SLF getting worse?

[girtbar]

The saving grace there, is he smokes so the ill mannered idiot will be dead a lot sooner than you! Harsh i know!

The best quick remark i ever heard was on the very first season of Airline when they followed Britannia and their overly camp CCM called BJ (was there any need?). When a pax was getting all upset that they couldn't drink the alcholic purchases from the Duty Free Cart, without a blink of an eye he replied " well sir they sell condoms in boots dont they?"

[vodkaholic]

girtbar - i agree, the funniest comeback!! didn't only shut the woman up but also made her laugh, which is perfect!

I too would have thought he was a disruptive passenger (along with the other 2 or 3 we seem to get on every single flight) but I'm not sure my company would appreciate all the added paperwork etc, just because I got a bit angry at the comment he made. I guess it is a thin line, and should he have been on the outbound flight I would have at least got him warned at check in. But seeing as it was inbound, I saw little that the company could do anyway. Especially as he assured me he wouldn't be flying with our airline again - (thank god!)

[KentishRoman]

Vodkaholic: I was travelling back from NY on CO with the rest of my family when a 'sold out cigarette' incident similar to the one you mention happened. This time it was the woman sat next to me in one of the inner seats - worse is that she was talking across me. She clearly thought she was able to launch a volley of appalling abuse at the poor girl. Just because she'd run out of fags...

I couldn't stand it and asked her not to talk across me in that manner, who did she think she was to talk to another person like that etc etc. Well, the look on her face....and then the mouthful I got...threats of violence from her, threats that I should watch my back when we got to LGW...

Anyway, to cut a long story short, she was met by the police at LGW and escorted away. CO took the view that she was a disruptive passenger as she had been abusive and threatening to both their member of staff and me. I'm led to believe she got away with a police caution and a life ban from CO. I'd have been happy to give evidence but the police insisted she'd accepted the caution and was totally contrite and that therefore there would be nothing to gain from pursuing her.

I'm not so sure - surely some folk need to be made examples of if we are to have any chance of stopping the antisocial behaviour spiralling out of control?

[RTN11]

Perhaps it's time to implement Aircraft ASBOs?

They work so well on the ground.

[WHBM]

The two cigarette incidents mentioned above both demonstrate a new aviation difficulty in recent years in that those accustomed to smoking are now prevented from doing so for many hours on long-haul, which they sometimes cannot handle. It's the same as drug addicts beng deprived. I believe this is a significant part of why there was a rise in "air rage" and other incidents this thread describes after the ban, what, 10 years ago or so ? It would be interesting to analyse what proportion of those who have to be met by police on arrival fall into this category compared to their numbers in the overall population.

[Juud]

Had what I considered one of our saner cabinet-ministers on board back from the USA. He had grabbed 3 fat saturday newspapers from the cart. As he finished reading each section, he tossed it over the back of his seat. Hell of a mess on the floor.

When he had settled in for the night, blankie tucked in, sleepmask over his eyes, seatback in horizontal so his head was about 30 cms above the pile of paper on the floor, I proceeded to "tidy up".
It's shocking how much noise you can make while smoothing out & folding newspapers.

Sleep mask came off a very irritated minister, we came face to face at close range and I smiled at him very sweetly.
He had the grace to turn a deep crimson.
The sleepmask went back on without a word.
I love my job.

[vodkaholic]

KentishRoman - had the gentleman on my flight made threats towards me or any other person on board the aircraft, I would not have hesitated in having the police meet them. CO in my mind did the correct thing. If I could have my way then I would have the police meet every pax who gives me verbal abuse, but I fear the police would eventually see me as wasting their time he he!! But you are right, somebody does need to made an example out of so people understand they cannot get away with it!

[YONGE]

When you think about it, the flying experience takes away a lot of the freedom and choice that many people take for granted on a daily basis. People who are used to dishing out orders and not being questioned are suddenly put into the position where they are on the receiving end by people who they deem to be in a much lower social position (ie we crew). "fasten your seatbelts, no smoking, turn off your phone, turn off you blackberry, shut down your computer, return to your seat etc etc" Also we dictate at what time they will eat, how much they will drink, when they will sleep (dimming lights etc). This removal of control and power threatens some people and they can't handle it.

Now don't get me wrong, my biggest bug bare is people with no manners. All I ask for is a please and thank you and even eye contact when I offer you something rather than being dismissed with a wave of your hand. However I think that rather than saying that people are generally ruder these days we have to look at possible psychological reasons behind it.

Oh and one more thing whilst I am on the subject...jackets. Why oh why when we are in the middle of boarding on a single-aisle aircraft do people up the front insist on waving their jackets in your face or even worse going into the wardrobe themselves. It slows down proceedings, we get in the way of boarding customers and then have to fight our way back to the front. I know you are all very important people who have to have your phones on until the very last minute and have to switch them back on the minute the plane touches the ground (thats if you haven't ignored our instruction to turn them OFF in the first place) but please have an iota of patience.

And the final thing...why oh why would i want to touch your boarding card when it has been in your mouth?????

I love my job and I would not stop saying please and thank you to someone who did not reciprocate..I was brought up with manners and taught how to be civil and refuse to lower myself down to some peoples standards.

Rant over..safe flying everyone

[fflyingdoguk]

I hear your pain,we as engineers have to go through security on average 3-4 times a night,gets to be a bit of a pain .But when you pay peanuts you get monkeys.