The most interesting longhaul F passenger I ever met - on SQ from LAX-NRT
Aug 10, 2010, 8:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Scottsdale
Posts: 2,949
The most interesting longhaul F passenger I ever met - on SQ from LAX-NRT
.
I flew SQ from LAX-NRT in F a while back and met the most interesting passenger I've ever encountered.
This man deserves a thread all to himself.
It all started in the *A First Class lounge at LAX. The typical scene... Usual characters.
In the three hours before my flight to NRT-SIN left, there was a LH flight to MUC, an OZ flight to Seoul, and an NH flight to NRT. Everybody jammed into a smallish lounge waiting...
People watching is an inbred human trait, and I found myself trying to figure out who was on which flight.
Most people were easy to guess. Korean eyebrow. Japanese nose. German accent. Singaporean smile. The tourists and business travelers were a bit more difficult to figure out.
Then there was the young Hispanic guy on the cell phone making what sounded like a multi-million dollar deal.
"I won't take less than 350." he said with a huff.
I craned my neck around to see who the obvious alpha male of the lounge was.
I know I'm gonna get guff for saying this, but this young Hispanic guy just did not look the part. Maybe I'm jaded from 25 SQ flights in F, but still. Something wasn't right
"Tell this A-hole that 250 is way too low." He said impatiently.
I took one last glance and turned up my iPod. "Enough of these posers," I thought and tuned out.
Onboard the SQ 744 I was seated in 4A - the last row of F. The gentleman in question was in 4C - right across the aisle from me.
Now for the record, I rarely ever talk to fellow passengers in the F cabin. I prefer to spend my time pandering to the FAs for extra food and drink.
But I just had to know who this guy was.
Without his cell phone negotiations, he seemed suddenly cast adrift. Lost in a world he wasn't prepared for.
The FA came by and asked if wanted a glass of Dom.
He blushed a bit and waved her off.
WHAT??? No DOM???
Was this the same guy who was throwing down the gauntlet to his business partners?
GOD, I had to know what his story was.
The plane eventually took off and the FAs tried to entice him into a glass of Champagne, or a Singapore Sling, or a glass of Bordeaux, or JW Blue. SOMETHING!!!!
But no. He just scribbled on a yellow notepad.
I watched him scan the cabin like a caged hawk.
He was maybe 25. Dressed in blue jeans from Target. A well-worn T-shirt from a down-low LA restaurant.
What???
He just kept scribbling on his yellow pad.
Finally I couldn't take it anymore.
"Excuse me" I said from across the aisle.
His eyes met mine and I felt an uncertain gravitas. An unusual weight.
"You were in the lounge at LAX." I said hesitantly.
He looked me over like a cop.
"Yeah?" he said indifferently.
Something made me take a different approach.
"I get the impression that you've never, uhh... umm... flown this route before," I said, stuttering. Then suddenly realized that I might have offended him.
He held a steady gaze on me and then looked away - seemingly BUSTED.
"Oh man" he said with a slight wince. "Was it THAT obvious?"
Fast-forward. The guy tells me he used to be a gang-banger, and then became a decorated cop in the absolute toughest neighborhood in Los Angeles.
That was 18 months ago.
Then a buddy of his got him a gig as a security guard. Then he parlayed that into a security job at a Hollywood studio.
Now 18 months later he was doing security prep for a major star who was making a $200 million movie in Tokyo and this guy's job was to fly the EXACT same route in the EXACT same class and seat, stay in the EXACT same presidential suite in Tokyo. Eat at the EXACT same restaurants, take the EXACT same limos, etc. etc. Then report back on security procedures, escape routes, etc., etc. before the star took his trip.
I was captivated.
Of course, he wouldn't divulge who the star was, but I helped take pictures of him in his F seat for his wife who still doesn't understand what the heck he does.
This was a revelation.
An ex-gang banger and inner-city cop flying First class on SQ.
Turns out his "million dollar" call was to sell an old family car for his brother to get a new one.
Couple of hundred bucks.
Boy was I wrong about him.
We got along famously.
Absolutely the most interesting passenger encounter of my life.
You live and learn.
Then learn some more.
.
I flew SQ from LAX-NRT in F a while back and met the most interesting passenger I've ever encountered.
This man deserves a thread all to himself.
It all started in the *A First Class lounge at LAX. The typical scene... Usual characters.
In the three hours before my flight to NRT-SIN left, there was a LH flight to MUC, an OZ flight to Seoul, and an NH flight to NRT. Everybody jammed into a smallish lounge waiting...
People watching is an inbred human trait, and I found myself trying to figure out who was on which flight.
Most people were easy to guess. Korean eyebrow. Japanese nose. German accent. Singaporean smile. The tourists and business travelers were a bit more difficult to figure out.
