Smashed glass all over seat and FA makes an insulting joke. + the new FC amenity kit.
May 21, 2012, 12:53 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Denver, CO USA
Programs: UA 1P, F9 Ascent, SPG Lifetime Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 816
Smashed glass all over seat and FA makes an insulting joke. + the new FC amenity kit.
Just flew PVG-LAX on the 19th in F. Thirty minutes into the flight, a FA accidentally drops an empty wine glass that shatters into a millions pieces all over the chair, floor and tray table of my seat. It was an accident, but still not great to have glass shards everywhere heading into a 12 hour flight. I was pissed despite it being an accident.
She tries picking up all the glass with the safety card and her fingers before I stop her from shredding her hands. No dirt devil on board and I ask if they have tape. She says no. I ask the purser and she finds a roll of United duct tape which I figured they had on board since it seems to be used on half the seats and bathrooms of the entire fleet. The FA was basically useless cleaning up the mess. Another FA then tells me to "be a good boy and just go to sleep, then I won't have to worry about stepping on the glass." I was a little shocked and asked her to repeat herself. She turned and headed back to the galley. ...? That's a level of familiarity I'd prefer not to encounter as a passenger in coach, and certainly not as a passenger in first. I wonder how she would have taken it if I told her "to be a good girl" and bring me a drink or dinner. I'm guessing it wouldn't have been received with the levity she apparently demanded of me. I then hear her telling another FA that I can't take a joke. I hate that these geriatric crew members have no accountability.
I eventually make a few loops with the tape and roll it over the entire chair and all the carpet in the seat area and the aisle and manage to pick up tons of small glass shards. The crew watches me do this and is surprised at how well it works. Really? They've never had to clean up broken glass before in the cabin? No apology from the insulting FA or the purser. The FA that dropped it did say she was sorry, but none of the crew asked if they could do anything for me.
On happier notes, the new first class amenity kit is great. Not SQ or OZ or OS great, but some good improvements. I like the way it unfolds and has a hanging hook. Also smart to put the toothpaste, mouthwash and toothpaste in a clear 1 qt ziploc so it can be removed and taken through security when transferring.
New item on the menu was Cioppino which I thought was bold and risky and actually executed well. Thicker and with noodles to prevent spillage, I thought it was a decent main dish.
She tries picking up all the glass with the safety card and her fingers before I stop her from shredding her hands. No dirt devil on board and I ask if they have tape. She says no. I ask the purser and she finds a roll of United duct tape which I figured they had on board since it seems to be used on half the seats and bathrooms of the entire fleet. The FA was basically useless cleaning up the mess. Another FA then tells me to "be a good boy and just go to sleep, then I won't have to worry about stepping on the glass." I was a little shocked and asked her to repeat herself. She turned and headed back to the galley. ...? That's a level of familiarity I'd prefer not to encounter as a passenger in coach, and certainly not as a passenger in first. I wonder how she would have taken it if I told her "to be a good girl" and bring me a drink or dinner. I'm guessing it wouldn't have been received with the levity she apparently demanded of me. I then hear her telling another FA that I can't take a joke. I hate that these geriatric crew members have no accountability.
I eventually make a few loops with the tape and roll it over the entire chair and all the carpet in the seat area and the aisle and manage to pick up tons of small glass shards. The crew watches me do this and is surprised at how well it works. Really? They've never had to clean up broken glass before in the cabin? No apology from the insulting FA or the purser. The FA that dropped it did say she was sorry, but none of the crew asked if they could do anything for me.
On happier notes, the new first class amenity kit is great. Not SQ or OZ or OS great, but some good improvements. I like the way it unfolds and has a hanging hook. Also smart to put the toothpaste, mouthwash and toothpaste in a clear 1 qt ziploc so it can be removed and taken through security when transferring.
New item on the menu was Cioppino which I thought was bold and risky and actually executed well. Thicker and with noodles to prevent spillage, I thought it was a decent main dish.
May 21, 2012, 1:38 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SFO and OAK
Programs: FAF, Hyatt <>, SPG PLT
Posts: 2,240
Hrmm. What did the wine glass come into contact with that made it shatter into a million pieces? I'm trying to remember the last time I had a broken glass on an airplane and then thinking it was not usually something that caused a million pieces of glass in my seat. 
May 21, 2012, 6:55 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: TUS and any place close to a lav
Programs: UA 1.6MM
Posts: 5,423
May 21, 2012, 7:39 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 311
The crew watches me do this and is surprised at how well it works. Really? They've never had to clean up broken glass before in the cabin? No apology from the insulting FA or the purser. The FA that dropped it did say she was sorry, but none of the crew asked if they could do anything for me.
For the curious: "Toughened or tempered glass is a type of safety glass processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared with normal glass. Tempering creates balanced internal stresses which cause the glass, when broken, to crumble into small granular chunks instead of splintering into jagged shards. The granular chunks are less likely to cause injury."
Source
May 21, 2012, 8:10 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,933
Let's face it, almost everyone knows that, in FC, if glass is broken and all over a passengers seat a cavalier statement like, "Be a good boy and go to sleep" IN ALL THIS GLASS, is not funny. Dumb! Lazy! Stupid! Inconsiderate! Over the Top!
These "Out of Contract" janitorial duties would probably cause them to "GO ILLEGAL" thus making them too tired to safely continue to "BE PREPARED", and not be there primarily for your safety, should "God Forbid", a real disaster occur!
I reiterate, there are really super, professional, FA's @ UA, especially in FC on international flights, unfortunately you were dealt the "JOKER"!
BTW, I think it's a "BIG DEAL" (pun intended) to sit in broken pieces of glass with my arms exposed to possible cuts for numerous hours, and a lot more concern should have been extended to the OP!
May 21, 2012, 8:36 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hold it down for The Bay, reppin' Oakland
Programs: Lowly UA silver, Marriott Ambassador/Tit4Lyf, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,763
May 21, 2012, 8:47 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,933
I am of the opinion that passengers, especially FTer's don't have the duty to sit on every airplane and look for something that they can report back to headquarters or on these forums that gets them a minute of fame. I especially see no need to look for problems that are "NO BIG DEAL" and make something out of it.
However, the OP was quite upset with not only his First Class International seat having glass shards all over, it he was particularly pissed that little or no attempt was made to clean it up, and then a "Really Stupid, Dumb" attempt at a joke was made which made matters worse.
How about this, a little thinking outside the box for a change, like asking another FA for help by the one that obviously didn't know what to do, and after that a few blankets put over the glass to make the OP's experience a little bit safer
"CLASS" is what the OP expected when he purchased his "FIRST CLASS" ticket and what he got was a dumb, lazy, and stupid response!
I'm through responding to people who have the need to defend this type of cavalier service, especially when there was no need for the OP to be treated like he was!!!
However, the OP was quite upset with not only his First Class International seat having glass shards all over, it he was particularly pissed that little or no attempt was made to clean it up, and then a "Really Stupid, Dumb" attempt at a joke was made which made matters worse.
How about this, a little thinking outside the box for a change, like asking another FA for help by the one that obviously didn't know what to do, and after that a few blankets put over the glass to make the OP's experience a little bit safer
"CLASS" is what the OP expected when he purchased his "FIRST CLASS" ticket and what he got was a dumb, lazy, and stupid response!
I'm through responding to people who have the need to defend this type of cavalier service, especially when there was no need for the OP to be treated like he was!!!
May 21, 2012, 8:50 am
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,816
May 21, 2012, 8:52 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
You indicated "not a big deal at all". Thus this implies that the service provided by the FAs on this flight was as expected.
May 21, 2012, 8:54 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DEN/OGG
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 1,482