What's the most annoying EK passenger you have seen?
Aug 5, 2012, 6:43 am
#17
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: British Airways Executive Club
Posts: 49
1. Similar story on the AMD - DXB flight a couple of weeks back. As is normal with these flights, Y is full, with J (and F if available) almost empty, so you see a lot of upgrades.
I was in the F cabin (the only passenger), and I came across a paid J-class ticket holder trying to self-upgrade. He complained that the cabin was full of Y/J upgrades so by extension, he has the "right to upgrade". A very rude and unpleasant man who re-defined the word arrogant.
Anyways he marched up and dumped his bags next to me. However, before he could sit down, the stern, headmistress-type Arab purser loudly admonished him ("If you want to sit here sir, then buy the right ticket") and sent him back to the J-cabin. Her tone was a little unecessary but entirely justified.
2. I was travelling DXB-BOM in F. My seat was 2A. The man in 1A wanted to switch seats as he complained about the noise in the galley (773ER). Listen to this.. as I entered the cabin to take my seat, he put his things on my seat and "told" me to take 1A. I don't take too kindly to being "told" to do things from people I haven't met before, so I refused. He then says "just move there, its the same seat". Before I lost patience, the purser came and asked if I would be willing to switch to 1A. I refused, so the purser informed the man to move back to 1A. He muttered something under his breath and moved back. I got the evil eyes for the remainder of the flight whenever we made eye contact, but oh my did the sun shine brightly on me when I got waved through customs but he had to wait in line to scan his bags. There must be an Aesop fable around this!
Ironically, if he had bothered to use the words "please" or "thank you" - I would have gladly switched.
I was in the F cabin (the only passenger), and I came across a paid J-class ticket holder trying to self-upgrade. He complained that the cabin was full of Y/J upgrades so by extension, he has the "right to upgrade". A very rude and unpleasant man who re-defined the word arrogant.
Anyways he marched up and dumped his bags next to me. However, before he could sit down, the stern, headmistress-type Arab purser loudly admonished him ("If you want to sit here sir, then buy the right ticket") and sent him back to the J-cabin. Her tone was a little unecessary but entirely justified.
2. I was travelling DXB-BOM in F. My seat was 2A. The man in 1A wanted to switch seats as he complained about the noise in the galley (773ER). Listen to this.. as I entered the cabin to take my seat, he put his things on my seat and "told" me to take 1A. I don't take too kindly to being "told" to do things from people I haven't met before, so I refused. He then says "just move there, its the same seat". Before I lost patience, the purser came and asked if I would be willing to switch to 1A. I refused, so the purser informed the man to move back to 1A. He muttered something under his breath and moved back. I got the evil eyes for the remainder of the flight whenever we made eye contact, but oh my did the sun shine brightly on me when I got waved through customs but he had to wait in line to scan his bags. There must be an Aesop fable around this!
Ironically, if he had bothered to use the words "please" or "thank you" - I would have gladly switched.
Aug 5, 2012, 10:32 am
#18
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Coast, USA
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 3,747
There are countless things that people do which are highly annoying, but I do my best to ignore most of it.
What flying has taught me is that there are way too many obnoxious, rude, self-centered people in this world. And, number one, typically flying in F or J, I have found that having money certainly doesn't mean a person has class.
One of my biggest pet-peeves:
What flying has taught me is that there are way too many obnoxious, rude, self-centered people in this world. And, number one, typically flying in F or J, I have found that having money certainly doesn't mean a person has class.
One of my biggest pet-peeves:
Last edited by whimike; Aug 6, 2012 at 5:09 pm
Aug 5, 2012, 11:20 am
#19
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BOM
Programs: EK Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 2,881
My biggest peeve when traveling in Y is with people who believe that they own both the arm rests (and 4 inches beyond) and keep elbowing me every 5 minutes or so. I once had a passenger who decided that he is going to elbow me for the duration of the flight until I actually conceded him his 'elbow space' - that one was an extremely irritating one...
Aug 5, 2012, 3:20 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2008
Location: The North
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Gold, QR Silver, HH Diamond
Posts: 455
Recently I've been going to DAC a lot. My goodness, there are some real horrors in J on that route, a shockingly high proportion of DYKWIAs and VVVIPs and VVVVIPs.
My favourite was an extremely grumpy surgeon, stranded in the 'middle' J seat whose method of asserting his status seems to involve refusing to prepare at all for even the simplest type of interaction with the crew. For instance, crew comes to ask him his drink choice. He puts down his paper, slowly, and asks "what do you have?". She shows him the drinks menu, he takes an age, peruses. "Iced water". Ditto the meal choice. No preparation, always looking up in an irritated fashion, "what do you have?" etc. etc. She shows him the menu. He makes her read it out. Unbelievable. Also made the crew stick his bags in the overhead locker!
