Premium cabins
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Premium cabins
On the rare occasions I've managed to travel in BA Club (fare sales and air miles upgrades) I'm sure the cabin crew picked up on the fact that I found it all quite exciting. But if they considered me a bit of a nuisance they did a very good job of disguising it.
Do cabin crew prefer dealing with experienced premium travellers who are probably quicker to deal with, (and who may well have paid full fare)? Or do they like the fact that some people aren't blase about the experience? Or does it all depend on how the individual passenger behaves?
Do cabin crew prefer dealing with experienced premium travellers who are probably quicker to deal with, (and who may well have paid full fare)? Or do they like the fact that some people aren't blase about the experience? Or does it all depend on how the individual passenger behaves?
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Ah so, you mean the experienced traveller who treats the staff rather as children, acknowledging their presence in the room by listening attentively to the safety brief and thereafter politely ignoring them,no matter what tantrums they throw up.
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Many of the so-called 'experienced travellers'; especially in the premium cabin, just love to advertise the fact that they are frequent flyers. They do this by blatantly ignoring any of the safety briefs and continuing to read their newspaper... usually with a yawn or, raising and rolling their eyes to the ceiling as if to say... "Here we go again". Worse still, they will continue with their conversation with a business colleague.
It's all about status; body language says everything. It's also obvious to the Premium frequent flyer when an upgraded passenger arrives within the same cabin. The upgraded passenger cannot resist pushing every button within his/her seat area; just like a child with a new toy; craving for eye-contact with fellow passengers; worse still, wanting to communicate their joy in finding themselves within the same 'club'.
The cabin crew do know who the upgraded people are, and, the airline usually haven't 'catered' for any extra passengers within that particular cabin. However, the cabin crew will invariably try to accommodate your every wish. That being said, they sometimes get it wrong... they might have chosen the wrong person to upgrade; especially those 'non-premium' passengers who will ask for everything in sight.
Body language and attitude... get it right and the world will be at your feet.
TCF
It's all about status; body language says everything. It's also obvious to the Premium frequent flyer when an upgraded passenger arrives within the same cabin. The upgraded passenger cannot resist pushing every button within his/her seat area; just like a child with a new toy; craving for eye-contact with fellow passengers; worse still, wanting to communicate their joy in finding themselves within the same 'club'.
The cabin crew do know who the upgraded people are, and, the airline usually haven't 'catered' for any extra passengers within that particular cabin. However, the cabin crew will invariably try to accommodate your every wish. That being said, they sometimes get it wrong... they might have chosen the wrong person to upgrade; especially those 'non-premium' passengers who will ask for everything in sight.
Body language and attitude... get it right and the world will be at your feet.
TCF
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It's funny because I seem to think most of the experience guys aren't interested in the meals, the tv or the drink as the journey is a means, and the business class is a way to rest or work so your ready when you arrive. The product is pretty much wasted on me for that.
\But if i'm on holiday and in business or first, I enjoy abusing it, regardless of which pax I offend by letting my children run around and press the buttons on the seats (pretty much be the person i hate when travelling for work!!!)
\But if i'm on holiday and in business or first, I enjoy abusing it, regardless of which pax I offend by letting my children run around and press the buttons on the seats (pretty much be the person i hate when travelling for work!!!)
Paxing All Over The World
Unfortunately, L'aviateur, the premium cabins are full of very little boys whose parents never taught them how to behave in a public place. Also, many of the 'managers' travel because they can - not because they have to. Travel is a status that they want to 'wave around' in a literal sense. 
Much of the biz travel is not needed but those who really SHOULD go and meet colleagues/customers are not allowed. When I took over a telecomms project that was over budget and not woking properly, I stated that I would visit all the locations on the network (it was only UK). I was allowed to drive anywhere but to take a flight? To Glasgow???
I got the flight and saw the folks in the small GLA office who were delighted that someone was interested in their problem - because they had only been told junk before and no one had visited them. Incidentally, the company I was working for was/is a multi-national of international repute and with lots of cash. But a flight? Without my 'manager' (who knew nothing) that was a problem.
