who are your rudest pax?
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I am a lucky FA
I work in Corporate aviation, and cannot even put into words the extent to which I love my job. Luckily 99.9% of my clients are wonderful. I do, however, have rude pax, and they tend to be on flights when he a/c is chartered to a third party who has a personal assistant. It is consistantly middle management, in all industries, who tend to be the most officious and overbearing persons, trying o prove themselves to someone along the way. I once nearly had to physically restrain an unruly P/A from grabbing a pilot's arm as he was taxied a GIV - she had waited until I was at the back of the cabin to burst through the galley to try and complain that I had not served breakfast to her boss. I suppose she was tired of being ordered around, and decided that I would be her lackey for the afternoon. When I did attempt to sere breakfast after takeoff, it turned out that the gentleman in question had not actually desired anything to eat. I cannot help but laugh at these people.
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Originally Posted by Cumulogranite
Hi All
This will turn into a rant, but not at you guys, oh no, I am more full of admiration than ever after last night!
So it goes like this, we've just been to Mallorca for a couple of days. Monarch down to the Island last Thursday afternoon was splendid as always, even though the flying conditions were apauling, and even though the crew were strapped in and the aircraft was jumping about some idiots (not allowed to use stronger words here but I'm sure you can all think of a few) still thought a trip to inspect the plumbing was a good idea. Pratts!!!!!!!!
This, however, pails into insignificance when compared to the trip home. To get a later flight home we had to buy a spare seat on charter, Thomsonfly as it happens back to Manchester. Again superb service and an excellent flight, thanks and well done guys. I am now going to sound very snobby. I am not, I am just at a loss as to how some people manage to board a plane in the first place. I was surrounded by the bucket and spade brigade, and by God you could tell.
So we'll start with the two little darlings sat across the aisle from me. 2-4-2 config, 2 kids sat in 2 seats behind their parents (I assume they were the parents, not sure really) As kids do they started messing, dancing to the intro music for the safety brief of all things. Dad at this point exercised some parental control by informing them that if they carried on he would " come back there, whack yer one and rip yer effin face off", delightful!
"Dad" was a very smart bloke, resplendant in his black Man Utd shirt with an Argos gold chain hanging over the front of it which was nicely offset by matching shorts and the ensemble was completed with his shiny white trainers!!!!!
He even imparted his geographical knowledge of the UK by telling his kids we were over Old Trafford. (Didn't know it had been uprooted and moved to Cheshire in 3 days!!) After landing, the little girl infront of us was allowed by another caring parent to walk back a few rows to chat to a family friend whilst Mum was texting her mates, this before we even got near the terminal!
I could go on. For a while. A Long while at that. Suffice to say that I am full of admiration for the job you guys do. Someone said to me that some pax check thier brains in with thier bags, I am more inclined to say that they haven't got any to start with. My fellow travelling companions, whilst not all, but a good lot of them, can best be described as monolithic, monosyllabic ameobas whose only redeeming feature is the fact that the carpet doesn't need hoovering after they have been on board, their knuckles clean up as they walk !!!!!!!
So thanks for a great service and please do tell me how you can remain so patient whilst faced with the sort of people that until 15 years ago would still be holidaying in a Blackpool B&B (and God how I wished they still were!)
This will turn into a rant, but not at you guys, oh no, I am more full of admiration than ever after last night!
So it goes like this, we've just been to Mallorca for a couple of days. Monarch down to the Island last Thursday afternoon was splendid as always, even though the flying conditions were apauling, and even though the crew were strapped in and the aircraft was jumping about some idiots (not allowed to use stronger words here but I'm sure you can all think of a few) still thought a trip to inspect the plumbing was a good idea. Pratts!!!!!!!!
This, however, pails into insignificance when compared to the trip home. To get a later flight home we had to buy a spare seat on charter, Thomsonfly as it happens back to Manchester. Again superb service and an excellent flight, thanks and well done guys. I am now going to sound very snobby. I am not, I am just at a loss as to how some people manage to board a plane in the first place. I was surrounded by the bucket and spade brigade, and by God you could tell.
