What is your minimum standard of manners when traveling?
Oct 28, 2013, 4:40 am
#46
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 341
I was raised (in America) to say "please" when asking for something and "thank you" when given something - even if it was something I had paid for. "Thank you" to the waiter when he puts a glass of water in front of me, and again when he handed me a menu, and again when he brought the food and...
But living Down Under, I find the Australian (and British) word "Ta" very useful in these contexts.
"Ta", IME, serves the same purpose as "thank you" in acknowledging someone's action, but as a shortened form does not require the "you're welcome" from the other person. "Ta" says "I recognize that you did something for me even though it's what I expect." I tend to say "Thank you" the first time in an exchange, and "ta" thereafter.
"Ta" would be insufficient if someone went out of their way to do something special or unusual but it's perfect in response to being given the drink you ordered, getting your meal and having things cleared after the meal. Off the plane, "ta" is insufficient when you open a birthday present or get a bonus, but perfectly adequate in response to "here's the salt" or "here's your change."
Try some "ta" today!
But living Down Under, I find the Australian (and British) word "Ta" very useful in these contexts.
"Ta", IME, serves the same purpose as "thank you" in acknowledging someone's action, but as a shortened form does not require the "you're welcome" from the other person. "Ta" says "I recognize that you did something for me even though it's what I expect." I tend to say "Thank you" the first time in an exchange, and "ta" thereafter.
"Ta" would be insufficient if someone went out of their way to do something special or unusual but it's perfect in response to being given the drink you ordered, getting your meal and having things cleared after the meal. Off the plane, "ta" is insufficient when you open a birthday present or get a bonus, but perfectly adequate in response to "here's the salt" or "here's your change."
Try some "ta" today!
Ta and Cheers serve the purpose in Oz, UK and other British English speaking countries. In the US I always get the somewhat confused smile when I say cheers instead of thanks
If someone holds the door for me I'll smile and say "cheers" I sometimes end my emails with Cheers
Oct 28, 2013, 10:58 am
#47
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Michigan
Posts: 328
I always start out as polite and courteous but the flow of events and their responses tend to guide where it goes from there.
Being very broad shoulders if someone is hogging the entire arm rest they are bumping up against my shoulders and arms. I sit there for a bit and let nature take its course. Prolonged body contact with no cooling air movement causes that area of my body to sweat and I haven't yet found a armrest hog who is willing to deal with damp clothing to retain control of the entire armrest.
Being very broad shoulders if someone is hogging the entire arm rest they are bumping up against my shoulders and arms. I sit there for a bit and let nature take its course. Prolonged body contact with no cooling air movement causes that area of my body to sweat and I haven't yet found a armrest hog who is willing to deal with damp clothing to retain control of the entire armrest.
Oct 28, 2013, 6:10 pm
#48
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Personally, I like travelling although its sometimes hard and seems to be a chore.. its a privilege to get on a plane and travel to a nice destination. I find it a privilege to take so much time off and head to a desirable place to spend valuable time with the family.
We do a travel day which is set up to enjoy the rigors of travel.
The whole point I'm making, is we try to keep a positive attitude and outlook.. and treat everyone with respect. If employees along the way is having a tough day, hopefully we can express appreciation for their services, grant thank you's as much as possible, and make the travel experience as pleasant as possible for everyone.
We do a travel day which is set up to enjoy the rigors of travel.
The whole point I'm making, is we try to keep a positive attitude and outlook.. and treat everyone with respect. If employees along the way is having a tough day, hopefully we can express appreciation for their services, grant thank you's as much as possible, and make the travel experience as pleasant as possible for everyone.
No disrespect intended to my own country, which has many areas that are quite polite...but on balance I'd say Canadians are more so.
Oct 28, 2013, 6:43 pm
#49
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Oct 28, 2013, 6:50 pm
#50
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I always use please and thank you. I also acknowledge people I pass with a smile or a pleasant look.
I am the same at home, on a plane, in a hotel or anywhere.
I am the same at home, on a plane, in a hotel or anywhere.
Oct 28, 2013, 9:51 pm
#51
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Frequent thank yous are annoying to fellow passengers like me. It doesnt pisss me off but it gets slighly annoying. I had a row mate who overdid it. Kind of got on my nerves a tad. I mix in thank you with gestures, nods, smiles. acknowledge the FA everytime, just not verbally. I make eye contact and smile.
