Sorry Boys but I'm going to trump this if you do not mind me intruding here on CO forum.

Fingernails? Consider yourself lucky. I had someone clipping their toenails in First Class (Fingernails I've had too many - its painting them that drives the flight Deck mad when the fumes trip the alarms).

On this occasion (BA but First is First and I would expect better on a Greyhound bus frankly)In one instance a piece flew off and landed - plop - in someone's drink. I was in the galley and did not see this until I saw something fly thought the air and cross the aisle

The someone whose drink it was was distinctly not amused and neither was I who happened to be working there. His political views I will never know but his neck was well and truly red when I had finished with him.

I really do not know why it is that air travel seems to be a magnet for every slob and every lunatic going.

That's wrong on so many levels.

I have to agree that the quality of passengers has gone down. That is easily observed in the front cabin just as much as in the back. Call me old fashioned, but I still believe that you should wear nice clothes when you travel, particularly if you're sitting in front. If nothing else, do it on international flights because you can bet your behind the customs and immigration officers DO notice. It may be wrong, biased, whatever, but you have less chance of a room-with-no-windows interview or open-even-your-eyeglasses-case experience if you look like you belong there instead of a homeless person who found a boarding pass in the trash. I make a point of never wearing jeans or sneakers when I fly, no matter where I'm sitting. I don't go to the extreme of wearing high heels unless I'm on my way to a meeting, but slacks, shirt and pashmina is my minimum standard.

My favorite story? I was supposed to be in business class on a flight to Moscow but Air France screwed up my reservation and upgraded me to first as a result (really nice, I had my own dedicated FA and sommelier). No problems on the way out, but on the way back I shared the cabin with two other passengers, both of them loud Russians who proceeded to down at least 4 glasses of vodka, burping loudly after each slurp. One took off his shoes and promptly hung his socks on the headrest of the seat next to him. Not satisfied, he got up, stretched, stuck his hand inside his pants and gave himself a good 5-minute scratch, sighing contently and smiling at me. The other made a point of touching the FA each time she approached him (nothing sexual but still pretty invasive). They also performed a loud duet after take-off, apparently celebrating the fact that we were leaving mother Russia behind (who wouldn't!).

Their attire consisted of jogging pants, Hawaiian shirts and baseball caps. Even if they had been quiet and sober, that alone would offend me.

On a flight back from Hawaii last year, I was sitting in F on UA in 1C. Before departure, the woman beside me proceeded to take off her crocs (classy, I know), put a plastic bag over her hand, and apply a medicated cream to her skanky feet. I do NOT like feet to begin with, so this was particularly horrific for me. The cream smelled so bad, and the FA saw the look of shock and awe on my face, and intervened.

She politely asked the lady if she would like to conduct this business in the lavatory, to which she replied no. Dear God. The FA told her that what she was doing was slightly inappropriate, and potentially bothersome to other passengers, as the cream stank. Long story short, lady got upset, and was convinced to move to the empty row 6 in F.

It amazes me that people cannot discern between activities that should be conducted in the bathroom/privacy of one's home or hotel room and activities that can appropriately be carried out in public without disgusting fellow members of society.

I agree.

However, attempting to group these people based on their choice of airline -- as some in this thread have done -- seems silly at best. Schmucks are universal; they don't confine themselves to one town or one business or, yes, even just one airline. =)

As for appropriate dress in F or C, I've seen the topic come up before and the various opinions is always of interest to me. Still, dress is less important, IMHO, than behavior. I've seen people dressed comfortably -- t-shirt, jeans, loafers or sneakers -- who are polite and well-behaved sitting up front, just as I've seen well-dressed, suit-wearing types acting like jerks (and vice versa). Clothes don't make the individual.

I bet it was the bible

We were in TAPs First Class Lounge at LIS. The lounge was very nice with a bountiful buffet.

The man, who was dressed nicely in a suit and tie, sitting next to my friend and me got up and made two sandwiches, wrapped them in napkins, and shoved them in his briefcase. We figured he had several long flights ahead and gave it no thought. But then he did it again, and again, and again and again (you get the idea). He took at least 10 sandwiches plus cakes etc. It was phenomenal. I think he thought he was invisible.

I mentioned it to the attendant and she went back to have a look. But since he quit it when he saw her she couldn't do anything. What do you make of that kind of behavior? An obviously well paid businessman stealing inordinately large amounts of food.

There is actually a hilarious thread on this topic on the UA forum -- sometime within the last year. Someone with better search skills can find it. Basically a passenger in C was kicked off the plane by a pilot in part because of what he was wearing. The discussion goes on for pages; the actual outfit was posted. People offered a number of sartorial suggestions. Really fun read if anyone can find it.

EWR President's Clubs have always been a reason to consider sitting in the gate area. The stampede for chocolate chip cookies, when they were offered, used to endanger small children.

For those interested, here's the thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...t-members.html

looks like Ma & Pa Kettle moved over to Continental

The point of your comment?

It is not only air travel where bad behavior is rampant. Last week I was at my gym and was taking a dry sauna after completing my workout. Within the male only, clothing optional sauna was a man dry shaving his face with a blade razor without shaving creme or anything to catch his whiskers which were flying all over the sauna. He was oblivious to the stares of the other people in the sauna who were observing his behavior.

It is my impression that nowadays, people feel empowered to behave any way they wish, and that other people's opinions are to be mocked and ignored by the transgressor. Did Pucci's F class passenger lack the common sense that says you don't cut your toe nails in public and in front of people. I doubt it. (S)he probably knew better but just felt so impowered that she didn't care what others felt.

It is not only air travel where bad behavior is rampant. Last week I was at my gym and was taking a dry sauna after completing my workout. Within the male only, clothing optional sauna was a man dry shaving his face with a blade razor without shaving creme or anything to catch his whiskers which were flying all over the sauna. He was oblivious to the stares of the other people in the sauna who were observing his behavior.

And that is the problem, folks. People just don't care what others think or feel. They do what feels good.

It is my impression that nowadays, people feel empowered to behave any way they wish, and that other people's opinions are to be mocked and ignored by the transgressor. Did Pucci's F class passenger lack the common sense that says you don't cut your toe nails in public and in front of people. I doubt it. (S)he probably knew better but just felt so impowered that (s)he didn't care what others felt.

Didn't anyone see the movie Idiocracy? We're already there.

I'd be surprised if the Continental Presidents Club didn't have a list of rules for attire and behavior. I know United does for the RCC, unfortunately it's buried in the united.com website and not usually enforced.

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing both dress code and capacity enforcement (for non-members) for the future United Club. Frequently there are too many people inside the various Pres Clubs and RCCs I've used. It's become the hidden gate area with kids running around, rude and inconsiderate patrons. And the snack bars are usually gross, especially during high traffic periods. I now stay away from the cheese and veggies during busy periods because I see people using their bare hands to grab food items. No thank you. And wow, I wish parents would either 1) not bring their kids inside the lounge or 2) at least try to control their children.

If it would mean fewer inconsiderate animals inside and a nicer atmosphere with better food/drink offerings, I wouldn't mind seeing enforcement of rules and higher priced day passes to keep the riffraff out.

As for on board, it's a lost cause. And dressing up for a long haul seems silly, unless the airline is providing pajamas. I see nothing wrong with comfortable and neat (no Wal-Mart attire).

~~

I long for the day when we're finally one single airline, so we can be done with the lame UA/CO bashing on both forums.

I have this thought almost everywhere I go.

Agreed.