Most Embarrassing travel moment?
May 16, 2011, 1:49 pm
#61
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Europe & Middle East
Programs: BA GGL (LTG), Marriott LT Titanium, EK Plat, Amex Cent
Posts: 899
my dear old mummsy
So in summer 2008 I was flying JFK - LHR in J. My elderly mum who is (i) Irish (the slightly mad variety of Irish person that one sometimes comes across) (ii) not known for her tact and diplomacy and (iii) is sh*t scared of flying and always travels with a Valium and a few G&T's and glasses of wine was seated next to me.
I had work the next day, so was settling down to sleep through the red-eye. My mother was in the rear facing seats next to a middle aged lady who was a something-or-other for one of the UK tabloids.
They chatted through taxiing and take-off, and as I was about to put the ear plugs in I heard the conversation:-
Mum : ' are you married?'
Ms Tabloid : 'no'
Mum : ' do you have a boyfriend?'
Ms Tabloid : 'no'
Mum : ' are you a lesbian?'
At this point I stuck my head over the divide and said ' mother, the reason people pay to travel business class is to avoid people who ask stupid questions like that'
She really was not embarrassed at all
Luckily Ms Tabloid seemed to find it all rather amusing, and sadly she was not a lesbian!
I had work the next day, so was settling down to sleep through the red-eye. My mother was in the rear facing seats next to a middle aged lady who was a something-or-other for one of the UK tabloids.
They chatted through taxiing and take-off, and as I was about to put the ear plugs in I heard the conversation:-
Mum : ' are you married?'
Ms Tabloid : 'no'
Mum : ' do you have a boyfriend?'
Ms Tabloid : 'no'
Mum : ' are you a lesbian?'
At this point I stuck my head over the divide and said ' mother, the reason people pay to travel business class is to avoid people who ask stupid questions like that'
She really was not embarrassed at all
Luckily Ms Tabloid seemed to find it all rather amusing, and sadly she was not a lesbian!
May 16, 2011, 1:58 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: UK & Sweden
Posts: 23
There are just a few embarrasing moments.
1. After securing the cabin, whilst wearing a lifejacket from doing a manual safety demo, I was walking down one of the aisles rather hastily when one of the straps was caught around an arm rest. I came to a full stop and it felt like I was being decapitated. At least the passengers had a good laugh!
2. During a bar round the trolley-top came off the trolley. Crash, boom, bang.
3. Collecting meal trays when the other end of the trolley opened and everything fell out on the floor.
4. Opened a tomato juice and two poor passengers (bless them) became victims of being completely covered with it.
5. Dropped a full tray with water and orange juice in the middle of the night when tripping over a blanket on the floor.
1. After securing the cabin, whilst wearing a lifejacket from doing a manual safety demo, I was walking down one of the aisles rather hastily when one of the straps was caught around an arm rest. I came to a full stop and it felt like I was being decapitated. At least the passengers had a good laugh!
2. During a bar round the trolley-top came off the trolley. Crash, boom, bang.
3. Collecting meal trays when the other end of the trolley opened and everything fell out on the floor.
4. Opened a tomato juice and two poor passengers (bless them) became victims of being completely covered with it.
5. Dropped a full tray with water and orange juice in the middle of the night when tripping over a blanket on the floor.
May 16, 2011, 2:05 pm
#63
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Glasgow-ish, UK
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 297
In WT+ after the initial alcohol induced sleep, woke up for a calling of nature. Stood up too quickly and fainted a 6ft/17st clatter to the floor obviously gave the screaming occupant of across the aisle a bit of a fright. CC were as good as gold, told me it happens all the time, I think mostly to make me feel better.
May 16, 2011, 2:07 pm
#64
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: BA Silver, Mucci
Posts: 5,289
Red wine, white wine, champagne, orange juice, Shaun Hill's Lancashire hotpot, chicken casserole and what seems like gallons of water. I just seem to be a klutz magnet.
May 16, 2011, 2:23 pm
#66
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: GCM
Posts: 1,009
Let me explain: traveling back from MCO many years ago we got transferred to an earlier flight (they gave us some free flight vouchers at the time to go earlier).
Anyway I had planed to change from shorts into chinos at the airport, but we only had 20 mins to get to the earlier flight, so ran to the gate and just make it.
We sat in y, exit seats though, took off and about an hour into the flight was offered drinks. I had an orange juice, it was cold by the door so I decided to change into my chino's unfortunately when getting back to my seat I sat down and managed to knock the oj all over me. Back to the toilets to change back into shorts.
All fine had a blanket was warm enough, had dinner and was watching a film. Most other people were asleep. Anyway a member of CC came through the cabin tripped and launched more oj on me. I had no more clothes spent the rest of the flight in just a blanket, tried to get the chinos dry, and I had to put them on again to get off the plane.
