Drunken pax at LCY
May 17, 2018, 2:36 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: London - SW4
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
I witnessed something very similar at LHR prior to a flight to NCE.
The passenger was very wobbly, slurring her words, and approached the boarding gate before any sort of announcements had been made.
The gate staff engaged in some sort of conversation with the lady, and must have told her that her carry-on was too big, because she then screamed loudly, shrieked, slammed the case down onto the ground, and headed towards me (I was sat to the side of the gate finishing a phone call).
She sat one seat away from me, and as my call ended, she burst into tears. I offered her a tissue, at which point one of the gate agents came over and told the lady that she might be denied boarding due to her drunkedness, and suggested she goes for a walk.
I'm still not sure why I did it, but I decided I'd go for a walk with the lady. I told the gate staff that I'd be back just before boarding, but to not close the gate if we were a few seconds late (thinking if this lady vomited, it might take a little while to tidy her up!).
To cut a longer story short, her Father had died the week before the flight, and she was going down to NCE to see the body before burial. She was understandably distraught, and had started drinking early that morning.
We got back to the gate on-time, and I explained to the crew that the passenger was in a fragile condition. They upgraded her to CE, put her by herself one row behind me, and she fell asleep before we took off.
She was much better when we landed, but it made me realise that not all situations are as clear as they may appear.
M
The passenger was very wobbly, slurring her words, and approached the boarding gate before any sort of announcements had been made.
The gate staff engaged in some sort of conversation with the lady, and must have told her that her carry-on was too big, because she then screamed loudly, shrieked, slammed the case down onto the ground, and headed towards me (I was sat to the side of the gate finishing a phone call).
She sat one seat away from me, and as my call ended, she burst into tears. I offered her a tissue, at which point one of the gate agents came over and told the lady that she might be denied boarding due to her drunkedness, and suggested she goes for a walk.
I'm still not sure why I did it, but I decided I'd go for a walk with the lady. I told the gate staff that I'd be back just before boarding, but to not close the gate if we were a few seconds late (thinking if this lady vomited, it might take a little while to tidy her up!).
To cut a longer story short, her Father had died the week before the flight, and she was going down to NCE to see the body before burial. She was understandably distraught, and had started drinking early that morning.
We got back to the gate on-time, and I explained to the crew that the passenger was in a fragile condition. They upgraded her to CE, put her by herself one row behind me, and she fell asleep before we took off.
She was much better when we landed, but it made me realise that not all situations are as clear as they may appear.
M
May 17, 2018, 2:43 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: UK
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Posts: 184
May 17, 2018, 3:02 pm
#20
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
Only ever seen one drunk passenger in my life and that was a 'lady' as well.
It was years ago at the gate while boarding the GLA shuttle. Despite being completely sozzled she was allowed to board. To her credit she wasn't in any way offensive.
It was years ago at the gate while boarding the GLA shuttle. Despite being completely sozzled she was allowed to board. To her credit she wasn't in any way offensive.
May 17, 2018, 3:56 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA GGL, UA Plat, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,380
?
May 17, 2018, 6:01 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DMV
Posts: 2,092
I once saw a group of drunken rugby lads out of EDI who were acting quite obnoxiously during boards. After one of them had tried to grab a random female pax walking by, the FA gave them a talking to and after that they mostly kept to themselves.
Another incident I remember featured a drunk guy getting belligerent toward his seat neighbor. The FA got the other pax a new seat and the drunk dude then had an entire row of 3 seats to himself. After ranting to himself for a while he finally passed out and slept until the plane arrived in Detroit 8 hours later.
There were more that didn't involve belligerence/aggression..but I'd say it's probably quite common that there's a person on board who's had a few too many..more so probably on some routes than others.
Another incident I remember featured a drunk guy getting belligerent toward his seat neighbor. The FA got the other pax a new seat and the drunk dude then had an entire row of 3 seats to himself. After ranting to himself for a while he finally passed out and slept until the plane arrived in Detroit 8 hours later.
There were more that didn't involve belligerence/aggression..but I'd say it's probably quite common that there's a person on board who's had a few too many..more so probably on some routes than others.
May 17, 2018, 6:08 pm
#24
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: The Netherlands
Programs: BA, KLM, Alitalia
Posts: 99
Chinees or Japanees people can't/ never act like dicks, unlike american lawyers? is that what you are saying or am I missing something?
May 17, 2018, 7:05 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Blue, Hilton Diamond, Accor Plat
Posts: 189
An obviously very US American lady (proven by her accent and by her passport) hanging around gate 2B waiting for a Dublin bound flight. The lady was not only obviously US American but obviously as drunken as she could be engaging more or less everybody in "smalltalk" without being able to speak out a clear word.
In front of the aircraft door, friendliness came to an end and a 20 minutes discussion with the crew started. Crew was obviously not willing to allow her to board, she was obviously not willing to accept this.
Ground staff continued to discuss with her and reached some success. She was obviously willing to move. Then ground staff carefully escorted her down the stairs, she however kept lamenting, trying to hit ground staff that tried to assist her.
In front of the aircraft door, friendliness came to an end and a 20 minutes discussion with the crew started. Crew was obviously not willing to allow her to board, she was obviously not willing to accept this.
Ground staff continued to discuss with her and reached some success. She was obviously willing to move. Then ground staff carefully escorted her down the stairs, she however kept lamenting, trying to hit ground staff that tried to assist her.
May 17, 2018, 7:34 pm
#26
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May 17, 2018, 7:53 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
Programs: IHG Gold
Posts: 4,820
I think you just wanted to deliberately stereotype the passenger by mentioning nationality.
May 17, 2018, 8:29 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: London - SW4
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
I once saw a group of drunken rugby lads out of EDI who were acting quite obnoxiously during boards. After one of them had tried to grab a random female pax walking by, the FA gave them a talking to and after that they mostly kept to themselves.
Another incident I remember featured a drunk guy getting belligerent toward his seat neighbor. The FA got the other pax a new seat and the drunk dude then had an entire row of 3 seats to himself. After ranting to himself for a while he finally passed out and slept until the plane arrived in Detroit 8 hours later.
There were more that didn't involve belligerence/aggression..but I'd say it's probably quite common that there's a person on board who's had a few too many..more so probably on some routes than others.
Another incident I remember featured a drunk guy getting belligerent toward his seat neighbor. The FA got the other pax a new seat and the drunk dude then had an entire row of 3 seats to himself. After ranting to himself for a while he finally passed out and slept until the plane arrived in Detroit 8 hours later.
There were more that didn't involve belligerence/aggression..but I'd say it's probably quite common that there's a person on board who's had a few too many..more so probably on some routes than others.
May 17, 2018, 9:01 pm
#29
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,611
Your story loses a lot of credibility, though, by your repeated assertion that she ranted about being a 'US lawyer.' That's not how people from the US refer to themselves. She would say, 'I am an American lawyer.'
Still and all, great story, brah.
May 17, 2018, 9:07 pm
#30
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: The Far, Far North
Programs: Alaskans fly everywhere on any aircraft going there!
Posts: 1,262
Please do remember that any copper can tell you about thinking someone was driving under the influence or otherwise behaving as if they were under the influence of alcohol only to discover they had suffered a stroke or some other serious medical calamity. Sometimes these things are not as clear as they seem. Yep, I'm a US passport carrying, female lawyer but.....not that one!