Most Embarrassing travel moment?
May 26, 2011, 2:24 pm
#106
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
I opened one of the little pots of 'milk' but somehow managed to spray the whole contents over the suit jacket of the man across the aisle, who was asleep.
My colleagues were very amused and I faced the dilemma: should I wake him and deal with the consequences or let him sleep, hope it dried and he did not notice.
In the end, I woke him, explained, apologised and handed him my napkin. Fortunately, he was understanding and forgiving.
I am sure there are some alcohol related incidents but I cannot remember them!
My colleagues were very amused and I faced the dilemma: should I wake him and deal with the consequences or let him sleep, hope it dried and he did not notice.
In the end, I woke him, explained, apologised and handed him my napkin. Fortunately, he was understanding and forgiving.
I am sure there are some alcohol related incidents but I cannot remember them!
May 26, 2011, 4:25 pm
#107
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: London
Programs: UA 1K, BMI Silver (RIP), BA Silver
Posts: 77
A couple of years ago I was flying overnight from SFO to LHR with United. It was business class, in their old style cradle seats. The passenger next to me (he was in the window seat - this is relevant....) was very, very, very old. And very, very, very frail. He did not have a meal but put his eyeshades on and went to sleep straight away. I could hear his snoring even through headphones. Very annoying. Then I realised that the pauses between his snores were getting longer. Then the noise changed to a kind of gargle sound. Then it stopped altogether and his slipped off the armrest. In abject horror I realised that he had shuffled off his mortal coil.
I went straight to the galley for the flight attendant and a large brandy (well, one stiff one calls for another....). The FA braced himself and accompanied me back to my seat to check out the situation. He leant over my seat I imagine to check the poor unfortunate for any vital signs. As he reached for his arm, the old fellow woke up with a start and pulled off the eyeshades. I shrieked like a girl and the brandy went all over the cabin. The FA was cool as a cucumber and said to the old guy "so sorry to disturb you sir, I was just closing the window shades". Then he turned to me and said "may I bring you another cognac, you look like you've seen a ghost".
I went straight to the galley for the flight attendant and a large brandy (well, one stiff one calls for another....). The FA braced himself and accompanied me back to my seat to check out the situation. He leant over my seat I imagine to check the poor unfortunate for any vital signs. As he reached for his arm, the old fellow woke up with a start and pulled off the eyeshades. I shrieked like a girl and the brandy went all over the cabin. The FA was cool as a cucumber and said to the old guy "so sorry to disturb you sir, I was just closing the window shades". Then he turned to me and said "may I bring you another cognac, you look like you've seen a ghost".
May 28, 2011, 4:39 am
#108
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2
flying to JFK in J on VS from lovely LHR, just been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and been using the facilites in Upper Deck on a very regular basis. Two Cubicles are up there, and had been using the same one all the time, then decided to use the one next to the flight deck. Proceeded to come out and shout rather loudly to the mrs (few Kia Royals are to blame), 'WOW the flight deck are looked after! They have quilted bog roll!!'
Returning from NBO in J on BA, asking for some milk with my breakfast coffee (was very early), and ending up totally covered in the stuff, with it missing the cup totally. Was given a F sleeper suit and commented, 'Always wanted one of these the easy way!'
Returning from NBO in J on BA, asking for some milk with my breakfast coffee (was very early), and ending up totally covered in the stuff, with it missing the cup totally. Was given a F sleeper suit and commented, 'Always wanted one of these the easy way!'
May 28, 2011, 12:22 pm
#109
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Zug, Switzerland
Programs: *A Senator; FB Gold ;-), BA Bronze ;-( More other plastic than I can carry!
Posts: 190
In the mid 70:s I flew/worked for a budget airline ~ we had only one route. Out of the nr. Caribbean to Luxembourg and back: sometimes through Shannon. I was a great deal for the pax who were mostly from the US. Two hot meals, free wine and booze and pretty hard work for us,as we were known back then 
stewardesses! The flights were usually quite jolly.
We were ususally full with about 250 pax.
To my everlasting shame I made a terrible mistake on a day flight. There were two very serious looking men with hats and head curls who, while the rest of the plane was tucking into their lunch, sat and waited for their special meals. I checked the ovens and felt the thick foil and it wasn't even luke warm. I ran back and forth to these fellows, apologizing for the delay.
