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Old 15th May 2004, 04:53
  #21 (permalink)  
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34R -
Very funny. I couldn't agree more... Though I would have to say. I would have probably laughed then replied to Banana Woman by saying "After you..." I just can't help myself!

Bodum -
I love how you got told you had nice teeth and a pax just told me I need work done! I am jelaous.

I had this old kiwi guy open and close the ash tray on the toilet door and look at me and say "How do I open the door?" Now I could have been a b*tch and said "Turn the handle - like the one on your caravan." But no... I smiled and opened the door and said "You would have better luck in here, Sir." Quick as a flash this 100 year old man says "Yeh. IT wouldn't have fit in there anyway." I was in stiches for hours! Old people can be so funny when they try.
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Old 15th May 2004, 06:59
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Brisvegasboy

An evacuation is more than a MAJOR issue!! Can you give us details? How long did it take you to evacuate? How did the pax's react etc etc. We dont get to many evacuation stories in Australia, would be interested to hear how it all went.


Dont get me started on stupid things pax's do on board - like actually stepping into the wardrobe looking for the toilet with great difficulty I might, yeah like there is a little hidden compartment inside the wardrobe leading to the toilet, sure thats pretty standard on all aircraft pleeeeease!!

I dont really have to deal with the crap listed on these pages and if I did I dont think I would have the witty come backs like Ditzy. What I do get from time to time though is pax's coming up to me in the crew hotel or a bar or resturant and just start talking to me like where long lost buddies. I dont know about you guys but I dont even remember these people and sometimes I think to myself oh gezz where do I know this guy from. I'm always polite and friendly but one night in Adelaide this guy followed me everywhere I went, even back to the hotel scared the crap out of me. So I am a hello/goodbye girl if I pax approaches me outside of work.
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Old 15th May 2004, 11:22
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Some passengers leave their brains in the airport terminal, we all know this. They sometimes lose a fraction of the social etiquette they would have in their normal environment.

Passengers often make personal comments to try and make a common ground with the crew, in case they need them later, or just to be polite in not ignoring them, but can often overstep the mark without realising, especially if the crew member is very sensitive.

Cabin crew are there to think and act for all those who aren't thinking normally for themselves, just look at the wording in your drills - passengers need to be told to come towards the door to get out.

Look at the amount of times you make a simple request like to fasten their lap strap, and are looked at like you have just asked someone to tattoo your left nipple. Sound familiar?

Okay so someone has just made a comment that your teeth look bad. It is possible they are (or live with) a dentist, or have a friend who has just had similar work done on their teeth and the result was so impressive they think they are being helpful to you.

They probably wouldnt say it to someone on the street, or maybe they are one of the more outspoken members of the public, but passengers see crew as exceptionally friendly and approachable so they feel they can share almost anything with you.

Are you Jewish?? I wouldn't find that insulting! Maybe they were Jewish and as some religious followings are very proud of their faith, maybe they thought you would be pleased to be complimented. How often do you instantly warm to someone whos wearing the shirt of your favourite team or city, etc....?

In any customer service role, you are representing your company. Not yourself. If you find a comment odd, don't answer back as they may feel their comment is totally innocent, and it will come back on your employer in the long run. Humour and sarcastic remarks arent taken the same by everyone.

If it is a threat to either yourself, or the aircraft, then yes take it seriously.

Sydgirls pax who said she looked like a girl he once f***** in high school, in my head I'd be thinking "well clearly youre mistaken as I'm still smiling" or "ouch" or "actually I'm a virgin you as***le", but I wouldnt say it, i'd either ignore them and smile or just smile sweetly and say nothing or say, "really? aw well it wasnt me".

Only when I feel threatened or very humiliated would I politely say something.
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Old 15th May 2004, 11:47
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How many lines of work are there in which customers are sometimes actually offended if you stop grinning for a while? ...And feel they have a right, or even a duty, to comment on your facial expression, apparent mood?
I worked in a shop recently and was informed endlessly that I "looked tired". ("I didn't feel it until you became the 150th person today to pass on that titbit".) I find it odd. Would you go to a solicitor or a surgeon, tell them they looked tired and ask what they were up to last night?
I couldn't help finding something a teeny bit patronising about it all. It was one of the reasons I quit.
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Old 15th May 2004, 21:06
  #25 (permalink)  
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sinala1; hilarious!

