What do you find most annoying about our job???

[ukjetbloke]

Well.... where shall we start....

1 - When someone asks for a gin and tonic for example which you give to them and then their partner says 'i will have the same'.... Why the hell can't they ask for 2!!!!

2 - When someone calls you 'mate'.... In reply I tell them ' I am NOT your mate'!!!!

3 - When a group of pax come on and shows you their boarding cards, upside down and thumb over the seat number....

4 - When you have been away on a weeks trip and the idiots ask you what the weather is like at home....

5 - When flying over a city for example at night and they ask you 'where is that'?.... How the hell should I know.... I squeeze tea bags for a living....

6 - Hearing the unfastening of seat belts as soon as the wheels touch the runway after landing....

7 - Walking through the cabin with your hands full and someone tries to hand you their meal tray.... I am NOT an octopus!!!!

8 - Asking a question eg Tea???? when they have got their headphones on and they can't hear you.... Why oh why do they not take the bloody things off instead of looking at you gormlessly as if you are speaking swahili.... It is not rocket science....

I can go and on unfortunately I have to puit up with all of the above tonight so must foxtrot oscar now.... I look forward to hearing your favourites....

:mad: :mad:

[sweety]

I think you should leave your job if such silly things annoy you...mate! ;)

[flapsforty]

ukjetbloke, how VERY recogniseable! Just reading your post put ahttp://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/biggrin3.gifon my face. Yes, our beloved customers......................

Landing on the other side of the globe after a 12 hour flight "Do you fly right back now?". Yeah right, we have a 24 hour workday........
With my last names clearly stuck on my chest "what's your name?" , Mrs Forty to you mate!
Talking loudly through my whole safety announcement when they are sitting 3 feet from where I am standing talking in the mike. "Excuse me for interrupting your conversation ladies, this is about saving your clueless b*tts"
Using a cell phone while sitting with luggage on lap after I have just clearly and slowly explained the whole thing in 3 languages. Do you have to switch off your brain upon boarding an ac?
Pulling full force on the ashtray in the door in an attempt to open the toilet. And then dropping it on the floor for me to pick up.
"Excuse me, I am a vegetable" yes Ma'am, I know you are.

As for your point 8; I always start talking to them soundlessly after the first try. Like Basil Fawlty with the deaf lady. Cracks up the pax around them and the bewildered look on the victim's face always puts me in a sterling mood. :)
And BTW I reckon that someone who has the humour to look at his job the way ukjetbloke does, is exactly the kind of person who will last a long long time. http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/up.gif
And the "I squeeze teebags for a living" comment is one I will definitely start using myself! ;)

[Brown eyes]

I know what you mean about pax pulling at the ashtray to get in to the toilet!!

Here are a few of mine:-

* Pax asking "Do you know where the toilet is?" No we dont know, we only work here.

* On one flight someone asked me "Where are we going?" Like, where did you buy a ticket to?

* Pax refusing to put their luggage in overhead locker when seated at emergency exits. "I cant put my bag up it has our passports in it" Yeh and there is noone in the lockers to steal them.

* People trying to hand you sick bags when you are serving food or doing the drinks trolley.

* During turbulence someone asked if the pilot could please stop flying over the bumps.

* During a delay due to a tech problem one man said can we not just go anyway i have a meeting to attend to.

Why cant pax just have a bit of common sense sometimes?

[flymeboy]

Hello! Fab comments, just thought I would add some of mine ones!

* When doing tea for example service, you ask the pax if they want tea, and then they put their cup on your tray and say "Coffee"!

* When securing the cabin for take off/landing and the pax can't do the seat belt up as they have the buckle around the wrong way, normally I say, "Shall I get the demo kit out for you again?" - Makes me chuckle

* Why oh why do pax have to take their shoes off when you are sat at the crew seats in the cabin - the smell :( :( !!!!!!

have fun!!!

Flyme:)

[ukjetbloke]

I love my job!!! Wouldn't have been doing it for the last 5 years if i didn't!:D Think you should lighten up Sweety! GREAT comments guys - keep them coming......:D :D :D :D :D

[Shadowpurser]

People who make such an easy job more difficult than it is.:confused:

[GalleyWench]

Well I suppose it is comforting to find STUPIDITY an international trait. What is about the ashtray on the toilet door????????? My Favourite statements on todays flight: Is this a mens or womens toilet? How do I know if it is vacant? ( to which I peek into the ashtray and tell them "no one seems to be in there now").Why oh why oh why when you ask someone how they like their coffee is the answer always "Black" then as you walk away with the sugar and milk they shout "I need milk and sugar". Well now you really didnt want black coffee after all did you?

[Northern Hosty]

A few of my favourites are:

1) "Where are we now".... I always reply "Dont know, cant see the road signs from here".

2) You serve the pax there meal & there's always one that says "do you have it without the sauce"

3) Which is the ladies toilet ?

But my ultimate favourite which always makes me chuckle is when pax open the cupbard where we keep our bags & jackets, turn round & stare at you & simply say " Toilet " :D :D

[Tart with the cart]

"Where are we?" my reply 'DILLIGAF! ;)

"Which one is the ladies room?"

"Do you always fly this route?"

and all of the other comments you've said! :)

[penny_benjamin]

Someone needs a sense of humour check!!!
For all of our sakes Sweetie, no need to be so hung up.
The replies are FAB-O!!!
They crack me up.
Man, if we couldn't laugh at our pax we'd kill 'em...or wrap 'em up in a tight white jacket and belt 'em around the head.
You'all forgot one
"would you like tea or coffee?" "chicken or beef?"
"Yes"
Classic...
"well, which one luv?"

[cloud nine]

Then there is always the time when you ask "Would you like tea or coffee?" and they just hold their cup up and say not a word. Since when did we become "mind readers????"

And......


After briefing the pax in the emergancy exit row, there is always one that has to say " oh yes I can assist, I will be first out!". Gawwwd, if only I had a dollar for everytime I have heard that!

:rolleyes:

[starbag]

How about those oh so helpful families that stack up their meal trays, and look suprised when I unstack them on their tray table to try and put them in the meal cart.

How about a 1hr50min LGW-PMI/MAH/IBZ when you've nearly killed yourself running around with the bar, hot meal, tea/coffee, hot towels and then duty free, and then, they start asking for more drinks as you shovel some food in your mouth!!

Can I have a blanket, as you're serving tea or coffee. 9 times out of 10 the blankets are in the locker above them!!

On boarding when you ask for their boarding card, they say "I'm in 25 D, I know where that is" Was that what I asked you for!!

Bless them.:D :D :D

[sweety]

Oh, for God sake!! I do laugh at how silly pax can be - those who've actually flown with me, they know!
And all those other comments (especially about looking for the toilet in the wardrobe!):D are fab!!
When I read that first post it seemed that those things that annoy ukjetbloke were a little too unimportant to be annoyed by.
I know we can laugh and say those pax are really stupid but what would we be like if the only time we flew was once a year on holiday?

What annoyes me is when some idiot checks in some other people's bag with some s**t in it and the flight is delayed for about 4 hours. That really
annoys me...

What makes me smile is:

"Excuse me, could you please tell the Captain he forgot to turn the indicators off?" pointing to the strobe light.

Sorry if you thought I was so hung up !

[tom_higginson]

Its nice to have an insight into the world of flight attendants.

Very funny posts .

:D

Were did the term pax come from?

[cabinkitten]

most annoying thing?

It has to be the inane questions. My personal favourite:

"Is that the earth down there honey?"

I could cry....:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[cabinboy]

My favourite -:

Q. Sir, are you happy to remain seated in the exit row today ?

A. Yes, but not if I have to use it.

Dahhhhhhhhhhhh !

[ukjetbloke]

One that one of our flight deck told me!!.........

A woman entered the F/D on a visit whilst in flight. She took one look out of the window and promptly said "Are we moving??" The F/O who was totally gobsmacked by the remark quickly replied "No madam, we take off and then hover in the air until the earth spins to the point we want and then we land!" She actually believed him!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How brainless can some people be! YES ITS TRUE :D :D

[one-ball]

Here's MY favourite:

"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Well, what about now?"
"No, we STILL aren't there yet."
"Ummm. Now?"
"Go back to the galley and make me a drink."

or.....

"What time are we getting in?"
"I just made a PA, didn't you listen?"

or....

"Chicken or beef?"
"Is that like, leather or feather? Hehe...." (Joking... trying to lighten things up a little...)
"Umm, no, it says here, 'chicken' or 'beef' "
"sigh.....wha-aaat ev-er"

[Thunderbird One]

How about when you ask them if they want tea or coffee and they put the cup on your tray with the milk jigger still in - I have been known to just pour it in anyway.

or

When you ask a row of three if they want coffee and only one person puts their cup on the tray, when you hand it back the next people put theirs on. For that they only get half a cup!:rolleyes:

[slj]

Thinderbird One

How on earth are three people in a row to know you want all three cups on your tray?