Finally, we only had about an hour to go and I got desperate. Without reading the instruction on the meals I cut off the heavy armour and voila! the meals heated up in 5 minutes.
Elated, I brought the meals to these guys, saying : "I'm so sorry but I didn't know they had to opened up ~ anyway, they're nice and hot now. Enjoy!"
I didn't at all understand their angry glares. These poor guys couldn't eat food touched by gentile hands! I was only 20 at the time and they eventually and gracefully accepted unpeeled fruit and crackers & cheese in wrappers.
As a side-note, our cabins crews, a mix of blond scandinavians, eurasians and African descent girls, were all trained by Eastern Airlines in MIA for a month. We were flawless in Emergency Procedures, had very kinky uniforms (I'm sure many of FTers remember the Barbie Doll days) but because of our tender years, it was much we hadn't learned. For instance, I didn't know the difference between scotch and bourbon ~ and I quite happily substituted Tonic Water for Club Soda, thinking it was the same mixer.
I'm glad to say that I caught on soon and after two years was hired as Head Stew for another airliner (and was allowed to wear a more dignified outfit: the blouses covered my midrift and skirt hems were nearer to my knees than my bum!)
I still cringe when I think back on my ignorance ~ thank God we get wiser!
stewardesses! The flights were usually quite jolly.We were ususally full with about 250 pax.
To my everlasting shame I made a terrible mistake on a day flight. There were two very serious looking men with hats and head curls who, while the rest of the plane was tucking into their lunch, sat and waited for their special meals. I checked the ovens and felt the thick foil and it wasn't even luke warm. I ran back and forth to these fellows, apologizing for the delay.
Finally, we only had about an hour to go and I got desperate. Without reading the instruction on the meals I cut off the heavy armour and voila! the meals heated up in 5 minutes.
Elated, I brought the meals to these guys, saying : "I'm so sorry but I didn't know they had to opened up ~ anyway, they're nice and hot now. Enjoy!"
I didn't at all understand their angry glares. These poor guys couldn't eat food touched by gentile hands! I was only 20 at the time and they eventually and gracefully accepted unpeeled fruit and crackers & cheese in wrappers.
As a side-note, our cabins crews, a mix of blond scandinavians, eurasians and African descent girls, were all trained by Eastern Airlines in MIA for a month. We were flawless in Emergency Procedures, had very kinky uniforms (I'm sure many of FTers remember the Barbie Doll days) but because of our tender years, it was much we hadn't learned. For instance, I didn't know the difference between scotch and bourbon ~ and I quite happily substituted Tonic Water for Club Soda, thinking it was the same mixer.
I'm glad to say that I caught on soon and after two years was hired as Head Stew for another airliner (and was allowed to wear a more dignified outfit: the blouses covered my midrift and skirt hems were nearer to my knees than my bum!)
I still cringe when I think back on my ignorance ~ thank God we get wiser!
;-)
Miles
May 29, 2011, 3:50 am
#110
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Newbury, UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI Gold, IC Amb and Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 43
Only yesterday, flying back from Zurich and thought the loo was busy up front, stood and politely waited for 5 minutes looking at the rest of Club from the crew area. Waited a bit longer, thinking the guy (I thought was in there) was taking his time. Lady came up and waited behind me - another 5 mins, now getting concerned for what I was going to face in there! said lady then said "actually I think it's free", hmph said me, of course not! Quick check and guess what? I did wonder why those in front few rows kept looking at sign above where I was standing
Jan 9, 2012, 12:46 pm
#111
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SEA & RDM
Programs: UA - 1MM, DL Diamond, AS MVP75, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 8,039
Most Embarrassing travel moment?
OK...I had a good one today I thought I would share.
The flight takes off without issue (well...fellow exit row pax has to be forcibly reseated but that was her embarrassing moment) and we pass through 10K so I whip out my laptop and check what movies I have. The only one I hadn't seen was Bad Teacher (Cameron Diaz movie).
So I am watching and reading at the same time (not a good movie) when I turn to see the drink service comes to my row (I am on the aisle). I pause the movie without really looking and wait to let the FA know what I would like at which point the other FA says to me (in a not so quiet voice) "sir, please make sure you are watching appropriate material...we have children on board." I tuen to see that I had paused the movie on a scene with bare breasts filling up the entire screen (first scene of its kind in the movie and as mentioned I had not seen it before...on planes I FF through those scenes when they come up in pg-13 and R movies). I tried to explain myself...said it was a normal movie called 'bad teacher' which I think made it worse since he clearly did not recognize the movie title (likely along with some pax).
