Can't Speak English? You're off the flight!
Nov 7, 2018, 10:57 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Rewards Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,385
Can't Speak English? You're off the flight!
Poor elderly Spanish couple who couldn't speak English (or Dutch!) booted from KLM flight AMS - MAD because they did not understand FA's threat: "Are we going to have a problem today??"
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...speak-english/
I suppose it is hard for the tri-lingual Dutch to imagine that Spaniards might not be up to international standards in the King's English. Still, a bit of patience might be in order...
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...speak-english/
I suppose it is hard for the tri-lingual Dutch to imagine that Spaniards might not be up to international standards in the King's English. Still, a bit of patience might be in order...
Nov 7, 2018, 11:09 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Sweden
Programs: Flying Blue, EuroBonus
Posts: 156
Even harder to understand why KLM doesn't have at least a member of the crew that speaks Spanish on flights to Madrid. The whole plane sided with the poor couple. I hope they all choose Iberia next time.
Nov 7, 2018, 11:28 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: British Airways Gold
Posts: 2,636
The LCC efficiency model that has been replicated across legacies has effectively got rid of this now in Europe. The crew stays with the plane all day and the plane flies multiple segments all over the continent so no dedicated language crews for a specific flight
Nov 7, 2018, 2:07 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Netherlands
Programs: FB Platinum
Posts: 113
After seeing the video I have some doubts. I can't hear what he's saying but his body language and the famous "come here" finger-move tell me a different story than a poor elderly couple this story tries to paint them as. Add that to the fact that apparently no one on the entire flight was willing to translate for him and I'm pretty sure KLM will have a different story to tell about this incident.
Nov 8, 2018, 2:02 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2017
Programs: FB Plat
Posts: 195
Surely there's more to it than just this though...I'm unsure how you'd be thrown off a plane for asking that they not move your bag.
Nov 8, 2018, 3:25 am
#7
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: Delta Silver, HH Gold, Accor Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 5,340
I don't know where the expectancy comes from - judging from many comments on other fora and social media on this 'incident' - that KLM should have a Spanish speaking FA on the flight? How many Dutch speaking Vueling and Iberia FA's are there on flights to AMS?
Nov 8, 2018, 12:19 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 128
Apparently a crewmember had posted his/her version of the incident on FB:
This was my flight, the man first insulted ground (crew), myself, the purser and the captain. He refused to follow our instructions, and became aggresive when his luggage was shifted. Of our passengers noone wanted/dared to translate.
...
This man refused to listen. Our Spanish was sufficient. Our captain was even fluent.
...
Another FA posted:
These people still flew tuesday to Madrid. The lady certainly had a basic grasp of English. They were a bit moody, but otherwise I had no problems with them. It’s a pity these kind of movies are just thrown on the internet like that.
This was my flight, the man first insulted ground (crew), myself, the purser and the captain. He refused to follow our instructions, and became aggresive when his luggage was shifted. Of our passengers noone wanted/dared to translate.
...
This man refused to listen. Our Spanish was sufficient. Our captain was even fluent.
...
Another FA posted:
These people still flew tuesday to Madrid. The lady certainly had a basic grasp of English. They were a bit moody, but otherwise I had no problems with them. It’s a pity these kind of movies are just thrown on the internet like that.
Nov 9, 2018, 3:24 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,060
Until ground staff clamp down on the number of carry on bags, these incidents will continue to occur.
A recent feeder flight from Humberside to Amsterdam, a family of people (4 adults, 1 child) carried on no less than 11 bags, and boarded first, due to the small (aged about 9). They then proceeded to fill ALL of the Euro Business class lockers (and then some) with their luggage an act of complete selfishness.
As I was sat in 1A, I moved on of their bags back, so that I could use the locker above my head, and mindfully dared them to challenge me about it. I would have escalated it with the cabin crew about the number of bags they had carried on, if they had said anything to me.
A recent feeder flight from Humberside to Amsterdam, a family of people (4 adults, 1 child) carried on no less than 11 bags, and boarded first, due to the small (aged about 9). They then proceeded to fill ALL of the Euro Business class lockers (and then some) with their luggage an act of complete selfishness.
As I was sat in 1A, I moved on of their bags back, so that I could use the locker above my head, and mindfully dared them to challenge me about it. I would have escalated it with the cabin crew about the number of bags they had carried on, if they had said anything to me.
Nov 9, 2018, 3:45 am
#11
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 757
I find it always extremely interesting that people just assume one has to speak their language?
Nov 9, 2018, 4:10 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
Until ground staff clamp down on the number of carry on bags, these incidents will continue to occur.
A recent feeder flight from Humberside to Amsterdam, a family of people (4 adults, 1 child) carried on no less than 11 bags, and boarded first, due to the small (aged about 9). They then proceeded to fill ALL of the Euro Business class lockers (and then some) with their luggage an act of complete selfishness.
As I was sat in 1A, I moved on of their bags back, so that I could use the locker above my head, and mindfully dared them to challenge me about it. I would have escalated it with the cabin crew about the number of bags they had carried on, if they had said anything to me.
A recent feeder flight from Humberside to Amsterdam, a family of people (4 adults, 1 child) carried on no less than 11 bags, and boarded first, due to the small (aged about 9). They then proceeded to fill ALL of the Euro Business class lockers (and then some) with their luggage an act of complete selfishness.
As I was sat in 1A, I moved on of their bags back, so that I could use the locker above my head, and mindfully dared them to challenge me about it. I would have escalated it with the cabin crew about the number of bags they had carried on, if they had said anything to me.
Nov 9, 2018, 4:14 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 776
Poor elderly Spanish couple who couldn't speak English (or Dutch!) booted from KLM flight AMS - MAD because they did not understand FA's threat: "Are we going to have a problem today??"
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...speak-english/
I suppose it is hard for the tri-lingual Dutch to imagine that Spaniards might not be up to international standards in the King's English. Still, a bit of patience might be in order...
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...speak-english/
I suppose it is hard for the tri-lingual Dutch to imagine that Spaniards might not be up to international standards in the King's English. Still, a bit of patience might be in order...
Nov 10, 2018, 5:58 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,060
They were in rows 2 and 3. Grand parents (I think HE was platinum), their offspring and their child. I appreciate that the Platinum member could carry on a little more luggage, but not 11 bags between 5 of them, and they were NOT small bags, i.e each one filled a locker.
Nov 10, 2018, 1:45 pm
#15
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
If they were flying in C then each is allowed 2 bags+a smaller one, otherwise 11 is too much indeed, and small bags should go under the seat