Good topic ditzyboy. According to my colleagues I radiate 'friendly but don't f*ck with me', which is probably why I have never experienced any of the comments you describe. But I know that it happens with many FAs, because I have heard unbelievable stories and have seen too many of my colleagues pretty upset at the unprovoked rudeness of folk who think that their ticket price buys them immunity from common courtesy.
For your enjoyment, here's a story I posted on the Admin forum a while back.


0400 hrs in the early morning, our 737 bulging at the seams sitting on the hot tarmac far away from the terminal building, captain reminding me that our slot time is too close for comfort. The last pax boarding is a well dressed gent with 5 large pieces of handluggage. I'm frantically and fruitlessely trying to convince the handling agent that there is NO way we are gonna embark on a 5 hour flight with 170 people on board an aircraft entirely devoid of paper towels, tissues or even a single sheet of bog paper, so I leave the disposal of the handluggage to the elderly, far too kind FA who works the front galley with me. She had confiscated a veritable mountain of handluggage the night before without a bad word from the pax, so I know her diplomacy is impeccable.
With the agent finally telling me that perhaps he would be able to lay his hands on 10 rolls of toilet paper after all, suddenly my FA comes running into the galley, big silent tears streaming down her normally placid face.
" I was apologising for not having space for all his bags and explaining the rules to him and how 5 pieces really is too much for even a business class passenger and then he suddenly shouted at me We all know what kind of people just follow the rules, don't we!.

I felt my whole body go cold and it was as if there was a vibrating metal sheet in my chest making a huge racket. I slowly and deliberately walked into the cabin, found seat 3F and heard myself say in a voice at least an octave lower and 3 decibels louder than my usual You have just told my FA that we all know know what kind of people just follow rules, and WE all know what you meant by that. That dedicated, hard working, sevice minded and by the way jewish woman is now standing in the kitchen crying her heart out because you insinuated that she is a Nazi. You have 2 choices. Either you get your b*tt out of that seat into the galley and apologise profusely and convincingly to that poor woman or it will be my pleasure to personally escort you and your ridiculous amount of handluggage OFF this aircraft. You have 10 seconds to make up whatever passes for your mind and your time starts right NOW!
After a vast silence the other pax erupted shouting and yelling their support, the guy got up and apologised to the FA.
I might be out of a job shortly.


This was october and haven't heard a word about it from the company, so I guess the guy himself realised he had really overstepped the mark. Thankfully idiots like him are few and far between, and vastly outnumbered by the civilised, the pleasant, the charming and the happy.
Contact with the pax was my first reason to start flying and it is still one of the most enjoyable parts of the job.
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Old 16th May 2004, 06:36
  #26 (permalink)  
 
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Niced one FlapsForty!
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Old 16th May 2004, 12:36
  #27 (permalink)  
 
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Flaps forty,

Love your post. Great to see a manager supporting his/her crew, and standing up to some of these psychos, id fly with you any day

Ultimately, I reckon, the pax, their personalities, and the kitchen sink they carry around with them make our jobs all the more interesting. The more I laugh the more I enjoy my job.

Bring it on.......
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Old 16th May 2004, 15:04
  #28 (permalink)  
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I'm a pilot not a FA but my daughter is one. I also fly regularly as SLF so perhaps I shouldn't be on here - but ......

