Most Pompus Passenger

Who is the most pompus passenger you have had the missfortune to be seated near? For me many examples but most recently on BA Lhr-Hkg, the passenger adjacent shortly after take off noticed his reading light was not in working order and summoned the cabin crew.

Complaining bitterly that he had very important work to do on his flights and how could he now.

The cabin crew apologised but advised there were no other spare seats in CW on that flight, the passenger then demanded to speak with the CSD. He then in very loud tones explained to the CSD that he was a long standing passenger loyal to BA and choses to fly BA instead of its competirors and demanded an upgrade to first. The CSD advised that they could not consider that in this circumstance.
Getting now very bored with the borish passenger I offered to swap seats to which he refused and told me to mind my own business, Sir you are making it my business while you throw your yuppie tantrams and continue to disturb the entire cabin with your pathetic attemts to an upgrade.

Passenger then snorts in retort but at least stayed quite for the remainder of the flight and did what I suspect he would all along which was have dinner, some nice wine, watch a movie and sleep.

Not the neighbour from hell some of you may have endured but a typical example of how some business class passengers really do believe they are beyond it all.

Boorish behaviour, perhaps, but it is not acceptable for a business class seat on a long haul flight to have a u/s reading light, as a lot of people do need to read documents en-route. Even if they only wish to read a book, they should still be able to.

Did the aircraft you were travelling on have a secondary reading light, e.g. one in the panel above? If so, then I’d take a slightly different view, although such a light would be more intrusive for passengers sitting nearby, who wished to sleep.

I don’t know Club World, since I have only travelled in First on BA long haul, but I have encountered the opposite problem in New First, where the reading lamp would not go out, thus requiring a blanket to be wrapped around it. This I found poor, although the crew were inventive to think of this solution. Although I don’t fly BA regularly, I do find their crew to be excellent.

I can’t say they were pompous … but the Top Gear Trio were making enough noise in the Concorde Lounge at LHR. Then they were boarding the same aircraft & I thought heavens, ‘what a dreadful flight this is going to be’. By the way, we were heading to Miami last November.

I was fortunate to have the best seat in the house 2A, & they were upstairs in CW. What a tight fit the seat must have been for Clarkson.

Pompous passenger? Oh yes….my neighbour on LHR-DXB in BA Club World some years ago.

I had just come in from JFK on the red-eye and used the shower facilities in Heathrow to freshen-up, changed into a nice clean shirt and boarded the plane wearing a blazer. I had the window. This “gentleman” arrived, similarly dressed, and took the aisle. I said “Hello”. I got a glacial stare and a “Good Morning” to which I responded. We gave our respective jackets to the FA and then there was silence, which was fine.

Every time the FA passed and asked me what I would like to drink, eat etc and I would respond, I could see him visibly BRISTLE. I didnt know why, nor did I care….in fact, after a while, it became quite enjoyable to note that my very existence caused him distress!

Later in the flight, I began to experience dizzy spells and mild trembling. I had to go to the galley and ask if they could help…which meant I had to squeeze past him once or twice, which was not appreciated. I ultimately sat with the crew, who offered me a cuppa, and passed time making conversation, rather than returning to the baleful sourpuss next to me.

The last straw was just before landing. The FA returned our blazers….and got them mixed-up! The “gentleman” next to me picked mine up with his thumb and index-finger (as he would a dead cockroach) and called out “what is THIS?” To which I did the same, saying “exactly what THIS is” glared at him and threw his jacket into his lap. Mercifully, we touched down in Dubai soon after and the idiot took the bus for transit passengers….he was obviously continuing to Muscat.

I couldnt help wondering why he behaved the way he did. I certainly did nothing to provoke him. If he had a grouch with the airline (no window-seat or upgrade perhaps?) why take it out on me? I am forced to presume he had something against Indians….and the fact that he was seated next to one who was well-dressed and well-spoken, irked him all the more!

Sitting in seat 3A on a CE flight between ZRH and LHR, everyone was on board but our flight was already delayed when it was announced a further felay owing to terrible weather in both Switzerland and England. My overriding memory (apart from missing my connection to SIN) was the arse sitting 3D announcing that he was a ‘good friend’ of Sir Martin Broughton and that he was emailing him ‘now’ because the captain would only let water be served rather the beer he wanted.

As you can imagine, the CC were suitably impressed to have such an important person on their flight!

I wonder if Gin&Tonic met Mr Bond?…lol 🙂 x

Becky….. norty! 😉