I did not stay with them but I digress, it's a sunny afternoon and time for a snooze. But many of the folks travelling on biz should not be!
Much of the biz travel is not needed but those who really SHOULD go and meet colleagues/customers are not allowed. When I took over a telecomms project that was over budget and not woking properly, I stated that I would visit all the locations on the network (it was only UK). I was allowed to drive anywhere but to take a flight? To Glasgow???
I got the flight and saw the folks in the small GLA office who were delighted that someone was interested in their problem - because they had only been told junk before and no one had visited them. Incidentally, the company I was working for was/is a multi-national of international repute and with lots of cash. But a flight? Without my 'manager' (who knew nothing) that was a problem.
I did not stay with them but I digress, it's a sunny afternoon and time for a snooze. But many of the folks travelling on biz should not be!
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Dr. Jekyll -
Most of the cabin crew I've chatted with prefer pax who are "into" aircraft and air travel and pay attention to what is going on around them.
I'm not sure they even consider what you've paid for your ticket - I think they are more concerned about how much effort you're willing to put forth to make your flying experience (as well as theirs and those around you) pleasant and safe.
Our being polite and "being engaged with the process" makes their jobs easier and more fun.
It's got to be disheartening to look out and see that 75% aren't paying any attention to the safety spiel, or to have to repeat the meal and drink choices at every row.
Every time I've flown in the last decade, the experience has been more depressing.
True, there have always been cranks and ignoramuses flying but the percentage seems to be increasing.
RR
Most of the cabin crew I've chatted with prefer pax who are "into" aircraft and air travel and pay attention to what is going on around them.
I'm not sure they even consider what you've paid for your ticket - I think they are more concerned about how much effort you're willing to put forth to make your flying experience (as well as theirs and those around you) pleasant and safe.
Our being polite and "being engaged with the process" makes their jobs easier and more fun.
It's got to be disheartening to look out and see that 75% aren't paying any attention to the safety spiel, or to have to repeat the meal and drink choices at every row.
Every time I've flown in the last decade, the experience has been more depressing.
True, there have always been cranks and ignoramuses flying but the percentage seems to be increasing.
RR
I make it an invariable rule to stop reading, wear my 'seeing' (as opposed to reading) glasses and pay attention to the safety briefing. I get comments from CC on often being the only one in business class who does!
If CC are going to the trouble of doing the brief, it's only polite to listen. It's also polite, I feel, to thank CC and Flight crew when disembarking.
I find it interesting the number of times CC seem surprised that an ordered special meal has actually been provided!
If CC are going to the trouble of doing the brief, it's only polite to listen. It's also polite, I feel, to thank CC and Flight crew when disembarking.
I find it interesting the number of times CC seem surprised that an ordered special meal has actually been provided!
.
A combination of frequent J class travel long-haul, and frequent UK and Europe short hop flights meant that I used to get the front row quite a lot on the UK and European flights.
Like many others, I routinely ignored all the briefing stuff, but was one day severely told off by a CC on BMI. (BA and SQ never told me off).
Whilst my initial gut reaction was negative, the CC did cause me to think.
Ever since then, like radeng, I make a point of taking off my reading specs, folding the paper, and I watch and listen to the safety briefing.
As to "being a passenger" with respect to CC, my experience suggests that being very polite, attentive, and smiling makes their day better/easier, and ensures that if I want an extra drink, then I get one.
Like many others, I routinely ignored all the briefing stuff, but was one day severely told off by a CC on BMI. (BA and SQ never told me off).
Whilst my initial gut reaction was negative, the CC did cause me to think.
Ever since then, like radeng, I make a point of taking off my reading specs, folding the paper, and I watch and listen to the safety briefing.
As to "being a passenger" with respect to CC, my experience suggests that being very polite, attentive, and smiling makes their day better/easier, and ensures that if I want an extra drink, then I get one.
