Ever told another pax he/she is being offensive?
Dec 17, 2017, 8:11 am
#61
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
I was on a Finnair HEL-ORD flight in J this summer. There were 4 guys who were hockey players (I learned when they spoke English to someone). 2 were young players and two were former players and now coaches of the Finland National (youth?) Team.
I was in the solo seat on the aisle and one pair sat behind me. After lunch, the other 2 came back and stood in the aisle and they talked loudly and excitedly in Finnish for about 3 hours. I could hear them through the headphones, but ignored them. Its a day flight, I had no expectations of quiet.
The one guy gets excited and starts grabbing my seat back and hitting it for emphasis. In doing so, he hits me on the head. I ask him to stop. He nods.
About 5 minutes later he does it again. Smacks me in the head 3 times. That's it. I am done. I figured these guys were going to kick my butt but I'm not going to take it.
I stand up and and yell "Stop it!" "You know you are hitting me and you don't care!" He looks shocked and realizes what he was doing ( I think he was drunk). He gets very apologetic and slinks back to his seat.
The flight attendants were too star struck to say anything. Apparently, these guys are national figures in Finland and the flight attendants were very deferential to them.
I have never experienced anything like that before.
I was in the solo seat on the aisle and one pair sat behind me. After lunch, the other 2 came back and stood in the aisle and they talked loudly and excitedly in Finnish for about 3 hours. I could hear them through the headphones, but ignored them. Its a day flight, I had no expectations of quiet.
The one guy gets excited and starts grabbing my seat back and hitting it for emphasis. In doing so, he hits me on the head. I ask him to stop. He nods.
About 5 minutes later he does it again. Smacks me in the head 3 times. That's it. I am done. I figured these guys were going to kick my butt but I'm not going to take it.
I stand up and and yell "Stop it!" "You know you are hitting me and you don't care!" He looks shocked and realizes what he was doing ( I think he was drunk). He gets very apologetic and slinks back to his seat.
The flight attendants were too star struck to say anything. Apparently, these guys are national figures in Finland and the flight attendants were very deferential to them.
I have never experienced anything like that before.
Dec 17, 2017, 5:25 pm
#62
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: NY Metro Area
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I didn’t really tell him. Lots of people did. We were taxiing in STL for an STL-PIT flight on US. I was towards the back of first class. All of a sudden a guy in row 1 aisle gets up, pulls out his phone and makes a call. The FAs are yelling at him on the PA and in person. He’s walking down the aisle in first while he talks and as he passes me I say, “dude, light up a cigarette so you can be breaking all the rules”. As he gets up to the front again his seat mate says “if you don’t sit down and turn that phone off I’m going to beat the #$&*ing $&#* out of you.” The guy stops and says “this guys got balls” and sits down. Then he tells the guy, quite loudly, “you’ve got balls, I’m going to buy you a drink when we get in the air”. The other guy tells him it’s first class and we all get free drinks, calls him an idiot and tells him to shut up. I was hoping for more inflight entertainment but the drunk fell asleep not long after takeoff.
Dec 18, 2017, 9:58 am
#63
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 411
I have developed a technique that works well in these situations. I look at the offending party in what can only be described as a condescending manner. A few seconds after eye contact is made I just look down and shake my head. No words are needed after that.
I am reminded of a good story. There is a guy in my area who is well known for his oafish behavior. He is better known by his CB radio name than his real name. Several years ago he had a big win in the lottery which only made him more obnoxious. One evening he decided to go into the city and have dinner at a nice restaurant. As usual he was being loud and vulgar and another guest asked him to tone it down because he was there with his wife and children. This worked for a while. As he was leaving the restaurant he walked past the window where the other guest was seated and in typical fashion gave the middle finger salute knowing that he was close enough to his car that the other guy couldn't possibly catch him.
What he failed consider was that the other guy was an NFL football player, a running back i believe. As the story goes things happened very quickly and our hero ended up with several imprints from a Super Bowl ring in his face.
I am reminded of a good story. There is a guy in my area who is well known for his oafish behavior. He is better known by his CB radio name than his real name. Several years ago he had a big win in the lottery which only made him more obnoxious. One evening he decided to go into the city and have dinner at a nice restaurant. As usual he was being loud and vulgar and another guest asked him to tone it down because he was there with his wife and children. This worked for a while. As he was leaving the restaurant he walked past the window where the other guest was seated and in typical fashion gave the middle finger salute knowing that he was close enough to his car that the other guy couldn't possibly catch him.
What he failed consider was that the other guy was an NFL football player, a running back i believe. As the story goes things happened very quickly and our hero ended up with several imprints from a Super Bowl ring in his face.