Anyway...I switched to moneyball and avoided eye contact the rest of the flight. At least it wasn't my regular carrier.
The flight takes off without issue (well...fellow exit row pax has to be forcibly reseated but that was her embarrassing moment) and we pass through 10K so I whip out my laptop and check what movies I have. The only one I hadn't seen was Bad Teacher (Cameron Diaz movie).
So I am watching and reading at the same time (not a good movie) when I turn to see the drink service comes to my row (I am on the aisle). I pause the movie without really looking and wait to let the FA know what I would like at which point the other FA says to me (in a not so quiet voice) "sir, please make sure you are watching appropriate material...we have children on board." I tuen to see that I had paused the movie on a scene with bare breasts filling up the entire screen (first scene of its kind in the movie and as mentioned I had not seen it before...on planes I FF through those scenes when they come up in pg-13 and R movies). I tried to explain myself...said it was a normal movie called 'bad teacher' which I think made it worse since he clearly did not recognize the movie title (likely along with some pax).
Anyway...I switched to moneyball and avoided eye contact the rest of the flight. At least it wasn't my regular carrier.
Jan 9, 2012, 12:59 pm
#113
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: UA, Bonvoy, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,582
OK...I had a good one today I thought I would share.
The flight takes off without issue (well...fellow exit row pax has to be forcibly reseated but that was her embarrassing moment) and we pass through 10K so I whip out my laptop and check what movies I have. The only one I hadn't seen was Bad Teacher (Cameron Diaz movie).
So I am watching and reading at the same time (not a good movie) when I turn to see the drink service comes to my row (I am on the aisle). I pause the movie without really looking and wait to let the FA know what I would like at which point the other FA says to me (in a not so quiet voice) "sir, please make sure you are watching appropriate material...we have children on board." I tuen to see that I had paused the movie on a scene with bare breasts filling up the entire screen (first scene of its kind in the movie and as mentioned I had not seen it before...on planes I FF through those scenes when they come up in pg-13 and R movies). I tried to explain myself...said it was a normal movie called 'bad teacher' which I think made it worse since he clearly did not recognize the movie title (likely along with some pax).
Anyway...I switched to moneyball and avoided eye contact the rest of the flight. At least it wasn't my regular carrier.
The flight takes off without issue (well...fellow exit row pax has to be forcibly reseated but that was her embarrassing moment) and we pass through 10K so I whip out my laptop and check what movies I have. The only one I hadn't seen was Bad Teacher (Cameron Diaz movie).
So I am watching and reading at the same time (not a good movie) when I turn to see the drink service comes to my row (I am on the aisle). I pause the movie without really looking and wait to let the FA know what I would like at which point the other FA says to me (in a not so quiet voice) "sir, please make sure you are watching appropriate material...we have children on board." I tuen to see that I had paused the movie on a scene with bare breasts filling up the entire screen (first scene of its kind in the movie and as mentioned I had not seen it before...on planes I FF through those scenes when they come up in pg-13 and R movies). I tried to explain myself...said it was a normal movie called 'bad teacher' which I think made it worse since he clearly did not recognize the movie title (likely along with some pax).
Anyway...I switched to moneyball and avoided eye contact the rest of the flight. At least it wasn't my regular carrier.
Similar thread can be found here with plenty of good stories to make you feel better
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ever-made.html
Jan 9, 2012, 1:07 pm
#114
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Biloxi, MS (GPT)
Programs: AA Gold, DL FO, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,278
OK...I had a good one today I thought I would share.
The flight takes off without issue (well...fellow exit row pax has to be forcibly reseated but that was her embarrassing moment) and we pass through 10K so I whip out my laptop and check what movies I have. The only one I hadn't seen was Bad Teacher (Cameron Diaz movie).
So I am watching and reading at the same time (not a good movie) when I turn to see the drink service comes to my row (I am on the aisle). I pause the movie without really looking and wait to let the FA know what I would like at which point the other FA says to me (in a not so quiet voice) "sir, please make sure you are watching appropriate material...we have children on board." I tuen to see that I had paused the movie on a scene with bare breasts filling up the entire screen (first scene of its kind in the movie and as mentioned I had not seen it before...on planes I FF through those scenes when they come up in pg-13 and R movies). I tried to explain myself...said it was a normal movie called 'bad teacher' which I think made it worse since he clearly did not recognize the movie title (likely along with some pax).
