entrepreneurs-what-we-are/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Some people look like they sound better than they actually sound, because they look confident and have good posture," once musician, a veteran of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/some-people-look-like-they-sound-better-than-they-actually-sound/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [A handicap is like trying to race and you have a ten pound weight stuck to your waist. That is a handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/a-handicap-is-like-trying-to-race-and-you-have-a-ten-pound-weight/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“neighborhood was filled with engineers from Hewlett-Packard, then as now one of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/neighborhood-was-filled-with-engineers-from-hewlett-packard-then-as/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“People are ruined by challenged economic lives. But they are ruined by wealth as well because they lose their ambition and they lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-ruined-by-challenged-economic-lives-but-they-are-ruined-by/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The single most important thing a city can do is provide a community where interesting, smart people want to live with their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-single-most-important-thing-a-city-can-do-is-provide-a-community/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [ \[Norden\] said, with the Mark 15 Norden bombsight, he could drop a bomb into a pickle barrel at 20,000 feet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/norden-said-with-the-mark-15-norden-bombsight-he-could-drop-a-bomb/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The willingness to be self-critical in England is much greater than the willingness to be self-critical in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-willingness-to-be-self-critical-in-england-is-much-greater-than/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The conventional explanation for Jewish success, of course, is that Jews come from a literate, intellectual culture. They are famously "the people of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-conventional-explanation-for-jewish-success-of-course-is-that/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“An archway to one side leads to a church, the Madonna del Carmine—Our Lady of Mount Carmine. Narrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/an-archway-to-one-side-leads-to-a-church-the-madonna-del-carmine-our/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [People are experience-rich and theory-poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-experience-rich-and-theory-poor/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. His point is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/most-psychologists-believe-that-nature-genetics-accounts-for-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) [Explore all 647 Malcolm Gladwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## More Air traffic control quotes > [There is also the fact that NORAD-Northeast was conducting war game exercises that morning, a fact that has been very little talked about and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/there-is-also-the-fact-that-norad-northeast-was-conducting-war-game/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) > [Growing up in Hawaii, my natural instinct was to think that I was going to become a professional surfer or skater. Moving to Los…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-mock/growing-up-in-hawaii-my-natural-instinct-was-to-think-that-i-was/) [Evan Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-mock/) > [“Ask Tabby to hack into air traffic control and see which flight has those coordinates.” I point at the screen. “Find out where it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-geissinger/ask-tabby-to-hack-into-air-traffic-control-and-see-which-flight-has/) [J.T. Geissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-geissinger/) > [Our enemies are also seeking the abilities to sabotage our power grid, our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-enemies-are-also-seeking-the-abilities-to-sabotage-our-power-grid/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think the hardest thing that, historically, the industry may have relied upon is that we can't control weather, we can't control air traffic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-munoz/i-think-the-hardest-thing-that-historically-the-industry-may-have/) [Oscar Munoz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-munoz/) > [ I'm confident because of the - what we \[USA government\] call the strategic agreement we're now working on with them, we will be deeply… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-m-confident-because-of-the-what-we-usa-government-call-the/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“AUGUST 5, 1981. That’s the date it became official. It’s rare that we can point to an exact date when a business theory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/august-5-1981-that-s-the-date-it-became-official-it-s-rare-that-we/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [I fly an aeroplane, and I think a lot about how much I do not want ever to run into an optimistic air traffic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-fly-an-aeroplane-and-i-think-a-lot-about-how-much-i-do-not-want/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [From bank accounts to financial systems, power grids to air traffic controls - our most critical infrastructure remain attractive cyber targets, and if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/from-bank-accounts-to-financial-systems-power-grids-to-air-traffic/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [There are many things in life over which you have no choice. But the greatest activity of life is well within your dominion. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/there-are-many-things-in-life-over-which-you-have-no-choice-but-the/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [The reality is that we do not have an air traffic control system that is smart enough and technologically capable enough to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-may/the-reality-is-that-we-do-not-have-an-air-traffic-control-system-that/) [James May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-may/) > [“In early March 2015 the Government Accountability Office issued a report warning that the air traffic control system is vulnerable to cyberattack.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/in-early-march-2015-the-government-accountability-office-issued-a/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [Advances in technology - hugely beneficial though they are - render us vulnerable in new ways. For instance, our interconnected world depends on elaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/advances-in-technology-hugely-beneficial-though-they-are-render-us/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“Don't you think...doesn't it seem sometimes like life is like a plane?...And we're all piloos, you know, of our own planes. When things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-friesen/don-t-you-think-doesn-t-it-seem-sometimes-like-life-is-like-a-plane/) [Gayle Friesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-friesen/) > [“Being in flight is one of the most unnatural, extraordinary, ordinary experiences of modern life. When we climb to 30,000 feet, our perspective looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-kalantzis-cope/being-in-flight-is-one-of-the-most-unnatural-extraordinary-ordinary/) Phillip Kalantzis-Cope [Browse all 35 Air traffic control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-traffic-control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The thing you have to understand about that crash,” Ratwatte said, “is that New York air traffic controllers are famous for being rude, aggressive, and bullying. 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