Galleries North - Etiquette/Foul language
Jun 18, 2017, 1:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Newcastle
Programs: BA Executive Club Gold (plus Others!)
Posts: 16
Galleries North - Etiquette/Foul language
Morning all - I want to ask did I do the right thing this morning. I arrived overnight from AUH with Mrs PP and we are awaiting our connection to NCL. For ease we visited Galleries North and found a seat near the computers. Around us were several well healed travellers of all nationalities, but directly in front of Mrs PP was an early 20 something "skater boy" complete with skateboard. He was on a FaceTime call to the USA and was loud, rude and using expletives that began with F and C.
This continued as part of a loud moronic "dude" riddled conversation. When he strung four F words together in one sentence I flipped - nicely. I stepped across crouched down and advised him in my dulcet Geordie tones that his language was inappropriate as there were both ladies and children in proximity.
At this point his volume seemed to increase and the conversation then included references to me being "p.... " by his conversation, that he was "not swearing" and that the English were boring - he even referred to his right to free speech as an American. He said they had a first amendment in the USA. I almost lost it but reminded him that I had warned him and that was his final warning. I immediately had him removed by customers services who found 5 cans of stolen BA Heineken in his bag. Upon leaving I apologised to the customer services agent for creating work for her , a nice lady who told me they escorted him and his skateboard to his flight , said he was drunk and the cabin crew were advised he was to have no alcohol. He was a business class passenger. Whilst that didn't surprise me what did was the apologies. From an American chap sitting nearby for his "countrymans" behaviour and two of the ladies in our row aswell as a couple who sounded South African who were sat nearby. Was I right to deal with this and why would everyone let this foul mouthed urchin behave like this in a lounge unchecked?
This continued as part of a loud moronic "dude" riddled conversation. When he strung four F words together in one sentence I flipped - nicely. I stepped across crouched down and advised him in my dulcet Geordie tones that his language was inappropriate as there were both ladies and children in proximity.
At this point his volume seemed to increase and the conversation then included references to me being "p.... " by his conversation, that he was "not swearing" and that the English were boring - he even referred to his right to free speech as an American. He said they had a first amendment in the USA. I almost lost it but reminded him that I had warned him and that was his final warning. I immediately had him removed by customers services who found 5 cans of stolen BA Heineken in his bag. Upon leaving I apologised to the customer services agent for creating work for her , a nice lady who told me they escorted him and his skateboard to his flight , said he was drunk and the cabin crew were advised he was to have no alcohol. He was a business class passenger. Whilst that didn't surprise me what did was the apologies. From an American chap sitting nearby for his "countrymans" behaviour and two of the ladies in our row aswell as a couple who sounded South African who were sat nearby. Was I right to deal with this and why would everyone let this foul mouthed urchin behave like this in a lounge unchecked?
Jun 18, 2017, 1:56 am
#3
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
Well done for taking a stand.
To give the lounge staff the benefit of the doubt may be they didn't know he was causing a nuisance.
If he was drunk when ejected, and had taken cans of alcohol, its a shame he wasn't denied boarding and escorted out the airport. Sounds a bit weak to me but perhaps BA prefer softer targets for ejection like a sober teenager who has got a bit over-excited when taking photos in the airport....
To give the lounge staff the benefit of the doubt may be they didn't know he was causing a nuisance.
If he was drunk when ejected, and had taken cans of alcohol, its a shame he wasn't denied boarding and escorted out the airport. Sounds a bit weak to me but perhaps BA prefer softer targets for ejection like a sober teenager who has got a bit over-excited when taking photos in the airport....
Jun 18, 2017, 2:15 am
#7
Community Director
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Location: Norwich, UK
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Absolutely the right thing to do - I am also typically un-British and tend to gently call people on their behaviour when it reaches extremes and is clearly annoying many others.
As a real ale drinker, the cans of Heineken would be the clincher though
.
I'm also surprised BA allowed him to board if indeed they declared to the crew he was drunk - particularly given his known previous behaviour both generally and when interacting with other passengers, which sounds like a recipe for trouble when in the air and a potential divert situation.
As a real ale drinker, the cans of Heineken would be the clincher though
.I'm also surprised BA allowed him to board if indeed they declared to the crew he was drunk - particularly given his known previous behaviour both generally and when interacting with other passengers, which sounds like a recipe for trouble when in the air and a potential divert situation.
Jun 18, 2017, 2:44 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
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Jun 18, 2017, 3:02 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MME (midway between NCL and LBA)
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Posts: 743
Good stuff Pete.
(although thinking of the infamous Printing & Breakfast post, I am actually half hoping for a reply from a poster called SkaterBoy...)
(although thinking of the infamous Printing & Breakfast post, I am actually half hoping for a reply from a poster called SkaterBoy...)
Jun 18, 2017, 3:13 am
#14
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Join Date: Mar 2014
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Out of interest did you notice anything distinctive about this guy especially about his deck or in his appearance i.e tattoos? This could have been a celeb.
BTW you certainly did the right thing.
BTW you certainly did the right thing.
Jun 18, 2017, 3:13 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Balham - Gateway to The South
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Posts: 2,020
Good for you, I personally wouldn't have said anything directly to such an oaf, but they would have been given 'the look'.
Glad that the lounge staff dealt with it appropriately.
Glad that the lounge staff dealt with it appropriately.