A while ago I was pax with Cathay on a KTK - PER sector and had the unfortunate experience of having an Indonesian seaman plonk himself in the seat next to me. When they handed out the cool flannels he promptly unbuttoned his shirt and proceeded to de-BO his armpits, chest, stomach... ugh Thankfully he didn't get to his nether regions

On another occasion I was flying a Malaga-Stansted sector as supernumery and wanted to get some video of my daughter in action in her role as Cabin Supervisor. I didn't want to make it obvious so I tried surreptitiously filming from the front galley. She then gets on the PA and announces "If anyone is wondering what that old bloke is doing with the video camera - it's my dad". Lots of loud cheers and clapping from the SLF

Last edited by allan907; 16th May 2004 at 15:45.
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Old 18th May 2004, 12:10
  #29 (permalink)  

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'friendly but don't f*ck with me'
On behalf of the Jetblast crowd, Ms Flapsforty commands the utmost respect in our forum where she moderates in a similar vein.

(xxx)
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Old 21st May 2004, 12:15
  #30 (permalink)  
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6 Mile -
It's all just good fun. Like Bodum said the more we laugh off the things we can't change the more we like our job. Really it keeps me sain.

Anyway to prove I can take the humour that I dish out I will share two gems with you.

First. I kept getting the head count wrong one day. On the thrid attempt I was still 2 over and no one knew where I was going wrong. It was brought to my attention we had a configuration change and I was subtracting from the wrong number of seats. I turn bright red. I then remark "Well I am not a flight attendant because of my IQ."

"No." He says. "The florist shop sacked you!" Hilarious. The pax in the first few rows heard and payed out on me the WHOLE flight!

The other time was when two guys from a rugby team were pillow fighting. It was getting a bit rowdy. I marched on down camper than a row of pink tents. I say in my campest voice "Now fellas. There will be no more of that!" (I was more or less joking. Certainly not telling them off.)

One rugby player turns around and says "Mate. It's better to be a pillow fighter than to be a pillow biter." What a gem! I laughed for weeks!

Smile...
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Old 22nd May 2004, 13:59
  #31 (permalink)  
 
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HAHAHHAA DITZY THATS A CLASSIC

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Old 23rd May 2004, 01:46
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ditzy

love it! thats f cking hilarious! i would have been on the floor in stitches over that one he he he
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Old 24th May 2004, 19:46
  #33 (permalink)  
 
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Ohhh memories of rugby groups! I was once on a flight and everytime I bent over to grab lagers from the bottom tray, I got a whistle or snigger from behind. After making it past a few rows without blushing, I turned and asked "which of you rowdy lot are were using me to play 'pin the tail on the donkey'?". Which was followed by a massive applause.

Same flight, further back the cabin a guy stood up in front of his mates and asked me loudly if I'd like to join the mile high club. Immediately I said "great idea, thanks"
Then shortly after he turned to his mates for recognition and gained a few smiles, I turned and said to him "so which one of your mates did you have in mind?" Their smiles turned to laughter and one spat out his drink, thankfully it was the last sector of the day and the cleaners would clean it up!

Have you ever noticed how passengers cant hear you as they leave the aircraft? We used to use interpret words such as "lemon pie" (bye bye), "commit a crime" (have a nice time), "hope you get laid" (enjoy your stay).
A friend of mine used to sit on check-in and as passengers were delving into their bags looking for their passports, she would say "bananas". They would look up and say pardon, but she would deny saying anything.


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Old 25th May 2004, 00:42
  #34 (permalink)  
 
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I remember one of the very first sectors I ever did I had to distribute magazines (the good ol' days) and a pax in first class being a smart *ss asked me for a Playboy. Innocently I turned to him and said 'I don't have a Playboy but I can find you a boy to play with.' I was only turning the words around but he went quiet very quickly and turned away promptly to avoid my gaze!

Regarding with the clicking of the fingers I had an American lady travelling with her husband click her fingers at me. I just turned to her and started clicking back at her and asked her what I can do for her. She was really embarrassed and her husband chastised her for her actions. She apologised and I ended up having a nice chat to both of them during the trip.

Ciao
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Old 25th May 2004, 17:13
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If this thread proves anything, it is that civility and manners have taken beating in our modern day culture. I would be fired from any of the jobs referred to in this thread if I personallyexperienced the finger snapping, rude, behavior of some of your customers. As for the gentleman with the 5 pieces of luggage, he would have been forceably removed from the plane (I'm 6', 240#) with or without the jet way. I wouldn't much care. I have only had one client ever snarl at me in 25 years and he had to crawl to get me to accept him back again, and I do mean crawl.

