[JamesMoloney5]

CA112 11 Sept. HKG-PEK
I was in an aisle seat in the last row of Business Class and I noticed a group of African gentlemen boarding and taking their seats a couple of rows ahead of me. One chap was fussing over the others and when he had finished fussing he headed past me into the Economy cabin.

On arrival a commotion was caused by this chap who, it turned out, was seated in the first row of Economy. He had jumped up as we were taxiing into the gate and the crew yelled at him to sit down.

When we finally came to a halt I had just stood up into the aisle when he came barreling into me and said “excuse me I must see to my Ambassador’s needs, out of my way…..”. I stood my ground and told him that if he needed to see to his boss’s needs he should have purchased a Business Class ticket and sat beside him.

In the meantime, his “boss” was gesticulating at him to hurry up and come forward…but I didn’t move and eventually a crew member told him to go back into the Economy cabin until Business Class passengers had disembarked.

CA1303 PEK-SZX 14 Sept
I was seated in Business Class and our flight was delayed, on the taxi apron for about an hour, engines running, so passengers got up, started walking around and using the toilets and generally having a grand old time. Not a word from the crew.

It was 2-3-2 configuration and I was in an aisle seat (C). The three passengers occupying the -3- in the middle ( a family) put their seats into the sleep position, pulled on their blankets, and slept like that…all the way through the hour long wait, then the taxi, and…..yes…the entire take-off!!

The crew came around when we were preparing for take-off, did their “safety check” (ha ha) and walked right by these three people. They had their blankets over them such that the crew could not see their seat belts so they were not even sure if they were correctly belted up!

But then this is normal for Chinese airlines…God knows what was going on in Economy!! However, Air China is a Star Alliance member and one chooses an alliance carrier such as this in the hope (don’t mention Egypt Air, OK!) that consistent standards are followed.

I have some photos i took with my phone (I just had to get shots of what was going on so, yes, I flouted the rules and started up my phone in “flight mode”) but i don’t know how to upload them to the post…

[Bruce98]

” I have long advocated for a camera (linked to a screen if the crew are on jump seats in the Galley area) so that they can see the cabin). Allied to this an electronic device attached to the seat belt to warn if the device has been unbuckled and a pressure pad on the seat so if a pax rises from the seat a sensor records this,and is linked to the seat-belt sign circuit until shut down, all displayed on a screen and recorded electonically for the crew / management to review.

If not an instant fine before disembarking for disobeying the Captain’s orders (a breach of air law/Air Navigation Act), then a letter to the passengers home address with the threat of legal action against them (if electronically recorded a pattern of behaviour could be collated for these breaches of regulation) so a case could be compiled against them. It would require the airlines to share information on pax which I am sure they will never do!)”

Welcome to Gestapo Air.

[AnthonyDunn]

@ JamesMoloney5 – 20/09/2012 16:31 GMT

I am still relishing my CA flight PEK-ULN last month (I was in Y). When the cabin crew came around with the mid-afternoon “in-flight service”, I experienced a first with passengers actually sniggering. CA catering amounted to a plastic board piled high with white putty bread brickettes that were lobbed at us. I felt rather sorry for the English couple sitting next to me who opined “we ought to eat it, it may be the last protein we get for a while…!”

Otherwise, precisely no attempt at controlling people standing up before the plane had come to a halt.

[bacrew1]

This is an extremely frustrating subject for me.. In BA we can’t force passengers to remain seated…. we can make PA’s, but there’s nothing we can physically do… And we have to remain strapped into our crew seats until the “doors to manual” call has been made.
Regarding the blanket comment (SimonS I think)… In the “ideal world” 😉 blankets should be stored away and not worn for numerous reasons including, It could hinder you from removing your belt in an evacuation, it’s a trip/slip hazard for you and or other passengers if it falls in the aisle (again in an evacuation)

[Inthesandpit]

I completely agree with bacrew1 and Ymelord with all their comments. As ex CC many years ago we had a little ruse that if passengers were getting out of their seats before the aircraft had come to a complete stop we would get the flight deck to brake a little hard. It always amazed me that it was predominently Business class passengers who thought they were above the safety rules.
Today I travel in F and J purely for pleasure and have been astounded at the way cabin crew are spoken to and treated by passengers, what happened to ‘please’ and ‘thankyou’.
Keep up the good work bacrew1 and Ymelord.

One last thing – can we all try to check our text before posting for spelling especially ‘their’ and ‘there’ ‘where’ and ‘were’ and the use of the apostrophe.

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