Unpleasant Pax comments!
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Unpleasant Pax comments!
I was recently talking to a cabin crew friend of mine who has been flying for many years now. We were discussing how on some flights you can feel like a punch bag for pax to direct nasty & sometimes hurtful/cruel comments at. One incident she explained was how a middle aged well presented woman turned on her when she demanded an alcoholic beverage as the crew were serving breakfast. She explained that she would serve her drink as soon as she got back to the galley, to which the woman replied it would be too late by then & wanted to be served immediately. As my friend moved away the woman turned to her husband & said quite clearly & deliberatley so she could be heard,"Common little tart, no doubt off of some council estate" Another incident she said a man called her a 'Weirdo' because she asked him if someone was sitting in an empty seat next to him (who may have gone into the washrooms) during a head count!
I can also remember male cabin crew collegues having a hard time with pax shouting out 'bender' or 'gay boy'.
I sometimes wonder if these really are isolated comments or are pax getting more out spoken & think they can say what they like these days.
Has anyone else had similar incidents which they would like to share?
I can also remember male cabin crew collegues having a hard time with pax shouting out 'bender' or 'gay boy'.
I sometimes wonder if these really are isolated comments or are pax getting more out spoken & think they can say what they like these days.
Has anyone else had similar incidents which they would like to share?
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The morning after the Concord accident, when the photos were all over the front pages of the newspaper, we had to cancel our flight and disembark our passengers due to a tech problem. One of the passengers pointed to the photo, while saying to the CA "This'll be you lot next".
Nasty little sh*t.
Nasty little sh*t.
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Groundlings, hmph!
I went along for the ride last weekend on a business trip from Luton to Italy and back.
On the last leg the guy who had hired the aircraft was quite rude to the Captain because we had to carry our bags from the kerb to the apron, a distance of about ten metres. He acted as though this were some deep, personal failing on the Captain's part. Then we climbed into a shiny-new Falcon 2000 and went blasting off a short runway into the night-time skies over Florence.
I thought the guy was a total jerk. But for the amount he paid he gets to act that way if he wants to, I guess. People who live on the ground, ehhh.
On the last leg the guy who had hired the aircraft was quite rude to the Captain because we had to carry our bags from the kerb to the apron, a distance of about ten metres. He acted as though this were some deep, personal failing on the Captain's part. Then we climbed into a shiny-new Falcon 2000 and went blasting off a short runway into the night-time skies over Florence.
I thought the guy was a total jerk. But for the amount he paid he gets to act that way if he wants to, I guess. People who live on the ground, ehhh.
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No quite cabin crew, but i guess in a smaller plane with no cabin crew, the pilots gotta be that too.
Myself and the co-pilot were loading the baggage in the hold, when a change of route came from ops. We had to take on a whole lot of extra fuel to complete the mission. In doing so, we would have to go over our maximum take-off weight, requiring us to offload two or three massive bags of luggage. The pax were obviously very miffed to see their baggage being unoaded, and threw up quite a stink. The last comment made by one of these sods, before he was escorted with his bag back to the terminal. "Look at you two....If your company hired smaller bloody pilots, i wouldnt have to be going through this bull****." Haha, I guess its not his fault that me and the co, both belong in the tight five of a rugby scrum. So sorry Sir, please take your bag and leave the apron. To all those others who's bags were being offloaded, you will be pleased to know the problem has been solved, and your bags will accompany you on your journey.
Myself and the co-pilot were loading the baggage in the hold, when a change of route came from ops. We had to take on a whole lot of extra fuel to complete the mission. In doing so, we would have to go over our maximum take-off weight, requiring us to offload two or three massive bags of luggage. The pax were obviously very miffed to see their baggage being unoaded, and threw up quite a stink. The last comment made by one of these sods, before he was escorted with his bag back to the terminal. "Look at you two....If your company hired smaller bloody pilots, i wouldnt have to be going through this bull****." Haha, I guess its not his fault that me and the co, both belong in the tight five of a rugby scrum. So sorry Sir, please take your bag and leave the apron. To all those others who's bags were being offloaded, you will be pleased to know the problem has been solved, and your bags will accompany you on your journey.
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i'm sure there has been instances, but i find that male F/A's of the gay kind in Australia don't cop really anything from what i've seen unless they're acting overly camp and feminine, which is just asking for trouble, but even then nothing's usually said. There are A LOT of straight male cabin crew aswell, but usually it is very tame, compared to the UK airlines that get every man and there dog travelling as i've seen on that tv show Airport etc.
Oz
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It happens to me all the time since I am flying the Brazilian sewer pipe. "This plane is soooo small" has become a regular comment right after the f/a's greeting. We always make comments on the remarks such as "if you rub it, it'll get bigger". 
