Strange Complaints from Fellow Pax
Jun 19, 2008, 5:26 pm
#152
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2
At least she asked!
I was on a Aer Arann flight a couple of years ago, and we hit some nasty turbulence coming in approaching London Luton, which being on an ATR didn't help! The lady next to slapped her hand onto mine, and dug her (long) fingernails into my skin until we touched down - almost to the point of skin breakage. I was left with little fingernail shaped pock marks on the back of my right hand for a while!
I was on a Aer Arann flight a couple of years ago, and we hit some nasty turbulence coming in approaching London Luton, which being on an ATR didn't help! The lady next to slapped her hand onto mine, and dug her (long) fingernails into my skin until we touched down - almost to the point of skin breakage. I was left with little fingernail shaped pock marks on the back of my right hand for a while!
Jun 19, 2008, 5:27 pm
#153
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 28
Here's another strange request...
Back in the mid-90's, I would travel with my family between Zaire and the US relatively often. We're Caucasian, parents with two little kids. In JFK, on our way back from Zaire, we got stopped by a couple Japanese tourists who wanted to take our picture. I think they wanted a picture of a "genuine," "typical," "American" family. Seemed kind of ironic for a number of reasons... mostly since we lived in Zaire
Back in the mid-90's, I would travel with my family between Zaire and the US relatively often. We're Caucasian, parents with two little kids. In JFK, on our way back from Zaire, we got stopped by a couple Japanese tourists who wanted to take our picture. I think they wanted a picture of a "genuine," "typical," "American" family. Seemed kind of ironic for a number of reasons... mostly since we lived in Zaire
Jun 19, 2008, 7:13 pm
#154
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: AC Elite
Posts: 592
Another time, about a year ago, I rather moronically left my brain at home and packed a very special bottle of alcohol in my carry-on bag. At security, a TSA agent pulls it out of my bag and in a friendly manner compliments me on my taste but says he has to confiscate it. I open the bottle, hand it back to him, and tell him he is now welcome to dispose of it. The guy got incredibly angry and tells me in a raised voice I was acting suspiciously and "defying TSA rules" and would need to call for further screening! The agent next to him told him to chill out and let it go. I think the TSA agent simply wanted the bottle and was enraged that I had ruined it by opening it.
Jun 19, 2008, 7:23 pm
#155
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, 3.7MM
Posts: 42
I have to echo the comments about the flights to DEL. They are hilarious and, to the American customs, a but jarring in terms of the assault on personal space.
I too have seen a large number of families pestering the FAs throughout the entire flight, shouting at them and sternly demanding attention, no matter what else the FAs were doing at the time. My last flight to DEL (ORD-DEL with Mrs mmcmah), we were seated in 31A,B - the exit row on the 777s - and had to suffer through a whole night of people stepping on us as they tried to peer out the peephole on the door.
Despite our repeated complaints to them (necessitated all the more because of the proximity of the lav), they couldn't have cared less. The most trying part, though, is how little control the parents showed over their children who were running all over the A/C at throughout the entire flight (even from takeoff).
On a different DEL flight, albeit not odd behavior, we had such turbulence on the approach to DEL, that the person sitting next to me had to use a barf bag. There were 2 or 3 other passangers nearby who were also needing to, um, dispel their airline meals. The turbulence was quite bad, and I have to admit that after watching all of these people throwing up, I started to feel quite queasy myself. Still, I was also a bit surprised, since I hadn't seen anyone use a barf bag for about 25 years.
I too have seen a large number of families pestering the FAs throughout the entire flight, shouting at them and sternly demanding attention, no matter what else the FAs were doing at the time. My last flight to DEL (ORD-DEL with Mrs mmcmah), we were seated in 31A,B - the exit row on the 777s - and had to suffer through a whole night of people stepping on us as they tried to peer out the peephole on the door.
Despite our repeated complaints to them (necessitated all the more because of the proximity of the lav), they couldn't have cared less. The most trying part, though, is how little control the parents showed over their children who were running all over the A/C at throughout the entire flight (even from takeoff).