On final approach, naturally, he was the last to put his seat upright, and get ready.
After repeated requests to fasten his seat belt, all of them ignored with a wave of the hand, in some strange DYKWIA type protest he actually landed without bothering to fasten his seat belt. I guess that showed them who's boss!!
My favourite was an extremely grumpy surgeon, stranded in the 'middle' J seat whose method of asserting his status seems to involve refusing to prepare at all for even the simplest type of interaction with the crew. For instance, crew comes to ask him his drink choice. He puts down his paper, slowly, and asks "what do you have?". She shows him the drinks menu, he takes an age, peruses. "Iced water". Ditto the meal choice. No preparation, always looking up in an irritated fashion, "what do you have?" etc. etc. She shows him the menu. He makes her read it out. Unbelievable. Also made the crew stick his bags in the overhead locker!
On final approach, naturally, he was the last to put his seat upright, and get ready.
After repeated requests to fasten his seat belt, all of them ignored with a wave of the hand, in some strange DYKWIA type protest he actually landed without bothering to fasten his seat belt. I guess that showed them who's boss!!
Aug 5, 2012, 4:20 pm
#22
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Land of Oz
Posts: 948
Flying from DXB-MEL and had a late teens early twenties woman sitting in front of me in Y, as we pushed back she was talking on her mobile phone, as we taxied she was still talking, as we were rolling down the runway she was texting someone. Then into the flight she started to flirt with one of the male FA's who kept bringing her chocolates from F and letting her use the J toilets. Eventually the male purser told her she was no longer allowed past the J curtain to which she then started calling him names.
Guess Karma came around a little when she fell asleep her tanktop fell down a little exposing her quite a bit, the purser came past saw it and promptly woke her up and loudly said please madam put that away people dont want to see that.
The embarrassed look on her face was priceless.
Then on a very foggy approach into MEL from 3000 feet and below on comes the mobile phone again and she promptly starts texting people. I asked her to turn it off and she told me to mind my own busines, so i told her if she didnt put it away i would tell customs she has suspect items on her. The phone went away right away lol.
Guess Karma came around a little when she fell asleep her tanktop fell down a little exposing her quite a bit, the purser came past saw it and promptly woke her up and loudly said please madam put that away people dont want to see that.
The embarrassed look on her face was priceless.
Then on a very foggy approach into MEL from 3000 feet and below on comes the mobile phone again and she promptly starts texting people. I asked her to turn it off and she told me to mind my own busines, so i told her if she didnt put it away i would tell customs she has suspect items on her. The phone went away right away lol.
Aug 5, 2012, 11:50 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,366
Friends of mine who are cabin crew for an Australian Airline - they hit the back of the wall with the palm of their hands - where there jump seats are - when this happens - so the Captain hits the brakes and the Pax all take a tumble - followed by an announcement - all pax are to remain seated until the seat belt sign is turned off
I think its funny - but they dumbo pax will never get the message
I think its funny - but they dumbo pax will never get the message
I would love to see this.
Aug 6, 2012, 1:36 am
#26
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: Skywards, PIAAwards Plus Diamond, HHonours, SPG, IHG
Posts: 144
Here goes . . .
A recent KHI-DXB leg the flight got delayed due to a medical emergency. Many of the pax were connecting to afternoon flights to Europe and with connection times as little as 75 minutes, many (including me, traveling Y) though they'd miss their connection. Since the flight was half full, after take off I decided to take the seat as far ahead in the cabin as possible so I could get out off the plane as soon as possible and make a run for my connecting flight. The only aisle seat available was next to a lady so I politely asked if it was free, she just said 'I think so'. I think she wanted to say 'Yes but I dont want you to sit here'. Anyway shameless as I am I decided to ignore her comment and sat down.
Upon disembarking I learnt I had missed my connection and so I had to make my way to Transfers to get another boarding pass for a later flight. Guess who managed to get there before me ? Yes the same lady. She had also missed her connection
and kept complaining to the transfer desk agent why EK couldn't hold the flight for just 15 minutes so she could catch her flight. Then went into a diatribe as to why it was extremely important that she get to her destination that day. Needless to say she was holding me and the enter queue when we just wanted to get our new BPs
A recent KHI-DXB leg the flight got delayed due to a medical emergency. Many of the pax were connecting to afternoon flights to Europe and with connection times as little as 75 minutes, many (including me, traveling Y) though they'd miss their connection. Since the flight was half full, after take off I decided to take the seat as far ahead in the cabin as possible so I could get out off the plane as soon as possible and make a run for my connecting flight. The only aisle seat available was next to a lady so I politely asked if it was free, she just said 'I think so'. I think she wanted to say 'Yes but I dont want you to sit here'. Anyway shameless as I am I decided to ignore her comment and sat down.
