I've frequently seen the complaint about noisy kids in FC and would agree it must be annoying when the parents don't care. Since I only upgrade 50/50 I don't spend as much time in FC as the rest of many here might so I've never encoutered it.

To be honest, the biggest nuisance I had while in FC was yesterday. Three segments due to bad weather at ORD, so re-routed on AA through DFW to PHX (originating in BDL.) Originally booked for BDL-ORD-PHX. FC was packed with FA's on all three segments. The first segment was pleasant, and myself and the lone other non-crewmember in FC chatted with the FA's, listened to their difficulties with the airline, their favorite/most hated routes, stories, etc. From ORD to DFW was the worst. The entire cabin was noisy, and as all the mixed AA employees (captains, mostly FA's, and some ground crew) all got acquainted and moaned about having to "deadhead" all day (unpaid segments while traveling from base to home.) They apparently thought it was funny that a passenger would upgrade to first and have to use miles, or, in my case, be on a Netsaver ($449 with no advance, roundtrip ORD to Phoenix, with earnings for an F booking, and I didn't even know I was getting ripped off!) They made jokes about the disgusting food in first, vs. lack of food in coach, all wishing that they could have the JFK-CDG (I believe-Paris) route rather than being domestic. They were loud, at times a captain who was deadheading would stand up and do a demonstration of whatever-putting on his coat, grabbing luggage, and try to make a joke about it. When two other "passengers" got on the plane, which was delayed an hour, the bulkhead A and B seats had to go "to the back"-a pilot and FA, apparently, and a big deal was made about it. The other employees applauded the "classy" (no pun intended) move to accomodate two "pose-air riche" (as opposed to nouveau riche, I heard the term "pose-air (poser) riche" used by one FA to describe non-AA employed PAX in FC, regardless of why/how we were there. When the FA on duty served me wine with lunch, the deadheaders brought up a new topic, and apparently were trying to speak so that they were heard by me...i.e., quite loud. "Would you have served him?" "I either don't offer or just offer, I never card, never seen that" "He looks 15! She should be reported for doing that." "Probably a spoiled brat who's never done this before and thinks he's gonna be pampered up front." (this deadhead captain had the politeness to speak in a demured tone, and maybe if he wasn't in the seat directly behind me, I wouldn't have heard.) I thought about pulling out my ID coincidentally, I am age 21,neither older nor younger) and offering it to the FA who had served me when she poured the second and final glass, but it seemed too awkward and I doubt she would have looked at it. That was, in summary, the only unpleasant segment (ORD-DFW). In fact, I offered to exchange seats with one of the two deadheaders who had relinquished a seat in FC to a normal paying passenger, just to escape the unpleasantness and bad company...isn't that ironic? I even requested a coach bistro meal after seeing what was brought out for lunch in FC, but they had none left! The downgraded pilot refused my offer. He did thank me, but made a point to say that it "wasn't allowed."

How about a new term for obnoxious deadheaders...unaccompanied crew? Like unaccompanied minors? I'm not trying to suggest that all the gate agents, FA's, captains, etc. are obnoxious jerks. Actually, I think American's service has become polarized in person and over the phone regardless of status or otherwise...some very gracious and helpful individuals, some rude one's who make nasty jokes. (When I politely asked for a ticket agent to call American Express to get authorization for a corporate credit card in my mother's name as I am an authorized user and shareholder, the agent said, "it doesn't have your name on it. I just de-authorized it. Give me something with your name on it. What don't you understand?" I returned with a crack about how this woman managed to de-authorize a credit card, asking if she had succeeded in de-magnetizing the strip, as I walked away with my tickets paid for with the last of my cash (no checks either without my name on it..."how do I know you work for them? I don't care if you have the same address and suite number. That doesn't mean anything." (It doesn't?) I asked if she knew where I could find an ATM and she said, "a bank", while double-counting the last bills in my wallet.) And she went back to her romance novel (it was 9:30 PM at PHX, not a busy time/ticket counter.)