boeingair

Hello all,

I was just thinking about how I never use the FA Call button. I always instead just say 'excuse me' when they walk by. For some reason, I have this idea that using the call button is in bad taste, and irritates the FAs.

Do any of you have any insight? Would FAs rather I pushed the call button so that an available FA can help me, rather than whoever happens to be walking by?

Thanks! ^ ^ ^

-boeingair

room service

I have always considered the FA call button to be more of an emergency type of button. Can you imagine the noise and confusion if everyone pushed the button every time they wanted another drink or some trash picked up?

SEA1K4EVR

I push it very rarely...only if I'm in a window seat and I'm dyin for that next glass of wine and several minutes go by with no FA passing by. If I'm in an aisle then I'll just get up and ask for what I need.

I have also rang it if the movie is starting and I discover my head set does not work and I don't want to miss the beginning of the movie. Also one time when the woman next to me spilled wine all over herself.

UA2SYD

There might as well be glass over it with a little red hammer attached, AFAIAC. I was on a flight to HNL earlier this year seated next to a co-worker. We were playing cards and in the middle of the game, he casually reaches up and presses the FA button, in order to get another drink. I was kind of embarassed when she arrived and took his order. Just weird I guess. If I want something, I usually wait for a FA to walk by or walk to the galley area myself. Remember, the FAs are there for your safety, then comfort.

Not a sermon, just a thought.

tods27

A couple years ago on a FRA-IAD flight, I was a bit lazy and hit the call button to get a refill of coffee (in Y class). Several flight attendants passed by my seat and every one of them ignored the call light. After a while it kind of became a game to see how long it would take them to notice that the call light was on. After what seemed like a long time, I took my coffee cup to the rear galley and mentioned to the FAs gathered there that I had hit the call button and everybody ignored it. I also pointed out that it really wasn't a big deal in my case as I only wanted more coffee, but if it had been an emergency, they could have had a big problem on their hands. They all apologized profusely, got me my coffee and later in the flight stopped by with a bottle of wine for me to take home (ahh... the good old days!).

I agree that I typically don't use the call button for things like drinks, but I also think that FAs should respond when someone pushes the call button, regardless of the reason for them ringing it.

PremEx

Funny how many of us are "conditioned." Because I have this same "feeling."

I think it hearkens to some inner feeling that by pressing the bell, we are summoning the FA's. Commanding them to come. Like they were our own personal servants or something. And that kind of thought rubs some folks the wrong way, and they don't like to do it.

Most of the time I do what you do...try to intercept an FA that's walking by, or try to make eye contact and indicate to them that I need something.

But if I've got my laptop or a meal on the tray table and I'm just dying for a drink of water or something...then I do not hesitate to ring the thing.

It's really funny because I don't think the FAs think anything about it at all. They are glad to assist for the most part.

Wiggums

Being a 1K for almost 3 years and having flown nearly 350,000 miles, I have NEVER pushed the button! I understood it had to be an absolute emergency. I usually walk up and get drinks or wait until an FA walks past me.

PremEx

Funny...I never had that understanding at all.

In fact, in the old days of air travel, people were pushing them all the time for every little thing. But those were different times when service was King.

Today if you did a study, I bet you'd find window seat pax ring the things more than anyone.

GoingAway

Premex, I bet you were in C or F when you hit that button and the FA was glad to assist. I've been on more than one flight when some hapless person hits the call button (intentionally or by mistake) and an FA has indicated that 1) they didn't appreciate being summoned and 2) that if it's not an emergency, they'd be with you when they can and please wait. Probably not the level of customer service UA intended, but that is the "conditioning" I've experienced. Personally, I don't use it. I'd rather take the walk to galley and stretch my legs.

kkjay77

I also think that I've been conditioned too. I don't use it because it does not do anything. When I need to use it, like when I'm in window sit in E and my seatmates have reclined and sleeping and I want water, I feel hopeless. No wonder when I'm flying transpac routes in E, I'm usually flying OZ where I don't have to beg for FAs attention.

JeffS

Remember how they were always going off on the DC-10? I think it became a standard part of the announcements to remind people that they were hitting the call button and not the light button.

CApreppie

I don't use the call button in situations where I need a refill, etc. I tend to use it to notify them of a situation, like no audio on the IFE or something safety related. Hopefully I get an FA where I don't need to get their attention, but if I do, I just try to say excuse me.

ExCrew

Many of you don't notice, but when a passenger hits the call button, a blue overhead indicator light illuminates on most aircraft. We had a saying...'If the light turns blue, the passenger better be as well!'
Honestly, I never had a problem with someone ringing it for something necessary. But when someone rang the call button to hand me some trash...especially when I didn't even have the opportunity to go through and 'do' trash, I had an issue. The other problem I had with it was when we would have just taken off (30 seconds into climbout) and a customer would ring. I would make my way down the aisle, and a customer would ask 'Do you have a pillow?' I would inform them that when it was safe for me to be up, I would look. Then I would go sit back down.

tods27

I have yet to hear anything in the safety announcements saying that the call button is for emergencies only.

canuck_in_pa

Last time I hit the button (on purpose at least) was a couple of years ago, on a US Dornier 328 prop job, Ottawa-PIT.

The lady beside me hadn't flown me in 20 years, was going to Florida for her wedding. The turbulence on approach got to her. Gave her the sick bag, hit the button, and made a barfing kind of sign to the FA (she was in front facing back). She came over when we got off the active runway.

I don't think the lady made her connection...