Upon disembarking I learnt I had missed my connection and so I had to make my way to Transfers to get another boarding pass for a later flight. Guess who managed to get there before me ? Yes the same lady. She had also missed her connection
and kept complaining to the transfer desk agent why EK couldn't hold the flight for just 15 minutes so she could catch her flight. Then went into a diatribe as to why it was extremely important that she get to her destination that day. Needless to say she was holding me and the enter queue when we just wanted to get our new BPs
Aug 6, 2012, 8:26 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold | SK Gold | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,553
Here goes . . .
A recent KHI-DXB leg the flight got delayed due to a medical emergency. Many of the pax were connecting to afternoon flights to Europe and with connection times as little as 75 minutes, many (including me, traveling Y) though they'd miss their connection. Since the flight was half full, after take off I decided to take the seat as far ahead in the cabin as possible so I could get out off the plane as soon as possible and make a run for my connecting flight. The only aisle seat available was next to a lady so I politely asked if it was free, she just said 'I think so'. I think she wanted to say 'Yes but I dont want you to sit here'. Anyway shameless as I am I decided to ignore her comment and sat down.
Upon disembarking I learnt I had missed my connection and so I had to make my way to Transfers to get another boarding pass for a later flight. Guess who managed to get there before me ? Yes the same lady. She had also missed her connection and kept complaining to the transfer desk agent why EK couldn't hold the flight for just 15 minutes so she could catch her flight. Then went into a diatribe as to why it was extremely important that she get to her destination that day. Needless to say she was holding me and the enter queue when we just wanted to get our new BPs
A recent KHI-DXB leg the flight got delayed due to a medical emergency. Many of the pax were connecting to afternoon flights to Europe and with connection times as little as 75 minutes, many (including me, traveling Y) though they'd miss their connection. Since the flight was half full, after take off I decided to take the seat as far ahead in the cabin as possible so I could get out off the plane as soon as possible and make a run for my connecting flight. The only aisle seat available was next to a lady so I politely asked if it was free, she just said 'I think so'. I think she wanted to say 'Yes but I dont want you to sit here'. Anyway shameless as I am I decided to ignore her comment and sat down.
Upon disembarking I learnt I had missed my connection and so I had to make my way to Transfers to get another boarding pass for a later flight. Guess who managed to get there before me ? Yes the same lady. She had also missed her connection
and kept complaining to the transfer desk agent why EK couldn't hold the flight for just 15 minutes so she could catch her flight. Then went into a diatribe as to why it was extremely important that she get to her destination that day. Needless to say she was holding me and the enter queue when we just wanted to get our new BPsI've been lucky not to have to interact with annoying passengers, the worst being seat poachers. What is annoying are people who check in, get on board and then decide they don't want to fly. And waste 2 hours of everyone else's time.
Aug 6, 2012, 8:56 am
#28
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BOM
Programs: EK Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 2,881
Aug 6, 2012, 10:26 am
#29
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 13
DXB Crew
Not much with passengers, more annoyed with crew/check-in agents.
Specially in DXB.
1)A valid Visa is in my passport , multiple entry, for UK/Schengen, yet I have to wait for 10-15 minutes till they call a Senior for Visa check. Can't they read the documents written in simple English on their own?
2)I have dxb residence. I am asked by check-in agents about my visa , mainly sectors DXB-Gulf countries, and agent already knows I get it on arrival using their tools!! Sometimes I also had to wait 10-15 minutes for the Senior to do a visa check. In some cases, I am not allowed to board because I have no visa (happened with EK and FlyDubai). I then simply fly with the national carrier of the country, no questions asked and I get my visa in the airport. Unfortunately, there is no way to hold agents accountable for their actions, if they say you do not get visa on arrival (just to be on the safe side), that's it, you lose your flight, they don't give you written confirmation and you have no rights!
3) As many of you may already know, Dxb residence becomes invalid if you leave the country for more than six months. Sometimes I am asked, on the sector back to DXB, when I last left Dubai and I say "one week " or "two weeks". I get further questioned "where is the exit stamp" and I tell them that I use Electronic Gate. Then, I am asked to show them this E-gate card (I wonder what benefit does this bring to show the card).
At the end of the day, My outbound trip DXB-Wherver was taken on EK, with your airline, a few days or weeks back . You have all the details. It's the same Ticket !!!
All this adds more disappointment and frustration for me as a customer (Ex-Silver)
Specially in DXB.
1)A valid Visa is in my passport , multiple entry, for UK/Schengen, yet I have to wait for 10-15 minutes till they call a Senior for Visa check. Can't they read the documents written in simple English on their own?
