ILovetheReds

I took my first flight on Southwest yesterday. I moved to MSP from Cinci where SWA didn't have service, several months ago. I had to fly to PHX on short notice, and only middle seats were available on Delta when I looked at flights on Sunday, and even with the middle seat credit that Delta provides, I decided to give SWA a shot on business select to avoid a middle seat on that long of a flight.

Aside from having to fly out of Terminal 2, instead of 1 at MSP and having no services like wifi or IFE system on the flight, it wasn't too bad,. The flight attendant was great and I got a coffee refill at least every hour. In Y on Delta, you get one service on that flight, and possibly a refill if you catch the FA at the right time.

I sat in an aisle seat in row 9. Someone in my office that likes SWA told me that the second attendant usually starts her service with row 9 and that was a good row to sit in if the exit row isn't available. No one took the middle seat and I had a very bizarre person sitting in the window seat.

I fly about 120 segments a year and had behavior I have never witnessed before on a flight. The lady put a newspaper down on the middle seat and pulled out a pair of nailclippers from her purse and started to clip her toenails. She took the newspaper and instead of wadding it up and waiting for the trash service, emptied the toe nail clippings in her empty orange juice cup and wrapped the cup in the newspaper and put it on the middle seat until the FA collected trash.

I found this behavior disgusting and am not sure if the flight attendant would have done anything if I reported it or not. I discussed this with someone at the office yesterday and was told this is typical behavior from a SWA passenger.

I was under the impression that toenail clippers were a safety hazard and couldn't be carried through security. I have seen TSA confiscate nail clippers in the past at CVG.

InkUnderNails

Your "someone at the office" is wrong. I fly 50-60 WN segments per year and have for ten years and have never seen this. The only thing close are people that paint their nails in flight, but even that is rare.

They no longer confiscate nail clippers. Haven't for some time. I carry them in my backpack to cut cable ties, not trim my nails on the plane.

You are right, what you described is genuinely disgusting behavior. Row 9 is a good pick for service, but I prefer 5-6 as the best choice of comfort not in an exit row, and quick off the plane. I like the Humphrey Terminal. It is less crowded and the rental car return to gate time is lightning fast. It may not be as convenient for locals.

jamesteroh

I have never seen anyone due this on any flight I have ever been on and pray I never do. I do find it gross, but don't think the FA could do anything about it. The only time I have heard of them taking nail clippers is if they have a file attached to them, and I haven't heard of that in a while.

I found it disgusting last month on DL when I was flying in in seat 1c and the person in 1d (or I was in 1B and it was the person in 1A), took off their shoes and put their bare feet on the wall. I guess that wasn't so bad compared to what you encountered.

DL and occassionally WN are the only airlines I fly anymore, and find the service in WN to be better than coach on Delta.

smmrfld

[QUOTE=ILovetheReds;16408098] I found this behavior disgusting and am not sure if the flight attendant would have done anything if I reported it or not. I discussed this with someone at the office yesterday and was told this is typical behavior from a SWA passenger.QUOTE]

Seriously...the thought of "reporting" this went through your mind? Must be interesting being you...and your officemate as well.

tusphotog

I had this happen in F(!!!) on a Reno Air flight years ago. Only the woman was in front of me and the fingernails/toenails were flying over the seat.

About three weeks ago, some woman sitting next to me in F on AS was flossing her teeth and grunting as she was digging around in between her molars. It was disgusting. People need to remember an airliner is not their living room.

Never seen toe nail clipping on my 500 WN flights over the years....

jamesteroh

[QUOTE=smmrfld;16408651]I was thinking the same thing. While the behavior is gross, I wouldn't complain to an FA that couldn't do anything about it anyway. I did have a passenger that wasn't MYOB complain to a FA about a DVD I was watching that they found inappropriate. I watching Nip/Tuck (not sure what someone would find offensive about it and even if they did they shouldn't be watching my screen if they find it distrubing) and the FA actually had the nerve to tell me that someone complained that the DVD I was watching was offensive and asked me to turn it off. So if someone has the nerve to complain about someone watching Nip/Tuck I could see them complain about toe nail clipping. I am a type I diabetic and also had a lady sitting in the window seat (I was in the aisle) seat have the nerve to complain I checked my blood sugar at my seat and should have used the lav (this was during a service when the carts were blocking the aisles and I was in Y). The really funny thing about that was it a lady with an infant nursing at her seat.

alggag

This is not "typical behavior from a SWA passenger" and I'm curious if the person who told you this actually flies WN. The most typical are the newbie passengers on their way to see the rat in MCO or the families/one off fliers that just pack too much junk and clearly don't know what they're doing - but you see those types on every airline in Y class.

jamesteroh

I have also seen people in the skyclub and in F with no class as well. Several weeks ago I saw someone in Delta take their shoes off and plop their bare feet up on the wall in first and sounds like that is common on other airlines from reading the forums and have seen people take the shoes off and plop them up on the desks in the skyclubs before.

kennycrudup

Yes. We all have to do this eventually (we'll be told when on our boarding passes) else we're not allowed to fly WN any longer.

WChou

Sadly behavior like what you observed is not unique to any particular airline. The deterioration of manners and the "me first, I'm special, to hell with everyone" attitude is the norm nowadays.

Here is what I observed on an AA/MQ flight from BOS - LGA. YUK!

texashoser

This whole deal is just silly... First of all, I don't find the act of someone clipping their toenails all that disgusting, but to others it is, so I understand. Regardless of whether it's disgusting, though, it certainly is bad manners and not a good time/place to engage in a pruning exercise.

With that said, complaining about it? What is the FA going to do? What if they were clipping their fingernails or picking a scab? Jeez.

The grunting while flossing deal is pretty sick... I'd have looked at them and said, "Are you serious, really?"

Amicus

I've read the lengthy thread over on the AA forum about whether people should even put their feet up at all on the bulkhead wall, so I don't attribute any behavior to one specific airline
I agree that it is offensive to sit next to someone who has their bare feet plopped up on the wall in front of me. But, again, on the AA forum, some people didn't find anything wrong with this at all.

Amicus

+1.

Remember, the FA is there "primarily for our safety."
I doubt any of them want to be the etiquette police, although there is a fantastic posting from an AA FA in the AA forum regarding the rudeness and lack of etiquette from some pax (who put their feet up on the wall).

GottaLuvCruising

I have to agree with the OP that the behavior was clearly inappropriate, but I would have indicated so to the offender.

nsx

Correct. On board, you have the crucial knowledge that the offender has been screened for weapons.

Don't try correcting others in a non-secure public place or, heaven forbid, on the road. You never know what people are capable of.