I was on my commute last week, and it appeared that someone was sleeping and woke up after the trolley went down the aisle. They pressed the call button, and the FA brought them something to drink, and appeared to be smiling while doing it.

YMMV.

OP,

Nothing in your initial post signified a bad attitude, or inappropriate reaction, really. Is it possible that you missed something? (Like that she had just walked through the aisle 15 seconds before with bottles of water.)

Or is it possible that she simply smiled and did as you asked without any verbal response because none was needed?

I only ask because you said that the pilot looked at you funny as well. Which makes me believe that either 1) you did do something a little weird (and I don't think asking for water in first class would qualify) or 2) your perception might have been off. No offense intended.

I was in an aisle seat and partially turned toward the window seat for ease of conversation so it's possible I missed her walking through the cabin every 10 minutes. It was hard to read her facial expression, but there was no smile. I can't imagine why she wouldn't have asked me how she could be of service. She literally stood there and stared until I made my request - no long pause or anything, but a couple seconds. It felt strange, but it wasn't until I read that article the following day that I became convinced that she wasn't at all pleased with my request or the form it took. That's probably the only time in hundreds of flights that I have pressed that button, and only the second time I've felt a FA's wrath, so naturally I made the connection.

No offense perceived. I do weird stuff all the time, but not that flight IIRC.

But what's the accounting for the pilot's expression then? I can't imagine that a pilot would find that request unreasonable on its face.

Could be that the pilot found the FA's reaction to be odd, but didn't want to say anything out loud because he was non-rev.

possible

Maybe the pilot and FA know each other? Or maybe they "know" each other?

I am going to guess NW.

'
Maybe they wanted you to join them and you could just not detect their subtle nuanced facial inflections.

I actually do think FAs do quite a bit of work, but it's hard to argue with your full post...and the above line is funny

You wouldn't know it from this sorry excuse for an FA.

I swear on my last flight the FAs were using the call button to send signals (other than the usual ones like "look here- i need more water").

I should have started playing with their gamepad.

Maybe he was wondering why you kept both bottles rather than give one to him?

Could be, I guess I read it the way I originally interepreted it (that the odd look was directed at the OP). But if the pilot looked at the FA weird, then there are many other possibilities.

1. Use the call button after trying and failing to accomplish the desired task or action yourself.

2. If the flight attendant gets huffy, you may file a complaint where the primary subject is the huffiness and the optional secondary subject is the misunderstanding about the call button.

3. Unless the airline has published rules about the use of the call button (I don't think any airline has) the passenger does not have to give the airline the benefit of the doubt when deciding whether or not to push it.

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