Aggressive, Vulgar Behavior from Uniformed Non-AA Pilot Passenger
Jun 13, 2018, 3:15 pm
#136
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP 1.0mm, not sure where I am with hotels these days
Posts: 2,795
Jun 14, 2018, 5:17 am
#137
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 141
Couple of notes ..
1. AA pilots are not in ALPA. So if he had an ALPA lanyard, he's not an AA pilot.
2. You boarded a flight at 2230. It is beyond rude to be having a conversation on a redeye beyond whispering quietly to your seatmate. That doesn't excuse inappropriate language or behavior but I hope you understand carrying on anything other than a whispered conversation. Many of us on redeyes (in F or Y) have a full day of work on the other end and are just shifting coasts overnight.
1. AA pilots are not in ALPA. So if he had an ALPA lanyard, he's not an AA pilot.
2. You boarded a flight at 2230. It is beyond rude to be having a conversation on a redeye beyond whispering quietly to your seatmate. That doesn't excuse inappropriate language or behavior but I hope you understand carrying on anything other than a whispered conversation. Many of us on redeyes (in F or Y) have a full day of work on the other end and are just shifting coasts overnight.
Cheers,
TG
Jun 14, 2018, 5:32 am
#138
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: BA GGL, Gold for Life
Posts: 590
Gosh, people do get worked up about their right to sleep on a late evening/night flight! I generally travel alone, and on a night flight I will almost certainly be trying to sleep, but if people in nearby seats are conversing at a slightly lower than normal daytime volume I would regard that as perfectly acceptable.
When I'm ready to sleep I will insert ear plugs, don eye shades, and to sleep I will hopefully go. If the nearby conversation is so loud that it percolates through my defences for more than a few minutes, I would try jamming the earplugs in further; if that didn't work, then I would probably ask the cabin crew to have a word. I certainly wouldn't sit/lie there cursing.
When I'm ready to sleep I will insert ear plugs, don eye shades, and to sleep I will hopefully go. If the nearby conversation is so loud that it percolates through my defences for more than a few minutes, I would try jamming the earplugs in further; if that didn't work, then I would probably ask the cabin crew to have a word. I certainly wouldn't sit/lie there cursing.
Jun 14, 2018, 6:00 am
#139
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 6
Really?Some responsibility here. It wasn’t all the pilots fault
When he started mumbling did you even bother to ask the guy if you’re disturbing him. Have a conversation. See if you can make some adjustments.
You guys were obviously too wrapped up in yourselves until he really escalated to care.
And the way you’ve tried to out-logic everybody who doesn’t have the same opinion as you in this thread shows me that you feel entitled.
You started this thread and now you can’t even except peoples opposing opinions... and try to twist their logic around. Nice. It just makes you look worse.
Airplanes are already full of annoyances and people doing weird and inconsiderate things. Last thing we need are more entitled frequent-flier passengers who are so inside themselves think they can talk as much as they want without bothering anyone and read under a spotlight without bothering anybody else around them. (And don’t demand like some in the thread above that other people bring earplugs and shades when you can just as easily bring a Kindle or an LEDUSB powered reading lamp that is much more personalized)
Personally, I think both the pilot and you guys were out of line. He was raging and you guys were rude and tried to ignore his discomfort. Maybe the best outcome is for both of you to have to sit in front of a row of kids that kick the back your chair to the beat of house music for an entire transatlantic flight.
You guys were obviously too wrapped up in yourselves until he really escalated to care.
And the way you’ve tried to out-logic everybody who doesn’t have the same opinion as you in this thread shows me that you feel entitled.
You started this thread and now you can’t even except peoples opposing opinions... and try to twist their logic around. Nice. It just makes you look worse.
Airplanes are already full of annoyances and people doing weird and inconsiderate things. Last thing we need are more entitled frequent-flier passengers who are so inside themselves think they can talk as much as they want without bothering anyone and read under a spotlight without bothering anybody else around them. (And don’t demand like some in the thread above that other people bring earplugs and shades when you can just as easily bring a Kindle or an LEDUSB powered reading lamp that is much more personalized)
Personally, I think both the pilot and you guys were out of line. He was raging and you guys were rude and tried to ignore his discomfort. Maybe the best outcome is for both of you to have to sit in front of a row of kids that kick the back your chair to the beat of house music for an entire transatlantic flight.
