Awkward Incident on BA 164 (TLV-LHR) Today
Jun 24, 2019, 7:08 am
#31
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Jun 24, 2019, 7:20 am
#32
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I was on the the this flight last night (should have been yesterday afternoon, but turned into last night...), albeit in First while the incident occurred down the back.
There was a series of events that caused the delay. It started with two families boarding the plane with infants not fit to travel with one of them having Chicken Pox, and while their offloading was taking place, the incident with these youngest began.
I was getting reports from the one of the FA's but didn't realise they were joking about having a bomb on board until the captain mentioned something about having a wife and two kids at home and had no intention of taking any chances, although he didn't specifically mention the threats (that I read in the media before we even took off).
In any case, at least a couple of these guys seemed drunk to me even at the check in area, and were singing loudly as they approached the gate, and being a little obnoxious.
One of the guys was wearing a Fur robe (I have a photo in fact...) and while anyone is free to dress as they like, who wears that when it's 35 degrees outside???
There was a series of events that caused the delay. It started with two families boarding the plane with infants not fit to travel with one of them having Chicken Pox, and while their offloading was taking place, the incident with these youngest began.
I was getting reports from the one of the FA's but didn't realise they were joking about having a bomb on board until the captain mentioned something about having a wife and two kids at home and had no intention of taking any chances, although he didn't specifically mention the threats (that I read in the media before we even took off).
In any case, at least a couple of these guys seemed drunk to me even at the check in area, and were singing loudly as they approached the gate, and being a little obnoxious.
One of the guys was wearing a Fur robe (I have a photo in fact...) and while anyone is free to dress as they like, who wears that when it's 35 degrees outside???
Jun 24, 2019, 12:32 pm
#33
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 146
OT but I was on the same flight. Do you think we were right to ask for a service recovery complaint. We were traveling business A & B seats lady in D had order kosher meal. When menu came round she told the stewardess that the kosher meals were horrid and she had complained both to BA and the company that provide the meals in the past. S
aid she would like to see the first class menu as there might be something she could eat off there. They let her pick off the first class menu. This continued with desert from first class after complaining she was lactose intolerant but then ate the ice cream. We raised a complaint as it wasn't right she got better treatment than any other passengers in business. Views?
Jun 24, 2019, 1:31 pm
#34
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OT but I was on the same flight. Do you think we were right to ask for a service recovery complaint. We were traveling business A & B seats lady in D had order kosher meal. When menu came round she told the stewardess that the kosher meals were horrid and she had complained both to BA and the company that provide the meals in the past. S
aid she would like to see the first class menu as there might be something she could eat off there. They let her pick off the first class menu. This continued with desert from first class after complaining she was lactose intolerant but then ate the ice cream. We raised a complaint as it wasn't right she got better treatment than any other passengers in business. Views?
(All based on the info you shared) She complained about a horrid meal and the team did service recovery from 1st (I assume there were unneeded meals left over)
If she really was a Kosher eater then that really limits the availability of service recovery, it must be Kosher.
Maybe the ice cream was dairy free (would fit a Kosher meat meal)
Jun 24, 2019, 1:39 pm
#35
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OT but I was on the same flight. Do you think we were right to ask for a service recovery complaint. We were traveling business A & B seats lady in D had order kosher meal. When menu came round she told the stewardess that the kosher meals were horrid and she had complained both to BA and the company that provide the meals in the past. S
aid she would like to see the first class menu as there might be something she could eat off there. They let her pick off the first class menu. This continued with desert from first class after complaining she was lactose intolerant but then ate the ice cream. We raised a complaint as it wasn't right she got better treatment than any other passengers in business. Views?
Jun 24, 2019, 2:31 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 146
She didn't have her pre ordered meal. She said she didn't want it before it even arrived so it wasn't a service recovery. My question was shouldn't all passengers in the same class be treated the same? Could understand if they ran out or there was something wrong with it. Was very surprised how easily they agreed to give her first class food. She is clearly the smart one in this.
The food we got was pretty overcooked due to the delay so service wasn't as expected but this wasn't the crews fault due to the delay.
I do completely agree with you guys that I need to chill more and let stuff go so will try and take it easy in future! Good point.
The food we got was pretty overcooked due to the delay so service wasn't as expected but this wasn't the crews fault due to the delay.
I do completely agree with you guys that I need to chill more and let stuff go so will try and take it easy in future! Good point.
Jun 24, 2019, 3:03 pm
#37
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Thanks for coming back @whiteheatsyd, I just wanted to be sure I (or you!) hadn't missed something in your post. I agree with you, the crew really should not have acquiesced so readily to the kosher passenger's request to dine from the First menu. I suspect given what had occurred prior to departure the crew opted to follow the path of least resistance. There may have been other reasons the crew agreed that are less obvious or discernable to those of us observing.
Sadly there are chancers everywhere; there are people who attempt to gain an advantage by trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the crew or ground staff in order to get something they would ordinarily not be entitled. They claim to be this or that, or perhaps claim some unpleasant event has occurred in order to play on the crew's emotions, some have gone as far as using fake titles!
