IAN-UK

The types I witness booming and broadcasting on mobile phones are not generally of the iPhone generation. Rather a generation or two more advanced.

UKTraveller4Fun

Well on this one I struggle to see any evidence to the opposite! Generally all the evidence I see is that people are far less considerate for others than they used to be!

Lefly

Or there are more people travelling than it used to be, so also the amount of rude, impolite and selfish people is higher (and it's always the bad that stands out and makes a lasting impression).

amt

MileHighFizz

In fairness the BA lounge is not a restaurant, it's a seating area with refreshments. It's quite a different thing to clear your own restaurant table , and so put a few crisp packets in the bin in the lounge.

As the thread says manners are going downhill! Remember FlyerTalkersl it's nice to be nice!

RollAnotherFatOne

You have your opinion for sure, but you can also be sure many people do not agree in this jealousy of youth (myth). That is a remarkably outrageous claim. I cannot think of much that people would be jealous of. Certainly this does not pre-dispose itself in being irritated by people broadcasting their bad manners! I am not jealous of any young people today, who I accept face some bigger challenges than previous generations - income, social media, sensationalism, housing, etc. But decency should not be limited by the fact that if people aren't "called up on it" (a horrible phrase used by the youth today), then the assumption is that their behaviour is acceptable.

But then with the current flock of celebrities as role models, how can one expect the right manners. There is even a youtuber with a million subscribers going around asking for free food in London as a 'hack' or ;challenge'! The video has 95% positive votes (from his young fan base) as if to say this is a great thing to do that he is doing. Taking food that would otherwise be left for homeless people? Recording people in their place of work and making them uncomfortable by asking these questions? A different generation of person. In my day, people would have pride and not see this behaviour as something remarkable that should be broadcast. For someone of my generation this behaviour seems very arrogant and unjust, but nowadays people are celebrating it and making money from it. Similarly, I watched a video at the weekend of parkour on Paris rooftops where kids enjoy jumping over hundreds of rooftops. Making money and enjoying it at the expense of hundreds of others (hearing this jumping on their roof) is how the young seem to be.

It is true that the self-important business type person who must get his (or her) way is common and this behaviour is also poor. But I can reason with this type of person because I can see it as someone living their job and being taken out of their person. Someone simply being disruptive so that people can see them, and then mocking others in public, or being intimidating, this is a different tale. One is deliberately making someone uncomfortable and not caring, the other is someone stressed by their work.

Taking all the above in consideration, how can it be a surprise when this behaviour shows itself in the lounge. The only thing I can do is try to stay away from interactions with this type. But I can certainly emphathise with others in what I see is a modern trend of people being inconsiderate, whether as a result of someone young, middle aged, or old.

amt

fripperies

Agreed, there's no simple solution. It's not always possible or appropriate to check offensive behaviour, but that doesn't mean we should not look for ways. The public space is governed by consensual norms. It doesn't require someone in authority to police them. We're all collectively responsible, so everyone can (and in my opinion should, within reason) do their bit to enforce the norms. If you ask you someone to be more civil it's best to do it in a civil way - calm, direct (not passive aggressive) and polite. 'Excuse me, I don't mean to cause offence but would you mind keeping your feet off the seats/the volume down, not flicking your bogies in my direction" etc. Said with a smile of course, not a snarl.

RollAnotherFatOne

The behaviour I have witnessed in the JAL lounges has been exceptional. Very rarely have I witnessed any antisocial behaviour.
Similarly I've found the CX lounges to be good along with many paid lounges.

IB/LH/LX/BA/AA inconsistent with good and bad. QR (Al-Mourjan) fairly poor and AC (YYZ) was the worst by far. It sounds silly to say it, but the worst tend to be the busiest.

RollAnotherFatOne

Maybe you have been travelling too readily with Saga.
But I can assure you that outside of this tour groups, including school groups, there are many still running around pointing cameras, knocking you, and generally being unabashed about it. Some even enjoying it.

Postdoc

The FL at JNB is tiny by any standard and it doesn't take much for the limited premier experience to be ruined. Cue some GC carrying ex-boyband character and his entourage to enter and start having transatlantic conversations with their brats back home whilst chain-swigging beers. After enduring several minutes of this, I tentatively piped up - much to the mortification of my husband - and requested that they show some respect for those within earshot. They complied to some extent, but other pax nearby started saying they'd enjoyed overhearing the conversations - and they were all older than me. So the unsocial behaviour of the DYKWIA entourage was vindicated and I felt guilty. I don't know what older folk are coming to.

RollAnotherFatOne

I'm sorry to hear of this unpleasant experience.
Crowd mentality at its worst - I watched a programme about how to stop a riot and it basically said that in groups people feel they can get away with so much more.
It certainly seems to be the case here. So unnecessary.

Orange.Man

Whilst there are some in the aforementioned generation who are short sighted and generally idiots, the elder generations are very quick to cast aspersions on the younger generations whilst failing to see their own faults and lack of manners.

RollAnotherFatOne

Of course it can work both ways, but there is a clear bias. The ratio I've experienced is about 10:1.
I can see why they would become intolerant and frustrated by this and want to vent.

Postdoc

I agree. There was one woman in particular, immediately in front of the FaceTalking group, who seemed to take a vicarious thrill in stoking the unpleasant dynamic.