So we'll start with the two little darlings sat across the aisle from me. 2-4-2 config, 2 kids sat in 2 seats behind their parents (I assume they were the parents, not sure really) As kids do they started messing, dancing to the intro music for the safety brief of all things. Dad at this point exercised some parental control by informing them that if they carried on he would " come back there, whack yer one and rip yer effin face off", delightful!
"Dad" was a very smart bloke, resplendant in his black Man Utd shirt with an Argos gold chain hanging over the front of it which was nicely offset by matching shorts and the ensemble was completed with his shiny white trainers!!!!!
He even imparted his geographical knowledge of the UK by telling his kids we were over Old Trafford. (Didn't know it had been uprooted and moved to Cheshire in 3 days!!) After landing, the little girl infront of us was allowed by another caring parent to walk back a few rows to chat to a family friend whilst Mum was texting her mates, this before we even got near the terminal!
I could go on. For a while. A Long while at that. Suffice to say that I am full of admiration for the job you guys do. Someone said to me that some pax check thier brains in with thier bags, I am more inclined to say that they haven't got any to start with. My fellow travelling companions, whilst not all, but a good lot of them, can best be described as monolithic, monosyllabic ameobas whose only redeeming feature is the fact that the carpet doesn't need hoovering after they have been on board, their knuckles clean up as they walk !!!!!!!
So thanks for a great service and please do tell me how you can remain so patient whilst faced with the sort of people that until 15 years ago would still be holidaying in a Blackpool B&B (and God how I wished they still were!)
But these passengers as you say, although they pay my wages, i'd rather work less earn less and not put up with them and let them stay in blackpool, sampling the delights of fish and chips on the seafront...
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Tribute from an SLF
I posted this on PPune a few years ago- found it again !
A tribute from a grateful SLF
http://www.pprune.org/forums/archive.../t-205558.html
I hope it makes your day gentlepeople !
Cheers
Joles
A tribute from a grateful SLF
http://www.pprune.org/forums/archive.../t-205558.html
I hope it makes your day gentlepeople !
Cheers
Joles
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Well,,,,,,
Actually s/he is right technically ! 
And lets face it guys SLF, DO have a pretty arrogant attitude most times. Funny how people pay so much to get onto an airline and then be so boorish about it.
Sometimes CC is also pretty much snappish, guess it works both ways, but then....why do pax expect so much from the "attendent/host(ess)" without displaying basic courtesies themselves......
Am sure they'd be politer to strangers they bumped past on the road....
Cheers
And lets face it guys SLF, DO have a pretty arrogant attitude most times. Funny how people pay so much to get onto an airline and then be so boorish about it.
Sometimes CC is also pretty much snappish, guess it works both ways, but then....why do pax expect so much from the "attendent/host(ess)" without displaying basic courtesies themselves......
Am sure they'd be politer to strangers they bumped past on the road....
Cheers
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I recently had the fifth and last leg of a long intra-European day and it was a short hop back to home base. C/CL half-full and Y/CL full. During boarding, a hysterical repetitious "bing-bing-bing!" from Y/CL. I went there and found this charming gentleman on 14B (middle-seat) with a very red face.
"What kind of seat is this??"
"This is 14B, Sir, it´s the seat indicated on your boarding pass."
"Do you know who I am? I never sit on a middle seat. I am a frequent flyer. Give me another seat!"
"I´m sorry Sir, but we are full in Economy tonight and I don´t have any other seat for you."
"That´s rubbish. I demand another seat. I want to speak with somebody responsible!"
"That would be me, Sir, I am the purser on this flight and thus in charge."
"I don´t want to talk to you, I want to talk to somebody RESPONSIBLE! I travel 200 000 miles a year with your airline. I want an upgrade!"
"If you wish to upgrade to Business, we will be happy to do that for you in exchange for some of the miles on your account."
