Cabin Rules?

[ihatechewinggum]

A while back I was on a pretty full BA flight YVR - LHR, upstairs on the 744, and looking forward to a bit of shut eye. Shortly after the meal service I became aware of some music coming from across the aisle, and noticed a guy with a pair of iPod speakers who had decided to offer the rest of the cabin, as well as himself, some late night entertainment. I gave it 5 mins, put my earplugs in but could still hear the music through the plugs, then decided to speak to the CC. I was told someone else had already complained about it, but if we all wouldn't mind putting up with it, we might be spared a difficult situation. This continued for at least another 2 hours during which there were several more complaints from us to the CC who made it very clear that it would be a bad idea for any of us to speak to the passenger directly, but also that they weren't prepared to that either. We were very obedient, but stressed, SLF....

Just curious about what the general thinking is on a situation like this - I'm guessing there must be fairly clear guidelines. But I'm surprised, if what the CC told me is correct, that there is nothing in theory to stop any passenger from boarding a plane with a boom box and broadcasting to the rest of the cabin. Not least when you've paid all that extra money not to travel in Y in the hope of getting a bit of rest....

[Load Toad]

I sympathise - on a recent flight to HKG from PVG had a bloke in the next seat across the aisle playing video games on his hand held idiot device - playing with the sound full on. Couldn't get him to switch it down cos he was pig ignorant and pretended not to understand and the CC didn't want to cause a scene as they were girls and he was a big fat middle aged businessman.
If he'd been in a pub I would have decked him.

[jetset lady]

ihatechewinggum,

I didn't think this sounded right. It's taken me a while to find, but.....



If, while you are on board the aircraft, we reasonably believe that youhave:

deliberately interfered with the crew in carrying out their duties
failed to obey the instructions of the crew relating to safety or security
failed to obey the seat-belt or no-smoking signs
committed a criminal offence
allowed your physical or mental state to become affected by drink or drugs
failed to obey the crew's instructions relating to drink or drugs
made a hoax bomb or other security threat
threatene
behaved in a way which causes discomfort, inconvenience, damage or injury to the crew or other passengersput the aircraft, or any person in it, in danger

I think there is actually a more comprehensive ruling written down regarding the use of personal entertainment equipment onboard but typically, I can't for the life of me remember where it is. I'm on days off now but will have a look when I go back. I suspect it may be in the magazine, but the above conditions pretty much cover it anyway.

I'm wondering why the crew were so reluctant to approach this person in the first place. I've dealt with this type of thing many times, usually when parents have put a DVD on for their children to watch and have never had anyone react badly to my request for headphones to be used or the sound to be turned off.

I hope that helps and sorry you had such a rough flight!

[cherrycoke]

If a passenger is playing something loud and electronic on a flight I'm working on I give them a pair of headphones if they are available. I don't ask them to do anything, I just say: "Would you like these?" This has never failed as a hint. It's usually a child with a DVD player and it's also about saving my own sanity as well as everyone else's.

[PAXboy]

I think that cherrycoke has the best solution.
I think that, on the information posted here by the OP and Load Toad for their flight (carrier not stated), the CC failed in their duty.

They probably failed because they had not had sufficient recurrent training and suspected that, if it got rough with the noisy pax - that their CSD would not back them up. That is, of course, pure conjecture, but is based on working in a wide variety of business across 35 years and observing human behaviour.

Had I have been in that situation - I would not have let the matter rest. If I had to go over the head of the CC to the CSD, that is what I would have done. I think, before my next LH, I might print off the relevant rules form the relevant carrier website, to stick up the nose of the CC. ;)

To pick up on a discussion point in the dominant thread of the moment ... If the CC knew that the person making the noise might be a 'mystery shopper' trying to test the pax - would they have ensured that rules were followed? It matters not, they failed to support the majority of their pax.

[Capetonian]

Sounds to me as if the pax was either a 'celebrity' of some kind, or a friend or relative of crew on board. Very unprofessional.

[Load Toad]

It was a Chinese airline and in my experience the young female CC will never take issue with a male passenger older than they are. To be fair to them if they do the older, respectable gentleman invariably causes them a huge amount of grief.

[Rush2112]

It was a Chinese airline and in my experience the young female CC will never take issue with a male passenger older than they are. To be fair to them if they do the older, respectable gentleman invariably causes them a huge amount of grief.

My only gripe with SQ is they won't tell pax to behave.

On the flight to CDG earlier in the year in econ, the family in the row of 4 seats to my left had two small girls with a DVD player, no headphones and the whole cabin was subjected to 12 hours of some Disney rubbish on repeat play.

After a while I complained but the CC just shrugged diffidently and said "we know"...

[ZFT]

Rush2112,

Unfortunately this is not restricted to SQ. TG has identical issues with cc being very reluctant to admonish anyone.

[Aus380]

Crew should definately have asked pax to turn it off, no matter who he was. Anything that disturbs other pax is not on. I am always amazed at how self absorbed some people can become when they walk through the airport door (and yes some CC as well). We are all stuck in the tube for a long time together, so lets all do our best to play nice:ok:

[Load Toad]

Unfortunately the problem is some passengers think they are superior and above 'the serving staff'. I've seen an arrogant SOB rip into a young, female CC just because the flight was delayed (for ATC reasons) and he was going to miss a 'very important meeting'.
The problem stems from two things:
- In some cultures, young (especially female) employees (and people generally) are treated like sh1t.
- Airlines have always presented CC foremost as serving staff - not people responsible for safety and security but also who provide in flight care.

[Final 3 Greens]

Yes, but if all else fails, call to FD, capt appears with 'scrambled egg' hat on tells the pax the way it's going to be.

No excuse for letting this pantomime go on, clearly unreasonable behaviour.

[Load Toad]

It should never get to the person flying the plane.
The authority of the CC, if reasonable, should be without question.

[Rush2112]

Rush2112,

Unfortunately this is not restricted to SQ. TG has identical issues with cc being very reluctant to admonish anyone.

I know - TG, SQ, CX: do I see a pattern?! I believe Load Toad has it, the cultural thing.

[Dushan]

Over 20 years ago I was on a 10 hour flight where the movie started playing after dinner service. I was getting ready to sleep, in business, when suddenly the movie soundtrack started playing over the PA. Apparently there was something wrong with the headphones system. I complained to the "cabin chief" and met wit some resistance, but ultimately they turned the sound off so we could sleep.

[Basil]

Premium passenger being a prat - difficult situation for the CC.
Nevertheless I'm astonished that nothing was done.
cherrycoke seems to have the situation covered :ok:
Experience as a pilot taught me to leave it to the CC unless they requested my intervention; I'm not very good with prats :)

[Union Jack]

Premium passenger being a prat - difficult situation for the CC.
Nevertheless I'm astonished that nothing was done.

Sometimes something can be done - some years back, I was travelling up front with AA from MIA to LHR when a passenger across the aisle, despite being apparently fast asleep, left his Walkman on so loudly that no one around him - especially me! - could get to sleep because of that dreadful hissing noise. Having tried unsuccessfully to get his attention, I lent across and gently pulled the lead out. He stirred, woke up, looked around very puzzled, shrugged, and reconnected his Walkman, then dropped off again. I only had to do it twice more and then everyone else dropped off to sleep ....:ok:

Jack

PS Yes, I know I shouldn't have ....

[Final 3 Greens]

Premium passenger being a prat - difficult situation for the CC.

Basil

With all resepct, I don't agree.

CC are trained to deal with these types of situation and one must remember that they are there to provide a service for ALL the pax in the cabin.

Having said that, I find it difficult to imagine this happening on BA, whose cabin crew are well trained and professional in my experience.