Seat Kicked
Dec 16, 2017, 5:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
Seat Kicked
I was on the upper deck of a BA A380 in the Y cabin and the flight was full. At the gate a child who looked 10 or so kicked my Father and my seat. We politely turnef around and asked the Mother for her Daughter to stop.
Fast forward to after meal service while watching a movie and dozing off my seat was kicked very hard and jostled my neck and I was in pain.
I immediately pressed the FA call button to report it and said I was in pain. So the FA got ice. I asked to be reseated even if it were in a different cabin and the FA refused.
Another passenger gets involved a tall man and he said how dare I report this and te big girl has a disability. I am sorry but this excuse is poor. So what if you have a disability the Mother had to apologize and try to stop the situation. I was kicked forcefully.
As we were leaving the plane I excused myself to get off with my Father. The same tall man prevented me and stands between my Father and I. I kept saying help me this man is harassing me and kept saying how I was a disgrace. I asked the FA for help and she did not stop the hrassment.
So I told the man that I was going to report him to Customs and the SF Police to deport him. He said stop threatening me. I told him you are harassing me and you spat on me and got into my personal space.
Did I handle this properly? Why was I treated so passively when I was the victim and the girl and her Mother were not the ones at fault or did not apologize?
I was in pain and I reported it. I asked the Flight attendant at the door to stop the man and she protected him. I said I wanted to report him and the Mother of the child for assault.
Your thougts on this.
Fast forward to after meal service while watching a movie and dozing off my seat was kicked very hard and jostled my neck and I was in pain.
I immediately pressed the FA call button to report it and said I was in pain. So the FA got ice. I asked to be reseated even if it were in a different cabin and the FA refused.
Another passenger gets involved a tall man and he said how dare I report this and te big girl has a disability. I am sorry but this excuse is poor. So what if you have a disability the Mother had to apologize and try to stop the situation. I was kicked forcefully.
As we were leaving the plane I excused myself to get off with my Father. The same tall man prevented me and stands between my Father and I. I kept saying help me this man is harassing me and kept saying how I was a disgrace. I asked the FA for help and she did not stop the hrassment.
So I told the man that I was going to report him to Customs and the SF Police to deport him. He said stop threatening me. I told him you are harassing me and you spat on me and got into my personal space.
Did I handle this properly? Why was I treated so passively when I was the victim and the girl and her Mother were not the ones at fault or did not apologize?
I was in pain and I reported it. I asked the Flight attendant at the door to stop the man and she protected him. I said I wanted to report him and the Mother of the child for assault.
Your thougts on this.
Dec 16, 2017, 5:12 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 104
I was on the upper deck of a BA A380 in the Y cabin and the flight was full. At the gate a child who looked 10 or so kicked my Father and my seat. We politely turnef around and asked the Mother for her Daughter to stop.
Fast forward to after meal service while watching a movie and dozing off my seat was kicked very hard and jostled my neck and I was in pain.
I immediately pressed the FA call button to report it and said I was in pain. So the FA got ice. I asked to be reseated even if it were in a different cabin and the FA refused.
Another passenger gets involved a tall man and he said how dare I report this and te big girl has a disability. I am sorry but this excuse is poor. So what if you have a disability the Mother had to apologize and try to stop the situation. I was kicked forcefully.
As we were leaving the plane I excused myself to get off with my Father. The same tall man prevented me and stands between my Father and I. I kept saying help me this man is harassing me and kept saying how I was a disgrace. I asked the FA for help and she did not stop the hrassment.
So I told the man that I was going to report him to Customs and the SF Police to deport him. He said stop threatening me. I told him you are harassing me and you spat on me and got into my personal space.
Did I handle this properly? Why was I treated so passively when I was the victim and the girl and her Mother were not the ones at fault or did not apologize?
I was in pain and I reported it. I asked the Flight attendant at the door to stop the man and she protected him. I said I wanted to report him and the Mother of the child for assault.
Your thougts on this.
Fast forward to after meal service while watching a movie and dozing off my seat was kicked very hard and jostled my neck and I was in pain.
I immediately pressed the FA call button to report it and said I was in pain. So the FA got ice. I asked to be reseated even if it were in a different cabin and the FA refused.
Another passenger gets involved a tall man and he said how dare I report this and te big girl has a disability. I am sorry but this excuse is poor. So what if you have a disability the Mother had to apologize and try to stop the situation. I was kicked forcefully.