Anyway...I switched to moneyball and avoided eye contact the rest of the flight. At least it wasn't my regular carrier.
The flight takes off without issue (well...fellow exit row pax has to be forcibly reseated but that was her embarrassing moment) and we pass through 10K so I whip out my laptop and check what movies I have. The only one I hadn't seen was Bad Teacher (Cameron Diaz movie).
So I am watching and reading at the same time (not a good movie) when I turn to see the drink service comes to my row (I am on the aisle). I pause the movie without really looking and wait to let the FA know what I would like at which point the other FA says to me (in a not so quiet voice) "sir, please make sure you are watching appropriate material...we have children on board." I tuen to see that I had paused the movie on a scene with bare breasts filling up the entire screen (first scene of its kind in the movie and as mentioned I had not seen it before...on planes I FF through those scenes when they come up in pg-13 and R movies). I tried to explain myself...said it was a normal movie called 'bad teacher' which I think made it worse since he clearly did not recognize the movie title (likely along with some pax).
Anyway...I switched to moneyball and avoided eye contact the rest of the flight. At least it wasn't my regular carrier.
Jan 9, 2012, 1:34 pm
#115
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,098
I was violently ill once. USAir flight from MCI-PHX, F class. I was fine during boarding, but then when I sat down I began to feel less than well, to put it mildly. I figure it was food poisoning from a dinner the night before.
Plane is boarding and I struggle upstream to the lav and basically...put it this way: Jackson Pollock would have said "good job!" had he seen it. Luckily it was from the top end of me..the bottom end material made it into the toilet. I came out of there ashen and humiliated, not to mention in great intestinal pain and feeling faint. The smell began to fill the area, which being the F lav, was right where everyone was boarding.
I got sick/sympathetic looks from the FA and pax were looking at me in horror. I told the crew I would be deplaning and not completing the flight due to illness and they were pretty good about it. But you know murphy's law, this was one of the rare times I actually checked luggage so I had to wait at the gate while they took my bags off. But I couldn't wait without another eruption so I ran to the toilet (MCI USairways gates, there is a toilet down the escilator and to the right) and didn't make it, throwing up on myself and the rug...as I did not have my bags yet, I couldn't change clothes. So I was wandering around the term with vomit on my shoes and pant cuffs and generally looking like death. Had to converse with the gate staff too about the bags.
When I got my luggage I went and changed, but had a few more "incidents" before even risking getting a cab or re-renting a car and getting a room to ride it out.
Not a fun day!
Plane is boarding and I struggle upstream to the lav and basically...put it this way: Jackson Pollock would have said "good job!" had he seen it. Luckily it was from the top end of me..the bottom end material made it into the toilet. I came out of there ashen and humiliated, not to mention in great intestinal pain and feeling faint. The smell began to fill the area, which being the F lav, was right where everyone was boarding.
I got sick/sympathetic looks from the FA and pax were looking at me in horror. I told the crew I would be deplaning and not completing the flight due to illness and they were pretty good about it. But you know murphy's law, this was one of the rare times I actually checked luggage so I had to wait at the gate while they took my bags off. But I couldn't wait without another eruption so I ran to the toilet (MCI USairways gates, there is a toilet down the escilator and to the right) and didn't make it, throwing up on myself and the rug...as I did not have my bags yet, I couldn't change clothes. So I was wandering around the term with vomit on my shoes and pant cuffs and generally looking like death. Had to converse with the gate staff too about the bags.
When I got my luggage I went and changed, but had a few more "incidents" before even risking getting a cab or re-renting a car and getting a room to ride it out.
Not a fun day!
Jan 9, 2012, 2:14 pm
#117
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: UA, Bonvoy, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,582
I once boarded a plane extremely hung over and, I'm pretty sure, reaking of booze (flight left at 6:30 a.m., and I had been busy polishing off a bottle of tequila with some cousins until about 4). Not quite sure how I got through security, but I was being paged by name for immediate boarding as I ran to the gate. I took my seat in the last row of coach--middle seat on a DL MD-80. Shortly after taxi started, I began to realize that whatever I'd injested within the past 12 hours or so would not be staying in my stomach. I looked for an airsick bag and found none. Concentrating extremely hard to control my gag reflex, I stared straight into the back of the seat in front of me, pouring buckets of sweat and breathing like a freight train. Takeoff roll commenced, and the moment the wheels left the ground, I ripped open my seatbelt and bolted for the rear lav. FAs--still strapped into their jump seats--looked in horror, probably expecting trouble, and then relief as I pointed to my stomach and to the lav. Understanding, they vigorously waved their approval, and I flung the lav door open, not even bothering to close it behind me as I evacuated the contents of my stomach into the toilet. The only saving grace was the understanding of the crew and the fact that I somehow managed to actually get to the toilet. I slept it off the rest of the flight and was fine by the time we landed, no worse for the wear save for a little bit of embarrassment.