Then there was the young Hispanic guy on the cell phone making what sounded like a multi-million dollar deal.
"I won't take less than 350." he said with a huff.
I craned my neck around to see who the obvious alpha male of the lounge was.
I know I'm gonna get guff for saying this, but this young Hispanic guy just did not look the part. Maybe I'm jaded from 25 SQ flights in F, but still. Something wasn't right
"Tell this A-hole that 250 is way too low." He said impatiently.
I took one last glance and turned up my iPod. "Enough of these posers," I thought and tuned out.
Onboard the SQ 744 I was seated in 4A - the last row of F. The gentleman in question was in 4C - right across the aisle from me.
Now for the record, I rarely ever talk to fellow passengers in the F cabin. I prefer to spend my time pandering to the FAs for extra food and drink.
But I just had to know who this guy was.
Without his cell phone negotiations, he seemed suddenly cast adrift. Lost in a world he wasn't prepared for.
The FA came by and asked if wanted a glass of Dom.
He blushed a bit and waved her off.
WHAT??? No DOM???
Was this the same guy who was throwing down the gauntlet to his business partners?
GOD, I had to know what his story was.
The plane eventually took off and the FAs tried to entice him into a glass of Champagne, or a Singapore Sling, or a glass of Bordeaux, or JW Blue. SOMETHING!!!!
But no. He just scribbled on a yellow notepad.
I watched him scan the cabin like a caged hawk.
He was maybe 25. Dressed in blue jeans from Target. A well-worn T-shirt from a down-low LA restaurant.
What???
He just kept scribbling on his yellow pad.
Finally I couldn't take it anymore.
"Excuse me" I said from across the aisle.
His eyes met mine and I felt an uncertain gravitas. An unusual weight.
"You were in the lounge at LAX." I said hesitantly.
He looked me over like a cop.
"Yeah?" he said indifferently.
Something made me take a different approach.
"I get the impression that you've never, uhh... umm... flown this route before," I said, stuttering. Then suddenly realized that I might have offended him.
He held a steady gaze on me and then looked away - seemingly BUSTED.
"Oh man" he said with a slight wince. "Was it THAT obvious?"
Fast-forward. The guy tells me he used to be a gang-banger, and then became a decorated cop in the absolute toughest neighborhood in Los Angeles.
That was 18 months ago.
Then a buddy of his got him a gig as a security guard. Then he parlayed that into a security job at a Hollywood studio.
Now 18 months later he was doing security prep for a major star who was making a $200 million movie in Tokyo and this guy's job was to fly the EXACT same route in the EXACT same class and seat, stay in the EXACT same presidential suite in Tokyo. Eat at the EXACT same restaurants, take the EXACT same limos, etc. etc. Then report back on security procedures, escape routes, etc., etc. before the star took his trip.
I was captivated.
Of course, he wouldn't divulge who the star was, but I helped take pictures of him in his F seat for his wife who still doesn't understand what the heck he does.
This was a revelation.
An ex-gang banger and inner-city cop flying First class on SQ.
Turns out his "million dollar" call was to sell an old family car for his brother to get a new one.
Couple of hundred bucks.
Boy was I wrong about him.
We got along famously.
Absolutely the most interesting passenger encounter of my life.
You live and learn.
Then learn some more.
.
Last edited by macabus; Aug 18, 2010 at 10:53 am
Aug 10, 2010, 10:12 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
^
AWESOME. on my EWR-DUB flight I sat next to a Boeing flight engineer and got an interesting education in plane operations.
AWESOME. on my EWR-DUB flight I sat next to a Boeing flight engineer and got an interesting education in plane operations.
Aug 10, 2010, 10:14 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: PHL
Programs: Former long-time US GP; now AA dirt
Posts: 4,904
Great story.
I was riveted.
Thanks for sharing.
The world is full of interesting people.
We're lucky when we meet some of them.
But my attention span allows me to read more than short paragraphs.
Hmm. You flew out of L.A.
Are you a fan of sports writer Bill Plaschke?
He writes in this same style!
I was riveted.
Thanks for sharing.
The world is full of interesting people.
We're lucky when we meet some of them.
But my attention span allows me to read more than short paragraphs.
Hmm. You flew out of L.A.
Are you a fan of sports writer Bill Plaschke?
He writes in this same style!
Sure gives another insight on the types of people who fly F.
Aug 11, 2010, 6:11 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Göteborg Sweden
Programs: SPG GOLD / BA GOLD/Club Carlson Gold/AMEX Plat.
Posts: 1,043
Great story...Nevere assume that someone that dresses like a teenager should not be in 1st class. You would be surprise HOW MANY wealthy people dont dress the part..