But frequent thank yous are much preferable to indifferent passengers who just hold their cups up without saying a thing and impatiently waiting for the FA to refill or take them away.
I think people who are superslow in leaving their flight should stay in their seat and let others go ahead unless they are in a hurry themselves.
Then you got the people who try to hog the shared arm rest. Sometimes, it is just inevitable. But I have had rude .......s who have monopolized the ENTIRE arm rest. So I would wait for them to relax and stake my terrirory.
But frequent thank yous are much preferable to indifferent passengers who just hold their cups up without saying a thing and impatiently waiting for the FA to refill or take them away.
I think people who are superslow in leaving their flight should stay in their seat and let others go ahead unless they are in a hurry themselves.
Then you got the people who try to hog the shared arm rest. Sometimes, it is just inevitable. But I have had rude .......s who have monopolized the ENTIRE arm rest. So I would wait for them to relax and stake my terrirory.
As far as the armrest wars go.. I'm a pretty broad 6'5" guy. Unfortunately, although I try and be polite as possible with the arm rests, I can't help but to use the front or the back of the armrest throughout the flight for both arms, or an entire arm rest for one arm. Physically impossible for me to tuck in my arms comfortably for the entire flights. Although I do try and use just one if I can help it, but often its more comfy with two.
Oct 29, 2013, 9:41 am
#52
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I've flown cattle class on domestic Chinese flights. Never noticed anything unusual in terms of passenger behavior. Same goes for Chinese trains...everything seemed fine to me.
Regarding the OP and the decision to *not* jump a queue that your status would otherwise allow: I've chosen to stay in the main queue on occasion myself.
Two common places where I encounter this in my travels:
(1) Hotel checkin with one or two people ahead of me and a separate sign over near the end of the checkin counter for elites. I'm pretty sure I could walk over to the sign, get noticed, and get checked in. But I usually don't...I just get in line behind the other person.
(2) MCI airport security. Quite often, there will be three or four people in the queue with a little sign off to the side that would ordinarily point to an elite/F ID checker. Again, I could probably walk straight up to the ID checker and show my BP, but it doesn't seem worth it.
By contrast, I will pretty much always seek out a rental car expedited counter, and this is the one case where I'm fully prepared to pull the physical plastic card out if necessary. (I never carry airline/hotel cards and rarely if ever have a need to vocally communicate my status to them, but I have no guilt whatsoever going DYKWIA on crappy, inefficient rental car processes.
)
Regarding the OP and the decision to *not* jump a queue that your status would otherwise allow: I've chosen to stay in the main queue on occasion myself.
Two common places where I encounter this in my travels:
(1) Hotel checkin with one or two people ahead of me and a separate sign over near the end of the checkin counter for elites. I'm pretty sure I could walk over to the sign, get noticed, and get checked in. But I usually don't...I just get in line behind the other person.
(2) MCI airport security. Quite often, there will be three or four people in the queue with a little sign off to the side that would ordinarily point to an elite/F ID checker. Again, I could probably walk straight up to the ID checker and show my BP, but it doesn't seem worth it.
By contrast, I will pretty much always seek out a rental car expedited counter, and this is the one case where I'm fully prepared to pull the physical plastic card out if necessary. (I never carry airline/hotel cards and rarely if ever have a need to vocally communicate my status to them, but I have no guilt whatsoever going DYKWIA on crappy, inefficient rental car processes.
)
Oct 30, 2013, 1:45 pm
#54
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However, I do not consider using the premier/first class or whatever boarding lanes there are to be qeue-jumping. Part of what you pay for as a business or first class traveler is for the privilege of a different qeue for checking luggage and a different qeue for boarding first. And when I am in economy on an airline where I have no status, I don't begrudge that premiers board ahead of me. You get what you pay for.
Oct 30, 2013, 2:07 pm
#55
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Absolutely. When young, I think I would get out of joint over things like delayed flights and the like, but I've mellowed with age and just go with the flow now. Of course, I can also afford to make myself more comfortable if stuck for a while.
However, I do not consider using the premier/first class or whatever boarding lanes there are to be qeue-jumping. Part of what you pay for as a business or first class traveler is for the privilege of a different qeue for checking luggage and a different qeue for boarding first. And when I am in economy on an airline where I have no status, I don't begrudge that premiers board ahead of me. You get what you pay for.