Ever thought of suggesting it?

[Thunderbird One]

Because, most of the time they do!

[IFTB]

Thunderbird I

I must agree with slj, how are pax to know that? They are probably concerned that 3 cups may overload your tray and act in this way to make it easier on you!
I am a bit baffeled about you complaint, especially if you do not say anything to give them a hint of your expectations :confused:
Anyway, rest of the tread is very good with some accurate observations, keep going!

[Thunderbird One]

slj - IFTB

When you do a tea and coffee service you ask people if they want coffee maybe 50 times per service. Lets say you do two services pre sector, and maybe two sectors per day you're asking the same question 200 times. (maybe it's less, but it feels like it's that amount) then to start suggesting for everyone to put their cup on the tray would just add the the monotony.

Most of the time you ask a row whether they would like lets say, coffee if thats what you're out with. So you hold the tray infront of them for them to put their cup on giving everyone the opportunity. For IFTB's benefit, the trays are big enough to fit 3 cups on no problem and they don't look overloaded. You then pour it and then hand it back.

I did a flight today and served people coffee in the same way I normally do and all pax who wanted coffee put their cups on the tray at the same time. It also helps to speed up the service. So most of the time I don't need to hint, I don't need to suggest, it's just common sence!

It doesn't happen all the time but when it does - it's annoying.


:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[IFTB]

THUNDERBIRD I:

No, I'm no cabin crew but am very interested in how you (plural) feel about your job.
Your description in your last post comes across different than what it seemed in your first post. I guess it depends very much on the action/body language which goes with it. As you described it in your last post I fully understand and agree with you. Previous comments withdrawn herewith.
You have my sympathy with having to say the same thing over and over again. I often contemplate, listening to it, that it must be murder having to go through a cabin saying "coffee?, coffee?, coffee?" and being called back once you are three rows past the coffee requester. Then having to repeat the whole thing with "tea?, tea?, tea?"
Basically you are there for safety reasons only and not as a waitres/waiter.

Having read some of the other postings I would like to know if the majority of cabin crew prefer "chatty" pax or ones who keep themselves to themselves?
No doubt depends on lenght over trip, but let's say on a LHR-STO leg.

[moosey]

American pax make me laugh the most. When they put the clotted cream meant for the scones in their coffe and claim "the cream is off". Or when you say you are from London they reply "Do you know the queen?". Bless them.
With regards to the head phones the amount of pax that put them in 'softside out' and then claim they can't hear and the headphones are uncomfortable. Also when you ask a question and they don't remove the head phones and yell at their companion "what did she say?"
The list is endless and very amusing.
Am taking 18 months unpaid leave to go and live in Hong Kong and will miss our pax and flying very much. Will tune in regularly to PPRUNE to catch up on all the gossip.

Happy and Safe flying

[flying_fox]

What a gorgeous post, asinclai! Thankyou!

(Gosh guys, lap it up! We dont get too many like that - we usually get the standard too fat, too old and too angry! LOLOLOL)

Oh Yeah Thunderbird One, I can really relate to the repetitive thingy getting up your goat! Thank god we got rid of the magazine run......

Me: "Would you like a magazine?"
Pax: "OOOh yes please! What do you have there?"
Me: "Well we have the Womans Day, the Who, Harpers Bazaar, House and Garden, Time, Bulletin and the Weekly"
Pax: "What was that again?"
Me: "We have the Womans Day, the Who, Harpers Bazaar, House and Garden, Time, Bulletin and the Weekly"
Pax: "Womens Day please"
Me: (the very NEXT row) "Would you like a magazine?"
Pax: "What do you have there?"

Nnnnaaaaaaaaaaargh!

Then there is the classic "Bevan" joke

Me: "Would you like some head sets?"
Bevan: (leans over to his Bevan mate and says loud enough for EVERYONE to hear) "How did she know my name was Sets?"

Actually, I thought that one was pretty funny the FIRST time I heard it!

[topdog1]

I am so glad it is just not me, I could be saying all of the above, infact it would be easier to say what doesn't annoy me these days, it doesn't matter what airline you work for the punters all do the same things, amazing!!!!!

[Rwy in Sight]

Starbag

If a lady SLF in front of me says it is 34D or 32F she has by most undivided attention. And I am up for a seat change even giving up a jump seat.

Anyway air-transport tend to put most SLF in a pretty weird mood.

[tottyhighflyer]

I had a pax the other day when asked if she would like Lamb or Turkey?
" No thanks dear I'll just have a ploughmans"
I was so bewildered I asked if she would prefer Stilton or Cheddar? To which she said " both please" ??????

I also hate " Where are you sitting sir?"
" In a seat"

Seat pockets which you scheduled boys and Gals won't appreciate. I found a sick bag where a pax had written horrid things about the crew and then wrote I know you'll find this when your doing the sad job of raking through the seatpockets!

My favourite reply when pax complain about not having their handbag within a inch above there seat.
"All the hatracks go to the same place" Cracks me up anyway!

I'm quite new to prune and don't know a soul so Hello to everyone. Love the posts and all the wit that goes with it, keep it coming... :cool:

[Tart with the cart]

quote from tottyhighflyer:

"Seat pockets which you scheduled boys and Gals won't appreciate. I found a sick bag where a pax had written horrid things about the crew and then wrote I know you'll find this when your doing the sad job of raking through the seatpockets!"

Goodness that is awful!
:eek: :mad:

[chicken legs]

When you land back home in the depths of winter and the (verylow) ground temperature is announced over the p.a, the little darlings (usually clad in shorts and t-shirts) scream and moan; like they didn't know it was going to be cold??!! Grrr..

[Danny Howarth]

Hi Everyone, amazing to see that although the aviation world is so vast we all experience the same questions/comments on board! Recently I operated a flight in to CDG & as we were taxi-ing onto stand we passed an Air France Concorde, a lady who was sat opposite me asked if that was the one that crashed a few years ago! Yeah right! If you look closely you'll see the welding marks where they put it back together!!!! :cool:

[kenoco]

guys is there really much of a difference between the doors to the wc at home and the ones on the aircraft cause pax can never ever open them,they are just doors,right???Push down pull out,easy???

[ADUX]

I have the utmost respect for you guys and girls, why don't you do what the military do do and give the pax a good slap, hand them a 'lumpy box' and tell them to stop being silly! Bone questions should be directed to those who really give a S*!$.

[PAXboy]

When I read these sort of threads, it just cracks me up. When I stop laughing, I wonder "So just why the (>£^&&"*+) do you folks do this job??!!

But the really good thing about this thread? It tells the rest of us what NOT to say, so that we get treated a bit better than our neighbours??? ;)

[ditzyboy]

Passengers are silly... Like when they repeatedly open and close the ash tray on the toilet door until it falls to the ground. Then they ask "How do I get into the toilet?"

Well.... "You turn the handle. Just like the one on your trailer." That one cracks me up!!! :) :)

[GY80]

Self Loading freight ! ! ! good term, perhaps Self Loading Freight that pays your saleries???? maybe a better term.

You really should all get a sense of humour, and understand not everybody is as bright as you clever people.

Really guys you have been trained for the job ( and mostly do a good one ) you chose the career, if you don't like ot change it??? and fly freight you have to load yourself.

[flapsforty]

GY80, with all due respect for your opinion, I suggest that it's not ourselves who need to acquire a sense of humour. ;)

We do not pretend to be all that clever. In fact it has already been stated by a colleague on this thread that we would probably do the same silly things as do our pax if we were to fly as little as they do. That does not mean that we cannot laugh at their antics, or make hearing the same "funny" remark for the zillionth time more bearable by having a laugh about it amongst ourselves here on the cabin crew forum.

I don't think that joking about our pax means that we do not like our chosen careers, as you are suggesting. Quite the opposite in fact; the day we are unable to see the humour in all the silly sh*t we put up with is the day we need to look for an office job. Company Director perhaps.......................?
And if we wanted to load freight we would have become Load Masters I think.

GY80, welcome to pprune by the way, and welcome to the cabin crew forum. Hope you will find the rest of the site less annoying than our humble selves. :)

[ADUX]

So tell me, what do you do to those pax who REALLY irritate you?! :) :)

[FlyingRabbit]

two can play this game. From our SLF side:

i) sitting at the end of the plane, dinner being served.

CC: Chicken or beef?
Me: Chicken.
CC: Sorry, we ran out of chicken.

ii) on a flight from CWB to SDU, just before arriving: "Those of you with connection flights to CWB please report to gate C after landing."

