I always button but have never seen anyone else do this, guess I am not sitting next to the right people.

You make the assumption that all topics must be related to earning AA miles. That's a bad assumption. As long as the discussion is about AA, it's a valid topic for discussion. ;)

Actually the board IS about the Aadvantage program - however a VERY wide range is discussed........and back to the topic....

I always do - however some how my food has a mind of it's own and finds the gap to land squarely on my shirt or lap...... never fails. CX's solution to the button hole - Mini clothespin - works well.

Twice on my last 3 flights up front the buttonholes in the napkins were not actually holes, just the stitching around what were to have been holes. I am a dedicated dripper of salad dressing (the chances directly proportionate to the value of the shirt/tie) so I whipped out the trusty old implements of choice (plastic fork tongs useless) - a ballpoint pen and my house key - and made a holes where they should have been. Presto, no pesto messto.

Plus on an MD-80 it passes for in-flight entertainment. :(

Yeah I said it. So what.
 

<rant>

Mostly because far too many are uncivilized knuckle-dragging slags. ;) Look around you. People are putting their feet on bulkheads, wearing socks or going barefoot into the lav, changing babies on the seat trays, and dressing in whatever rags that look like the latest homeless-chic fashion. The same disgusting behaviour you see in Y has crept into F. You can't expect people who behave like that to know about or use the button hole on the napkin.

</rant>

Years ago, probably around 1969, I flew ORD-MIA on a NW flight. If I had only known what the "button hole" was for, it really would have come in handy. I was still in college and "Chicken Kiev" was something new to me. They served it for dinner and there were little toothpicks in the chicken that said, "Poke me gently." Paying no attention to the message, I jabbed the chicken with my fork and got squirted and drenched with butter sauce!

The person who met me at the gate thought I had thrown up all over myself! Come to think of it, I sat in COACH and I probably just had a paper napkin. Even so, it still may have saved my shirt if I had positioned the napkin properly.

Imagine that...Chicken Kiev served in Coach and it was delicious too!! :)

I always use the buttonhole.

Sometimes though, I forget and head off to the lav with my hanging napkin.

Perhaps AA has stopped actually cutting the holes in the stitching as another enhAAncement designed to save money. :D

AY does that, too. Very neat for when there is no button to be found.

Sami

What a delightful topic and reading through the discussion I feel I have learned something new too - having never quite twigged as to the purpose of the button hole.

Now if only the napkin had two button holes, one could thread a ribbon through so one could secure the cloth to ones head by ones chin. So much classier than tying knots at the four corners :)

When I travel, I usually wear something wrinkle resistant - rather than a blouse that will wrinkle, I wear a shell or knit top under my suit. Hence no buttons. However, I usually end up with food in my lap rather than on the front of my shirt.

I always use the button hole, for all the reasons described above, and most especially because the plastic "silverware" doesn't rtain food all that well.

No offense to the ladies, but how about "The He-man Napkin Buttoner's Club"??? ;)

I always button the napkin to my shirt, it doesn't make much sense to put it on my lap when most of that is covered by the tray.

Oh shock!

Is the 'class' going from First Class? :eek:

(Maybe that's why BA just call it 'First' these days!) :D

Regards

WG

(just hopping over to this forum quickly because (a) I have fond memories of AA from my many flights in 2004 between LHR and ORD - and AA rocks!) and (b) becuase I would never use a button hole napkin... I just wanted to see who does :) )