"No! I want another seat. NOW!"
Ok, this is not leading anywhere, I have to do something else...
"Allright, I will see what I can do for you, Sir."
I then went out to the airbridge and called the gate in order to find out who was seated on 14C, the aisle seat next to the friendly red-faced gentleman. Walking back I addressed the lady seated in that seat:
"Excuse me Mam, are you Mrs. XXX?"
"Yes, why?"
"I have another seat for you. 7A. It´s in Business Class!"
Turning to Mr Red Face:
"Sir, I have found another seat for you: 14C. An aisle seat as you can see. And the middle seat will stay free for you comfort."
You should have seen his face- and heard the high-fives when I told the rest of the crew
Basically I think you will find rude and horrid people in the most unexpected places and walks of lives. I think the worst passenger I ever encountered was a 70-year-old woman, the looks of the sweetest grandma... but that´s another story. The horrible people can be anywhere, no matter who they are or where they come from!
"What kind of seat is this??"
"This is 14B, Sir, it´s the seat indicated on your boarding pass."
"Do you know who I am? I never sit on a middle seat. I am a frequent flyer. Give me another seat!"
"I´m sorry Sir, but we are full in Economy tonight and I don´t have any other seat for you."
"That´s rubbish. I demand another seat. I want to speak with somebody responsible!"
"That would be me, Sir, I am the purser on this flight and thus in charge."
"I don´t want to talk to you, I want to talk to somebody RESPONSIBLE! I travel 200 000 miles a year with your airline. I want an upgrade!"
"If you wish to upgrade to Business, we will be happy to do that for you in exchange for some of the miles on your account."
"No! I want another seat. NOW!"
Ok, this is not leading anywhere, I have to do something else...
"Allright, I will see what I can do for you, Sir."
I then went out to the airbridge and called the gate in order to find out who was seated on 14C, the aisle seat next to the friendly red-faced gentleman. Walking back I addressed the lady seated in that seat:
"Excuse me Mam, are you Mrs. XXX?"
"Yes, why?"
"I have another seat for you. 7A. It´s in Business Class!"
Turning to Mr Red Face:
"Sir, I have found another seat for you: 14C. An aisle seat as you can see. And the middle seat will stay free for you comfort."
You should have seen his face- and heard the high-fives when I told the rest of the crew
Basically I think you will find rude and horrid people in the most unexpected places and walks of lives. I think the worst passenger I ever encountered was a 70-year-old woman, the looks of the sweetest grandma... but that´s another story. The horrible people can be anywhere, no matter who they are or where they come from!
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Oh dear oh dear.
This was never going to be that nice was it?
Something NSEU (or another acronym I am unsure of) said earlier did grip me a little. Now I agreed with most things but I am afriad that the seatbelt one is rather misguided whether true or not.
Pax are asked to sit fown and strap in during turbulence which a minority invariably don't.
We are asked to discontinue the service of hot drinks - this rather implies that everythign else continues. Indeed we are required to visually check everyone is strapped in before continuing to dish out the chicken and beef.
I do not walk around feeling invinceable. In fact I am the first to sit down if I feel uncomfortable. Outside of service most of us do sit down. (Impossible at the front of an Unbunked 777 though as the crew jumpseats are inuse fot crew rest)
I have never referred to myself as an attendant just as Cabin Crew - A large Atlantic Coast country does occasionally refer to me as such but then they forget to use the letter U in a lot of their words to. Except the poorly spelt "Thru" (sic). I jest but my point is I didn't apply to be an attendant.
I am there primarily for safety reasons and secondarily to provide excellent customer service. Something I strive to do at all times. That is until I meet the rudest passengers of all and they are ......... well they are just rude people.
I try not to confuse demanding with rude. Yes flights to India are quite demanding but invariably I find the passengers quite polite and Jovial. The same can be said for Kingston. Demanding is not rude - it's just work and sometimes work is demanding.