On a different DEL flight, albeit not odd behavior, we had such turbulence on the approach to DEL, that the person sitting next to me had to use a barf bag. There were 2 or 3 other passangers nearby who were also needing to, um, dispel their airline meals. The turbulence was quite bad, and I have to admit that after watching all of these people throwing up, I started to feel quite queasy myself. Still, I was also a bit surprised, since I hadn't seen anyone use a barf bag for about 25 years.
Jun 19, 2008, 7:49 pm
#156
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: ATL/SLC
Posts: 3,540
Last year I was at the SEA airport waiting for my NW flight to NRT.
Earlier in the day, the UA SEA-NRT flight had been canceled due to a birdstrike on the inbound aircraft on landing. My flight had a very low load factor, and they were able to rebook all the UA passengers onto my flight.
While they were rebooking people, one girl started crying really loudly all the sudden and stomped off in tears. Apparently she was very upset that the NW staff couldn't guarantee that a vegetarian meal would be available for her since it hadn't been requested in advance.
Earlier in the day, the UA SEA-NRT flight had been canceled due to a birdstrike on the inbound aircraft on landing. My flight had a very low load factor, and they were able to rebook all the UA passengers onto my flight.
While they were rebooking people, one girl started crying really loudly all the sudden and stomped off in tears. Apparently she was very upset that the NW staff couldn't guarantee that a vegetarian meal would be available for her since it hadn't been requested in advance.
Jun 19, 2008, 7:49 pm
#157
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: United, Delta
Posts: 10
Fake tribal chief
I was on a LH flight from FRA to DFW and had one person beside me. This person was dressed in some kind of african tribal clothing and spoke with an odd accent. When the hot towels were handed out he used his to clean his feet particularily between his toes. I ignored him throughout the flight although he asked all kinds of things of the FAs. When we approached DFW he pulled out a Sprint cell phone and started talking to a bud on the ground all in english/ebonics. I looked at him and said "you are as fake as they come and put away that phone while we are in flight".....which he did. Not another peep out of him.
Jun 19, 2008, 7:49 pm
#158
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: OnePass Gold, Aadvantage, Distancia
Posts: 9
12 suits
I have enjoyed this thread immensley. Thank you fellow posters.
I have one. I hope it's OK that it happened to a good friend, and not to me personally. He owns his own company and always flies First Class. He hates talking to seatmates and usually buries his face in a book.
On a flight from Hong Kong to the US his seatmate insisted on talking to him, and would touch his shoulder at the start of each sentence to get his attention. The guy was ecstatic because he had gotten an incredible deal on 12 tailor made suits and was taking them home with him. Finally, my friend could put up with it no longer and said, "I'm really sorry to hear that you bought all those suits in Hong Kong." "What do you mean?" the guy asked. "Well, the reason you got such a good deal is the cheap thread they use. The first time you get them dry cleaned, it's gonna dissolve, and the suits will fall apart."
My friend told me the guy never said another word during the whole flight.
I have one. I hope it's OK that it happened to a good friend, and not to me personally. He owns his own company and always flies First Class. He hates talking to seatmates and usually buries his face in a book.
On a flight from Hong Kong to the US his seatmate insisted on talking to him, and would touch his shoulder at the start of each sentence to get his attention. The guy was ecstatic because he had gotten an incredible deal on 12 tailor made suits and was taking them home with him. Finally, my friend could put up with it no longer and said, "I'm really sorry to hear that you bought all those suits in Hong Kong." "What do you mean?" the guy asked. "Well, the reason you got such a good deal is the cheap thread they use. The first time you get them dry cleaned, it's gonna dissolve, and the suits will fall apart."
My friend told me the guy never said another word during the whole flight.
Jun 19, 2008, 10:57 pm
#159
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,691
Jun 19, 2008, 11:03 pm
#160
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Moved again...in St. Louis now.
Programs: All over the place now.
Posts: 600
Few things to add....
1) Wow, I can't even handle the normal requests like someone wanting to change seats. Especially when I've booked a FC seat, I've picked my seat for a reason and many times choose that flight because I could get the seat I want. I get very annoyed when people basically demand you to change seats so they can sit next to their wife, boyfriend, etc. It's one thing to ask politely when you have a comparable seat but many act like you have to or you're the meanest person on earth. It's not my fault you booked late or choose a flight that didn't have seats together. I normally will move anyway when it's not a bad seat but then I"m usually annoyed and it's actually bitten me many times when they are loud when I'm trying to sleep.
