whirledtraveler

I was flying into EWR tonight, sitting in F and I noticed that I was a little bit apprehensive about the warm towel service. It ended up okay, but the service has been "hit and miss" lately. There's been a recurring problem that I don't quite know how to handle. Maybe other members of the forum can help me out.

I guess the first time it happened was earlier this year. I was sitting in F, getting ready for my meal, when all of a sudden an FA started making her rounds. I didn't notice the problem immediately. When I got mine it was warm enough and wet on the outside but when I started to open it up and got my fingers inside I noticed it was pretty dry. I decided not to pull it up to my face as I normally do. I was scared I would get scratched.

I would have said something at that point, but I was too embarrassed. I know that AA's FAs are professionals and they are trying the best that they can. I don't like to bring things up unless there are serious issues or they recur. Unfortunately, this problem has recurred over the year. The last time it happened, I did say something about it. I said to the FA "I'd like it wet please". She went back to the galley and did something (I don't know what) but it was moist when she came back. I tried to read her facial expression, but I couldn't. I don't know whether I was within my rights to ask for it moist or not, but at that point I was aggravated.

Yes, they call it "warm towel service", but to me the warmth is secondary to the wetness. How can we tell AA that wetness matters to some of us. But, maybe its just me. Is it?

LLZ

Well you know that all they do is take the rolled towels, stick them on a tray, and pour hot water over them. Rocket science it ain't. If they make a pyramid, then those at the base (and especially in the middle of the base) are going to get the least H20....don't know what to advise to guarantee you get a fully wet one.

MeLike2Travel

....signs that you've flown too much F

Seriously though, I would think that a polite request to the FA to moisten the towel would do the trick.

whirledtraveler

Is that all there is to it? I suspect that they tend to stay dry as they get older. How many times can you heat one up and then cool it off before it just doesn't get as wet as it used to?

LLZ

Yes that's really is all there is to it. If you have washcloths at home (make sure they are the same cloth/thickness as AA's) you could test your thesis at home, and publish the results here.

paradocs

Whirledtraveler: you are very funny!

But, in all seriousness: I have always marveled that almost all the men in the first class cabin use the towel to wipe their faces. To me it looks so silly. If they have showered that day what is the reason? It seems to be instinctive to men. As a woman, I would never cleanse my face with that towel, just my hands as I believe it was intended for.

It just has always seemed so strange to me.

JDiver

paradocs, what would you know, it's obviously a guy thing!

Seriously, my skin gets oily and yucky after a while, even if I showered and shaved with real lather and all of that. So, I like using the o-shibori (the original name for the much-adapted Japanese custom) in the unorthodox fashion of facial refreshment. Ahhhh! Feels goood! (But, I don't have any makeup to worry about either, even if my cabin-mates wish I did... I just have my naked facial skin hanging out there. Cranial skin as well, but I DO hold that line...)

Though with the OP about dry o-shibori, I guess we could call them 0-shibori (as in zero-shibori)...

Hey, do you suppose they ever WASH those things?

What, did you call me silly?!?! Ad-hominem attack warning!

myefre

Time for a cold shower

LLZ

LOL^ I missed it the first go around. Thanks for zeroing in on that myefre!

AA__Only

Read this thread as I was waking up with my first cup of coffee, so it took a while to figure it out.

Now I want to know why there was no mention of the little "garment care tag" that's usually on the upper corner and how it would make contact with whirledtraveler's nose as the towel scratched his face....


(Yes, the "care tag" is there: sadly, so people forget all about it and how important it is to pay attention to it.... while doing a load of laundry.)

whirledtraveler

Thanks, but there is a reason why I didn't mention the tag. You see, it's usually pretty small and I hardly notice it when there's no moisture. When there is, it tends to swell up. Anyway, it doesn't bug me at all. I've heard that there are people in other countries who take the tag off but that doesn't seem right to me. We have that whole "under penalty of law" thing here and I think that is good.

iluv2fly

You really don't want to know what she did...

AA__Only

whirledtraveler, not only does the tag swell when wet, but so does the whole towel... and you stated yourself that it's much more pleasurable to use a wet one on your face.

I'm sure that you'ld agree, that any towel owner who knows how to treat a towel right, when asked, would tell you how important it is to pay attention to the TAG. It reads like an instruction manual, telling you how to treat the towel right.

And now that we've got the TAG issue straight....

Let's move on to another user comment, about how only men appear to enjoy a towel on their face.

I have noticed that there are some women that do enjoy the towel on their face. I don't know... but maybe about 10%. I've noticed them on some flights out of the corner of my eye. They usually try to be very discrete about it, not wanting others to see. They start by rubbing their fingers all over the towel. And as they're doing this they glance around to make sure no one is looking. Then they'll quickly rub their face in the towel, obviously aware of the pleasure of it all. Then, just as quick, they'll stop and put the towel aside, glancing to see if anyone saw. I don't know... maybe they're ashamed of enjoying a towel that way or afraid of what others may say. I've watched this out of the corner of my eye --almost like a voyeur-- and I can attest to the glow on their face when they've finished the act.

So here, for the record and as a guy, let me just say to these women that it's okay: take pleasure in using the towel. I for one, don't mind and enjoy seeing a woman use her towel.

yorock

Being the man I am, if I were not permitted to use the towels on my face then I suppose that I would have no need for them. I rarely see anyone of any gender use the towels on their face. What a waste!

AA__Only

I'm not so sure I'd agree, yorock. Towels can be used in other ways. On bumpy flights people have spilled things in there lap.

A wet towel on one's lap can help there. After all, it's better than rubbing it off with your hand.