F Galleries Lounge T5 guest behaviour
#46
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold; Turkish Miles&SmilesElite;; Freccia Alata Plus; Amex Platinum; SPG Gold; Marriott Gold Elit
Posts: 276
And it’s become an epidemic. On the Metro in Paris it seems commonplace and then in an almost deserted Eurostar Lounge on Wednesday evening a young woman started watching Arabic-language music videos - without headphones.
#48
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Surrey
Programs: BAEC: Silver
Posts: 90
Over the years of travelling (flights and commuter trains) it does amaze me that some people spread lots of confidential papers around them (making it hard to avoid seeing them) and discuss on phones about confidential deals. The AMS flight in particular with staff from a couple of the UK largest FTSE's travelling back and forth.
#49
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: IHG Spire Ambassador, Club Carlson Gold, HHonors Gold, Best Western Diamond Select, BA Blue
Posts: 1,335
#50
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Edi
Posts: 2,203
Maybe creating a People of Walmart for British Airways passengers would get better behavior in the lounges and onboard?
#51
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 1,736
I had a man in LBA loudly telling his family how much he would miss them, talking to grandchildren etc. Next call was to a prostitute/taxi service combined (ordered car type and woman-he seemed to know them all by name) at his destination in Thailand. The whole lounge was either mouth wide open or trying to suppress a laugh. An elderly woman said to me that she didn't know this combination was possible and you learn something new everyday.
#52
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
A lady was having a very loud conversation with no headphones in a lounge. Mr W (6ft2 and rather well built) went over and very politely interrupted the call (apologising to the other person too!) to offer her a pack of unused and sealed earbuds, since she didn't have any. She was rather taken aback and brushed him away brusquely. On his walk back to me, he got a round of applause from those around. She did shut up soon after that.
Funny thing was that we ended up queuing on the jetbridge behind her. She seemed most uncomfortable with much harrumphing and tutting generally, but nothing directly aimed at us.
Funny thing was that we ended up queuing on the jetbridge behind her. She seemed most uncomfortable with much harrumphing and tutting generally, but nothing directly aimed at us.
#54
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,166
as for the more general topic - I totally get that it's sometimes essential to make calls etc. from the lounge: we've all had to do it, especially when travelling on business (which tends in my experience to happen around times of high deal activity - negotiations and the like) - but some obvious rules:
1. use a headset
2. use a high quality headset that doesn't require you to speak any louder than quiet conversation volume!
3. go to a quieter corner of the lounge / terrace if you can find one
4. be unobtrusive - I tend to hide in one of the apron-facing armchairs in GF if I have to make calls; walking around with your headset on barking out stuff is just dumb
5. keep it CONFIDENTIAL - I cannot tell you the number of times I overhear things which are clearly very confidential...in a couple of cases related to deals where I'm working for another party...the mind boggles.
6. bottom line - no-one else is impressed by you, or your work, or your life; however important you may be to yourself and your loved ones, to everyone else you are just a piece of lounge furniture, an incidental feature of their own life and journey through the airport; meat in the room - don't burst their bubble; the minute anyone else notices you, it's because they think you're annoying, not impressive...
Er, that's it. Some people never learn.
1. use a headset
2. use a high quality headset that doesn't require you to speak any louder than quiet conversation volume!
3. go to a quieter corner of the lounge / terrace if you can find one
4. be unobtrusive - I tend to hide in one of the apron-facing armchairs in GF if I have to make calls; walking around with your headset on barking out stuff is just dumb
5. keep it CONFIDENTIAL - I cannot tell you the number of times I overhear things which are clearly very confidential...in a couple of cases related to deals where I'm working for another party...the mind boggles.
6. bottom line - no-one else is impressed by you, or your work, or your life; however important you may be to yourself and your loved ones, to everyone else you are just a piece of lounge furniture, an incidental feature of their own life and journey through the airport; meat in the room - don't burst their bubble; the minute anyone else notices you, it's because they think you're annoying, not impressive...
Er, that's it. Some people never learn.
#55
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: LAS/DXB
Programs: LH HON
Posts: 1,193
I do work in IT industry and we use a similar platform to Slack. However, complex technical scenarios or discussions can be easily solved in a short skype, phone or whatever platform call rather than typing forever, and ever, and ever. So yes, you might hear me talking on the phone (needles to say with a headset) when I'm in the lounge, because I'm trying to work done instead of sipping champagne. Still I'm trying not to disturb others and talk relatively quiet.
I wish GF would have a dedicated work zone, that is separated with cubicles (think CX The Pier). Not because I have sensitive information to share, but rather to be a lesser burden for others, who might enjoy a quiet time.
I wish GF would have a dedicated work zone, that is separated with cubicles (think CX The Pier). Not because I have sensitive information to share, but rather to be a lesser burden for others, who might enjoy a quiet time.
#57
I do fairly often have to make calls from the airport (whether it be phone/FT/Skype), although I always find a quiet corner in the lounge in which to do so. I'm yet to witness any overly obnoxious behaviour in a lounge, a few loud phonecalls in GC (but it's hardly a quiet lounge anyway), and the only peace disturbances in the CCR have been from babies that were crying. It's quite nice for the latter when the parents are attempting to put a stop to it or use the quiet room in JFK of a Cabana in LHR, admittedly a little frustrating when they take the tack of ignoring the child in the hopes that they'll stop, but hey we were all the crying baby once
#59
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,983
When I am busy and trying to work/get some peace and quiet it can be a bit annoying when I see groups of people treating a GC as some sort of big night out, getting pissed, being loud and generally adopting a "look at me aren't I important" type attitude. Then again, that's just occasional, and on those occasions it's fair to say I am being a grumpy old man. And it is also fair to say that on occasions I have been in the lounge with friends, and the alcohol has been free flowing, and the atmosphere has been jovial, so at the end of day I say live and let live.
But, yes, all of the things mentioned by the OP can be quite annoying, to varying degrees. I'll add another. People who stand by the buffet inspecting food closely but not seemingly with any intention of serving themselves, and seemingly oblivious to the fact that there are around six people waiting behind them to serve themselves. They should be sin binned.
But, yes, all of the things mentioned by the OP can be quite annoying, to varying degrees. I'll add another. People who stand by the buffet inspecting food closely but not seemingly with any intention of serving themselves, and seemingly oblivious to the fact that there are around six people waiting behind them to serve themselves. They should be sin binned.
#60
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: United 1K, BA Silver, Marriott LTP
Posts: 823
Slightly off topic as it's post lounge behaviour. One that I've noticed is when on a bus gate for a departing flight and not long after the bus departs it seems there is always someone saying where they are flying to next. Of course it's always more exotic than where we're all flying to...