2) I've done the St. Petersburg and Moscow escalators. I don't remember which are steeper. I'm not normally afraid of heights but I remember terrible vertigo on those. I made my boyfriend stand in front of me while going down, and behind me while going up....otherwise I prob would have had to sit down!
3) I personally don't like animals much, am pretty allergic to cats and somewhat have problems with dogs. I get annoyed when pet lovers expect everyone to love and coo over their pet. It's like I'm evil because I don't. Once in F this lady had her dog out of the carrier before take off and was vigorously rubbing/petting it beside me. The FA also thought the dog was so cute she kept coming over to pet it. Unfortunately she was larger than some FA and kept stuffing her boobs in my face while petting the dog! I'm female and not really into boobs in my face while dog hair flies all over me. The woman ended up not putting it away during take off even and the FAs didn't say anything to her. I eventually put the air vent in the middle down and a little toward her to blow the hair back to her side but I woke up freezing when she had pointed it at me.
4) As for the guy in the aisle. It's obvious both people were trying to prove points. The guy in the aisle was being stubborn because he wanted to prove the guy walking was rude by not saying excuse me. The guy walking was trying to prove the guy in the aisle was rude by not moving. Guy in the aisle should have moved, when he didn't guy walking should have just said excuse me to keep things moving. Then the guy standing there was even more rude by pointing out someone else's "rude" behaviour. Half the time I would do the same and stand there waiting and the other half I'd take the high road and just say excuse me.
I get annoyed in two similar cases: when I'm sitting in my aisle seat and someone walks up and either just stands there or points to the middle seat. Um, ok, I take it to mean that you would like to get in here? And maybe you should stop before the row so I have room to step out without bruising my leg on the armrest.
And the other on Southwest Airlines when some arrogant a-hole thinks that he is exempt from standing in numerical order. Like I've tried to be helpful and say "I'm 19" and then he stands in front of me anyway with 22 and says something like "We're all getting on the same plane anyway." Okay, except that Southwest tries to sell "Business Select" by guaranteeing you'll be one of the first to board; or, by having you make A list so that you also get to board early. Bottom line, we know our numbers right...so get in numerical order like the rest of us....you're not better than anyone! No, one person will not make much of a difference but just do it! :P
1) Wow, I can't even handle the normal requests like someone wanting to change seats. Especially when I've booked a FC seat, I've picked my seat for a reason and many times choose that flight because I could get the seat I want. I get very annoyed when people basically demand you to change seats so they can sit next to their wife, boyfriend, etc. It's one thing to ask politely when you have a comparable seat but many act like you have to or you're the meanest person on earth. It's not my fault you booked late or choose a flight that didn't have seats together. I normally will move anyway when it's not a bad seat but then I"m usually annoyed and it's actually bitten me many times when they are loud when I'm trying to sleep.
2) I've done the St. Petersburg and Moscow escalators. I don't remember which are steeper. I'm not normally afraid of heights but I remember terrible vertigo on those. I made my boyfriend stand in front of me while going down, and behind me while going up....otherwise I prob would have had to sit down!
3) I personally don't like animals much, am pretty allergic to cats and somewhat have problems with dogs. I get annoyed when pet lovers expect everyone to love and coo over their pet. It's like I'm evil because I don't. Once in F this lady had her dog out of the carrier before take off and was vigorously rubbing/petting it beside me. The FA also thought the dog was so cute she kept coming over to pet it. Unfortunately she was larger than some FA and kept stuffing her boobs in my face while petting the dog! I'm female and not really into boobs in my face while dog hair flies all over me. The woman ended up not putting it away during take off even and the FAs didn't say anything to her. I eventually put the air vent in the middle down and a little toward her to blow the hair back to her side but I woke up freezing when she had pointed it at me.