As we were leaving the plane I excused myself to get off with my Father. The same tall man prevented me and stands between my Father and I. I kept saying help me this man is harassing me and kept saying how I was a disgrace. I asked the FA for help and she did not stop the hrassment.
So I told the man that I was going to report him to Customs and the SF Police to deport him. He said stop threatening me. I told him you are harassing me and you spat on me and got into my personal space.
Did I handle this properly? Why was I treated so passively when I was the victim and the girl and her Mother were not the ones at fault or did not apologize?
I was in pain and I reported it. I asked the Flight attendant at the door to stop the man and she protected him. I said I wanted to report him and the Mother of the child for assault.
Your thougts on this.
Dec 16, 2017, 5:15 am
#3
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,736
I wasn't there so it's too easy to be judgmental.
What I would say is that just about the only advantage of the ageing process is that you come to realise that de-escalating problems is a very powerful tool, once you've got the hang of it. Confrontation tends to go one way and is rarely productive or has good outcomes. De-escalation tends to get you what you want with minimal effort. So my general approach is to first reflect (not easy to do in the heat of the moment) and work out solutions. Broadly speaking, soft words get met with soft words, and it's difficult to lose your temper with someone being kind to you. In this specific scenario, given you're all trapped in a metal tube at 35,000 feet, realistically there isn't a lot a cabin crew member can do, it's more about trying to engage with the mother to help you, in a kind and positive atmosphere. Issuing unfulfillable deportation threats against a third party doesn't fit that model at all, and doesn't do anything to help, as you have seen. Sure, if things get out of hand talk to the cabin crew, but you best request the Customer Service Manager (or Director) to get involved since they will have the skills and experience to sort it out. But ideally best not to let it get anywhere near there.
And in the spirit of the above mindset, I hope you get over this experience and don't let it get to you. Things do sometimes happen and in a day or two it will probably rankle less than it does now. I'm sure your next flight will not have this problem, it was probably a one off.
What I would say is that just about the only advantage of the ageing process is that you come to realise that de-escalating problems is a very powerful tool, once you've got the hang of it. Confrontation tends to go one way and is rarely productive or has good outcomes. De-escalation tends to get you what you want with minimal effort. So my general approach is to first reflect (not easy to do in the heat of the moment) and work out solutions. Broadly speaking, soft words get met with soft words, and it's difficult to lose your temper with someone being kind to you. In this specific scenario, given you're all trapped in a metal tube at 35,000 feet, realistically there isn't a lot a cabin crew member can do, it's more about trying to engage with the mother to help you, in a kind and positive atmosphere. Issuing unfulfillable deportation threats against a third party doesn't fit that model at all, and doesn't do anything to help, as you have seen. Sure, if things get out of hand talk to the cabin crew, but you best request the Customer Service Manager (or Director) to get involved since they will have the skills and experience to sort it out. But ideally best not to let it get anywhere near there.
And in the spirit of the above mindset, I hope you get over this experience and don't let it get to you. Things do sometimes happen and in a day or two it will probably rankle less than it does now. I'm sure your next flight will not have this problem, it was probably a one off.
Dec 16, 2017, 5:22 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Great post by CWS.
Prob best to close this now before some more snappish judgments are made!
Prob best to close this now before some more snappish judgments are made!
Dec 16, 2017, 5:28 am
#5
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
So a kid with a disability kicked OP's seat a couple of times.
OP got mad, got the FA involved and started making threats.
Its economy travel. **** happens. When everyone gets wound up and over reacts it rarely ends well.
OP got mad, got the FA involved and started making threats.
Its economy travel. **** happens. When everyone gets wound up and over reacts it rarely ends well.
Dec 16, 2017, 5:45 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,404
Moreover, I somewhat get the feeling that you describe the whole situation in an exaggerated fashion. I’m not saying that I don’t believe your side but some bits seem somewhat implausible. I mean to say that you somewhat sound like a drama queen. For one, I don’t see how a 10-year old could hit the back of your sit with such force that it would provoke any longer lasting pain. Given how constraint economy has become, the only long-term discomfort would be lack of sleep due to being constantly awaken.
As we were leaving the plane I excused myself to get off with my Father. The same tall man prevented me and stands between my Father and I. I kept saying help me this man is harassing me and kept saying how I was a disgrace. I asked the FA for help and she did not stop the hrassment.
