Originally Posted by lowcostdolly
Rusland thank you for the feedback but with all due respect it was not me who named this forum...
My use of the word "offensive" was, with hindisght, over the top, and not a true reflection of my feelings about the term I think "disrespectful" would have been closer to the mark.
There is a world of difference between using a term as a humorous title at the top of an internet forum and using it repeatedly as a synonym for "customer" or "passenger", particularly when addressing an audience comprised mainly of those very people. I doubt very much you would use it when announcing the boarding of a flight, or when welcoming passengers aboard a flight, so there seems little justification in using it as often as you do on an anonymous internet forum. The ease and frequency with which you use it does seem to indicate a certain lack of awareness. "Trolley dolly" is, similarly, a humorous and widely-used term to refer to cabin crew but I'm sure it would soon become tiresome if it were used every time a contributor to these forums wished to talk about the airline employees who take care of us inflight. I do not think that would show the level of respect that cabin crew expect and deserve.
I am certainly not someone who would ever use the phrase "I pay your wages" - in fact, the expression makes me cringe - but showing a little more respect to the people you are trained and paid to take care of might be a good idea. It may make some people - those who talk through the safety demos, use their Blackberries throughout the long taxi to the runway and question every instruction given pre-flight - consider your otherwise sensible words more carefully.
But this is drifting from the topic of the thread, and really not worth dragging out.