What I cannot abide is rudeness. Discounting cultural diffences ie. the lack of an "excuse me" from a Nigerian passenger (I'm sorry, it's cultural, and despite flying on a British Carrier they are no less Nigerian and so we shouldn't expect them to be.) Or the American tendancy to say "Give me" rather than "please may I have" (again cultural not their fault). Rudeness to me is those people who know better.
Yes I am in a service position but I am not a "piece of excrement" nor am i an "expletive tw*t". Both from drunk passengers who have been denied more alcohol.
That was due to alcohol so to this day I have never felt it as rude as the rudest passenger I have ever had. A Business passenger who I could not serve a Bacon roll because we had run out. (Not his fault it was the airlines). However at my appology he retorted "no your not F*cking sorry you don't give a s*it" Now thankfully his wife reminded him of his manners before I did, but to me, that lack of basic respect for another human is unforgiveable.
The Job I do is not directly proportional to my worth, the same is true for any other person. Those people who treat service industry staff as though they are worth less then themselves are in my opinion archaic and tend to be those poeple who are rude.
This was never going to be that nice was it?
Something NSEU (or another acronym I am unsure of) said earlier did grip me a little. Now I agreed with most things but I am afriad that the seatbelt one is rather misguided whether true or not.
Pax are asked to sit fown and strap in during turbulence which a minority invariably don't.
We are asked to discontinue the service of hot drinks - this rather implies that everythign else continues. Indeed we are required to visually check everyone is strapped in before continuing to dish out the chicken and beef.
I do not walk around feeling invinceable. In fact I am the first to sit down if I feel uncomfortable. Outside of service most of us do sit down. (Impossible at the front of an Unbunked 777 though as the crew jumpseats are inuse fot crew rest)
I have never referred to myself as an attendant just as Cabin Crew - A large Atlantic Coast country does occasionally refer to me as such but then they forget to use the letter U in a lot of their words to. Except the poorly spelt "Thru" (sic). I jest but my point is I didn't apply to be an attendant.
I am there primarily for safety reasons and secondarily to provide excellent customer service. Something I strive to do at all times. That is until I meet the rudest passengers of all and they are ......... well they are just rude people.
I try not to confuse demanding with rude. Yes flights to India are quite demanding but invariably I find the passengers quite polite and Jovial. The same can be said for Kingston. Demanding is not rude - it's just work and sometimes work is demanding.
What I cannot abide is rudeness. Discounting cultural diffences ie. the lack of an "excuse me" from a Nigerian passenger (I'm sorry, it's cultural, and despite flying on a British Carrier they are no less Nigerian and so we shouldn't expect them to be.) Or the American tendancy to say "Give me" rather than "please may I have" (again cultural not their fault). Rudeness to me is those people who know better.
Yes I am in a service position but I am not a "piece of excrement" nor am i an "expletive tw*t". Both from drunk passengers who have been denied more alcohol.
That was due to alcohol so to this day I have never felt it as rude as the rudest passenger I have ever had. A Business passenger who I could not serve a Bacon roll because we had run out. (Not his fault it was the airlines). However at my appology he retorted "no your not F*cking sorry you don't give a s*it" Now thankfully his wife reminded him of his manners before I did, but to me, that lack of basic respect for another human is unforgiveable.
The Job I do is not directly proportional to my worth, the same is true for any other person. Those people who treat service industry staff as though they are worth less then themselves are in my opinion archaic and tend to be those poeple who are rude.
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I cannot believe some of the behaviour of men on this thread. If they can be that rude to attractive polite FA's, then think what they must be like at home!!!! In all my travelling, I ALWAYS smile and say Hi when boarding, and smile and thankyou when leaving. A nice smile from the FA sure eases the tensions of the day. Keep smiling, some of us like you, very much.
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"no your not F*cking sorry you don't give a s*it"
My answer is:
"No I'm not sorry love, but I'm paid to act like it."