Learnt my lesson I now wear dark blue or black jeans on flights as walking off the plane with cream chinos and a big orange stain in the crouch area was not a look I want to repeat.
Joejet
I also never drink oj on a plane either
May 16, 2011, 2:54 pm
#67
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,324
On a flight from LHR to HKG in CW about 10 years ago, I got up in the middle of the night and needed a pee. All CW toilets were occupied so I walked back to WT (I think this was before the days of WT+) and went to the first empty toilet. I opened the door to find a little old lady (who had forgotten to lock the door) sitting on the toilet and at the precise moment I opened the door she, ahem, very loudly evacuated her bowels.
Mine: (More embarrassing than amusing) Work assigned me from Australia to the UK. On the last leg of SYD-SIN-CDG-BHX, on BA, I looked out at the sky and things seemed unfamiliar. I was no doubt exhausted, but I really felt (and probably was) as far away from my home as I'd ever been. I left my significant other behind and we had agreed to maintain a long-distance relationship. Tears welled up and I silently cried a few tears. Then, I kept looking out the window, which made me even more sad. There was no one around me (within eyesight), so I sat their bawling for a good 10 mins. I was certain no one heard me but after the 10 mins or so, a woman from behind on the other side of the aisle handed me tissues and asked if I was okay, while a young woman my age (her daughter) looked on. I laughed it off with big red watery eyes and said I was moving and homesick and she comforted me and said her husband did the same thing etc.
I felt stupid. When the cabin attendant came along, I obviously looked like a wreck so then she asked what was wrong and I felt embarrassed that everyone was drawing attention to my man-tears
They were really sweet. As I left the aircraft, she said she hoped I enjoyed my new home (no Birmingham jokes, please) and said "we'd like to give you this" - it was bag full of two mini-champagnes, two beers, and some chocolates. What a great crew!
May 16, 2011, 3:14 pm
#68
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BD (RIP); BA
Posts: 135
May 16, 2011, 4:30 pm
#69
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Europe & Middle East
Programs: BA GGL (LTG), Marriott LT Titanium, EK Plat, Amex Cent
Posts: 899
Many is the flight I have caught with toilet paper stuffed between my cheeks just in case of such an occurance!!
May 16, 2011, 4:37 pm
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: A metal nomad
Programs: Mucci des Delices Exotiques,Order of the Platinum Hairbrush,Her Royal Diamond
Posts: 23,735
One long-haul flight many moons ago, I was absolutely exhausted and promptly fell asleep as soon as I sat down, missing the demo, take-off and meals.
Mid-flight, I woke up to find myself sleeping on my neighbour's shoulders. She was asleep, and completely unaware of the rather excessive drool I've caused running down her jacket
One of the perils of travelling in Y.
Mid-flight, I woke up to find myself sleeping on my neighbour's shoulders. She was asleep, and completely unaware of the rather excessive drool I've caused running down her jacket
One of the perils of travelling in Y.
May 16, 2011, 4:53 pm
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: A metal nomad
Programs: Mucci des Delices Exotiques,Order of the Platinum Hairbrush,Her Royal Diamond
Posts: 23,735
Ditto. I have tears in my eyes
Mine: (More embarrassing than amusing) Work assigned me from Australia to the UK. On the last leg of SYD-SIN-CDG-BHX, on BA, I looked out at the sky and things seemed unfamiliar. I was no doubt exhausted, but I really felt (and probably was) as far away from my home as I'd ever been. I left my significant other behind and we had agreed to maintain a long-distance relationship. Tears welled up and I silently cried a few tears. Then, I kept looking out the window, which made me even more sad. There was no one around me (within eyesight), so I sat their bawling for a good 10 mins. I was certain no one heard me but after the 10 mins or so, a woman from behind on the other side of the aisle handed me tissues and asked if I was okay, while a young woman my age (her daughter) looked on. I laughed it off with big red watery eyes and said I was moving and homesick and she comforted me and said her husband did the same thing etc.
I felt stupid. When the cabin attendant came along, I obviously looked like a wreck so then she asked what was wrong and I felt embarrassed that everyone was drawing attention to my man-tears They were really sweet.
As I left the aircraft, she said she hoped I enjoyed my new home (no Birmingham jokes, please) and said "we'd like to give you this" - it was bag full of two mini-champagnes, two beers, and some chocolates. What a great crew!