I promise you that neither me nor my children will display such abominable manners on your flight.
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Old 26th May 2004, 03:12
  #36 (permalink)  
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T_richard -
I think our role as cabin crew would be extremely boring without the occasional rude or inappropriate customer! Flight attendants are the kind of people who thrive on interaction with others. I guess we have to take the good with the bad. For every rude pax we have 90 pleasant ones and 10 or so great ones. Although like every job we do have flights from Hell where there seems to be no one with manners. And having mostly nice customers doesn't make it any easier when dealing with a particularly rude one. Hence we turn to humour and each other to deal with it.

Many thanks for promising to be nice Now - if we could just get the millions of other air travellers on side...

Having said the above there is of course really really snarly cabin crew out there too. As a colleague we cannot tell them due to the close environment we work in. Makes it difficult. So by all means report them to the airline. Recently I apologised to a couple of pax for a flight attendant's rudeness and behaviour (she was unbelievably rude!) and it landed me in trouble. Turns out my company would prefer us to 'dob' each other in to management. That would not be conducive to working closely with complete strangers if you ask me.

Last edited by ditzyboy; 26th May 2004 at 06:22.
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Old 26th May 2004, 12:50
  #37 (permalink)  
 
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Allow me to join in from the flight deck!

I can understand how annoying it must be for some cabin crew to take some of the clever remarks, etc from passengers but these individuals only make fools of themselves.

I like the put down. "Gosh that was very rude madam, did you meant it to be?"

Many many years ago when pontius was a pilot i was an air taxi pilot. ( 6 seat a/c with all the pax behind you). I picked up a collection of business men who had obviously got brahms and lizt at their companies expense. On boarding i got all the usual crap remarks. On the way out to the runway after a barrage of every worst flying joke you have ever heard and various comments about the age of the a/c and myself. One of the passengers noticed I had only got 3 stripes ( i was a junior captain, means they pay u less!).

he said i a drunken drawl, " captain why have you only got three stripes"
(I hadnt spoken as yet as i just ignore pillocks.)

I replied, "I had a very serious crash in which all the passengers were killed and they took one stripe off me."

None of the passengers spoke again until after we had landed.

whatunion says speak to others in the manner you would like them to speak to you
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Old 27th May 2004, 14:53
  #38 (permalink)  
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Not sure if this counts on this thread but it made me laugh...so here goes.

Little old Japanese lady come to the galley and asks where the toilet is. Steward assumes she does not speak English and decides to have some fun at her expense. " Bring your box over here love" he says to her and holds open the door. " Need a p**s or a s**t " he asks grinning. The old lady grins back and says "been a bit constipated the past few days so not sure yet"

Laugh I nearly answered a call bell!!
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Old 1st Jun 2004, 02:28
  #39 (permalink)  
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I got this interresting one from my girlfriend, a purser.

Anyway, she had a female collegue who had to "deal" with this remark from a pax:
-"In my country (india), Indian woman are servants!"
-"Well, in my country (Canada), Indian man are taxi driver!" was her answer.


She was not fired....But did not escape the suspension...
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Old 1st Jun 2004, 23:10
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I couldn't help adding to this thread!! Over the last week or so(since Jetstar) I have had to put up with more rudeness and arrogance from pax than I have in the last 8 years!! We are now DEFINITELY carrying all the Ferals and the NFB's(never flown befores!!) and dare I say it, the once not too bad businessmen that hate us and Dixon etc and want us to know it! Twice yesterday, pax referred to Qantas as the 'real' airline! Guess we must be virtual huh?? Anyway, like all J* crew I'm trying to see that some good will eventually come of this..........xxx


And to add to some of the funnies, my replies during the magazine handout were....

PAX: Do you have Playboy?
ME: No but we do have Gayboy, which you'd quite obviously prefer!

PAX: Do you have Penthouse?
ME: No, but we do have the National Geographic, which also has pictures of places you're never likely to go!!
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