Jokes apart, I sincerely appreciate your work and have never personally run into an unpleasant flight attendant (and I fly every week).

FR

PS: this has nothing to do with this thread, but I have always wondered: if the main function of CC is our safety and well-being, why the call button always show a waitress-like figure? Doesn't this help establish the wrong concept about it all?:confused:

[ukjetbloke]

Aaah well ADUX, funny you should ask. That would be telling, couldn't possably reveal that!!! But you guys out there that have posted so many hillarious comments and tales will know EXACTLY what we do to the pax that really irritate us!!...........ADUX - we'll leave you guessing. ;)

:D :D :D

[ADUX]

Fair one!! I'll just have to be careful next time i fly then!!:cool:

[eightyknots]

Two please............

[PAXboy]

I saw an absolute classic today, a Pax getting himself worked up for zero reason.

It was a UK internal flight - BA from IOM to LTN on a 146.
A wheelchair pax had been loaded first and was placed in 2B. I was next on and took my seat 4F.

What had happened was that the wheelchair Pax had been allocated 1B (or similar) and that had restricted access, so they had placed her in 2B. When the folks for 2A/B/C boarded they were told, "we are less than half full - so sit where you want."

They duly did - in row 3A/B/C. Then the bloke and his wife for row 3A/B arrived and were told the same thing by the F/A. He moaned and grumbled. "What is the point of allocating seats if you then tell us to ignore them?"

F/A explained about the wheelchair pax and that there was lots of space. He grumbled more.

For some reason, that I did not catch (maybe because I was ignoring him!) he then found that he 'had' to move again. This was THE END. He moaned and cursed about 'having' to move a second time. Meanwhile, there is an 80 seat (?) machine with only about 30 people on it and empty seats as far as the eye can can see....

The F/A explained again about the wheelchair pax and that she (the F/A) had been trying to help that [elderly] lady. Mr Pax was not interested and then HAD to get his bag and coat out of the locker, to move it to the locker a couple of rows down to where they were now sitting. This was a wise precaution as we all know that the lockers have external doors and the F/A will pull the 'Eject' toggle and empty the locker of your goods, if you are not sitting underneath them. :D

The crew were great. Also, on the outbound leg on Tuesday. Good service and food, the 'deli' sandwiches were just fine and my thanks for the extra minature of brandy! ;)

Also to the F/C, the same Cpt on Tuesday and today and a beautiful landing both times. On Tuesday in a smart wind and light rain at IOM, Cpt. B. floated us along the line and then kissed the wheels down. Magic stuff. :cool:

[A320_Murray]

Hello,
I am pleased to say I haven't done any of these things...that I can remember! I did however..I think...annoy a FE after asking which departure track we were taking out of EDI, but she was kind enough to go upto the flightdeck and ask :)
I think some PAX need to learn some manners! Would they do it somewhere else? I respect all of you, and admire you for what you have to put up with, I haven't doen the toilet door thing..yet!!
One lady got confused between the toilet door and the cockpit door though, the pilot look at her hahaha was quite funny, I wish she would have moved over so I could get a better view of the flightdeck!!
One thing that really annoys me, at 10,000FT when they turn off the seat-belt signs, EVERYONE decides they need the toilet, does that annoy you! It annoys me! The aircraft trim working overtime when everyone rushes to the back of the plane hehehe.
Well, got to go now, thanks
Matthew

[Tomb Raider]

Good topic,amazing how we all seem to come across the same things regardless of who we work for!

Pushing duty free trolley down aisle with prominant display items festooned over said trolley..."would you like any duty free sir?" Reply; "yeh, I'll have an orange juice please"

Two rows later, "would you like any duty free sir ?" pax engrossed in movie looks up at you,then looks at trolley and dumps handfull of rubbish and empty coffee cup in your beautifull display and returns to movie......ahhhhh, thanks for that!!

"Would you like the beef or the chicken sir?" Reply..."Hmmm, how's the beef done?" ME- "generally pre packaged in a warehouse sometime last night,kept in a refridgerated trolley until just before the flight and blasted at 360 degrees for 20 minutes just now"

"What would you like to drink sir/madame?"
"What ya got" is the general reply.Don't know about anyone else,but I rarely have time to list full contents of bar trolley.

"I requested at check-in to have an empty seat next to me,and someone is sitting in it" "But the flight is completely full sir". "But I requested an empty seat..I want an upgrade". yeh right!

There are millions more ,I know...keep 'em coming.

[Jape Stobbe]

You're on a busy late afternoon flight into XXX and just before the start of the approach the Capt.has to go on the PA and tell the pax "I'm very sorry to inform you ,ladies and gentlemen ,that we will have a slight delay of about fifteen minutes into XXX because of dense inbound traffic",to which ,reportedly ,the f#t tart opposite one of the CA's seats went:"OOh,that's bloody brilliant,I'll be 'ome too late an'I'll miss me bus an' I'll #$%& ,I'll never fly this airline again and so on and so forth..."

What the hell do they want us to say?

"Right people,listen up.It's a bit risky and we'll probably get fined by the CAA for getting to close to the other 45 aircraft but to hell with the lot of 'em,we're going in first!!"

:confused: :confused: :confused:

[ditzyboy]

The two most annoying things about my job aren't even the fault of the pax - well one isn't anyway....

1. Pax ALWAYS ask for dry ginger and tomato juice and we have neither. It wouldn't bother me but to say no to such a simple request (10 plus times per sector) gets annoying after a bit. And no matter how many forms we fill in for management we still have no tomato juice or dry ginger (the list could go on...). I like to have happy pax so when I have to decline them something I find it annoying.

2. Maroochydore flights. I loathe them! The pax are evil little people who set out to make my life miserable. There are always lovely exceptions to the rule but they are generally selfish, rude and really take delight in calling us all sorts of names and acting as if they are the only people on Earth. I would NEVER show or take out my frustration on a pax but I really do dread these sectors. :( Once though I did say to this lady "You don't have to be rude to impress me..." Coz that's what she was doing. They are really not nice people. Having said that I have done some lovely MCY flights and some fairly average ones but I endevour to steer clear of them like I would the plague. These flights annoy me so I thought I'd let you all know. Now I feel better so thanks! :)

[EGCC_pax]

When Flying EK from DXB to DAC the pax give the cabin crew their boarding card the crew direct them to the appropiate seat number and then the pax just sit where they want !

The pax infront of you who reclines his/her seat and we are still on the ramp.

pax who talk during the safety demonstration !

pax who use the at seat video screen and jab at the controls so har it moves your seat 6" forwards grrrrrrrrr!

Paul

[Goldstone]

From the pax angle, the most annoying thing for me is the question which you frequently get from British flight attendants ...

" Would you like a drink, at all?"

"... at all" what?? A simple "Would you like a drink?" would suffice. This does seem to be a purely British thing and for some reason annoys the hell out of me.

[air-hag]

not to mention:

"Will you be eating dinner TODAY???"

"Would you like a drink TODAY??

[EnnArr]

Hi guys, just dropped in from another forum to say hello and thank you. I've flown many, many times over the years, had good service and bad, rude crew and polite, ugly and beautiful (no, not stewards....) short tall, fat and thin. The point is I've pretty much always felt welcome and safe. Its a hell of a job you all do and its a pretty thankless one at that. Its great to see you manage to keep your sense of humour after being d**k danced around for hours on end, god knows theres no way I could do it.

I figure if more pax read this they might get a better idea into how to behave when flying, actually most people who are rude and grumpy would probably read this and say 'what a load of bawl lox!' Hey ho. Most of my pax wear cammo and they can't complain - bliss.

Enough before I get emotional, keep it up guys, you make the difference between agony and enjoyment on a long flight.

Forgive us if we p**s you off, for we know not what we do.................


BTW if a certain Air 2 bob crew read this who were in Antigua not so long ago: It was..............interesting.
;)

[wilco83]

I am a passenger who flies regularly and was just reading through this topic and felt compelled to register to post a reply. I really do feel for you when you are trying to work as my fellow pax are the most irritating thing about flying. Best of all is the seatbelt sign when landing, I have watched and laughed at the people who are out of the chair as soon as you get even close to the gate and fly down the plane to be first off. Almost always find them at the luggage carousel waiting for the luggage to appear, fretting and looking at their watch. Always cheers me up that one.

I always try and be polite (yes please, no thank you) on board as that is how I would like to be treated.