Mine: (More embarrassing than amusing) Work assigned me from Australia to the UK. On the last leg of SYD-SIN-CDG-BHX, on BA, I looked out at the sky and things seemed unfamiliar. I was no doubt exhausted, but I really felt (and probably was) as far away from my home as I'd ever been. I left my significant other behind and we had agreed to maintain a long-distance relationship. Tears welled up and I silently cried a few tears. Then, I kept looking out the window, which made me even more sad. There was no one around me (within eyesight), so I sat their bawling for a good 10 mins. I was certain no one heard me but after the 10 mins or so, a woman from behind on the other side of the aisle handed me tissues and asked if I was okay, while a young woman my age (her daughter) looked on. I laughed it off with big red watery eyes and said I was moving and homesick and she comforted me and said her husband did the same thing etc.
I felt stupid. When the cabin attendant came along, I obviously looked like a wreck so then she asked what was wrong and I felt embarrassed that everyone was drawing attention to my man-tears
They were really sweet. As I left the aircraft, she said she hoped I enjoyed my new home (no Birmingham jokes, please) and said "we'd like to give you this" - it was bag full of two mini-champagnes, two beers, and some chocolates. What a great crew!
May 16, 2011, 4:55 pm
#72
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,370
Yes, I learnt the same lesson years ago after too many incidents of spilling orange juice or red wine on light coloured chinos. I also try to wear a shirt which I wouldn't be too upset if it got a bad stain on.
May 16, 2011, 5:54 pm
#73
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Sydney or London
Programs: Qantas Gold, BA Blue, Thai Silver
Posts: 96
A few years ago, DVT-prevention socks were all the rage. I flew from London - Sydney return on Virgin in Upper Class. Uneventful journey there outbound.
The trouble came upon the return. I had been having a nice week in the sun in Sydney and hadn't thought to do any laundry at all. Happily put my (pre-worn) DVT socks on for the return flight without thinking. Somewhere between Sydney and Hong Kong I slip off my shoes.
Half an hour later I smell the most awful pong and think a) the loos are blocked or b) dinner is about to be served. Several other passengers also notice the smell.
Next thing, one of the crew starts discreetly sniffing around the cabin, gets to me and says something like 'Sir, would you mind putting your shoes back on and having a quick shower in the longe in Hong Kong'.
I was mortified and kept a very low profile for the next flight.
The trouble came upon the return. I had been having a nice week in the sun in Sydney and hadn't thought to do any laundry at all. Happily put my (pre-worn) DVT socks on for the return flight without thinking. Somewhere between Sydney and Hong Kong I slip off my shoes.
Half an hour later I smell the most awful pong and think a) the loos are blocked or b) dinner is about to be served. Several other passengers also notice the smell.
Next thing, one of the crew starts discreetly sniffing around the cabin, gets to me and says something like 'Sir, would you mind putting your shoes back on and having a quick shower in the longe in Hong Kong'.
I was mortified and kept a very low profile for the next flight.
May 16, 2011, 7:28 pm
#74
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SAN
Programs: PR Premier Elite
Posts: 1,950
Half an hour later I smell the most awful pong and think a) the loos are blocked or b) dinner is about to be served. Several other passengers also notice the smell.
Next thing, one of the crew starts discreetly sniffing around the cabin, gets to me and says something like 'Sir, would you mind putting your shoes back on and having a quick shower in the longe in Hong Kong'.
Next thing, one of the crew starts discreetly sniffing around the cabin, gets to me and says something like 'Sir, would you mind putting your shoes back on and having a quick shower in the longe in Hong Kong'.
May 16, 2011, 7:30 pm
#75
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: YVR but often E1
Programs: BA Silver, FI, AC
Posts: 1,243
A few years ago I was flying YVR-LHR-HEL. Chose to wear comfortable trews for the long journey rather than a skirt, happy in WT+.
With about an hour left in the flight I neeed to go to the washroom and decided to take a short cut over the side of the (aisle) seat. Lucky me - the armrest cover flipped up and I heard a rrrriiipp as something sharp inside the pocket where the table lives tore a strip out of my trews. Not along a seam but in the fabric.
Had no interest in walking around LHR with knickers on display, and had nothing in which to change in my rollaboard; other bag checked through to HEL.
Turned all shades of red when I asked the CSD if there were sewing kits on board. Thank goodness one crew member :-: had one, and was patient whilst I spent 10 minutes in the lavvy making a fast repair. Managed to finish before the 20 minute call too!
With about an hour left in the flight I neeed to go to the washroom and decided to take a short cut over the side of the (aisle) seat. Lucky me - the armrest cover flipped up and I heard a rrrriiipp as something sharp inside the pocket where the table lives tore a strip out of my trews. Not along a seam but in the fabric.
Had no interest in walking around LHR with knickers on display, and had nothing in which to change in my rollaboard; other bag checked through to HEL.
Turned all shades of red when I asked the CSD if there were sewing kits on board. Thank goodness one crew member :-: had one, and was patient whilst I spent 10 minutes in the lavvy making a fast repair. Managed to finish before the 20 minute call too!