One day the CA actually turned around to a middle-aged woman who was on a constant rant and told her that "Greyhound runs all day long!" 
One day the CA actually turned around to a middle-aged woman who was on a constant rant and told her that "Greyhound runs all day long!"
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Has anyone else had similar incidents which they would like to share?
Of course, sometimes there are those subtle little ways you *can* get back at them...
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If someone is being unecessarily rude, i will tend to be a bit blunt back to them while also being nice to get the point across. As soon as they start swearing, it is the end of the conversation.
There is no excuse for being rude no matter what the situation.
Oz
There is no excuse for being rude no matter what the situation.
Oz
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We have been commenting for a while now how much ruder pax are getting. We think it's 'cos of that airline programme too, people watch the jerks on there get away with murder and then think that is what really happens and none of it is set up at all. Obviously the louder and ruder you are the more I am going to help you.
The worst I have been called is a f*****g c**t. The "gentleman" in question spent some time with the boys in blue after that.
(he'd missed his flight, which was obviously my fault.)
The worst I have been called is a f*****g c**t. The "gentleman" in question spent some time with the boys in blue after that.
(he'd missed his flight, which was obviously my fault.)
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Some of my favorite things...
One morning we were delayed due to wx at destination, when this one fellow was going a bit spare. Bright sunshine at Myrtle Beach, so why were we going nowhere? Umm, thick fog in Charlotte, perhaps?
He accosted me to say that he was proceeding onwards from Charlotte to CHICAGO, on BUSINESS, so that he DEMANDED to know when we would be departing.
I just fixed him with a mild glance and told him that 'Man proposes and God disposes.' He probably figured me for a religious fanatic and left me alone after that.
When I would have pax giving me sh*t about delays on arrival in the Bahamas I used to tell them that I was delayed because 'Miami International had been closed due to an armadillo stampede.' No one ever questioned that one!
He accosted me to say that he was proceeding onwards from Charlotte to CHICAGO, on BUSINESS, so that he DEMANDED to know when we would be departing.
I just fixed him with a mild glance and told him that 'Man proposes and God disposes.' He probably figured me for a religious fanatic and left me alone after that.
When I would have pax giving me sh*t about delays on arrival in the Bahamas I used to tell them that I was delayed because 'Miami International had been closed due to an armadillo stampede.' No one ever questioned that one!
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I can take whatever anyone wants to say about the company I work for but as soon as that person gets personal....They have crossed the line and god love them after that cos they will have the book thrown at them!!!!
I thought the best I ever saw was when a passenger (she was a right chav) was really giving a grilling to one of my Pursers, She immediately turned around to the passenger and quite loudly but firmly and as polite as she possibly could " Do you see any cameras onboard the jet dear?".....obivous response of no came...."good dear, cos the louder you shoud wont mean you will get on TV...Now, lets sort this out like mature adults"!!!! And what do you know, the lady shut up and she eventually even apologised!!!!
I thought the best I ever saw was when a passenger (she was a right chav) was really giving a grilling to one of my Pursers, She immediately turned around to the passenger and quite loudly but firmly and as polite as she possibly could " Do you see any cameras onboard the jet dear?".....obivous response of no came...."good dear, cos the louder you shoud wont mean you will get on TV...Now, lets sort this out like mature adults"!!!! And what do you know, the lady shut up and she eventually even apologised!!!!
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Ahem… allow me to play devil’s advocate
The only thing that annoys me as much as the people described above is those who work for a company that take the “what’s your problem, it’s not my fault” line with paying customers in say delay situations, other cock ups etc.
The customer knows it is not personally your fault. He has, however, paid £x to your employer for a service. You work for organisation X, so damn well step up, apologise and take some responsibility (on behalf of your company, of course) for the inconvenience caused to said paying customer. I believe that is “customer service”. For an extreme example of how not to do it see London Underground workers.
The only thing that annoys me as much as the people described above is those who work for a company that take the “what’s your problem, it’s not my fault” line with paying customers in say delay situations, other cock ups etc.
The customer knows it is not personally your fault. He has, however, paid £x to your employer for a service. You work for organisation X, so damn well step up, apologise and take some responsibility (on behalf of your company, of course) for the inconvenience caused to said paying customer. I believe that is “customer service”. For an extreme example of how not to do it see London Underground workers.
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You work for organisation X, so damn well step up, apologise and take some responsibility (on behalf of your company, of course)
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obviously
but it is still your duty to "apologise" for the delay and explain to the passenger why etc.
And it is not your right to expect the passenger to be a nice guy about it.
like i said this is customer service.
I hasten to add that i am one of the nicer type passengers. Most people are.
but even i get annoyed sometimes at the attitude i described above.
but it is still your duty to "apologise" for the delay and explain to the passenger why etc.
And it is not your right to expect the passenger to be a nice guy about it.
like i said this is customer service.