:) :) :)

[Self Loading Freight]

There seem to be more of us than crew posting in here at the moment... but, speaking as an SLF who tries to be jovial, compliant, thoughtful and attentive when part of the herd, there are just a *couple* of things that get my goat in the other direction. Such as, when boarding clutching a big bottle of water, being told "You do know we have water on this flight, sir?". Yes, and I know what'll happen if I want to have a glug every twenty minutes and keep pressing the magic button! Being told, with some ferocity, that "Mobile phones are FORBIDDEN during the flight!" when I'm using one of my other gadgets that just happens to look a bit phonish -- I write about this sort of thing, have the greatest respect for flight safety, know the rules and stick by them. But you wouldn't know that unless you asked what I was doing first...

On the other hand, that's about it on the whinge front for over a decade of reasonably regular flying. I couldn't even begin to count the stupid things I've perpetrated in that period, and I have so many abiding memories of good service (the parties in the back of Air France transatlantic flights before smoking was outlawed could be the stuff of legend. Only lucked onto one...).

I don't have the faintest idea how y'all manage it, especially long-haul.

Oh, one question for the book of SLF Etiquette. It's silly, but I always feel vaguely guilty when I ask for a Bloody Mary when the bar trolley is making its first trip down the aisle... it must be the most time-consuming drink to serve and there's so much to do. Should I hold off until later? But it's such a civilised way to get the constitution set up for the rigours of eating, watching movies, shifting uncomfortably in one's veal crate and regaling one's neighbour with the detailed safety history of the kind of a/c you're in (they go such a pretty shade of puce) that I fear I'll be unable to give it up even if I do know that it's not quite the done thing.

R

[Touch'n'oops]

Well if the crew thinks PAX leave their brains at the a/c door! WRONG!!!

The time I worked check-in for Go Fly still has me laughing.

SLF: Where is the Ryanair Desk?
What I thought: 20 meters directly behided you, you nonse!

SLF: Here is my BA frequent flyers card!
Me: You what! sorry no miles earned here!

SLF (angry): Why can't you find me in the computer?
Me: Sorry sir. Are you sure that you have no refference number?
SLF (still angry): NO! NO! NO!
SLF (wife of angry): I do have these tickets that where sent to us! Will they help?
After breif inspection by myself
Me: Sir, I am sorry to say that, one this is a Lufthansa ticket, two the flight leaves from Heathrow and three it went YESTERDAY!!!!:rolleyes: :rolleyes:
(under my breath) And now **** off!

SLF: What do you mean I have excess luggage?
Me: Well, when you're 40 kilos over your limit, it's called excess luggage and it cost a lot!:D (see if he was polite I would nock 10Kg or more off. It had been good looking girl, "what excess Luggage"):D :D :D

[PAXboy]

Touch'n'oops - that is a fabulous collection. :D

I did enjoy listening to a pax at ticket counter in MUC a couple of years ago ...

It was Clock Change Weekend and an American Tourist had not noticed this and arrived too late for the flight back to the USA. She was sent to the ticket desk to change for the next day.

After listening to the pax repeating: "But I HAVE to be on that flight!!!" The agent said quietly, "But the aircraft has already taken off." Pax didn't say anything after that. :cool:

[mr_seagull]

On boarding with steps at doors 2 and doors 4 on the 757 and 767 ... Why oh why do pax get on at the back who are sitting in row 4 and pax get on at the front who are sitting in row 40??? ... Basics ... ;)

[TwinAisle]

My favourites?

I was on the BA from LHR to BRU one nite on the old 757, and there were about ten in economy, and me and a very elegant lady with a West Highland terrier in a box (the terrier, not the lady!) in Club.

The BA crew were their usual excellent selves - but one of the economy passengers was just a pain. As soon as we pushed back, he was on the call bell, demanding drinks, his meal "NOW" so he could sleep (on a 45m sector, hello Rip van Winkle) and blankets, and on and on and on.... every one was getting really fed up with him well before the "cabin crew, seats for departure, please"....

So we take off. The lady with the Westie has asked if she can open the top of her dog's box, to pat him during take off, yes, no problems - and this is one cute dog, so the stewardess has fallen in love at first site - dog gets patted and given a chocolate...

"Ding Ding Ding" from our friend in Y..... "Ere - that bloody dog is getting better service than me!"

To which the Stewardess said - to rapturous applause -

"Sir - that "bloody dog" is a British Airways Club Europe Passenger. YOU are economy!"

Silence from our friend for the rest of the trip!!

Or the other great BA story I have - going in to the old HKG one morning - wheels hit the deck, Chinese passenger gets up, trying to open his locker. Stewardess goes into overdrive, asks him forcefully - but very politely - to sit back down. Absolutely no response.... save for a mouthful of abuse (in English, so he obviously could have understood the "please sit down")

Captain then decides to take a quicker-than-planned turn off - hit the brakes hard. Chinese pax becomes virtually airborne, slams - face first - into the bulkhead, lands virtually next to the stewardess. Her comment?

"Silly man - I did tell you. Now sit down, shut up and next time fly Cathay"

The more I fly with the great BA, the more I want to - they put up with a lot, take a lot of abuse, and still smile at the end of the trip. Thanks folks!

TA
(The pax who ALWAYS listens to the safety announcement - I may have heard it a million times, and could probably do it with you in about five languages - but ignoring you is still bad manners!)

[skyways]

I don't understand the pax who get onto the aircraft, put their hand luggage into an overhead locker that already has 3 other bags in it, and then wonder why it won't close?

And then keep slamming the locker up in the hope that it will close, even though its not even closing halfway, and there's an empty locker next to it!

Maybe it's just a Dash 8 thing...! :)

[Vortex what...ouch!]

Brilliant. Really cheered me up.

Keep up the good work.

[skyways]

Biscuit Chucker...

only when there's less than 5 pax on board! :D

[t3953]

Great Stories everyone,

Iv only been flying a short while but already things are buggin me..

1. Pax who delibratly sit in the wrong seats when boarding on a full flight and when you go to sort it out they say say "But I asked for this seat"...THEN WHY THE HELL DIDNT YOU CHECK WITH THE CHECKIN AGENT!

2. Pax who demand VGML's even when they didnt order one "But the checkin agent never gave me a menu"

3. 3 by 3 abreast seating and one idiot complains that he's not sitting with his wife and two children but across the ailse from them "Im sorry sir, let me just give Airbus a quick ring and ask them to redesign the aircraft before we take off"!

4. Passing through the cabin doing a final check before landing and someone asks for a coke!

5. ANd the most annoying, the people who get on first, put their cabin baggage in the first overhead container eventhough they are sitting down the back because they think it will get them off quicker! The gas thing is that in my base we usually disembark from the rear!!! HEHEHE

Keep it up!!!

[wilco83]

On flight to Warsaw yesterday as we were landing one of my fellow passengers was videoing the landing out of the window. I make this point as I am unsure which part of 'turn off ALL electrical equipment' he did not understand, and also to highlight some of the things passengers do that really stresses the FA's, which reall are no mre than common sense.

Still in the worst case scenario they would have had video evidence on the cause!!!!!

:eek: :eek:

[capt cynical]

:mad: Political Correctness and all those who practice it !:confused:

[AA717driver]

The highlight of my day is in the van going to the layover hotel listening to stories like these from the flight attendants. Being locked up behind our moat and drawbridge, we don't get many visits from the FA's anymore:( .

Keep the great stories coming!TC

[wilco83]

BC,

If you showed thaose sort of things as in flight entertainment, there would be a whole lot more clearing up to do:D

Would guarantee almost total silence though;)

[Lan Ding Gere]

two can play this game. From our SLF side:

I can relate to that actually.

I have found this post so funny, at times had tears streaming.

I was a SLF a few weeks back and was asked while dinner was being served. I didn't have a menu card. Honestly I thought it was most odd

CC "What would you like ?"
Me What have you got
CC we only have chicken
For cying out loud why not just tell me what you had left, to which I replied
ME I'll have the chicken, but just out of curiosity what was the choice

Don't get me wrong guys, I really appreciate the hard work that you guys and gals do. I too have come across (not literally) many silly passengers. It was probably just my bad luck and the CC was probably having a bad day. I always try my very best to be nice to the crew and help out in the little way that I can, in a way to show the CC that not all passengers are w@nkers !!!

LDG

Keep up the good work

[cwatters]

Love all the stories, I'm with you, it's a tough job.

...but I couldn't resist posting this which I found in another place...

Tips for Pax
--------------

* When boarding show your their boarding card with your thumb over the seat number. That way you can sit where you like. If someone else turns up to take your chosen seat mutter something about free seating and if that doesn't work pick another one.

* If asked "tea or coffee" just put you cup on the tray and take whatever you get. It's a catch 22 situation. If you say "tea please" you can be sure they will be serving coffee and the tea will never actually arrive. If you say "coffee please" you can be sure they are serving tea and...well you get the idea. If in doubt just say "yes please" it all tastes the same anyway.

