It really is annoying to listen to these special announcements for these very special people. I travel to Hawaii a couple of times a year. It is just as annoying listening to these very special people arguing with the front desk personnel at the resort that daddy probably picked out for them about why they deserve an upgrade because it's their honeymoon, anniversary, etc.

I want to tell the special couple to look behind them at the other fifty couples with their special occasion who also want their upgrade. I want to take the Bride/Groom t-shirt they are usually wearing and stuff it in their mouths. I had a front desk clerk rolls their eyes one time when one of these couples kept arguing about it being their honeymoon. And why do they all think that they deserve a suite when they booked a "back of the house room :rolleyes:

They don't care about a stranger's opinion of it. They do it to create a more memorable event for the subject (the sister in your scenario). If they were more experienced flyers, they might be aware of the annoyance factor and choose not to do it. Or they might do it anyway, because they are doing it out of caring rather than a desire to annoy. In either case, I can forgive the interruption.

Of course.

Everyone who is not as important/experienced as I am is an idiot.

I don't know where I get the strength to get through the day.

He wasn't asking the FA to announce that it was his first flight in 14 years and he was really excited and he was visiting his girlfriend who had a dog with a birthday next week, was he?

If yes, then he was.

If no, then he was not acting in the manner referred to as being an idiot.

Actually, the poster who brought "idiot" into the thread was referring to anyone who thinks a flight is special.

If we need empathy for anyone, it's CS staff who have to put up with this crap day in and day out.

Hawaii must be particularly bad..EVERYONE is a newlywed or on their dream vacation. No, I am not telling the whole plane or giving you an UG. Get in line behind the other 500 "very special trip" couples.

Do they really think they are the first people to make such demands, as if it were an unusual situation?

It's like those people who push through the security line, going on about how they have a plane to catch. We ALL have a plane to catch!

Yes. And he just fell off the turnip truck by the sound of it.

What's next? Awe at horseless carriages?

Exactly my thoughts. There is a first time for all of us. I was the first person in my family, and the second person within my extended family to get on a plane. On my first trip, which included five sgments, I was more concerned about not missing my connection or doing something that would upset others or get in their way. I never thought about sharing personal details of my life with strangers.
The kid did not make a fool of himself. So "NO he was not an idiot"
I am willing to help make allowance for new fliers. If they don;t know how to open or lock the lav door, I won't laugh at them or make them feel stupid. But having their birthday announced is just plain stupid.

The relationship is that someone who does not fly very often is likely to be excited, alert, and cheerful, and therefore interested in the details of the flight, meeting people, and interacting with passengers and crew. Someone who flies every week is likely to want to be left alone to work or sleep.

Have you ever seen someone who is flying for the first time complain that there are too many announcements or that the crew keeps bothering them?

I remember a radio which main activity was having people calling in while live and dedicate a song to some beloved. Generally it was a very long list of names followed by relationship status and reason why deserve a greeting and a song dedicated. Something that sounded like, to Anne my beloved wife for our anniversary, to Ruth my mom-inlaw for having such a nice daughter, to Chris the grocery store clerk which always help me, to Warren my cousin living 1000 miles from here...and so on up to 20 or more people called in.
Now..was that crazy and pointless? IMHO yes it was, but apparently there was so many people which thought it was something very nice to do and to LISTEN, no matter you were not involved at all in the greetings exchange! So I would not be surprised if someone on the plane really CARES to know that the couple sitting on 16A/B just got married.
I understand it's a different situation, as one can turn off the radio while can't do the same with FA intercom. But still it's an evidence that there are quite a lot of people who care about that. no matter how silly, disturbing and pointless could that appear to others.
Anyway I think the ones which could feel more annoyed by this should be the FAs doing such announcements all the times.
As a passenger, while I personally agree how pointless is to make such announcements, I wouldn't feel so annoyed by the announcement, assuming it is something short and quick, and not the whole personal life story of the greeted persons.

My parents flew for the very first time on a trip to Florida to celebrate their 50th anniversary. And when they announced that it was a couples first flight and their 50th anniversary, the people on the plane applauded, which really meant a great deal to my parents.

For them, flying was something they never expected to be able to do and it was a huge occasion for them to actually be on an airplane. I'm glad that the people on the airplane announced it and I don't mind it at all when they do the same for other people.

+1

I'd rather hear such announcement than B'day or anniversary one.

I was on a flight LHR-IAD after the Olympics. The Flight Attendant announced that Katie Ledecky, the 15 year old that won gold in the 800, was on our plane and congratulated her

That was cool and a well deserved announcement.

I for one don't find it anyoing at all. In fact I can think of maybe one or two flights in my lifetime that I have been on that there have been anouncements like this. If people want to share something special going on in their lives with everyone let them, nobody is forcing you to listen. In fact I would dare say I like to hear special anouncements like what Figgie mentioned. If you don't want to hear them then that is what noise cancelling headphones are for!:rolleyes:

Yes they are. The aircraft PA cuts off my headset sound, so every announcement is an interruption that is usually unwanted, especially when the announcement has nothing to do with the operation of the flight.