To be honest, why would I be? Do passenges expect you to be deeply sorry and lay awake at night worrying that some loser didn't get his bacon butty?
I care about the safety of passengers, I try to help them BUT at the end of the day none of us are paid to put up with abuse from scum like that.
My answer is:
"No I'm not sorry love, but I'm paid to act like it."
To be honest, why would I be? Do passenges expect you to be deeply sorry and lay awake at night worrying that some loser didn't get his bacon butty?
I care about the safety of passengers, I try to help them BUT at the end of the day none of us are paid to put up with abuse from scum like that.
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Oh the delights of looking after "the finest council estates" on board...
Just the other day we ran out of beer after a long day. Bare in mind it was Friday, the day the "wonderful" stag and hen parties decide to go somewhere to drink until they faint or worse. Having made a PA (twice) apologizing we don't have any beer on board, they still didn't get it and kept asking "lager, love". So me (again!) had to say "i'm very sorry but we haven't got any beer on board". The reply "this is f
ing stupid, how can you not have any beer, you're a $hit airline you are. Now fetch me a lager from the front". Me: "I'm very sorry but we don't have ANY beer on board, in the back of the cabin OR front". Smile. Move to the next row when the following phrase hit my ears so hard they nearly bled " You're not fing sorry, all of you say the same but you don't give a toss"
Me turning around to the pax: "I advise you to mind your language Sir, there are children around you. And no, i am not sorry for you, but God do I feel sorry for me being verbally abused by you". Smile. Walk away. "Bye bye, thank you" when disembarking.... The usual. End of the day.
ing stupid, how can you not have any beer, you're a $hit airline you are. Now fetch me a lager from the front". Me: "I'm very sorry but we don't have ANY beer on board, in the back of the cabin OR front". Smile. Move to the next row when the following phrase hit my ears so hard they nearly bled " You're not fing sorry, all of you say the same but you don't give a toss"Me turning around to the pax: "I advise you to mind your language Sir, there are children around you. And no, i am not sorry for you, but God do I feel sorry for me being verbally abused by you". Smile. Walk away. "Bye bye, thank you" when disembarking.... The usual. End of the day.
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I got lost and strayed into this thread......
Fascinating.
Just as a comment; travel companies and other service providers (airports, railway companies, Government Offices etc) who invariably provide rotten service from rude, grossly underpaid and uncaring staff have one thing in common, apart from the appalling way they treat their customers.
They all have to put up notices everywhere saying that they will not tolerate the customers being rude back, or even being reduced to physical assault.
These notices are another way of saying:
"We are about to provide appalling service, delay you, and make you stand in queues for hours on end, just for laughs. If you complain, or even ask what's happening, our staff, who don't give a s**t because we pay them so little, will be rude and uninformative, and have been trained to simply lie to you. As soon as you react in any way other than supine acceptance of what we do to you, we will call the police and give them a grossly exaggerated account of what you did not, in reality, do, and you will be arrested if we get our way. Take it or leave it, it's your choice. Have a nice day."
Now remind me; which airlines find it necessary to put up notices like that?
Fascinating.
Just as a comment; travel companies and other service providers (airports, railway companies, Government Offices etc) who invariably provide rotten service from rude, grossly underpaid and uncaring staff have one thing in common, apart from the appalling way they treat their customers.
They all have to put up notices everywhere saying that they will not tolerate the customers being rude back, or even being reduced to physical assault.
These notices are another way of saying:
"We are about to provide appalling service, delay you, and make you stand in queues for hours on end, just for laughs. If you complain, or even ask what's happening, our staff, who don't give a s**t because we pay them so little, will be rude and uninformative, and have been trained to simply lie to you. As soon as you react in any way other than supine acceptance of what we do to you, we will call the police and give them a grossly exaggerated account of what you did not, in reality, do, and you will be arrested if we get our way. Take it or leave it, it's your choice. Have a nice day."
Now remind me; which airlines find it necessary to put up notices like that?
