Video calling with no headphones
 

Sitting in the F lounge. Three separate people have been video calling with no headphones on so we all have to listen to their conversations.

This seems to now be an accepted norm (along with kids playing video games with no headphones on board).

Am I in the minority that I don’t think this should be allowed?

I should point out that it’s going on ten feet from the CCR entry desk. Loads of BA staff have been past and nobody seems to care.

join in on the conversations.

I doubt anyone here will disagree with you.

But for many millennials it’s the norm and completely acceptable, and those who object are just old.

For video calls, I just walk up behind the person and wave at the people on screen. If challenged, I just say its nice to match a face to the voice. Only one person has ever gotten a little angry, stating 'This is a private conversation'. When everyone around us burst out laughing, I think he understood the point.

Yes, I object - I am old, I am cranky, and I'm not afraid to kick up a fuss about it. I am not afraid to raise my voice if I have to and incur the disapproval of my husband. It's not just millennial people either - I took issue with one man who told me to go and sit elsewhere. I am afraid that I was not ladylike - although unlike him I did not use bad language. He told me that I was a f***ing old cow. I objected to that. I told him how dare he call me old. Others came to support me. All this was in Spain. I had not been called that to my face since I was working.

im not old and i hate this. hearing someone on a phone is annoying enough let alone a LOUDER video call and hearing both sides of the conversation.

i'll tolerate it for an acceptable amount of time before saying something to the young AND old girls and boys i've spoken to. well, i've never had to chastise an older woman. yet.

Totally agree, there's no need for it.

I don't think the staff should have to police it, it should be a given, I'd be tempted to sit next to them and start watching Netflix or something at volume without headphones just to make a point.

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None of these were millennials. All over 40 and should know better. One particularly loud gentlemen was calling his young child, which he probably thinks gives him an excuse.

As a millennial myself I find it all very deplorable and discourteous. It always surprises me how much some people are lacking in basic self-awareness of one's actions.

And I also very much dislike how so many of you so very eagerly paint every millennial with the same brush. This sort of behaviour transcends age, race, skin colour, handedness, quality of one's eye sight, etc.

Finally, no matter how annoying it gets, it is still very much a first world problem! :o

I agree. I’m older than a millennial - and would say older generations are less respectful with this sort of behaviour. It tends to be arrogant people in their late thirties to mid fifties. But there isn’t a rule.

Exactly this!

thats exactly what a millennial/i would say! :p

Yep, I agree wholeheartedly. I feel like asking if they can't afford a set of headphones.

If it was I business conversation I'd stand near by taking notes. I'm sure their company would love to know that their staff are discussing sensitive details in public. Or just record it all on my mobile and send it to their company.

I have had a discussion with someone who said what's the difference between someone talking on a video call to a mobile call or the person next to them. A mobile call you only here one side. Two people talking in a public space don't shout (well, not normally!).

Trouble is, people have gotten very comfortable with doing video calls now thanks to Covid-19. At work, hardly any did Teams calls. Now they swear by it as it saves the hassle of looking for a free meeting room. When I told one of the heads that people will be doing more of these calls from their desks - whenever we eventually go back, he was so upset at all the extra noise in the office this would cause. Given he's younger than me, he's not very adaptable. But this situation is far different to being on a plane or in the lounge, or any other public space.

Re children playing games with the sound on, I once had to endure an overnight flight with a child in the cabin playing a game nearby. Earplugs and noise cancelling headsets only seemed to block out everything else but not it!

Feel I should start a thread about acceptable footwear as well.... that one hasn’t been done for a week or so either....