Dec 19, 2017, 9:46 am
#64
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: BAEC back to silver, Flying Blue Silver
Posts: 406
Regarding loud talking people in the air we had to ask some flight attendants if they could please be quiet. We were doing the red eye HNL-LAX on AA and were sitting in 1A and 1C (the row in 1st class with no legroom) and the ladies were in the galley in front of us and loudly discussing friends, family, boyfriends... more than I care to remember anyway.
The legroom made sleeping impossible but at least it was quiet.
The legroom made sleeping impossible but at least it was quiet.
Dec 21, 2017, 10:41 pm
#67
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
I don’t understand people who are offended by language (swear words). They’re just words - letters in a particular sequence. Sure, they have meaning, but the same people who are offended by these words take no offense from their synonyms. It’s nonsensical IMO.
Dec 22, 2017, 7:30 am
#68
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
Agreed in principle - it's offensive because society tells us it is.
Dec 22, 2017, 7:50 am
#69
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Dec 22, 2017, 9:49 am
#70
Join Date: May 2012
Location: STL
Posts: 130
I was on a flight from MSP-STL a couple years ago where I had to tell my seatmate he couldn't vape his e-cigarette. He stopped for a while and then proceeded try it again a few minutes later, I moved seats and got the FA involved at that point. Super annoying, but luckily a short flight.
Holiday Bonus: Though not related to travel, last year at Christmas Eve church the people in the pew behind us came in about 10 min late and then proceeded to talk for about 10 minutes. Definitely not the time or place for that. I passive aggressively asked them if they were planning to talk for the rest of the service. That shut them up.
Holiday Bonus: Though not related to travel, last year at Christmas Eve church the people in the pew behind us came in about 10 min late and then proceeded to talk for about 10 minutes. Definitely not the time or place for that. I passive aggressively asked them if they were planning to talk for the rest of the service. That shut them up.
Dec 22, 2017, 9:04 pm
#71
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 109
Different approaches
I've had success with loud talkers by saying "I'm sure you don't realize but I can hear every word of your private conversation." That seems to make the point politely and keep from putting the other person on the defensive, especially if said in a conspiratorial tone...like I'm doing them a favor.
on a particularly bad day and I'm guessing at LGA I was pushed while boarding by a woman while rushing to board (she was rushing). Of course I ended up next to her on the backed up gangway and could not resist a little pushback. Like, not a shove but also not a bump. She looked at me, shocked!... I said "just returning the favor." She knew exactly what I meant and definitely got my point.
i try to be polite (scenario 1) but some days fail.
my absolute favorite is standing 3 feet from the baggage carousel and someone has to come in and stand between me and the carousel. Some days I say something; others I then squeeze back in front of the other person.
on a particularly bad day and I'm guessing at LGA I was pushed while boarding by a woman while rushing to board (she was rushing). Of course I ended up next to her on the backed up gangway and could not resist a little pushback. Like, not a shove but also not a bump. She looked at me, shocked!... I said "just returning the favor." She knew exactly what I meant and definitely got my point.
i try to be polite (scenario 1) but some days fail.
my absolute favorite is standing 3 feet from the baggage carousel and someone has to come in and stand between me and the carousel. Some days I say something; others I then squeeze back in front of the other person.
Dec 23, 2017, 1:26 pm
#72
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I just grabbed my bag, knocking the intruder over and said "you should watch where you are going."
Dec 24, 2017, 4:28 pm
#73
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Join Date: Aug 2017
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Just after 9/11 i flew out of Sydney. Lots of double screening. At the departure gate a guy wss complaining about having to remove his shoes again and was being a big jerk. I said.. shut up and stop complaining and also think of what might happen if shoes aren't checked. He took his off immediately for screening.
Dec 25, 2017, 8:30 am
#74
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Location: Ontario, Canada
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Posts: 8,355
What I don't believe in are "freedom advocates" who want to get into an argument about their "rights" when they are in the security line ahead of me. Find another venue to express your objections to "security theater." At the airport either get with the program or get out of the way.
Dec 26, 2017, 2:33 am
#75
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: London, UK
Posts: 11
I have perfected an incredibly evil glare, with a little bit of craziness in it for good measure. I find it works surprisingly well.
Just two days ago on a LHR-ARN, I had a lovely pregnant woman next to me who fell asleep after take-off. Halfway into the flight, this low life on the other side of the aisle took a photo of her sleeping and started writing a very inappropriate caption on it for Snapchat. I went absolutely ballistic. Called him on it and made him delete the photo as well as apologise to the woman (loudly front of the rest of the cabin). She gave me chocolate ^.
Just two days ago on a LHR-ARN, I had a lovely pregnant woman next to me who fell asleep after take-off. Halfway into the flight, this low life on the other side of the aisle took a photo of her sleeping and started writing a very inappropriate caption on it for Snapchat. I went absolutely ballistic. Called him on it and made him delete the photo as well as apologise to the woman (loudly front of the rest of the cabin). She gave me chocolate ^.