* When they ask you how you want it always answer "Black". That way you are sure to get a full cup. Then ask for milk and sugar if you need it, they won't mind.

* If travelling as a group always stack your trays as high as possible. The crew will have to unstack them but a swaying pile will ensure yours are collected promptly.

* You may have heard that most flights are non smoking. It's not true. There are ash trays on all the toilet doors and the crew will sell you cigarettes at discount prices.

* If travelling with a baby you can either carry your baby on your lap for 9 hours (and skip meals) or you can reserve a bassinet when you book your ticket. The airline usually charge you 10% of the full adult single fare and the agent should print your request on your ticket. There won't actually be a bassinet on the flight as nobody is responsible for putting one on the plane. If you call head office and write lots of letters when you get home you stand a good chance of receiving a 10% refund of the heavily discounted ticket price. This will be re-credited to your credit card in the currency of their choice.

* Don't bother with the film. The cabin crew will be too busy to put it on in time so you'll miss the end and the pilot will interrupt the sound channel at the critical moment to tell you that you're just passing over his home town at 50,000 ft.

* The reason they play Mr Bean tapes is NOT because he is universally funny to all nationalities, it's because he's easily understood even over poor quality sound systems.

* If you drink tea take your own milk. Planes only carry "creamer" as in an emergency this can be used to lubricate engine bearings. Some planes carry lemons but only the Americans and the French drink tea with their lemon. It's probably not true that the crew use the lemons first to remove grease from the windshield.

* You can't play games on your mobile phone but few people know there is a game built into your seat arm rest. You have to guess which light will come on when you press the button with a little man painted on it. Person sitting nearest wins.

[FCNK]

annoying things..

SLF: would it be possible to sit next to my wife/husband?
ME: yes certainly, if you can find someone who's willing to swap, no problem.

handing out immigration cards to on charters from LGW to SFB
SLF: what nationality am I?
ME: i've no idea, i've never met you before

the pax that enter the galley and do a "Frank Spencer" "Mmmmmmmmmmmm" and point to the toilet door!! then the usual ashtray routine.

making polite conversation to americans (no offence) whilst doing drinks
ME: would you like a drink sir?
SLF: could I get a club soda
ME:yeah sure (or would you like me to get it for you?)
ME: where are you from?
SLF: THE USA
ME: getta way!!! (i'd never have known)

another funny thing

when you land and say welcome... .the time is.... look how many passengers check their watches to see if your teling them lies, also when you point out the floor prox lights nobody belives you so they have to look for themselves.. happy flying!!

[christep]

SLF: would it be possible to sit next to my wife/husband?
ME: yes certainly, if you can find someone who's willing to swap, no problem.

And on a top class airline:

SLF: would it be possible to sit next to my wife?
CC: I'll try to find someone who will swap with you Sir, please wait a moment

You pay your money and take your choice I guess.

(Which airline do you work for, by the way, FCNK - just so I know not to pay my money there by mistake?)

[Damsel]

FCNK - regarding your comment about the pax checking their watches, gosh, maybe, just maybe they are making sure they have their watches on the right time zone!!!!!

[PAXboy]

FNCK "When you point out the floor prox lights nobody believes you so they have to look for themselves."

Uumm, actually, if I am in an aisle seat, I look for two reasons, firstly to see how they might differ "from other aircraft you have travelled in" and secondly, so that you know I am listening.

[FCNK]

passengers that know it all......how annoying

[supastar]

Well a a big thumbs up for all the comments about those blessed passengers!!

The most annoying thing I find is when one passenger asks you for a glass of water and as soon as you bring it out, about 20 other passengers decide they want water.... and then 5 minutes later when you're clearing in, they'll hand you back a half full glass of water!!! What is the deal? They just cant miss out on anything free can they? Even if they dont really want it!

Keep up the good work guys! :D :D :D

[Touch'n'oops]

I thought you all would like a few more from the ground!!!!

SLF: "Where is my plane?"
Me: "Well, take your pick of all of one plane on the tarmac!"


While I am sitting at a desk with a big Go sign behind me.

SLF (shouting): "You idiots have lost my bags? you people are complete morrons! Do you think I have time for this S**t?"
Me: What flight did you come in on Sir?
SLF: FR 356
Me: Ok! Good! Now, when you are going to shout at someone make sure you've got the right person! Ryanair is over there.


Me: Sorry sir you have missed your flight!
SLF: When is the next?
Me: Sorry there are no more today.
SLF: Isn't there another flight that can drop me off on the way?
Me and fellow worker:

http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung/fragend/fragend014.gif


SLF: Any chance of an up grade?
Keep in mind I worked for a low cost airline!
Me: For you, no problem! Window? (I'm a real basturd!!http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung/teufel/teufel029.gif )

[FCNK]

why oh why do passengers expect free upgrades?

if i ask for a hamburger at Mcdonlads i dont expect it to be upgraded to a cheeseburger just because i'm a nice person or beacuse I use McDonalds often, I wouldn't have the nerve to ask. You pay for what you get..

PS christep: I dont fly to Hong Kong, saying that, what makes you think I fly? I could just be another annorak!!

[Plazbot]

Yeah good read. I only got this thread by clicking the last updated tab. I go to other areas on the site. I can see the humour. I must say the comment about 'but I sqeeze tea bags for a living' gave me a chuckle.

[christep]

FCNK: I fly up to 200 flights in a busy year (only 50 or so this year - business is hard) all over the world and on a variety of airlines, so I just wanted to add yours to my "don't fly" list (along with China Airlines , Korean, Virgin Express and one or two others).

I assumed you were cabin crew because you wrote inflight conversation examples using the titles "SLF" and "ME".

And experienced passengers don't expect free upgrades. However, as a frequent and loyal customer of an airline, if the airline has an operational need to upgrade due to overbooking then I feel that being high on the priority list is a reasonable reward for my loyalty. No harm in politely reminding the check-in of my frequent flyer status just in case it has been overlooked. Having said that, I will normally use an online system to check the loading on a flight before I check in - I would only hint about upgrades if I knew it was pretty full.

[Ianj]

Hi!

:) What I find really annoying is when Pax press the call bell and the small light comes on and they think this is the reading light. Erm no sorry that is the call bell, the button you want is the one with the "bulb" on!! Duh!!

And yes the ashtray handle has to be the best! Why do they ask where the toilet is when they have already been told over the p.a and then there are great big signs saying TOILET!!!!

But most annoying is when you are going down with the gifts and they put empty glasses and rubbish on the trolley, yes sir our gash carts have aftershave displayed on them!!

Love the stories are all very familar and so true!



Ian

:rolleyes:

[ukjetbloke]

I think you need to lighten up a bit Christep!!!!! :D It is Christmas after all! If you are adding the airlines that employ all the people who have posted on this thread, to your " Don't Fly" list then i think you will be confined to traveling by land!! These people must represent nearly EVERY major airline in the world! (And some of the minor ones too)

We are taking a lighthearted look at our job. If you didn't laugh at the things that go on on our jets then you would be constantly crying!!! :D Isn't it funny that the same points are brought up by crew from around the globe. We are simply sharing what 99% of the people that have read this thread find highly ammusing. (It seems to be the NON Cabin Crew PPRUNERS that dont like what we are posting!)

Cheer up and lighten up....this forum is, after all meant for CABIN CREW!!

Happy Xmas everyone. :D :D :D

[Xenia]

http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/jump_clap.gif
Well said ukjetbloke!!!! A good sense of humor is a MUST have in our job!!!
Yes, some of us work for major and minors airlines, some of us have (or had) very high positions within Cabin Services, some of us are new to the job, others have 16, 20 or + years experience, we all come from different countries and have different cultures ... and we all have something special in common ... never let a good laugh go!
http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/wave2.gif
Ciao

[CheerBear]

There's 1 experience that I'll remember for the rest of my life..I was doing a flight from Singapore to Jarkarta, economy class. When this Indonesia-Chinese couple with 4 kids were making a hell lot of noise and jumping up and down their seats. We had to tell them to sit down as we are preparing for take-offs.

During meal service, the man asked if we had cavier! I was like: huh? He said he needed to have cavier or he can't eat at all. I tried telling him gently that we do not have cavier on this flight.
And he make a big hoo-ha and said:Land this plane somewhere if you have to. I'm rich, I've got money to buy myself cavier! I'm Chinese, you are also Chinese..but I'm so rich that I can get you to land this plane.

Upon hearing that, my crewmate came over and said: What are you doing in economy class then? He said:its full so we don't have a choice but to squeeze this smelly, flithy class.