4) As for the guy in the aisle. It's obvious both people were trying to prove points. The guy in the aisle was being stubborn because he wanted to prove the guy walking was rude by not saying excuse me. The guy walking was trying to prove the guy in the aisle was rude by not moving. Guy in the aisle should have moved, when he didn't guy walking should have just said excuse me to keep things moving. Then the guy standing there was even more rude by pointing out someone else's "rude" behaviour. Half the time I would do the same and stand there waiting and the other half I'd take the high road and just say excuse me.
I get annoyed in two similar cases: when I'm sitting in my aisle seat and someone walks up and either just stands there or points to the middle seat. Um, ok, I take it to mean that you would like to get in here? And maybe you should stop before the row so I have room to step out without bruising my leg on the armrest.
And the other on Southwest Airlines when some arrogant a-hole thinks that he is exempt from standing in numerical order. Like I've tried to be helpful and say "I'm 19" and then he stands in front of me anyway with 22 and says something like "We're all getting on the same plane anyway." Okay, except that Southwest tries to sell "Business Select" by guaranteeing you'll be one of the first to board; or, by having you make A list so that you also get to board early. Bottom line, we know our numbers right...so get in numerical order like the rest of us....you're not better than anyone! No, one person will not make much of a difference but just do it! :P
Jun 19, 2008, 11:14 pm
#161
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: DFW
Posts: 8,036
In this case, it is the decent thing to do - maybe then they would learn to stop pulling such nonsense. @:-)
(yeah, I know it's "the rules")
Jun 20, 2008, 12:30 am
#162
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: NGO / KOA
Programs: JGC / OW Sapphire
Posts: 311
The security line was moving slow as the shoe thing was new to everyone, so I remarked to my friend (kinda under my breath) that I was glad we hadn't had an 'underwear bomber'. A sweet little old lady of 70 something directly in front of me happened to hear my comment and proceeded to get a major case of the giggles and couldn't stop laughing. Everytime she started to get it under control, she'd turn around and look at me and start cracking up again. Then she sets off the metal detector which gets her laughing even harder.
When we finally got through security, she was pulled off to the side getting wanded by the TSA guy, laughing uncontrollably with tears running down her face.
When we finally got through security, she was pulled off to the side getting wanded by the TSA guy, laughing uncontrollably with tears running down her face.
Jun 20, 2008, 1:12 am
#163
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: emirates, BA, Virgin
Posts: 29
Served him right
I have 2 stories here. Once flying JHB - DXB on EK in J. We where all waiting to board and suddenly these 3 people appear from nowere and are ushered to the frot of the line. The South Afrcan guy in front of me says in a load voice "we have business class tickets, who are these guys to push in front" the FA turns arond and says "Sorry, but these three passengers are all in First Class AND that is the airline cairman his CEO and his finance director". The guy was very quiet.
Once flying from LHR to DEL in Y, I had an aisle seat and this guy got on and had been given the middle seat. HE startedmakng a complaint about being a silver member with the airline ad how he should be upgraded because he had seen that J was not full. He stood in the aisle all the will during boarding asking every FA if he could be upgraded. I said "sit down and wait, I am sure if they need to upgrade people they will find you". He gave me a look like who the F@$K are you!! After the doors closed oe of the FA's said he could have my aisle seat, he looked vindicated as now I would have his mddle seat, but no the FA then turned to me and said "MR........... because you are a gold member the Airline would like to offer you a spare seat in Upperclass, would I like it?" I collected my luggage from the overhead and went straight down the plane. The complaining guy could not look at me..........
Once flying from LHR to DEL in Y, I had an aisle seat and this guy got on and had been given the middle seat. HE startedmakng a complaint about being a silver member with the airline ad how he should be upgraded because he had seen that J was not full. He stood in the aisle all the will during boarding asking every FA if he could be upgraded. I said "sit down and wait, I am sure if they need to upgrade people they will find you". He gave me a look like who the F@$K are you!! After the doors closed oe of the FA's said he could have my aisle seat, he looked vindicated as now I would have his mddle seat, but no the FA then turned to me and said "MR........... because you are a gold member the Airline would like to offer you a spare seat in Upperclass, would I like it?" I collected my luggage from the overhead and went straight down the plane. The complaining guy could not look at me..........