Jan 9, 2012, 5:15 pm
#118
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Northeast US
Posts: 207
I was pretty ill on the way from LAX to Melbourne, Aus. last year. Because my flight took off at 5:20pmEST from Boston and landed in LAX at about 8:30pmPST, I didn't get dinner (although had managed to grab a snack in LA before boarding for MEL) and I had brought some granola bars with me. These granola bars however were fiber granola bars and I had one too many of them due to extreme hunger as our plane was not taking off till 11:30pmPST and there was hardly any good food around (I was very tired, kind of confused in the TBIT terminal after landing from Boston). I unfortunately had a window seat...but fortunately for me, there was no one in the middle seat...just a super nice guy at the end of the row. I got such severe indigestion, my stomach hurt and well you can imagine the gut works going on and then I upchucked a few times while everyone was supposed to be sleeping...loved the looks I got as I walked back to my seat from the lavatories! That was the most embarrassing, god-awful time of my life. I was up and down a lot so the poor guy had to move a lot. He was so freakin understanding...and kind. He even brought me water and some snacks later on once I had settled, and he made sure that when we got dinner (right after take off) that I was the first one served because he noticed I was looking ill and asked if I was ok to which I responded that I'd had no real food since about 4pm eastern lol.
I think the time that was most embarrassing for me though was when I got lost at terminal 4 in LAX on the way back the first time. I ended up taking a random elevator up to departures because it seemed all the escalators and stairs were blocked and whatnot. The elevator took me to the elite side of things and well they let me in but they all knew that I was definitely not first or business class lol
I think the time that was most embarrassing for me though was when I got lost at terminal 4 in LAX on the way back the first time. I ended up taking a random elevator up to departures because it seemed all the escalators and stairs were blocked and whatnot. The elevator took me to the elite side of things and well they let me in but they all knew that I was definitely not first or business class lol
Jan 10, 2012, 12:31 am
#120
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SFO/SJC/SQL
Posts: 1,412
I feel your pain.
About three years ago I worked for a company who's line of products could be described as adult orientated. I was waiting at the gate at SNA checking work email. Even though I was on vacation, I was helping isolate a few hard to track down bugs in a recent software release. One of the quality assurance engineers finally caught a bug and dutifully updated the support ticket with as much info as he could.
Clicking on the link in the email instantly pulled up a screenshot he took. The image before me could best be described as "The Human Tripod meets Mr. Ed." In the two seconds it took my brain to process what I saw and slam the laptop closed, the shoulder surfing woman next to me nearly had a heart attack. She screamed and jumped out of her seat so quickly she forgot about the McDonald's Big Mac meal in her lap. Soon she was covered in Big Mac sauce, ketchup, and soda. All the while stumbling as she grabbed at her rollaboard to make a hasty getaway. Pretty soon all eyes were in my direction. At that point, I decided to continue following events on a more discreet smartphone screen.
About three years ago I worked for a company who's line of products could be described as adult orientated. I was waiting at the gate at SNA checking work email. Even though I was on vacation, I was helping isolate a few hard to track down bugs in a recent software release. One of the quality assurance engineers finally caught a bug and dutifully updated the support ticket with as much info as he could.
Clicking on the link in the email instantly pulled up a screenshot he took. The image before me could best be described as "The Human Tripod meets Mr. Ed." In the two seconds it took my brain to process what I saw and slam the laptop closed, the shoulder surfing woman next to me nearly had a heart attack. She screamed and jumped out of her seat so quickly she forgot about the McDonald's Big Mac meal in her lap. Soon she was covered in Big Mac sauce, ketchup, and soda. All the while stumbling as she grabbed at her rollaboard to make a hasty getaway. Pretty soon all eyes were in my direction. At that point, I decided to continue following events on a more discreet smartphone screen.