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A couple of months ago during pushback from an Eastern Mediterranean island, I was told by one of my cabin crew that a woman sat at the overwing exit was refusing to put her hand baggage and other random personal possessions in the overhead locker for take off. I simply went down there and after lowering myself to her eye level I said politely to her "as you are sat by an emergency exit I need you to place your handbag in the overhead locker please madam" At which point a discussion ensued for some minutes where I eventually said to her that if she didn't comply to my request I would have to move her from her exit seat. At one point she got so angry I thought if her head were to spin round and she threw up pea soup we were all in trouble.
After taking her vitriolic volley for about two minutes she rounds it off by saying "each time I fly it becomes more and more a thoroughly more miserable experience". Now on reflection probably not the the best reply, but my reply to her was "yes possibly more miserable on both sides, now is the hand bag going up in the locker or do we need to find you another seat?" Needless to say the hand baggage went up without further question.
Another occassion recently we had ran out of the choice of beef for the last row in business class, I politely explained to the gentlemen that I was sorry that we could not carry a full number of each choice, offered him another choice of beef from the main cabin or my crew meal. His reply "I usually fly BA or Virgin and I always get what I want" Eventually he took my nicely plated crew meal and then forked it around a bit in front of me and my colleague but eventually ate it all leaving the plate spotless however he then proceeded to sulk for the remaining six hours, even though I was as accomodating and as polite as possible.
I always do my very best to provide top notch customer service, like others I always say good manners cost nothing, but however inexpensive good manners are at the moment they are increasingly becoming difficult to find.
After taking her vitriolic volley for about two minutes she rounds it off by saying "each time I fly it becomes more and more a thoroughly more miserable experience". Now on reflection probably not the the best reply, but my reply to her was "yes possibly more miserable on both sides, now is the hand bag going up in the locker or do we need to find you another seat?" Needless to say the hand baggage went up without further question.
Another occassion recently we had ran out of the choice of beef for the last row in business class, I politely explained to the gentlemen that I was sorry that we could not carry a full number of each choice, offered him another choice of beef from the main cabin or my crew meal. His reply "I usually fly BA or Virgin and I always get what I want" Eventually he took my nicely plated crew meal and then forked it around a bit in front of me and my colleague but eventually ate it all leaving the plate spotless however he then proceeded to sulk for the remaining six hours, even though I was as accomodating and as polite as possible.
I always do my very best to provide top notch customer service, like others I always say good manners cost nothing, but however inexpensive good manners are at the moment they are increasingly becoming difficult to find.
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Wow, what a nasty little man that passenger was Cool Wavy. Hope you didn't go hungry on account of him!
And as for pax rudely refusing to stow their baggage at an exit seat I politely tell them than in the unlikely event of an evacuation their items could well impede their escape from the aircraft.
And as for pax rudely refusing to stow their baggage at an exit seat I politely tell them than in the unlikely event of an evacuation their items could well impede their escape from the aircraft.
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Recently on a German LoCo, i was sitting also in the exit row. Mom arrived like a garbage truck with a huge plastic bag and oversize handbag, stowed both in front of the door. I told her that this was illegal.
CC arrived and told her twice to stow it in the overhead. No reaction, doors closed and CC arrived again:
"Mam, do you know what happens if we offload your bags now? No? You will accompany your bag and pay again for one of the flights tomorrow!"
The bag was stowed immediately! When she started to moan, I told her to shut up. IMHO, it would be good especially on flights to SE Europe, if also the LoCo's would strictly enforce the one piece must fit into this space rule.
Frank
CC arrived and told her twice to stow it in the overhead. No reaction, doors closed and CC arrived again:
"Mam, do you know what happens if we offload your bags now? No? You will accompany your bag and pay again for one of the flights tomorrow!"
The bag was stowed immediately! When she started to moan, I told her to shut up. IMHO, it would be good especially on flights to SE Europe, if also the LoCo's would strictly enforce the one piece must fit into this space rule.
Frank