2)I have dxb residence. I am asked by check-in agents about my visa , mainly sectors DXB-Gulf countries, and agent already knows I get it on arrival using their tools!! Sometimes I also had to wait 10-15 minutes for the Senior to do a visa check. In some cases, I am not allowed to board because I have no visa (happened with EK and FlyDubai). I then simply fly with the national carrier of the country, no questions asked and I get my visa in the airport. Unfortunately, there is no way to hold agents accountable for their actions, if they say you do not get visa on arrival (just to be on the safe side), that's it, you lose your flight, they don't give you written confirmation and you have no rights!
3) As many of you may already know, Dxb residence becomes invalid if you leave the country for more than six months. Sometimes I am asked, on the sector back to DXB, when I last left Dubai and I say "one week " or "two weeks". I get further questioned "where is the exit stamp" and I tell them that I use Electronic Gate. Then, I am asked to show them this E-gate card (I wonder what benefit does this bring to show the card).
At the end of the day, My outbound trip DXB-Wherver was taken on EK, with your airline, a few days or weeks back . You have all the details. It's the same Ticket !!!
All this adds more disappointment and frustration for me as a customer (Ex-Silver)
Last edited by Travel Quest; Aug 6, 2012 at 11:24 am
Aug 6, 2012, 10:36 am
#30
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
Interesting to see the direction this is taking! Personal gripes:
1. Pax who use their phones while on active runway (this nearly turned into a fistfight on one EK flight when I asked a pap in J to turn off his phone because the signals can affect electronics on board and his actions were endangering the safety of others, i.e. me - boy, did he get aggressive!).
Get a grip......this is not YOUR job
2. Pax who demonstrate their lack of culture and upbringing by treating CC like indentured servants.
+1000
3. Pax (male) who attach a sprinkler system to a part of their anatomy and spray the floor in lavatories.
Agreed
4. Pax (any gender) who leave lavatories in a mess, e.g.. damp floor, unflushed lavatory, sink full of bubbles and toothpaste etc.
This Unfortunatly is not a problem specific to EK
5. Pax from certain countries who big it up in F while leaving Filipina nannies in J with their obnoxious offspring.
I actually appreciate these passengers (cuz I'm in F)
6. Pax who move up a class to stand in the aisle and natter to their more fortunate friends/colleagues while blocking room for cabin service and causing noise pollution.
Any good F/A will take care of this for you if you notice it first. I've seen FA's get very aggressive when other pax in F get visitors
7. Upgraded pax who spend the flight trying to convince CC to also upgrade friends/colleagues/hot chicks they have met at the airport.
That's just ridiculous. Does this really happen?
8. Pax who are lunging for their bags from overhead lockers when the speed brakes are still deployed.
But it is funny to watch them fall
9. Pax who seem unable to follow basic standards of personal hygiene - usually the same ones who have shoes and socks off with feet pressed on the back of the seat in front.
All part of the EK experience
Gosh, that was a rant. Perhaps it's just symptomatic of travelling a lot but the more I fly the more I am convinced that there is a set of unwritten rules for travelling which is a combination of keeping yourself comfortable while exercising some respect for those around you. Sadly, some who travel frequently, as well as the clueless occasional flyers, are oblivious to this.
1. Pax who use their phones while on active runway (this nearly turned into a fistfight on one EK flight when I asked a pap in J to turn off his phone because the signals can affect electronics on board and his actions were endangering the safety of others, i.e. me - boy, did he get aggressive!).
Get a grip......this is not YOUR job
2. Pax who demonstrate their lack of culture and upbringing by treating CC like indentured servants.
+1000
3. Pax (male) who attach a sprinkler system to a part of their anatomy and spray the floor in lavatories.
Agreed
4. Pax (any gender) who leave lavatories in a mess, e.g.. damp floor, unflushed lavatory, sink full of bubbles and toothpaste etc.
This Unfortunatly is not a problem specific to EK
5. Pax from certain countries who big it up in F while leaving Filipina nannies in J with their obnoxious offspring.
I actually appreciate these passengers (cuz I'm in F)
6. Pax who move up a class to stand in the aisle and natter to their more fortunate friends/colleagues while blocking room for cabin service and causing noise pollution.
Any good F/A will take care of this for you if you notice it first. I've seen FA's get very aggressive when other pax in F get visitors
7. Upgraded pax who spend the flight trying to convince CC to also upgrade friends/colleagues/hot chicks they have met at the airport.
That's just ridiculous. Does this really happen?
8. Pax who are lunging for their bags from overhead lockers when the speed brakes are still deployed.
But it is funny to watch them fall
9. Pax who seem unable to follow basic standards of personal hygiene - usually the same ones who have shoes and socks off with feet pressed on the back of the seat in front.
All part of the EK experience
Gosh, that was a rant. Perhaps it's just symptomatic of travelling a lot but the more I fly the more I am convinced that there is a set of unwritten rules for travelling which is a combination of keeping yourself comfortable while exercising some respect for those around you. Sadly, some who travel frequently, as well as the clueless occasional flyers, are oblivious to this.
