"Funny" Incident of entitlement aboard DL 180 ATL-VCE
A week or so ago I was flying in BE on DL 180 ATL-VCE, which was actually the last operation of such flight per the fall timetable changes (this is a seasonal route). I had meant to post this with my short trip-report about my return flight with the new BE, but I had forgotten.
I boarded the flight well into the boarding process and was seated in 5C, a center section isle. I had checked the seat map prior to leaving the SC and noticed that there was 1 A-B section open (6 A and B, last one on the left) and 1 on the F-G side (6 F and G, last one on the right). I always check before boarding and apparent non-revs have already been cleared in hopes that once the door is closed I can inquire as to moving to 1 of the 2 open set of seats (Generally, anyone can do this by watching 20 open BE seats turn to 4 about 30 minutes prior to departure of an international flight ).
As I sat down, I noticed that 6B was occupied by a girl who looked to be in her low 20's. She was sporting a huge duffle bag with her school logo which also happened to match the large hoody sweatshirt she was wearing (I am not dogging on school spirit!). It seemed odd to me, since just 4 minutes prior the seat was showing open and I had already seen what I thought were the majority of the non-revs cleared into J (she didn't "appear" to be a full-fare type passenger, hence the relevance of my visual description), but I figured she was a last minute addition/op-up and went on reading by book. As boarding neared completion the FA came by to take orders and after providing her preferences she quite loudly asked something along the lines of "ummmm, are we going to be allowed to move around the plane, I usually prefer to get some exercise and I want to be able to walk back to coach and visit my friends." The FA reassured her that yes, she would in fact be able to move around and would not be held captive at her seat.
Just as the door was closed, the lead FA came down the isle and stopped very suddenly just behind my seat (where the girl was sitting). I noticed this and briefly stopped reading. What took place was one of the strangest sentiments of self entitlement I have ever seen, in fact my seat mate and I both seemed to be in utter disbelief at what transpired. The FA asked to see her ticket and when the ticket was handed to her, she asked why the ticket said 18C and the girl was seated in 6B. The girls response was "Oh, I really wanted to sit here and I checked online before the flight to see about upgrading, but the cost was $5,400 and that was just ridiculous, so I figured I would just find an open seat up front and sit here" At this point I think the FA was just as shocked as we were, and thought for a moment at how to handle this. She first asked for the amenity kit and headphones. Once these were handed to her, she said "You need to return to your assigned seat immediately or we will be forced to remove you from the plane." The girl, as if she had done nothing wrong, asked "Can I at least take a bit more champagne with me, I mean, I was seated here when you served it." Needless to say the champagne was also taken and the girl grabbed all her belonging and went back to coach under the watchful eye of the lead FA.
Later on in the flight I overheard a few of the FA’s talking while I was waiting to go to the rear LAV. Apparently once the flight was underway this girl was nothing but a hassle, asking for more food, her bread to be warmed, and for different movies to be put on the overhead screens in Y. In light of this situation I ask, has anyone experienced anything like this before? In my 500,000 or so miles of flying with Delta, this would be the first of anything close to this extreme. However I must applaud how well the situation was handled.
This story is the most funny thing I have read in FT in a long time and you tell it well.
Now please let's dispense with being afraid of "offensive stereotypes", and do tell, WHICH school logo was on the girl's clothes and what was her hair color?
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On Saturday, returning from Madrid, I was in the middle galley of a 764 waiting for the bathroom. A lady from coach edged through the galley; when accosted by an FA, she just she was looking for a seat in the business cabin to take a nap. She was sent back to her assigned seat. I think that the request was pretty innocent--the lady seemed to think it was fine to find an empty seat in the front cabin so that she could sleep.
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This story is the most funny thing I have read in FT in a long time and you tell it well.
Now please let's dispense with being afraid of "offensive stereotypes", and do tell, WHICH school logo was on the girl's clothes and what was her hair color?
Well being a Bulldog faithful id have to say UF right?
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Although I also find this highly amusing, it's absolutely in line with todays dangerous spirit of: "I am entitled to all by self-claim". Rules are for all others, I make my own ...
Lately I sometimes really seem to have detached from the "people". On my last ex-CDG to ATL flight, a group of British tourists blatantly exercised self-service on the amenity kits, blankets + pillows, and the water bottles while passing BE. The FA didn't even say anything but continued boarding. After door-closed they quitely replaced all missing items.
What happened to the acceptance of the fact that you get what you have paid for?
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2.8M on DL 4M total and the best story I have ever heard. THANKS LOL
Mine was a domestic flight about 3 years ago. Flying NW thru MSP to LGA. I was delayed connecting and did not get to my FC seat until 5 mins before departure with one other passenger behind me getting on. When I got to my seat there was someone sitting there. I asked the guy if there was a mix up with seating and he picked his things up and walked back to his coach seat without saying a word. I sat down, and the guy behind me also in FC in same row other side was having the same conversation with another passenger, with same result. The guy who just got on looked at me and said "can you believe that, who were those guys". A gentlemen in the row in front of us turns and says "They are my brothers, you got a problem with that".
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryDD
Mine was a domestic flight about 3 years ago.
The guy who just got on looked at me and said "can you believe that, who were those guys". A gentlemen in the row in front of us turns and says "They are my brothers, you got a problem with that".
It was amusing.
You made the coffee fly out of my cup!
You know what's the difference between truth and fiction?
Fiction needs to make sense... We should write the weirdest flight stories book and post it as a flyertalk edition :-)
Last edited by DLroads; Oct 19, 09 at 12:05 pm..
Reason: typo
This is a really funny story, and I would laugh really hard when the girl was forced to go back to the main cabin, BUT, that kind of stereotypes are not good.
Just a few days ago, I was flying on the SLC-JFK redeye. As usual, I changed to a sport outfit showing my school logo. When I boarded, my seatmate gave me a really bad look, and asked the FA "How come the gate agent didn't upgrade my wife, but gave a first class seat to a non-rev?" He then asked me if I could trade my seat with his wife, who was on row 38. I just ignored him didn't say a word about it, because it wasn't really worth it. He kept harassing me because he felt that "I was a non-rev and I shouldn't be in first class". When the FA was serving the pre-departure drinks, I, very politely, explained to her the situation, she came back with her manifest, showed it to the gentleman, and said "he's a silver, just like you are". Sometimes being young, and in my case, from a foreign country, pulls a lot the "first class traveler" stereotype trigger.
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