Jun 14, 2018, 6:19 am
#140
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 77
If others can hear you yakking on a midnight flight, you are talking too loudly.
Jun 14, 2018, 6:26 am
#141
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 77
If others can hear you yakking on a midnight flight, you are talking too loudly.
Jun 14, 2018, 6:31 am
#142
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 65
Was it presumptuous to suppose his comments were directed at you? Perhaps the comments were directed to the voices in his head?
Jun 14, 2018, 6:40 am
#143
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
I've flown redeyes from LAX to JFK, for anyone seated in the vicinity of the BC galley there is (1)lots of noise from FAs, (2)lots of bright lights...so flight crew related disturbances to pax is the norm; so using a reading light and/or subdued conversation should not be an issue.
[I haven't flown this route recently, so maybe on newer planes the galley area is more isolated(?)
[I haven't flown this route recently, so maybe on newer planes the galley area is more isolated(?)
Jun 14, 2018, 6:42 am
#144
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Passengers should not engage each other on contentious issues. That is why there are FA's. They are trained to deal with controversy and more importantly, in the case of an airline employee, are even more likely to have an impact. The fact is that OP and colleague were rude and insensitive. If they needed the time to speak on a business matter, they should have planned that better,
But, that does not justify anything the other passenger, whether an off-duty employee or not, did. If he was disturbed, he should have asked a FA to speak with OP and colleague, presumably OP would have realized that he was disturbing others and would have piped down.
But, that does not justify anything the other passenger, whether an off-duty employee or not, did. If he was disturbed, he should have asked a FA to speak with OP and colleague, presumably OP would have realized that he was disturbing others and would have piped down.
Jun 14, 2018, 7:11 am
#145
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Earth
Posts: 19
Couple of notes ..
1. AA pilots are not in ALPA. So if he had an ALPA lanyard, he's not an AA pilot.
2. You boarded a flight at 2230. It is beyond rude to be having a conversation on a redeye beyond whispering quietly to your seatmate. That doesn't excuse inappropriate language or behavior but I hope you understand carrying on anything other than a whispered conversation. Many of us on redeyes (in F or Y) have a full day of work on the other end and are just shifting coasts overnight.
1. AA pilots are not in ALPA. So if he had an ALPA lanyard, he's not an AA pilot.
2. You boarded a flight at 2230. It is beyond rude to be having a conversation on a redeye beyond whispering quietly to your seatmate. That doesn't excuse inappropriate language or behavior but I hope you understand carrying on anything other than a whispered conversation. Many of us on redeyes (in F or Y) have a full day of work on the other end and are just shifting coasts overnight.
Jun 14, 2018, 7:26 am
#146
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Egham, Surrey, UK
Programs: Mucci Champion des Champions, BAG4L, *A Gold, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, Hertz Gold, Avis President
Posts: 3,416
I think the OP was rude and inconsiderate to other pax in the cabin. If it's a late night/overnight flight it's obvious people will be trying to sleep. As has been mentioned previously you might have thought you were talking quietly, although later your description changed to "hushed", but maybe you don't realise how loud you speak. I wouldn't have done what the pilot did but I certainly would have complained about the disturbance to a flight attendant. And yes it is public transport but some people have an enhanced sense of entitlement where their behaviour is concerned.
Jun 14, 2018, 7:54 am
#147
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 28
Instead of keeping it to yourself and making both you and the pilot stressed all night, why didn't you talk to the pilot or if not the cabin crew? It probably could have been resolved in 2 minutes.
Jun 14, 2018, 7:58 am
#148
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
And the good news is that the cabins on American planes are getting "densified", bringing all of us that much closer together.
Jun 14, 2018, 8:03 am
#149
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,625
Maybe that pilot was rehearsing his response for the credit card announcement.
Jun 14, 2018, 8:11 am
#150
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SFO/TPA
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 199
Operative word is “seemed.” Most people aren't rude, nasty and hostile like that pilot. Most of us try to get along by being tolerant of each other's generally-accepted-as-normal but nonetheless annoying behavior.