(The business class had only 2 passengers out of like 50 seats?!?)

My crewmate: Its a pity that your money can't buy you some common sense, manners, honesty and humulity!


Ever since then, I'm averse to serving Indonesia Chinese.

[Heliport]

christep
Please disregard Unjetbloke's assertion that "this forum is, after all meant for CABIN CREW!!". That is not PPRune policy.

unjetbloke
Forum titles merely refer to areas of the industry discussed on a particular forum.
All registered members of PPRuNe are welcome to contribute to any forum except those restricted to employees of a specific company.

Heliport
SuperModerator

[ukjetbloke]

OOPS!

Sorry Heliport. :p

Not meant in a nasty way......just making a point!

[Heliport]

Thanks for the post, unjetbloke.
I can see both points of view but, as a Mod, won't take sides. One of the good things about PPRuNe being an 'open' website is that people inside and outside the industry can express their opinions and learn from each other.

Heliport

[air-hag]

biscit-chucker

you missed the point cumpletly. Cwatters was demonstrating humour. HUMOUR. HYOOOO MUHHHHH...
nice one cwatters.

christep

also disregard the other 'moderate' reply about your posts. its easy to see your motivation for anyone who thinks about it for more than a second.

[NotWithoutMyGPS]

Well, I'm not Air Crew (only a PPL) but I do have a question which could make my (and your) lives a tad easier, viz.

I fly long haul a great deal and never sleep. So, I drink. Is it better just to say "May I have 2 / 3 beers / rum and cokes" in one go?" Is this rude. Oh, and yes, I am British!

Oh, and whenever I'm on the LHR-JNB sector SAA and wonderful Virgin alway leave the "bar" open when they go for their snooze whereas BA get snotty. I mean, I know I'm usually at the "back of the bus, dear" but they do seem to have the English Disease.

Now then, that's that off my chest.

Yours aye.

[r.s]

Great thread!

Especially liked the squeeze teabags!

[T4Turtle]

In a nutshell all cabin crew and flight deck, if they have to get involved in pax issues should appreciate the NURSERY SYNDROME. When pax board an aircraft they revert back to being in a nursery; they are led to their 'cots'; they are given their blankets; they are fed food and drink; they have little bells to ring for attention; they know that 'mummy' and 'papa' will give medical relief and look after them if need be. That is the psychology of the average passenger. When we consider how people behave we should ask ourselves "why", as more often than not the real reason for certain behaviour is contary to the assumed intent.

[crib08]

:ok:

WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU, "WHERE ARE WE FLYING OVER" and your not sure or cant be bothered to ask the fd, simply say. We are currently flying over the small city of D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.

D.oes I.t L.ook L.ike I G.ive A F.uck

One of the funny ones Is when you say Tea and they say coffee, Is there a button out there on some aircraft that turns Tea into Coffee?

[tamboekie]

On long haul flights when you go on second crew break the pax are awake by the time you get out of the crew rest area.Still half asleep you peak thru the curtain,your hair looks like Ace Ventura and a pax asks you for a cup of tea!:ugh:

[garthicus]

also when you point out the floor prox lights nobody belives you so they have to look for themselves.. happy flying!!
Hmm... I thought the whole reason for pointing them out was in order to demonstrate where they are, thus the SLF looking.. yes I know they will be lit up and you won't miss them, but IMHO it's not cause for gripe..
Loving the thread BTW

[Dea Certe]

Oh, here's one I bet you little cutes don't hear! "Gee, I bet you were quite a looker back in the day!"

Yeah, our pax were much nicer looking back then too! :}

Just you know, I still wear the same size uniform I was hired in, waay back then!

LOL

Dea

[candistar]

Don't you love going out with the duty free trolly and getting to a pax who orders a few items then when it comes to paying looks at you and says "oh well my bags up there somewhere" grrreat!

[apaddyinuk]

Rivaldo....Do you work for Qatar Airways???? So sounds like the sh1t I used to have to listen to on a daily basis!!!

But at my airline nothing pishes me off more than old disgruntled crew who dont know why they hate the airline but just do for some reason and make it a mission to bring the rest of the crews day down!

[Jetski setter]

I have never posted on this forum but often have a read. Feel I must say to GY80 that firstly the "self loading freight" do not pay our wages our airline employers do in return for our services to ensure all our pax are safe and comfortable throughout a flight. And secondly, yes we did choose to do this job and think I speak for most when I say its a fantastic job but that doesnt mean we are obliged to enjoy every single aspect of it. Lighten up a bit, does nothing in your job niggle at you?? If not your a very lucky person.

A fantstic thread. Could identify with most others and really made me giggle!!

[marrymefly4free]

- Pax who poke you right on the arse or tug on your pinny to get your attention!
- Pax who in a weird creepy way use your name every time they speak to you
- Pax who make a masive fuss about their special ordered meal which you then go out of your way to make sure they get, then when you come to clear in they havn't touched it :*

Here's a funny one -
american pax says to FA coming through thre cabin with the gash cart "are you trash?" FA replies "i used to be when i was younger, but i like to think i've cleaned up my act now" :D

I could go on for hours but don't want to repeat what has already been covered!!

Safe and happy flying guys!!!!! :p

[studyolic]

Very amusing thread. As a dentist, it reminds me of the standard lines that so many patients come out with. I guess we are all guilty of appearing foolish at times.

Why is there an ashtray built into the outside of all aircraft toilet doors? I can see how it could be mistaken for the handle. I suppose originally the designers wanted pax to "check their stogies" outside the loo. Now that most flights are non-smoking, shouldn't the ashtrays be (at least) taped over?

My favourite gripe is pax releasing seat belts and all standing up before the a/c is on final stand. Then they all stand there, pressed against each other like commuters in a Tokyo train, for several minutes. I still haven't figured out what they hope to achieve.

Full marks to cabin crews - I think you all do a great job in the face of overwhelming odds!

[marrymefly4free]

Studyolic, the ashtrays are there so if some dumb passenger decides they are going to smoke they can at least dispose of it safely. Unfortunately they don't and drop it in toilet bin and risk causing a fire and killing all onboard :ugh:
I have a really low tollerence level for people who smoke onboard the aircraft i shout at them like they are littlle children in front of all the other passengers. My favourite line is - "What makes you think you have the right to endanger my life and everyone elses life on here? Because that is what you have done!!!" I hope to make someone cry oneday preferably a man!! ;)

[studyolic]

I'm dumbfounded to hear that some people still try to smoke on board. Sometimes I think potential pax should have to take an intelligence test before being considered safe to carry.
Another thing that bothers me is fellow pax fiddling with their blasted mobile phones during flight. While I have to agree that they are useful, some people seem to be attached to their phones by umbilical cord.

I haven't seen any mention of pax responding to cabin crew when leaving the plane. I always try to say thank you on the way out, but I notice quite a few passengers who seem to ignore the crew's "Goodbye" as they exit. Is that annoying for you? Or are you just glad to see the back of that lot of SLF!!!

I have a feeling I may be showing my age.

[JamesHook]

Actually, the job is not that bad at all. The problem is the way the mangement in certain new airlines treats you. Worse than anywhere else in the world. They don't get that handling with people who: don't use the toilets, but do their "things" besides the toilet, people who think they are in the last day of their lives flying to and from CAI and keep ringing the bell every 1/2 second, and that they are RUDE, very RUDE. Not giving you meal allowances when you are not gaining enough and have to eat in Switzerland or Great Britain, not to mention Germany.... that is what we hate from our job! Not the job. The people who don't have a clue of the airline business even though they have been in it for ages and say: Oh, we are not make the same mistake every one else has, we are better and seat "passengers" as guests in "zones", hoping and threatening the crew to treat them as such, when they only give you **** at home. And they still don't understand or haven't even wondered why they have an average of 15 crew resigning a week. Welcome to "The National Ailine of the United Thai-Phillipines" and see how they shine!

[Pandora's Box]

A classic of mine

ME, Can i see you boarding card
PAX, im in 19f
ME, thats nice for you but i still need to see it

Why do pax think your a mind reader?? Make a pa to the lovely's telling them what food and drinks we have and also in the magazine!

ME, Can i get you anything
PAX, i will have a sandwich and a drink
ME, Which sandwich and which drink
PAX, cheese and coffee
ME, Well why did'nt you just say that:ugh:

I like to have a little chuckle to myself as im on my own at the front, so when the pax get off, i say to them what they say to me, so if they say bye love, i reply bye love but some times the pax cotton on and say ta ra then so i reply ta ra then!! oh it makes it more fun:D

[airbusthreetwenty]

- Pax who in a weird creepy way use your name every time they speak to you

This happens to me all the time. It really freaks me out, especially if they call you by your first name more than once.

