Action against unprincipled passenger?

Old Jul 28, 2018, 10:10 am
  #46  
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Originally Posted by SpinOn2
I firmly agree the CK was devious, a jerk who knew what he was doing here. That being said, as scummy as it is, I do not see how this should be anything more. Barring him using shear physical intimidation or force, I don't feel anything else should come of it. I think it's a little over-sensitive to think anything else is warranted more than a little "piece of the parents mind" and the good ole embarrassing walk of shame back to where you belong, which surely would hurt a DYKWIA's ego that he likely has massive of.
If it was just someone trrying to do a swap within the same ticketed cabin, I would agree , but in this case it is trying to scam a seat in a different class of servioe

I cannot understand why an airline member of staff would even have helped in such a seat swap - if someone came nto 1st class and tried to con a child to swap with an economy class seat, would the memer of staff help just as eagerly ?

Originally Posted by jphripjah
Out of curiosity, would you guys put a kid or vulnerable young woman in an aisle seat rather than a window on the grounds that there's less chance of them being groped in an aisle seat?
Have you looked at the reality of such risk? the chance of a stranger on an aeroplane doing such a thing is extremely low and if such an imporobable event were to occur, can't see that the likelihood of it occurring in an aisle seat is that much less than a window seat. This would have to be a stranger that would actually even attempt this whilst in a middle seat next to another persn

anyone that worried, I would hope would not ever leave the kid in the care of a family friend or regular baby sitter when going out , since a known trusted person is much more likely to do such a thing than a stranger

Last edited by Dave Noble; Jul 28, 2018 at 10:18 am
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 10:22 am
  #47  
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I suspect the cabin crew thought that it was easier for them to facilitate the seat swap than to have the CK DYKWIA guy complain and try to get the FAs to help him get seats together for the family or demand that the cabin crew upgrade the wife and daughter during the flight, find better seats for wife and daughter even if they couldn't sit next to the CK, etc.
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 10:37 am
  #48  
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A reminder that CK is not necessarily based on spend.
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 10:46 am
  #49  
 
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Originally Posted by desi
I had just assumed that all parents always compromise themselves to give better things to kids. <snip> But I now realize that values are different in different cultures even on such minor issues of life. (Have also noticed that fairly common for US/UK parents putting themselves into balcony cabin and kids in dingy interior cabin on cruises).

But to each their own...
And, in other news, in most US homes the parents have large bedrooms with attached bathrooms and kids have smaller bedrooms with shared bathrooms. Oh, the humanity!!!

You must tell us where you are from where the adults drive Toyotas and their kids Mercedes.

What you said might make sense if it were for the basic needs of life (i.e. the bread scenario you point out), but when you devolve into material items of where kids sleep on a cruise ship it becomes a bit silly.

Last edited by whimike; Jul 28, 2018 at 10:53 am
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 10:47 am
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Originally Posted by desi
Unrelated observation from a different point of view.
(I am sure it can all attributed to cultural differences)

Many years ago when watching the first Home-Alone movie, I had wondered what kind of parents put themseleves in business class and kids in inferior economy class. I had just assumed that all parents always compromise themselves to give better things to kids.
The kids were 14 and 16.

Having teenagers in Premium Economy while the parents are in Business .... I get your point from a high level perspective but not in this case,

Although, I once had a couple of flagship agents laughing when my kids were in international F and I was in J. I bought a Y ticket and upgraded with a SWU while I scored saver F tickets for them.
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 10:59 am
  #51  
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Originally Posted by desi
Unrelated observation from a different point of view.
(I am sure it can all attributed to cultural differences)

Many years ago when watching the first Home-Alone movie, I had wondered what kind of parents put themseleves in business class and kids in inferior economy class. I had just assumed that all parents always compromise themselves to give better things to kids. (i.e. go hungry but give extra slice of bread to kids) So from that point of view, would have had no sympathy for OP. But I now realize that values are different in different cultures even on such minor issues of life. (Have also noticed that fairly common for US/UK parents putting themselves into balcony cabin and kids in dingy interior cabin on cruises).

But to each their own...

edit: Just noticed that couple of others posters have already made similar point earlier today. Glad to see some others feel same way)
My father was a top tier flier with LH for a lot of my childhood and for flights that only 2 people would be upgraded or 2 seats available, I was perfectly happy to stay in Y with my sister and let them enjoy up front.

my father is 6 feet tall. At the time I was like 4 feet. Plus obviously a child cannot drink. So Y as a child is perfectly fine.

