I would expect it during taxi, takeoff and landing. However, I've never used the call button during those times. My "what's your emergency" response came during cruise after the FA's had been sitting in the galley for an hour. It's about what I expect from UA.

>Would it be okay or awkward to press the FA
>call button to ask for a drink when seated in Y

I think it depends on the airline. For example, during their 'welcome message' over the PA, United's FAs make it *very* clear that they're there 'for your safety' and to 'assist you in an emergency' - Everything else is secondary and their attitude makes that clear. I've seen them snap at pax who have pushed the call button to ask for a drink or pillow.

However, on a more customer-oriented oriented airline like WestJet I probably wouldn't have a probem pushing the button as they're more 'VFR'-oriented ('visiting friends and relatives') and don't cater to business travellers as much. Southwest may be the same - I'm not sure as I've never flown them.

I've also seem similar cultural differences between Lufthansa and British Airways, i.e. I wouldn't push the button on LH but would on BA (however, that may have changed, as I haven't flown BA in five years).

Cheers,
Geoff Glave
Vancouver

I don't think most FA's mind if you push the call button for a simple drink or other request. I have seen them get a bit annoyed when the same person does it a second or third time. I usually just try to get an FA's attention as they walk by.

The only time I've pressed it for drinks is when they have inadvertently skipped me in their service, it has happened a few times to me and sometimes to my seatmates. I just press the button and make them double back and get me my drink.

If you are unable to accomplish the task yourself after trying, I say it is fair to push the F/A call button for assistance. Excluded tasks: Any form of heavy weight lifting notably putting suitcases in or removing them from overhead bins.

For drinks I am not sure of the answer because it seems safer for an F/A to carry a drink down the aisle to a passenger's seat rather than the passenger himself. This should be a poll question where the airlines answer the poll.

F/A's should not be rude even if passengers are not abiding by policy.

If I had gotten "what is your emergency" as a response to the call button, I would have had a nice word with the lead FA about what it means to work in a service industry and what the definition of attendant was (before September 11 that is, now I would be afraid to have even a gentle argument with any airline staff member)

I generally don't hesitate to ring in on UA flights, and haven't had any issues. However, a couple of bad responses on other flights:
1) LH in Y, FRA-LAX, FA's hadn't been down the aisles in hours, I rang, the FA was irritated and came back and basically threw a water bottle at me.
2) US in Y, YYZ-SAN, FA's hiding behind back curtain on 320 for about 2 hours or so, I ring in and the FA actually gets terse with me for interupting their break...

The only time I think it's appropriate to ring the call button for a drink is if it's a dire emergency.
And I define dire emergency as my glass of Woodford Reserve being empty for more than 30 seconds.
Otherwise I like Spiff's Morse code routine. :)

Other than taxi, takeoff, turbulence, or landing...
I think it's perfectly appropriate. I've gotten some bad service - on Virgin Atlantic, of all carriers! I never saw my flight attendant other than the meal service, and while I understand it was an overnight flight, I had trouble sleeping.

I am so not flying the right airline. Please enlighten me.

As for UA, I needed to ring one two weeks ago during a emergency (the woman next to me was started yacking up a full bag and seemed to be choking). It took four rings to get any attention.

DL, being my airline of choice, is of course based in the South. Where "whiskey" is bourbon and the sheep run scared. ;)
They've been serving Woodford Reserve, at least in FC, for a few years now.

And sitting there waiting with her sitting next to you, puking her guts out, was a better alternative than getting up? Hmmm.

In the US, she would most likely be required by law to do just that.

Why not give auh2o the benefit of the doubt and assume he or she was in a middle or window seat?