:suspect:

[marrymefly4free]

You always get the one who does it all flight and acts like they actually know you!! Calling your name from half way down the cabin, and just generally acting completely inapropriately - uuuuuuggggggggghhhhhhhhh it really freaks me out :yuk: bet i'll get one of those tomorro, always do on an SSH coz you're trapped on there so :mad: long!

[sukigirl]

Once on a flight we had finished the meal service, drinks and duty free, the crew were having a quick meal break and eating their crew food. One ccm was eating bangers and mash when a pax approached her and peered into her dinner saying "whats that ur eating?" her reply "its my dinner, bangers and mash" "oh" he says "that looks good, can i buy one of those sausages from you?" whilst pointing his finger practically in her food! I swear this man was being serious and even looked slightly disgruntled at being told "no"!

[Flying Frypan]

I know we get some pretty stupid pax, but we also have some pretty stupid crew.
CC to Capt: "I think we may be too heavy to land Captain."
Capt: "Why is that?"
CC: "Well we have collected 3 big bags of rubbish." ???What the?
Have any of you got good dumb CC stories?

[T4Turtle]

Yea, as I was looking out of the rear door window a member of the cabin crew said to me; "It's a nice day out there."
I replied; "It always is above the clouds."
A good one for departing pax a game called 'cherios'. As passengers leave the aircraft when a minger passes you by say "Cherio!" and most will respond; "Cherio!" Reserve the cherio only for mingers!:p

[Getoutofmygalley]

A good one for departing pax a game called 'cherios'. As passengers leave the aircraft when a minger passes you by say "Cherio!" and most will respond; "Cherio!" Reserve the cherio only for mingers! :p

Except we normally play that game differently. We do "Cheerio" for the BOBS and "bub-bye" for everyone else. It's great fun when the person standing next to you does the same reply ;)

[Hand Solo]

Just don't get caught saying Cheerio to the UM:E

[cheeryguy]

pax leaving plane
''this flight has been awful, i will never fly this airline again''
hoastie replies
''darling, you've been such a **** all flight, why be nice now??''

[cheeryguy]

business travellers who go out of their way to ignore the safety demo.....reading their papers studiously.....the same ones they weren't looking at before the demo started
then once airborne can't figure out to open a toilet door.... (see ashtray and large sign saying push) .....what chance would they have in an emergency??

[Groundlover]

Hi all, I don't know why I did but I found this thread and decided to read it from start to finish. I must say as SLF and not CC, I do feel that some of the comments posted by CC make me feel liek I am not really welcome as a pax on your flight. I totally appreciate the fact that repitious comments and generally stupid or rude people are gonna get under anyones skin, but I think some of the comments made, although made in jest are in essence genuine gripes you have with your pax.

Personally I would hate to think that just because I have asked a genuinely valid question in my mind that you may have heard many times before, I could potentially be met with a clandestine roll of the eyes.

Some of your gripes come across as unreasonable and personally think that whatever work environment one partakes in, should always make an effort to be positive and enthusiastic, easier said than done I know.

I would say 80% of the time I have great flights but from reading some of the posts I feels like there is some common thread or negativity running thought the CC vocation which seems a great shame.

I know the pay 'can be' pretty low in relation to what you have to both mentally and physically endure but this is a choice you made and it does have some great benefits.

To fulfil the requests of 'reasonable' passengers professionally, with theirs and your safety being paramount seems completely reasonabel to me.

I know this sounds like I am taking this far too seriously but I do believe that moaning (however valid), even under the guise of humour can be infectious and in turn damaging to those you work alongside. I am totally respectful whoeever is serving me (and I mean serving as a service rather than a waiter) but there have been numerous times when I have been met with unprovoked sour overtones that really make or break it with me, on whether the flight was any good.

It can be a big deal for people like me who choose to fly with a particular airline (the world's favourite) every week. Like yourselves no one should be on the receiving end of rude or over demanding people but from some of the comments like opening a toilet doot by the ashtray, would seem to be like a design fault if it happens repeatedly, rather than simply a stupid pax.

I think in these times, people are less tolerant of each other. It's not like flying many moons ago where the vast majority behaved themselves impeccably. People are more demanding and less tolerant and rude. I am not makiing excuses for it but it is a fact and therefore I feel it is important to differentiate between the ideal situation you would like to be in and your actual real life situation your career poses.

I love a friendly and entusiatic crew but like with pax, do witness some constrasting behaviour when onboard.

Have fun in your career.

[dustybin]

We do have fun other wise we wouldn't do it, however this thread was made so would could have a giggle and moan about it with people who know what it's like. I'am sure you must have a moan about your job and have things you hate about it, lighten up. :) if not stick to the SLF section.

[Getoutofmygalley]

Groundlover

Don't take offense to what people have posted. If we really hated the job, we wouldn't do it.

With regards to the toilet door issue, well the ashtray is slap bang in the centre of the door - the door handle, well that is in the usual door handle place (either left or right hand side, at typical door handle height) so when someone tries to operate the door with the ashtray (which clearly is labelled as an ashtray) it does make you giggle.

As for what I find most annoying, well it is when you are doing the service. Working for a lo-cost airline, we don't carry vast amounts of baguettes. So passenger in seat (for example) 2a asks for a baguette - we say "none left" passenger in 2b asks for baguette - we think wasn't you paying attention just now when the person 5 inches from you face was told "none left".

And the ultimate annoying thing is when you get asked "what ya got?" when there is a lovely little glossy brochure in the seat pocket and a PA has been announced saying that full details can be found in the brochure. From now on I will just say "Champagne" ;)

[Turroncin]

Posh women who ask for daft things like Ukranian vodka with cranberry juice and find it "astonishing" we don't have it on board... or people who moan that there's only 1 type of beer on board, or people who find Chardonnay "simply ghastly" and can't drink it "to save my life" only to guzzle as many bottles as their table can fit once they realise it's free..... especially considering they've paid about £50 return for the flight.

[Turroncin]

Hi all, I don't know why I did but I found this thread and decided to read it from start to finish. I must say as SLF and not CC, I do feel that some of the comments posted by CC make me feel liek I am not really welcome as a pax on your flight.

did you think all that power smiling and what would sir like to drink and would you like ice and lemon etc etc etc etc was SINCERE?!! :hmm:

[babyblu]

Nope - no probs with loo door design. It says 'toilet' on the outside and PUSH. Pax still try and get into the wardrobe or storage cupboards to go to the loo. My fav pet peeeev is when your hands are chocker and someone still tries to hand you something (usually gash or a nappy) and one has to smile sweetly and say 'one moment, I'll be right back'. :ugh:

[Groundlover]

did you think all that power smiling and what would sir like to drink and would you like ice and lemon etc etc etc etc was SINCERE?!! :hmm:

Yes of course a tongue and cheek response, but still you are in the service industry and therefore a high level of service should be adopted no? Don't get me wrong, of course any repetitious task can get under the skin but surely that is to be expected no. You have a plane full of passengers who, which for me as a business traveller (not suited and booted - I look like Jesus on a good day and Liz Taylor on a er.. bad one) is the only time I can switch off so sometimes I'm not gonna hear what you said to the pax in front. I do feel sometimes that the Western CC mentality, like other service industries in the Western world tend to feel less obligated to make the customer as happy as they could be. Not all the times, the monitory in fact but it is evident more than say SQ, CX and alike, which I feel has a more consistent level of service. Maybe a little robotic at times yes and maybe lacking the irony and great brit wit but it does make me feel that I am valid for being on board rather than being told, like I was the other day 'why are drinking so much' when I am only a second V&T. Not the way to make me feel very comfortable. Or when I am on LH watching a movie in the upper deck with my headphones on and a steward barking TEA at me because I didn't hear the first time. I don't adopt my travel characteristics to what CC want me to do (apart from safety demo and alike). I expect CC to be sympathetic to me. If I have just paid £4K+ for a full J fare (and price should be irrelevant anyway) I don't expect to hit the munchies galley middle of night and be barked at
'what do you want?'
'well I'd like an apple please'
'they are for club passengers only' in a dismissive manner
'and?' in a questioning manner i.e. and your point is
'where are you sitting' barking at me again
'in 4E' F Cabin
she looks away and lets me get on with my apple nicking (what do they call that again, when you go round to nick apples - can’t remember)

My point is there have been numerous times where CC frustrations from either problematic pax, tiring schedules, hangovers from the crew hotel last night out :) etc spill over to the pax that isn't going to give you a hard time, is just sitting down peacefully, not ringing the call bell, paying attention to the safety drill. God forbid I don't put my tea cup on your tray next time and am deplaned with a 'Minger' farewell. We're not all bad you know.