I hasten to add that i am one of the nicer type passengers. Most people are.
but even i get annoyed sometimes at the attitude i described above.
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Flying as a PAX the other day, for a change. I knew the crew so spent most of the time in the forward galley chatting. The intercom kept chiming about half way through the cruise.
It was the cabin crew in the AFT galley complaining about a certain gentleman. He was demanding something (can't remember what it was) and he was given the reply along the lines of "as soon as I go to the galley I can get it for you" - similar to something said earlier. This wasn't good enough and the gentleman, about 60 years of age and with his wife, started to get very abusive.
This I took a bit personally, as in "How dare should anyone speak like this to the crew?" and was seriously ready to don my knuckle dusters and explain the finer points of life with the gentleman, like any good FO should.
It was a bit of an eye opener. We're a bit too comfortable up front and forget what you have to deal with.
Hats off to you lot. I couldn't do your job at all.
Cheers.
It was the cabin crew in the AFT galley complaining about a certain gentleman. He was demanding something (can't remember what it was) and he was given the reply along the lines of "as soon as I go to the galley I can get it for you" - similar to something said earlier. This wasn't good enough and the gentleman, about 60 years of age and with his wife, started to get very abusive.
This I took a bit personally, as in "How dare should anyone speak like this to the crew?" and was seriously ready to don my knuckle dusters and explain the finer points of life with the gentleman, like any good FO should.
It was a bit of an eye opener. We're a bit too comfortable up front and forget what you have to deal with.
Hats off to you lot. I couldn't do your job at all.
Cheers.
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but it is still your duty to "apologise" for the delay and explain to the passenger why etc.
And it is not your right to expect the passenger to be a nice guy about it.
like i said this is customer service.
And it is not your right to expect the passenger to be a nice guy about it.
like i said this is customer service.
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Manfred, Its all very good saying that we should apologise for whatever the situation is and explain to the passengers whatever!!! But sometimes that is just not enough for certain passengers.
Sometimes the passengers want to make more of it than is neccassary OR make more of it to the point the crew cant deal with the situation and further methods are required. Airlines are not placing "Zero Tolerance" policies and handcuffs on board aircrafts as a threat to tell passengers to stop moaning! They are being placed onboard because some passengers and thank god only a teeny tiny minority will go head for leather given half a chance.
To be honest, most problems I have encountered on flights have not had anything to do with delays or problems of same such nature, it usually starts with pax argueing amongst themselves, or pax being refused more booze etc etc, these are the passengers to be worried about and who will make most of the unpleasant comments.
Others who may not go far enough to do that will get personal with a crewmember to the point where they are not getting enough satisfaction out of abusing the name of the airline so instead they will abuse the crew member personally....now like i said before, you can scream bloody murder at me about the airline I work for and the uniform I wear and I will stand there patiently, listen and apoligise when I get a chance to get a word in, BUT I WILL NOT TOLERATE A PERSONAL VERBAL ATTACK OR OTHERWISE (Sorry to shout) Nor should anyone else, this is completely unacceptable from any human being!!! And as far as Im concerned, a passenger slagging my profession to me while I am trying to serve them is a personal attack at me.
Obviously I will weigh the situation on the day to see if its worth going out of my way to give the passenger his/her commupance but it really is not acceptable and the book should be thrown at people like that.
Now boy....1.2.3...Breath and exhale!!!
Sometimes the passengers want to make more of it than is neccassary OR make more of it to the point the crew cant deal with the situation and further methods are required. Airlines are not placing "Zero Tolerance" policies and handcuffs on board aircrafts as a threat to tell passengers to stop moaning! They are being placed onboard because some passengers and thank god only a teeny tiny minority will go head for leather given half a chance.
To be honest, most problems I have encountered on flights have not had anything to do with delays or problems of same such nature, it usually starts with pax argueing amongst themselves, or pax being refused more booze etc etc, these are the passengers to be worried about and who will make most of the unpleasant comments.
Others who may not go far enough to do that will get personal with a crewmember to the point where they are not getting enough satisfaction out of abusing the name of the airline so instead they will abuse the crew member personally....now like i said before, you can scream bloody murder at me about the airline I work for and the uniform I wear and I will stand there patiently, listen and apoligise when I get a chance to get a word in, BUT I WILL NOT TOLERATE A PERSONAL VERBAL ATTACK OR OTHERWISE (Sorry to shout) Nor should anyone else, this is completely unacceptable from any human being!!! And as far as Im concerned, a passenger slagging my profession to me while I am trying to serve them is a personal attack at me.
Obviously I will weigh the situation on the day to see if its worth going out of my way to give the passenger his/her commupance but it really is not acceptable and the book should be thrown at people like that.
Now boy....1.2.3...Breath and exhale!!!