BTW: Neither customs nor SF police can deport someone. You meant immigration and even they wouldn’t deport someone on the basis of accusation. He’d be arrested, charged and tried before being potentially deported (that is if if he is a foreigner without permanent right to stay).
Extremely poorly. If someone kicks your seat, then seek a dialog rather than getting the crew involved. Be friendly. If the kicking continues, then you can get the crew involved and/or change your tone. Exploding right out of the gate won’t help.
Let’s stop pretending for a moment that someone kicking the back of your seat is the worst that could ever happen to a person. We’ve all been there. It’s not funny, it’s not comfy but that doesn’t make the receiving end of the kicking a victim.
Follow the advice of C-W-S. Getting angry at the slightest inconvenience will just get you in an early grave in the long run.
Dec 16, 2017, 5:50 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Silver/ows, CX AsiaMiles (not even GR anymore!) missing my GO days
Posts: 1,581
I'm not so quick to judge OP on the merits of the seat-kicking complaint, as someone already has with a snide comment about "equality and diversity" training. While BA is required to be as accommodating as reasonably possible, I don't think that accommodation extends to setting up another pax for significant discomfort like this.
That said, the sympathy for the OP I started with quickly evaporated given what sounds to have been the tone of these interactions. Probably best to let this one go.
That said, the sympathy for the OP I started with quickly evaporated given what sounds to have been the tone of these interactions. Probably best to let this one go.
Dec 16, 2017, 5:56 am
#8
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,600
Bizarre... first time I've ever heard of a seat kicking giving somebody neck pain 
Dec 16, 2017, 6:02 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: QRPC Platinum, KFEG
Posts: 999
Whatever you came looking for with posting this I don't think you're going to get it from the people here.
Dec 16, 2017, 6:04 am
#10
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
I've had it happen to me, unfortunately. I suffered in silence for the next few days instead though.
Last edited by LTN Phobia; Dec 16, 2017 at 11:05 am
Dec 16, 2017, 6:10 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,237
Thoroughly unpleasant experience for all. I hope you enjoy the festive season
Dec 16, 2017, 6:12 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,830
Suggest you all check out the OP's posting history. Start from the beginning. It will be a long but enlightening read.
Dec 16, 2017, 6:12 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 47
Why didn't you offer to swap seats with the mother and her daughter if kicking the back of your seat was such an issue?
As a parent, I have a lot of understanding for people traveling with children, especially those who are young or disabled. I can just imagine the looks you gave the mother, the looks she was getting from everyone else and the accompanying embarrassment she felt with all of the attention on the situation.
As a parent, I have a lot of understanding for people traveling with children, especially those who are young or disabled. I can just imagine the looks you gave the mother, the looks she was getting from everyone else and the accompanying embarrassment she felt with all of the attention on the situation.
Dec 16, 2017, 7:46 am
#14
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, AA MM, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 122
“I asked to be reseated even if it were in a different cabin and the FA refused.“
This right here makes it sound like you were fishing for a free upgrade since you stated you were traveling in Y. I don’t think you should be entitled to that at all.
It’s usually best to bite your tongue and be thankful the tables aren’t flipped and it’s you that is suffering from a disability. It’s also the holiday season where most try to go out of their way to show a little extra compassion for their fellow man. Being the bigger person and turning the other cheek can be empowering sometimes.
This right here makes it sound like you were fishing for a free upgrade since you stated you were traveling in Y. I don’t think you should be entitled to that at all.
It’s usually best to bite your tongue and be thankful the tables aren’t flipped and it’s you that is suffering from a disability. It’s also the holiday season where most try to go out of their way to show a little extra compassion for their fellow man. Being the bigger person and turning the other cheek can be empowering sometimes.
Dec 16, 2017, 8:59 am
#15
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 129
Compassion and an attitude adjustment might be in order. The reality is this is PUBLIC transportation, the economy seats on a plane is a cattle car of transportation. You were in economy with very little leg room, basically a City Bus in the sky. On a recent flight, I chose compassion instead of complaining about a situation . I was recently on an AC flight, aisle seat with a developmentally disabled 7 year old in the middle seat and her brother in the window seat. This DD girl was all over the place, The brother was very sweet to her and tried to keep her occupied. The parents were right behind me, I thought one parent should have sat with the girl, but after 3 hours with the child, I understood their need for a break. The parents live with this 24/7; I chose the path of compassion, I will admit that my husband and friends flying with me bought me a drink afterwards. You don't get to choose your seatmates, you do get to choose your attitude.