And one other thing (and yes I am waffling on now, boring myself even). I know you guys and gals aren't just there to serve bloody tea and coffee. You are there when there is an emergency on board and are trained to respond accordingly. I respect that completely. I am well aware of emergencies seeing that I was in such situation when I landed in Narita in 1994 with an engine falling off the wing and scraping the runway ablaze. The CC were remarkable.

Please don't ruin my impression of you lot. I love being on board and being greeted with a smile, no matter how propped up). I love being made to feel welcome and dare I say it 'special'. I love great service and a banter and what I think has unnerved me a little is that there are so many of you on this thread that seem pi$$ed off by such petty things. Irritating yes, but still a bit petty. Now if someone is rude then I reckon wack em with a hairbrush but please don't label us all the same otherwise I am just gonna be on tender hooks everytime a CC member asks me something for fear that I might not respond correctly.

Best / Groundlover

We do have fun other wise we wouldn't do it, however this thread was made so would could have a giggle and moan about it with people who know what it's like. I'm sure you must have a moan about your job and have things you hate about it, lighten up. file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/245/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image002.gifIf not stick to the SLF section.

In response to your rather curt remark Turroncin, I like any other participant on Pprune have every right, like yourself to air my point of view. I may well have been in the air a lot longer than you and as I mentioned above have also been in an emergency situation. I think it is equally important to listen to other peoples points of view as long as they are constructively written. Your 'them and us' overtone only compounds how I feel about 'some' CC. Being told to 'lighten up' when your retort was somewhat defensive in response is a little like calling the kettle black and implying that I should only be participating in the SLF if I don't like what I read is just bloody rude. It is yours and my prerogative to say something on these boards if we feel compelled to do so. It is NOT however your prerogative to tell other posters what and where they should browse or comment.

[Turroncin]

Hmm typical passenger! Only joking. Before jumping down my neck, you'll see the last bit you quoted was in fact said by 321 dustybin :)

Before I got into this weird and wonderful job, an Iberia airhostess told me something that (at that time) I thought "bloody typical Iberia airhostess thing to say" but now I can see her point: never get on the wrong side of a flight attendant. :}

Of course being scum of the earth service sector worker, I'm not expecting an apology ;)

[Groundlover]

Hmm typical passenger! Only joking. Before jumping down my neck, you'll see the last bit you quoted from me was in fact me quoting someone else :)

Before I got into this weird and wonderful job, an Iberia airhostess told me something that (at that time) I thought "bloody typical Iberia airhostess thing to say" but now I can see her point: never get on the wrong side of a flight attendant. :}

Of course being scum of the earth service sector worker, I'm not expecting an apology ;)
You are quite correct and my sincere apologies - that was directed at 'Dustybin' although I do like a Ukranian Vodka!
I'm actually a musician so the service sector might not apply to me although I do offer a musical service ina particular sector. Does that qualify :)

[fergie]

Well.... where shall we start....
1 - When someone asks for a gin and tonic for example which you give to them and then their partner says 'i will have the same'.... Why the hell can't they ask for 2!!!!
2 - When someone calls you 'mate'.... In reply I tell them ' I am NOT your mate'!!!!
3 - When a group of pax come on and shows you their boarding cards, upside down and thumb over the seat number....
4 - When you have been away on a weeks trip and the idiots ask you what the weather is like at home....
5 - When flying over a city for example at night and they ask you 'where is that'?.... How the hell should I know.... I squeeze tea bags for a living....
6 - Hearing the unfastening of seat belts as soon as the wheels touch the runway after landing....
7 - Walking through the cabin with your hands full and someone tries to hand you their meal tray.... I am NOT an octopus!!!!
8 - Asking a question eg Tea???? when they have got their headphones on and they can't hear you.... Why oh why do they not take the bloody things off instead of looking at you gormlessly as if you are speaking swahili.... It is not rocket science....
I can go and on unfortunately I have to puit up with all of the above tonight so must foxtrot oscar now.... I look forward to hearing your favourites....
:mad: :mad:







i hate it when every 1 claps when the plane lands, now that is well sad.

[Groundlover]

i hate it when every 1 claps when the plane lands, now that is well sad.
Not if one of your engines failed on V1

[AcroChik]

I just read this entire thread. Thank you all for your good humor.

And to the marvelous BA CC who recently saw me with a cast on my left hand and in obvious discomfort (I busted it while on holiday in Cornwall), and who offered me a seat up front because, "You might feel a wee bit more comfortable," a grateful THANK YOU!

And to her colleague who helped me fill in my immigration documents on that same flight (I'm left-handed), so I could scrawl my name as best I could, another vote of thanks.

All of you folks do marvelous work and deserve :D

[gib]

One that one of our flight deck told me!!.........

A woman entered the F/D on a visit whilst in flight. She took one look out of the window and promptly said "Are we moving??" The F/O who was totally gobsmacked by the remark quickly replied "No madam, we take off and then hover in the air until the earth spins to the point we want and then we land!" She actually believed him!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How brainless can some people be! YES ITS TRUE :D :D


I had a CAPT on an a320 convince a pax that he was using voice commands to control the a/c, cos she "cant see the control thingy" or she couldnt see the side stick, expecting to see a coloum as on most boing/mcdonnel douglass/shorts/bombarder a/c:ok:

[Crew Use Only]

We could all write a book I am sure....!

One of my biggies is when they say "I'll never fly with this airline again".

I feel like saying... "sir... if they price is right I can assure you we will see you again.."

[waffles]

One of the better threds on PPrune (even if ruined slightly by people like 'Ground lover' who appeared to have missed the entire point of the thred).

Being one of the guys in the FD, it is unbelieveable when we hear some stories from the CC.
For example, (had difficulty believing this one) a mother along with small baby board and mother attempts to put the baby in the overhead storage !!! :eek:

Keep squeezin' those tea-bags - you all do a great job !

[mk124]

*People who have to be told a million times to put bags under the seat IN FRONT of them!

*How there's always a massive queue to use the toilets on V.short flights, they're adults, i'm sure they've mastered the art of bladder control by now!:confused:

*People with excessive handbaggage

*people who let their children get out of their seats into the aisle when we've only just landed and the seat belt signs are yet to go off!:=

*People who go to use the toilets when we've about a minute to land, and then are just plain rude to you when you tell them to sit down:mad:

Apart from that, most of the time they're fine!

[flyagain1day]

Crew who have gone way past their use by date and hate everyone along the way:yuk: :yuk: . We have a number who would not make it in the real world for a second yet they hate the company and most things about it. We have a VR package going at the moment and I hope we lose a few of the old boilers who complain at any chance they get.:D :D :D

[REDRATA330]

flyagain, you must work for the same airline I work for. Does it have a red tail??????:ugh:

[Domaiv]

I'm sure most cc would agree that flying beats working anyday. We rush about like blue a**e flys on most flights and love to complain, but we all love to tell the stories and go back for more so it can't be to bad. I could not go and do a "proper job" (as my careers officer at school put it, "dont be silly you can't do that you need a proper job").

a few quick 1's from my ground days

pap: "could i have an exit seat with the extra leg room?"
psa: "do you have any medical problems that will restrict your movement?"
pap: "yes i have a bad back and knees, thats why i need the extra leg room"
psa: "i'm sorry you need to be fully fit to sit by an exit"
pap: " well its not really that bad"


pap: "i have a note from my doctor he says i need a seat with extra leg room"


psa: "we only have aisle seats available now so you will be sat just accross the from one another"
pap: "you mean we can't sit together"


psa: "your traveling with JMC they check in upstairs"
pap: "but it says check in for any flight on your screen"
(and just above that it says Airtours)

[OHMSS]

Outbound from Cairo -

PAX - "Excuse me," said a a man sitting just towards the rear of club class staring at me with with duck-like eyes and looking like his diet comprised Grolsch and steroids.

STEW - "Yes sir?" I replied

PAX - "Could you ask the pilot to come here and cash this cheque for me?"

STEW - "I think the pilot is currently occupied with more important matters, sir," I poked rather harshly. :ugh: :ok:

[random_bandit]

I just got a job as cabin crew and I can see I'm in for a whole lotta fun!!!
I currently work for a bank and the questions you get asked are just priceless...difference with cabin crew will be that I'll be doing something fun! Not sat in an office all day!
Sweetie is cool! Stop having a go!
You've all made me laugh...A LOT and I cannot wait to start now
x
:D

[gib]

What realy gets me is when on a budget airline we are asked

1. Do you have any blankets?:ugh:

2. are the drinks free?:ugh:

3. whats the movie?:ugh:

ok heers the deal pax "You pay budget you get budget":=