Do you mind if I borrow your pen?
 

Okay, I am sure this has been brought up on here before and I know many people will give me a lot of stick but here goes.

On a domestic economy flight in the US we were asked to fill it an arrivals form, cannot remember the exact flight but it was a 3 hour flight. Me and my wife had a pen in a bag (as we all do) but the plane was so full our bags were taken from overhead and placed a few seats ahead to accommodate people with larger bags.

I asked the gentleman next to me ''Do you mind if I borrow your pen please?". He abruptly said "Yes I do" in a harsh tone. I literally chuckled out loud as I couldnt believe someone would not do a simple favour to borrow a pen. Its not like I would not return it as he was window seat and I suppose my sentence shouldnt have started with "Do you mind...". But I just looked at my wife in disbelief and loud enough for him to hear said ''Who wouldnt let someone a pen!".

I know we as humans are not all the same, I get that, but I have gone out of my way to store heavy luggage for pregnant, elderly, disabled. Lent pens, paper, newspapers during my travels, its no skin off my nose just that scenario ended up being my most awkward moment for remaining journey and felt like I was sat next to someone with measles/cholera.

Maybe someone here will label me as acting 'entitled' but I can assure I maybe many things but not that. :)

There are no "arrivals" form(s) to fill out on a domestic US flight.
Your post doesn't make a lot of sense.
Are you sure you're not confusing it with an international one - when you need to complete a customs declaration?

that aside, his point is still valid.

to tack on that, some carriers are omitting pens from their J amenity kits. the 0.10c or whatever unit cost it is for a pen, i'd imagine is far more useful to most people than the 0.15c miniature tube of hand cream and lip balm (or maybe theyre even free as part of co-marketing exercise)

Some people are just selfish, but I can see reasonable reasons behind the refusal.

I personally wash my hands at the first chance I get after getting off an airplane because the surfaces are so contaminated by dirt, grime, DNA, and micro-organisms. Airplanes, and the people on them, are generally gross.

I don't want a stranger handling my pen - I don't know where your hands have been! It isn't your seat neighbor's responsibility to have a pen for you. Even though it would have been nice of him to loan the pen, he is within his rights to be selfish and I'm sure you found plenty of pens in the CBP area at your arrival airport and went about your day with minimal delay anyway.

Sounds strange he wouldn't lend someone a pen, although the staff on the plane would presumably have one.

Still, there are certain way to go about things - this wasn't one of them!

Do enough international flying and you get tired of Kettles who don't remember they are forms be to filled out and pester you for a pen. On an LHR-YYZ flight I loaned a pen to a fellow passenger only to have it passed down the middle row of a widebody for their entire group to use and then had to get up to to retrieve it from the final user who dropped it in her purse. I will still lend a pen to another passenger but can certainly see why someone would decide to refuse all requests.

You were way out of line with the remark to your wife. It's his property. He has every right not to lend it to you. You are fortunate he didn't say something equally ignorant in return. I would have.

Don't be too presumptuous about the staff. You may well get the same response from an FA. I've seen them turn down requests to "borrow a pen" from people too dumb to bring their own.

Huh. Here are the scenarios I see, since we are generally gross...

Me: May I borrow your pen? You: Um, er, where have your hands been? Me: Well, I just got done in the Loo – didn’t have time to wash my hands. I grabbed a liverwurst sandwich from the cart and had to keep pushing the meat back in because it was falling out from between the bread. But I wiped them on my pants. Why? You: Eeeeew. No, you can’t borrow my pen.

Me: May I borrow your pen? You: Um, er, where have your hands been? Me: Nowhere, in fact I just rubbed some of that Purel on them, so they are clean as a whistle. You: Sure, here you go. Me: No way – I don’t know where YOUR hands have been…

:-)

That would make sense but this was a BIC in question. Still it was weird but people are different, I get that. Would be funny if he ever needed a pen urgently and everyone in vicinity blurts out 'no'.

Pfft. Good luck with this. I have been on international flights in the last year in which FAs added "We do not have pens available for you" during announcements about immigration forms.

I always carry at least 6 pens in my bag, (crosswords) you can borrow on and keep it if you like
(but be aware they are hotel pens)

This not a serious issue that needs to be discussed ad nauseum on FT. Either let someone borrow your stuff, or don't. Your choice. Either way, get on with your life

You're correct that this was inappropriate.

I didn't realize that 6 hours and 11 replies was now ad nauseum.

Perhaps we should stick to important, enlightening posts such as "Reading this thread is better than gossip! " 90 posts and 5 years into a thread about taking a blanket)

If that's the new benchmark for FT discussion then it will soon be a very quiet and lonely place. :p