My approach in such circumstance is to sit back and enjoy the spectacle playing out before me, life is too short to let these type of events spoil my enjoyment of the flight.
Sadly there are chancers everywhere; there are people who attempt to gain an advantage by trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the crew or ground staff in order to get something they would ordinarily not be entitled. They claim to be this or that, or perhaps claim some unpleasant event has occurred in order to play on the crew's emotions, some have gone as far as using fake titles!
My approach in such circumstance is to sit back and enjoy the spectacle playing out before me, life is too short to let these type of events spoil my enjoyment of the flight.
Jun 25, 2019, 1:28 am
#38
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Sounds like a "chancer" really.
Jun 25, 2019, 1:51 am
#39
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I disagree (though conversely agree that this is certainly not a case for service recovery). This comes from the narrow (and in my view mistaken) perception that purchasing a good of service from a company is a purely transactional short term operation and that customers would not consider the image of the company and their perceptions of its social and ethical record. There is no way around the fact that when passengers have a feeling that some passengers get privileges for no particular reason (especially if it is perceived - rightly or wrongly - just because they shout louder), you will create some sense of resentment from some of the other passengers who will consider that the airline is behaving in a way which is socially or morally wrong.
It's exactly the same when someone jumps the queue for no particular reason and staff don't want to meddle, or those who complain that some Middle Eastern airlines should be avoided because of the exploitative contracts of some of their staff, including in some cases some apparent meddling with whom some cabin crew have the right to marry. You could make the claim that this is none of the passenger's business, but ultimately, it is perfectly fine - and arguably healthy - that people do wonder about the values that a company conveys. From that point of view, perceptions of equity (or lack thereof) is no less important than some of the other values that one may wish to see upheld, and still from that point of view, cabin crew represent, in the eyes of customers, the company and its values.
It's exactly the same when someone jumps the queue for no particular reason and staff don't want to meddle, or those who complain that some Middle Eastern airlines should be avoided because of the exploitative contracts of some of their staff, including in some cases some apparent meddling with whom some cabin crew have the right to marry. You could make the claim that this is none of the passenger's business, but ultimately, it is perfectly fine - and arguably healthy - that people do wonder about the values that a company conveys. From that point of view, perceptions of equity (or lack thereof) is no less important than some of the other values that one may wish to see upheld, and still from that point of view, cabin crew represent, in the eyes of customers, the company and its values.
Jun 25, 2019, 6:01 am
#40
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This post is in regard to the one passenger on the flight who was seen negotiating for amenities/meals not normally offered in the service for her ticketed cabin:
Back in the golden age of flying - ok not that long ago, but before one had to have status or a thick wallet to sit in an emergency exit row, we'd hear all the time "I have a leg injury and need to keep my leg straight, so can I please have an exit row seat" or something to that effect. Upon being reminded that they can't sit in an exit row if they are injured as they might not be able to assist in an emergency, it was always funny how "oh, miracle of miracles!" their "injuries" disappeared suddenly! Why they didn't just ask for an exit row seat in the first place, is beyond me. And the attempts to negotiate away excess baggage fees... even in the days when one was allowed 2 bags at 70-pounds each.... my oh my.
My point is, some cultures value negotiation - you don't just take what you're given (because the other side is only offering their "first offer" too), you use an angle to frame things so you get what you want. Always. And perhaps it goes farther, in that you're a sucker if you are not always pushing for more. My blood pressure doesn't agree with that lifestyle, but I wasn't raised in the (INSERT CULTURE HERE) world. I was raised in a "stand in the queue, wait your turn" environment. But I know some look down on that culture as not being strong, "manly," etc.
Maybe I'm a little OT but this post got me thinking!
Back in the golden age of flying - ok not that long ago, but before one had to have status or a thick wallet to sit in an emergency exit row, we'd hear all the time "I have a leg injury and need to keep my leg straight, so can I please have an exit row seat" or something to that effect. Upon being reminded that they can't sit in an exit row if they are injured as they might not be able to assist in an emergency, it was always funny how "oh, miracle of miracles!" their "injuries" disappeared suddenly! Why they didn't just ask for an exit row seat in the first place, is beyond me. And the attempts to negotiate away excess baggage fees... even in the days when one was allowed 2 bags at 70-pounds each.... my oh my.
My point is, some cultures value negotiation - you don't just take what you're given (because the other side is only offering their "first offer" too), you use an angle to frame things so you get what you want. Always. And perhaps it goes farther, in that you're a sucker if you are not always pushing for more. My blood pressure doesn't agree with that lifestyle, but I wasn't raised in the (INSERT CULTURE HERE) world. I was raised in a "stand in the queue, wait your turn" environment. But I know some look down on that culture as not being strong, "manly," etc.
Maybe I'm a little OT but this post got me thinking!
Jun 25, 2019, 7:55 am
#42
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Jun 25, 2019, 8:20 am
#43
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Jun 26, 2019, 4:10 am
#44
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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-a8972181.html
Still doesn't get to the bottom of this curious story
Still doesn't get to the bottom of this curious story