However, I do not consider using the premier/first class or whatever boarding lanes there are to be qeue-jumping. Part of what you pay for as a business or first class traveler is for the privilege of a different qeue for checking luggage and a different qeue for boarding first. And when I am in economy on an airline where I have no status, I don't begrudge that premiers board ahead of me. You get what you pay for.
In many ways, its best to board the plane last, that way we aren't sitting around in a cabin waiting for late laggards to board before taking off. Its arguably easier with small kids as well to board last, and to exit the cabin last as well.
We always exit the plane last. The luggage doesn't get onto the carousel any faster. And easy with a 8 year old and 3 year old.
Oct 30, 2013, 3:28 pm
#56
Join Date: Jan 2010
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In many ways, its best to board the plane last, that way we aren't sitting around in a cabin waiting for late laggards to board before taking off.
We always exit the plane last. The luggage doesn't get onto the carousel any faster. And easy with a 8 year old and 3 year old.
We always exit the plane last. The luggage doesn't get onto the carousel any faster. And easy with a 8 year old and 3 year old.
Board first for free drinks (good champagne) and guaranteed space in the overhead bins at my seat. No standing in a queue on the jetbridge.
Depart first as expedited baggage is often there as quick as I am (and I will have had a fast track pass so no major delay at immigration).
Oct 30, 2013, 5:00 pm
#57
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this one.
A few years ago I would usually board later rather than sooner - but with 'no checked baggage' tickets so comon now, and almost everyone seeming to take a new full-size suitcase to squeeze in the overhead... I get on ASAP so I don't have my backpack stuck at my feet.
A few years ago I would usually board later rather than sooner - but with 'no checked baggage' tickets so comon now, and almost everyone seeming to take a new full-size suitcase to squeeze in the overhead... I get on ASAP so I don't have my backpack stuck at my feet.
Oct 31, 2013, 1:52 pm
#59
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I'll go first, but bare in mind I'm Canadian and so probably go a bit too far in some respects : I admit that I'm likely a bit over the top with my pleases and especially my thank yous - I probably say "thank you" just about every time a FA brings me something or takes something away. I also feel a strange guilt with cutting lines, even when it's "allowed" (e.g. arrive late and use the empty Group 1 line). I'll do it if the other line is long (this applies to hotel check in as well), but if it's short, I usually just join that line rather than flex my "right" to jump past it.
: I admit that I'm likely a bit over the top with my pleases and especially my thank yous - I probably say "thank you" just about every time a FA brings me something or takes something away. I also feel a strange guilt with cutting lines, even when it's "allowed" (e.g. arrive late and use the empty Group 1 line). I'll do it if the other line is long (this applies to hotel check in as well), but if it's short, I usually just join that line rather than flex my "right" to jump past it.I'll go first, but bare in mind I'm Canadian...usually just join that line rather than flex my "right" to jump past it, eh?
I feel very old when repeating the adage my mother often used "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" but its true. I find that in most situations a little please of thanks goes a long way. Unless of course when a certain UA lounge dragon just holds up her hand palm facing me when I approach the desk, grrrrr.
Oct 31, 2013, 2:01 pm
#60
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This must depend on how and where you travel as it's way different experiences from mine.
Board first for free drinks (good champagne) and guaranteed space in the overhead bins at my seat. No standing in a queue on the jetbridge.
Depart first as expedited baggage is often there as quick as I am (and I will have had a fast track pass so no major delay at immigration).
Board first for free drinks (good champagne) and guaranteed space in the overhead bins at my seat. No standing in a queue on the jetbridge.
Depart first as expedited baggage is often there as quick as I am (and I will have had a fast track pass so no major delay at immigration).
this one.
A few years ago I would usually board later rather than sooner - but with 'no checked baggage' tickets so comon now, and almost everyone seeming to take a new full-size suitcase to squeeze in the overhead... I get on ASAP so I don't have my backpack stuck at my feet.
A few years ago I would usually board later rather than sooner - but with 'no checked baggage' tickets so comon now, and almost everyone seeming to take a new full-size suitcase to squeeze in the overhead... I get on ASAP so I don't have my backpack stuck at my feet.
Plus with a stroller checked at the gate, it sometimes takes a while before its brought to us at the gate. No point in rushing.
I usually don't have problems with the overhead bin space provided. But, when I flew Business, people in coach were bombing their stuff in the front. I think this is when I see being there first helps.