Wiirachay

(I was inspired to make this list after traveling with one of my college best friends to Europe over spring break. I was generous and shelled out the miles at the last minute to upgrade the both of us. When I told him that I was upgrading, he thought that it was just for only me. It was his first time to travel in int'l J. It was my 4th time. In exchange, he allowed me to ride shotgun in his car from/to college to/from his house. It was a 4 hour drive.)

You know someone's a bit too excited flying int'l first/business class if he/she:

* eats all of the food offered; meanwhile, all of the other pax are fast asleep. (My friend and I were guilty of this. I'm ALWAYS guilty of this.)

* attempted to recline the seat and footrest to/from resting position before the plane even left the gate. (My friend was guilty of this.)

* kicks his/her legs saying "look at all of this space" right after sitting down. (My friend was guilty of this.)

* can't seem to sleep during a 14 hour overnight flight (I was guilty of this one when I first flew in trans-Pacific J.)

* uses the in-flight satellite phone while using a timer -- just to hello at 35,000 ft over the ocean and from business class (I was guilty of this one.)

* prefers to sit in the J class cabin behind the boarding door so that Y class pax could see him/her. (My friend was guilty of this one. I was ready to kill him after he said that. )

* is amazed that there is a full-service, complimentary bar in the airline lounge. (Friend was guilty of this one. All I care about is unlimited, fresh orange juice.)

Any others???

- Pat

[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 07-20-2001).]

raffy

Funny post and oddly enough, I just read an article this week regarding these behaviors either in the newspaper or in Money magazine, where first time FC pax behaved almost exactly as you mentioned.

One item that the article mentions that your friend appears to not have done is wear shorts on the international FC, which, according to those FA’s who were interviewed, was a dead giveaway for first time FC flyers, among all the other items you’ve listed.

Gregg

While I've not flown international, much less first/business international, I've had only one experience in first class.

Back last year when Raleigh was closed down for two days and of course I was flying on Midway which uses Raleigh as a hub, I was put on Delta to get me home.

I waited standby and was given my boarding ticket at the last minute. I noticed the seat 3(something) and thought nothing more than I was sitting near the front of the plane (not first class). Got in, found out I was in first class and was more than happy because my short flight from MCO to ATL was only going to be an hour and stuck with a 5 hour layover in ATL which ended up being 6 hours.

During that one visit to first class I made sure I used the in-seat TV to do nothing more than watch the flight of the plane, recline to seat to enjoy that one hour flight (it was an international plane so it had plenty of reclining room without bothering anyone) and make a visit to the first class bathroom to see what it's like compared to the nasty one we get in cattle car class (I'm not one to use the first class bathroom while I'm riding cattle car class).

So I guess I'm one who exhibited the traits of someone who was "too excited flying in first class."

LAX UA 1K

I saw the article in USA Today last week (front page, below the fold). Joan Rivers was quoted extensively and I found it interesting.

Charles

JerryFF

-- Thinks he's going to be arrested when the FA addresses him by name.
-- Walks rearward through the curtain to go to the restroom.
-- Asks for plastic utensils because he can't eat airline food with silverware.
-- Thinks the tablecloth on the tray table is because someone told the FA he was a slob.
-- Thinks it's a special flight prohibiting infants and young children.
-- Asks for two cocktails at once because he doesn't have the exact amount for 1.

rwinn

Not only was this guy new to first class, he didn't seem to have much class of his own.

On a recent AS flight from ANC to ORD a 17 - 18 year old looking kid boarded the aircraft just before the door closed. He sat down in the aisle bulkhead seat, just opposite from where my girlfriend and I were sitting in row one.

Since he boarded so late and he was in the bulkhead, he couldn't find any room for his backpack so he removed my laptop bag, put it back in and then put his backpack right in front of it.

Our next clue that we weren't dealing with a seasoned traveler was when he used his cell phone to call a friend to say he was "just chillin in first class". From what I could gather, a family friend or perhaps a family member works for Alaska Airlines and they upgraded him to first class.

By the time he boarded, he had already missed the "you may use your cell phone until we close the door announcement", which he obviously wasn't familiar with. He continued to chitchat through the door closing, through the safety demonstration and into the taxi. He finally ended his call after the FA approached him, stared at him and waved her hand in front of his face.

After downing his complementary bottled water, he chewed on a snack of his own. He had brought along some sunflower seeds which he chewed and spat into the water bottle for the remainder of the five and a half hour flight.

-Robert

worldbanker

Good post, a few more....
- watches every movie featured instead of sleeping
- opens the amenity kit immediately (like an eager child at Christmas!)
- rings their call button after FAs disappear after meal service(just because)
- orders champagne or mimosa for pre-flight drink (also orders champagne at any time during flight just because)
- doesn't tip bartender in lounge after 3 drinks
- plays with electric seat controls for first 2 hours of flight

and most importantly, tear eyed when he/she has to sit back in Y with us unwashed masses again

B747-437B

This could also be because they are riding on a NW DC9-10 series which has no forward lav.

Leisuremiles

-Burns his/her fingers on the mixed nuts...oh I guess this no longer applies.

clacko

i always open the amenity pack to check it out, put on the socks, save the stuff iwant to keep. etc. why? it is possible that they will recycle it if it isn't opened but i figure that it is gone if i don't use it. have given copious amounts of the stuff to homeless shelters, put other things in the box at the colorado fishing club. [ tooth brushes are a popular item ] . the zip cases are useful. but my spouse says we have too many.

outoftown

I rarely fly coach but I'm guilty of most of the items mentioned regarding the seats and the electronics, but I've noticed first time fc also...
-Constantly open and close the overhead bin to take stuff out before pushback and then again as soon as we're above 10K.
-Ask for a second round of Mimosas before takeoff.
-Take every newspaper that's offered to go with that stack of magazines they're hoarding, oh wait a minute, I do that.

I'm guilty of ordering the Sundae "with the works" and playing video blackjack for 5 hours straight but I do this all the time in fc so I don't think that would qualify as first time behavior. My wife would consider it immature instead.

pynchonesque

Too bad that not all of us were born flying F.

GG

Saw the Toady arkle. For a Toady arkle, it was amusing.

I'm Guilty of:

- getting stuff out of and back into the overhead bin at least a couple of times during most flights. On BizElite flights, there's nowhere to put a real bag - you have to stow it overhead for takeoff.

- ordering champagne early and drinking it often. I like champagne, even if it's really Sekt or Prosecco or some other method champenoise and even a few - ecch! - so-called "American champagnes". If this is Uncool, too bad. I'm too old to worry about cool.

- eating all the food offered. If I'm hungry. But no "whipped cream" on the Sundaes, please!

- playing with my seat. They all seem to be a little quirky these days in DL BizElite. Besides, too long in one position isn't comfortable.

But I have NEVER:

- reclined my seat before takeoff (and I only recline when I'm in F of some sort, unless there's an empty seat behind me in coach!)

- watched more than one movie on a flight (usually don't watch any). This includes LAX-MEL, which may not be the longest flight available, but it's long enough.

- rung for a FA in FC. Never needed to. (Maybe twice ever in coach for ANY reason).

OK: Does going "Ooo - look at that!" out the window mark you as a Neo? It can be anything from the Matterhorn to a bunch of clouds. If so, Guilty, always!

R-

We only travel one or twice a month, but I almost always travel in shorts and a loud print shirt. I also travel exclusively for leisure, so we get upgrades sbout 90% of the time. I usually travel with an eight year old and a two year old (who has only had to fly in coach twice in his life). My kids eat all of the food, and always ask for "whipped cream" on their sundaes.

mudgal

Ewwwwwwww! Yuk!