[AllOverTheGaff]

Made reference to this ‘lady’ on another thread, but here goes.

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class from LGW to MCO with my then 14-year-old daughter. Having been in the 747 nose cabin before, I had selected the front two seats which more or less are feet to feet with each other. I’ve been on-board for about 10 minutes and am enjoying my fizz when family of 5 get on, one of the kids is a baby.

Sigh.

Brat #1 sits in the seat next to me and is no sooner sat than the kicking starts. I put up with it for what seemed like ages then glared over the divider at him – he seemed oblivious. His mother looked on and I suppose I should have said there and then but we’d not even taken off so I decided (wrongly) to be manner able and not get stuck into a child before a 9 hour flight.

So, mum has baby on lap for take off then the instant we’re in the air she puts baby in her seat for a sleep then moves over to sit on the footrest of seat-kicking-Damien next to me. With not a care in the world for my personal space, she spends then next hour or so sat there talking nonsense to child…..to be fair, even he was bored with her and he started playing his Nintendo.

By this time I’ve left my seat and am at the bar with daughter. As another hour passes we go back to seat and my daughter and I are chatting. I then need to use the little-boys-room and as I return to my seat, you know, the one I’d paid a small fortune for, Mother-of-the-Year asks me “Could you please keep your voice down when you’re chatting as you might wake my baby who’s trying to sleep”.

With that I went back to the bar, drank way too much champagne and spent much of the rest of the flight singing – loudly – with my headphones on – my daughter had retreated back to her seat knowing I was going into ‘I-can-be-even-more-obnoxious-than-you” mode.

It was, and still is, the most appalling flight I’ve been on with the most appalling family who clearly believed they were completely above the the rest of the world in Virgin’s Upper Class.

I cannot begin to tell you how happy we were on the return flight when they were not on-board….made the holiday!

AOTG.

[canucklad]

Can’t recall any on board incidents of note– lots of rude , I’ve paid my money you’re my servant idiots! I do memorably recall the Yuppie Marx brothers sitting down at my table in the old upstairs Diamond lounge in T1! I’m reading a newspaper. Sipping a well deserved maltt after a long week in the big smoke-watching the world go by and wishing I was going on the SAA jumbo parked on the other side of the apron! Enter the Marx brothers, each one with mobile phone attached to their ear-each talking to each other and the poor probably at best suicidal person at the other end! Every conceivable cliche and buzz word interspersped with firing threats, raising the price by the odd million in a trillion jibberish. If you said you went to Tenerife for your holidays these clowns would retort with ” Me,i go to Elevenarife”. After an eternity of their masochistic business jingoism they noticed I hadn’t used ny mobile! ( I travel very light – everything apart from wallet and house keys , everything gets stuffed into checked luggage-less hassle at security etc ). Told Groucho and co that my phone packed away – this news greeted with disbelief to the point of concern for my overall mental welfare– “what’s happens if soomeone needs to contact you?”. I replied that if it was urgent or important enough they know where and how to find me. Moments later as I drifted back to dreaming of a nice Merlot on top of Table mountain I heard them muttering to each other that I must be somebody incredibly high up,maybe a CEO- My flight to EDI called I left them wondering who was so important they didn’t need to carry a mobile phone! I wonder what they would have thought of me as I wrestled with my Kebab as I staggerd home 5 hours amd a few pints later !

[Shearer]

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.

Fantastic turn of phrase. I will remember that if I see a boorish passenger!

[TominScotland]

The Qantas couple in First (the report of which I highlighted in another post) would seem to fit in here very nicely!!

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/Flight-delay-announcement-greeted-with-roars-of-laughter

[Gin&Tonic]

Many thanks for all your contributions, I guess as regular travellers we develop this 6th sense of our fellow passengers, and like most of you in the majority of circumstances I can ignore the antics of them. Just occasionally though the inverted snob has to raise itself up from my roots and get them to just shut the – – – – up! Safe travels all

[stevescoots]

G&T, 6th sense? for many years I have called it absolute hatred for my fellow passenger 🙂 🙂

[Bruce98]

++ Just occasionally though the inverted snob has to raise itself up from my roots and get them to just shut the – – – – up!++

At which stage you become a boorish passenger. Airline travel is public transport and I am sure that we all irritate our fellow travellers, from time to time. If the problem is really bad, I have a quiet chat with the senior cabin crew member; they are trained to sort out problems and are much more experienced than passengers, as well as having the authority of the captain, if that becomes necessary.

Usually, a diplomatic solution is implemented, which leaves the other person completely unaware of your initiative and avoids an unpleasant atmosphere for the rest of the flight.

[canucklad]

I definately am an inadverted snob..with a capital S

Normally when i come across Scots who behave in the ” stereo typical manner”

As someone who hails from the east of Scotland my sobbery is most evident when a “Weegie” behaves with all the characteristics of Rab C Nesbitt and I become aware that i’m about to be tarred with the same brush…..I tend to “tut tut” more visibly than all around me and start to act more ” Morningside” (poshish district of Edinburgh) than i’m entitled to ! Strangely my fellow travelling companions do exactly the same as they are all from the east as well.

Nothing like the old Glasgow v Edinburgh rivarly to get the snobbery going full gas !

[Bruce98]

I know what you mean, as someone from the Borders.

The Rab C Nesbit stereotype is larger than life, but by how much? 😉

[GordyUK]

and i’ll second (or is it third) that!!.. Having moved from Morayshire to Scotland when i was 17, i have felt like i’ve single handedly being trying to reverse this awful stereotype, especially that Scots are “tight”.

keep up the good work lads 🙂

[Bruce98]

++especially that Scots are “tight”++

We are careful with money, as opposed to the Northern English, who are tight 😉

[superchris]

I was in 2A heading from London to Miami and just before doors closed a young lady, dolled up to the nines and riding her perfume down the aisle darted in and plonked herself in 1A. I had spotted her in the lounge earlier, complete with YSL everything and wrongly thought it was Beyonce (Im not great with celebs!).

After take off she put her PJ’s on and slept for most of the flight. About an hour out of Miami she woke up, rang the bell. ‘Tea’ she said. It duly arrived. ‘too hot’, it went back, ‘too cold’ ‘too much milk’ etc etc.

Mid way through this enfolding comic sketch, I approached the galley and asked them who the fun character is in 1A. ‘dont you know they said?’ and promptly gave me the name of A South London super model who until recently was banned from the Worlds Favorite.

I returned to my seat and by now, and as if by magic, her bell had stopped working, so she turned round and asked (well told) me to press mine, which I ignored..

The seat belts lights came on shortly after when she bolted in the bathroom, and only came back out, caked with makeup after the captain had threatened to abort the landing if the person in the bathroom would not come out immediately.

[canucklad]

GordyUk..Unfortunately 4 of my Scots mates are tighter than 2 coats of paint…that said so are some of my English mates.

Having lived here half my life i really don’t get the friendliest part of Scotland is Glasgow — maybe it’s the polite and boring Canadian in me …On occasion I’ve had to work at Ibrox, right in the middle of Rab C country and I couldn’t believe that Rab C was pretty much alive and well…I must admit that on more than one occasion i felt like I had walked into a totally different country.

That said i’ve had many a good night out in Glasgow and had a few girlfriends from Scotlands 2nd city !

[Bath_VIP]

GordyUK,

“..Having moved from Morayshire to Scotland..”.

Has Morayshire declared independence from Scotland?

[GordyUK]

No Bath_VIP

I’m just not brain engaged today..

Having moved from Morayshire to LONDON….

ahem

[Author]

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