Maybe was just me, but my parents were always clear that we werent owed anything by virtue of being born into a family with means to travel. So Y it was.
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 10:59 am
  #52  
 
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You always, always, always, ALWAYS report misbehavior. ALWAYS. Even when you suspect nothing will be done. Why?

1. You don't know this guy's record. He may be a CK...with 9 reports of misbehavior on his record. Maybe the airline let it slide those 9 times, but maybe they'll decide the guy is too much trouble to be worth the revenue he brings in the 10th time he's reported.

2. You don't know if this guy might be at the beginning of a streak of such behavior. Every time the guy goes unreported is a missed opportunity to correct his misbehavior.

3. You don't know what might happen in the future. Let's say that this guy does something really nasty, which results in a lawsuit against AA for failing to intercede. And let's say that he has a record a mile long of reported misbehavior, and AA took no action because all they cared about was getting the revenue he brought it. A lawyer can allege that AA violated its duty of care and shares liability for his bad actions. AA knew the guy was a bad actor because pax and FAs have reported him, and the airline failed to take the slightest, reasonable action to ensure its passengers' well-being.
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 2:36 pm
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Originally Posted by lobo411
You always, always, always, ALWAYS report misbehavior. ALWAYS. Even when you suspect nothing will be done. Why?

(...)

3. You don't know what might happen in the future. Let's say that this guy does something really nasty, which results in a lawsuit against AA for failing to intercede. And let's say that he has a record a mile long of reported misbehavior, and AA took no action because all they cared about was getting the revenue he brought it. A lawyer can allege that AA violated its duty of care and shares liability for his bad actions. AA knew the guy was a bad actor because pax and FAs have reported him, and the airline failed to take the slightest, reasonable action to ensure its passengers' well-being.
From CK seat robber to CK tortfeasor? That's quite a stretch. AA will do nothing here. And flying weekly from DFW to MAD, in PE no less? No thanks. Enjoy that "life".

As for "always be reporting", from time to time on a late Shuttle flight especially, the FA will give me an extra mini bottle of booze. I'm about 99% certain that's verboten by AA. If you witnessed that, are you going to write in to AA to complain? About the FA? About me? Airlines also take note of the excessive complainers...
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 3:01 pm
  #54  
 
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I was hoping the kids' response when asked to downgrade would have been to call the FA and ask to have him/her pass the message along to his parents in J that the nice man sitting next to them asked them to move back to Row XX, so his family could sit with him. That would have nipped it right in the bud!

I get the sense here that the OP's friend's issue is more about accountability for the galling behavior. People like like that eventually get theirs. It's the law of karma.
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 3:39 pm
  #55  
 
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Originally Posted by JDiver
A reminder that CK is not necessarily based on spend.
I have a friend who is CK. He's the assistant for an executive who travels a lot and, by virtue of a corporate contract, has been granted CK. He rarely flies himself.
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 5:23 pm
  #56  
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Hmm, seems like there were lots of people in the OP's story that didn't stay in the cabin in which they were ticketed, which is a big no-no on inbound flights to the US!
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 5:37 pm
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Originally Posted by ijgordon
Hmm, seems like there were lots of people in the OP's story that didn't stay in the cabin in which they were ticketed, which is a big no-no on inbound flights to the US!
That is a good point. The parents weren't supposed to cross cabins. Nor were they supposed to take food to another cabin.

For the record though, I'm glad the CK member was called out for what he did. Beyond that, expecting AA to "take action" seems like a stretch..
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 5:47 pm
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by CHOPCHOP767
Airlines also take note of the excessive complainers...
Well, you're free to play it as you see it. As general advice, though...it's bad practice to let yourself be punked.
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 6:36 pm
  #59  
 
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Originally Posted by Dave Noble
If it was just someone trrying to do a swap within the same ticketed cabin, I would agree , but in this case it is trying to scam a seat in a different class of servioe

I cannot understand why an airline member of staff would even have helped in such a seat swap - if someone came nto 1st class and tried to con a child to swap with an economy class seat, would the memer of staff help just as eagerly ?



Have you looked at the reality of such risk? the chance of a stranger on an aeroplane doing such a thing is extremely low and if such an imporobable event were to occur, can't see that the likelihood of it occurring in an aisle seat is that much less than a window seat. This would have to be a stranger that would actually even attempt this whilst in a middle seat next to another persn

anyone that worried, I would hope would not ever leave the kid in the care of a family friend or regular baby sitter when going out , since a known trusted person is much more likely to do such a thing than a stranger
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Old Jul 28, 2018, 6:40 pm
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It doesn't happen often but often enough to be a valid concern. I would choose the aisle if for no other reason than it is easier to get out of your seat if someone is bothering you.
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